According to St Teresa of Avila, 

“Prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.”

Spending that time with God is a crucial element of our day-to-day faith life, enabling us to nurture our relationship with the Lord and to receive the strength and grace we need to live out all that He asks of us.

Prayer can take many forms:

• Vocal – Conversation (talking to God as you would a close friend, traditional prayers such as the Our Father or Hail Mary, or prayers of thanksgiving or intercession;
• Meditation – reflecting on scripture, sacred art or icons, sacred music, reflecting on your day or recent experiences, or imaginative prayer (such as putting yourself at the heart of a Gospel story);
• Contemplative Prayer – a loving, silent attentiveness at the deeper level to God.

Of course, prayer is not just something that can be accomplished alone. Jesus Himself said: “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there” (Matthew 18:20), reminding us of the power of people coming together in prayer, whether in a group or ecclesial setting, such as Mass or during the Sacraments.

Catholic prayer and liturgy encompass the public worship of the Church and personal devotion. Liturgy refers to the official, communal rituals like the Mass (the Eucharist) and the Sacraments, while prayer includes vocal, meditative, and contemplative practices done individually or in groups. 

Core Elements of Catholic Worship

• The Mass (Liturgy): The central act of worship, uniting the faithful in Scripture, Eucharist, and prayer. 
• Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office): The official daily prayer of the Church, sanctifying the day through Psalms, Scripture, and intercessions at set times (e.g., Morning and Evening Prayer).
• The Sacraments: Seven ritual celebrations—Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony—which are pivotal moments of grace. 
• Devotional Prayer: Personal or communal practices like the Rosary, Novenas, and Lectio Divina (prayerful reading of Scripture)

Pupil Prepared Prayer:

Each week, a group of children in each class lead a prayer and liturgy session with their peers. Children reflect on gospel stories as well as lead prayers, songs and other chosen activities. The children select the Bible reading that they want their session to be focused upon. They may choose a text related to the liturgical calendar, their class saint or a theme they would like their class to reflect upon e.g friendship, honesty or forgiveness. 

The sessions are structured around the following parts:

Gather- children gather in a circle with a focus area. They can use candles, rosary beads and other religious artefacts. Some children may choose to hold their session in a different area in our school, not the classroom. 

Word- children chose a Bible reading linked to their prayer theme

Response- Children choose one or two ways to respond to the reading. For example, they ask each child to write down a prayer or a promise and put each paper together in a jar. They could place this jar on the class prayer table as a constant reminder for the children throughout the week. 

Mission- Children choose a way to go forth, sharing the Good News and following God's mission in their everyday lives. This can be telling others what they've heard, writing a poem or raising awareness. 

Each month, Ten:ten - who we use to support our collective worship in school, create a parent newsletter.
 

By exploring the information in the newsletter, you will be able to discuss with your children the themes encountered each day in school.

As May begins, we are in the full flow of Eastertide celebrations and the blossoming of Springtime flowers echoes the hope and joy of the Resurrection of Jesus. We look forward in hope and anticipation for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, marking the birthday of the Church and a renewal of our mission as followers of Jesus.

Parent Newsletter

Pray with Archbishop Bernard

Prayer for the Diocesan Vision

Written by the Liturgy and Worship group:

Spirit of God,
descend on me this day.
Grant me the Spirit of joy, to lift me,
the Spirit of hope to inspire me,
the Spirit of love to surround me and
the Spirit of truth to enlighten my path.

Holy Spirit,
I pray for a new outpouring of your grace,
so that I may grow in worship of your name
in love of you in my prayer
and in my actions towards others.

Come Holy Spirit into my life to guide me.
Strengthen and defend me,
so that I may be drawn ever closer to you.
Help me this day and always
to be a channel of grace
in all I say and do
and invite others into relationship with you.

Amen