Friday, 11^th October, 2019 saw our 59^th First Friday – Hymns Old and New - session and, yes, you’ll have spotted that it was a week late!  That’s because members of our 1804 Society were on pilgrimage to Namur and Amiens so we postponed First Friday (it’s never cancelled!)

As usual, giant pink hands pointed participants to the venue – our special Notre Dame Chapel at the heart of our school.

Around 50 people gathered before the formal start of the school day to sing our old hymn “Oh Happy Day”.  This was chosen by Miss Hyland who reminded us that this song was top of the UK charts on 22^nd June 1969 – the very day Marie Rose Julie Billiart became St. Julie in her canonisation ceremony in Rome!

Miss McKean introduced our new hymn “Qu’il est bon” written to the tune of the clapping Gloria especially for 2016 – the 200^th anniversary of the death of St. Julie.   An additional verse has been written for this Year of the Saint and it was sung with much gusto as it was when pilgrims from the school were in Rome in June for the 50^th anniversary of the canonisation.

Thanks to all who came, especially the First Friday band which has never sounded better!