Prayer and Liturgy

Collective Worship

As a Catholic primary school collective worship plays a fundamental part of daily school life and enables us all to join together as one in prayer and worship.

Growing Closer to God

In its simplest form, prayer is defined as “talking to God.” It is a personal time of opening our hearts to our Heavenly Father and bringing everything in our hearts to Him. Through the Apostle Paul, God asked us to pray. Prayer can be a powerful force for change in our lives, and the importance of doing it on a daily basis should be instilled in our children.

Communication is the foundation for success in any relationship. When we communicate openly and freely with each other, we learn to know each other as individuals. This principle also applies to our relationship with God. By talking to God, we can learn more about who He is and what plan He has for us. 

Prayer Has a Purpose

It is important that our children understand that there is a purpose to prayer. Jesus frequently prayed during His life on Earth. He had a reason for doing so. Our prayers are something that God deeply desires. But our prayers are not for His benefit; as a perfect Divine Being, God is complete in His power and knowledge. 

Children are encouraged to pray in different ways according to their age and personal development. The most important aspect of prayer for children is that they realise it is their way of communicating with God and is first and foremost a personal occasion.

Opportunities to pray offer progression for children as they move through the school.

Children are introduced to a variety of different ways of praying:

• quiet reflection/meditation
• praying together
• writing own prayers
• prayers through music
• learning traditional Christian / Catholic prayers
   

Our School Prayer

Lord,

We thank you for our school,

a safe and peaceful place to stay.

Where we strive to do our best,

through your example every day.

Help us all be better friends and

happy in our play,

forgiving, kind and respectful

in all we do and say.

What makes a school so special is

the people you find there,

bless our children, teachers, parents

and staff and keep them in your care