This spring, the Diocesan Vocations Office ran an art competition open to all in our diocesan schools, using the title of Pope Francis’ letter for the Year of Saint Joseph: “Patris Corde – With a Father’s Heart”.

Students were invited to create an inspirational piece of artwork linking Saint Joseph with Vocation to win prizes for themselves and their school.

This was our second schools’ vocations competition, and despite the challenges of Covid, we were overwhelmed with the number and quality of entries from our primary and secondary schools the length and breadth of the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

Our three judges – Bishop David Evans (auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Birmingham), Lianne Pap (diocesan Marriage and Family Life Coordinator) and Fr Naz Mgungwe (parish priest of St. Joseph’s, Malvern) – had the demanding but rewarding task of finding the best artwork from the sketches, paintings, sculptures, models, digital artwork and photography submitted.

Keira D., St Peter’s Catholic School, Solihull, was the winner in the secondary category with a pencil composition (photos below). One judge commented this was “an emotional piece, the boy Jesus looking to his father and wanting to help, and Joseph was portrayed in such a caring manner. For me it really epitomised the role of Joseph as an ordinary man who took great pride in raising the child Jesus.”

Aira P. and Adaugo N.E. from Bishop Challoner Catholic College, Kings Heath, Birmingham, spent many hours after school collaborating on a triptych that was declared runner-up in the secondary category (main photo).

Layla H., St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Coventry, was the winner of the primary category with an inspirational piece of computer artwork depicting Jesus as a toddler learning at Joseph’s feet in Nazareth (photos below).

Bianca B., of St. John Fisher Catholic Primary School, Littlemore, Oxford, was runner-up in the primary category with her beautiful sketch (photo below).

The Diocesan Vocations Office will be holding another competition for schools in spring 2022.

If any schools would like a visit from the Vocations team, get in touch at [email protected] or visit our website