St. Joseph’s is a place where people of all faiths and beliefs can encounter God. We believe that Christian worship in our school is concerned with giving glory, honour, praise and thanks to God. It is our loving response, in word and action, to God’s invitation to enter into relationship with Him, made possible through the work of His son Jesus and His Holy Spirit.
The Place of Prayer and Liturgy in the Life of our school
We believe that prayer must take into account the religious and educational needs of all who share in it:
- those who form part of the worshipping community in Church
- those for whom school may be their first and only experience of the Church
- those from other Christian traditions – or none
- those from other faith backgrounds
We encourage the active participation of the children in acts of worship – through, readings, singing, dance, drama and communal/choral prayer and non-Eucharistic Liturgy.
The Aims of Prayer and Liturgy
The prayerful experiences we provide our children aim to:
- to learn and cherish traditional Catholic prayers, for example, the sign of the Cross, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, morning and evening prayers
- to know and be familiar and confident with responses in liturgy, including Mass
- to contemplate something of the mystery of God
- to reflect on spiritual and moral issues
- to develop a personal spirituality
- to explore and develop their own beliefs
- to respond to and celebrate life
- to experience a sense of belonging and develop community spirit
- to develop a common ethos and a sense of shared values
- to enrich religious experiences
- to reinforce positive attitudes
- to participate fully, to take time out, ‘to wonder at’ and ‘to come to terms with’.
What is Prayer?
At St. Joseph’s, we foster and deepen the children’s personal relationship with God our Father daily in prayer. We do this by helping them become aware of God’s Presence in their lives and of His love for them by leading them to respond to Him in a manner suited to their age. This may be in one of the following ways:
- Listening – being attentive to the voice of God in every moment of life.
- Speaking – expressing our heart’s deepest longings and desires to the One who knows and understands us better than we know and understand ourselves.
- Reflecting – thinking about our relationship with God and others.
- Resting – simply being consciously in the presence of God, knowing that we are loved.
What is Liturgy?
Liturgy is a form of collective worship where the children meet God through the scriptures. A liturgy consists of four parts- a gathering, The Word (from the bible), a response to The Word and a sending out with a mission.
So, what does all this look like at St. Joseph’s?
In Early Years and KS1
- short, simple liturgies and prayer times
- occasional liturgies reflecting the Introductory Rites of the Mass and/or the Liturgy of the Word
- the occasional celebration of sacramental liturgies
- a range of types of prayer including devotions to Our Lady
- a range of styles of celebration
- opportunities for pupils to take an active part in worship and with their families (Stay and Pray)
At Key Stage 2 prayer and worship includes:
- short, simple liturgies and prayer times
- liturgies reflecting the Introductory Rites of the Mass and/or the Liturgy of the Word; or the Eucharistic Prayer; and/or the Communion Rite
- the occasional celebration of sacramental liturgies
- a range of types of prayer including devotions to Our Lady
- a range of styles of celebration
- opportunities for pupils to take an active part in worship and with their families (Stay and Pray)
- opportunities for pupils to take leadership roles in worship
Whole School Celebration of The Word
We believe it is so important that our children experience the format of Mass which is central to the Catholic faith. The Celebration of The Word follows the structure of the Mass so there is a gathering, a penitential- reflecting on the week and saying sorry to God for our wrong doings, The Word- the Sunday gospel story- our mission for the week- how we can bring God and goodness into our lives. This is always a prayerful and joyful experience for both children and staff.
Class Prayer
The children develop their own relationship with God in prayerful experiences within the classroom. In Foundation and KS1, teachers guide children through prayer and liturgy. KS2 children plan and deliver their own Liturgies in collaboration with others- peers and adults. This time allows children to be reflective and think of their own needs and the needs of others.
Stay & Pray
Stay and Pray sessions happen each term, throughout the Year in School Please check Newsletters.
Children’s’ Prayer Groups
Throughout the Year of The Church, children are invited to pray in school with both staff and parishioners. In May and October we pray The Rosary as well as Lenten and Advent Prayers. Our Mini-Vinnies or leading lights take a lead role in helping the children in their class to pray.
