Dear all, and especially those who are getting their Leaving Cert results today,

 

I am thinking this morning of our parishioners who should have sat their Leaving Certificate in June.   Each year, the arrival of the Leaving Cert results is an anxious time with delight for some and disappointment for others, but this year, with no sitting of the exam and with predictive grades, there is even more anxiety and uncertainty.

 

To those who are pleased and relieved this morning, I am delighted for you, and wish you every happiness and all that is good as you set in motion your plans for the next few years.

 

To those who are disappointed this morning, please remember that this has been an extraordinary year.   In addition to being without in-classroom teaching since March, many of you have also had struggles with lack of socialisation, with worries about family members and loved ones, and with concerns about your own physical and emotional wellbeing.   This has been an academic year like no other.   But even more than that, please remember that your results do not define who you are; they say nothing about the kind of person you are and the impact that you have on those around you; they say nothing about how you are loved and valued.   They are educational results and not a measure of the entirety of you.

 

You may have to re-think your plans and set about achieving your dream by a different route, and all of that may seem overwhelming right now, but there will be a way forward.

 

If anyone wants to have a chat, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

 

With best wishes and prayers,

 

Gillian