Mrs Louise Mackie

St Leo’s Parish in Dumbreck hosted a quite different event from its usual services on 16 August.  The event was a lovely and lively Mass of Thanksgiving and Celebration for the service of Mrs Louise Mackie as Head Teacher of St Denis’s Primary School; after 9 years, she was about to move to St Timothy’s Primary as Head Teacher.  As Mrs Mackie has been so often present with her pupils in their many involvements with Glasgow Churches Together, with Archdiocesan events and with The St Mungo Singers  it felt very practical to hold the celebration at St Leo’s.

The church was full, with children from St Denis’s, members of the St Mungo Singers, members of Trinity High Ceilidh Band with their teacher Carissa Swan, and many teaching colleagues, as well as family and friends, and Director of Education Douglas Hutchison, and Head of Service (NW) Jean Miller from the  Department of Education, Glasgow City Council.

The Ceilidh Band played as people arrived, then the St Mungo Singers led the opening hymn of what was a beautiful and warm Mass.  Among the highlights were the young reader and cantor from St Denis’s, the instrumental by young fiddlers Grace and Filip at the presentation of the gifts and more instrumental input from the Ceilidh Band at Communion time.

In his brief homily, Fr Gerry reminded the congregation that 16 August was by happy coincidence the Feast of St Roch, a much loved saint with a well known parish dedicated to him in Glasgow and this was perhaps reflected in the fact that the newly re-opened Burrell Museum has two statues of him on display.  It was a good day to have a celebration and to thank Mrs Mackie for all she had done for St Denis’s, its children and its staff.  It was also a good time to remember the importance of the teacher’s vocation for our communities.

Deputy Head Teacher Matthew Traynor expressed the thanks of the school, pupils and teachers at the end of the Mass for Mrs Mackie’s unbelievable commitment to and love for all the children in her care, wanting the best for each one and creating a wonderful atmosphere in the school.

The Mass finished with children and adults raising the roof as they sang “Shine Jesus Shine” and “gieing it laldy”.  Then it was time to enjoy a bountiful spread in the parish hall, some more brilliant music from the young musicians of the Ceilidh Band and hear the St Denis Primary pupils repurpose a tune they already knew to new words of thanks to their departing Head Teacher.

 

 

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