SSP leaders from three dioceses gather at national conference

Leaders of the School Singing Programmes (SSPs) in the Dioceses of Leeds, Middlesbrough and Hallam gathered earlier this week at the National Schools Singing Programme (NSSP) Conference, marking an encouraging step in growing collaboration across the three dioceses.

The meeting comes at a significant moment. The Right Reverend Marcus Stock, Bishop of Leeds, has recently been appointed Apostolic Administrator of both Middlesbrough and Hallam, with a mandate from Pope Leo XIV to explore how the dioceses might work more closely together. The presence of SSP leaders from all three areas at the conference provided a valuable opportunity to begin strengthening relationships, sharing practice and identifying common priorities.

As one of the strongest supporters of music as evangelisation, Bishop Marcus opened the conference by reflecting on the importance of prioritising sacred choral music as a distinctive and particularly cost-effective contribution to the Catholic Church’s mission of evangelisation. He highlighted a number of key ways in which this work bears fruit, including facilitating a deeper knowledge of the Word of God, opening up the possibility of an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ for choristers and their families and connecting participants with the richness of the Church’s liturgical tradition.

Bishop Marcus went on to emphasise the broader human and spiritual fruits of this work: raising aspirations and encouraging reflectiveness; fostering friendships, social development and a commitment to the common good; and cultivating Christian values and virtues. He also noted its contribution to spiritual wellbeing and human flourishing, and how, as an art form, it draws people towards the beauty of holiness.

These themes resonated strongly with those present and offered a clear shared vision for the future development of SSPs in schools and multi-academy trusts across the three dioceses.