Holy Family Catholic Primary and Nursery School

Bush Babies Nursery

Celebration of the Word

"For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them"

Matthew 18-20

The importance of Prayer Life

In all Catholic Schools, prayer and liturgy are crucial to the spiritual life of the school and to pupils’ moral and spiritual development. Taking part in daily collective worship helps build community cohesion by creating a consistent structure around the core values and symbols of Christianity.

Prayer and liturgy are, therefore, an important part of a Catholic school’s distinctive character. The term, ‘Collective Worship’ has been replaced with the term 'Celebration of the Word', which more fittingly describes its role in a Catholic school. 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.  Prayer is the heartbeat of Holy Family*

The Aim of Prayer and Liturgy

At Holy Family, we believe that Prayer and Liturgy in our school should provide opportunities for all pupils and staff to contemplate something of the mystery of God; to reflect on spiritual and moral issues; to explore 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 shared virtues; to enrich religious experience; to grow in liturgical understanding and development; to reinforce prayers which are part of the Catholic tradition;            to reinforce Catholic teaching; to participate actively; to take time out 'to wonder at', 'to come to terms with' and 'to give worth to'; to develop a relationship with our families, parish community and wider community through prayer and worship.

Development of Prayers across the School

It is important that pupils encounter a wide range of prayers during their time in school.  'The Prayer & Liturgy Directory for Catholic Schools, Academies and Colleges in England and Wales' (2023) has produced a list of Common prayers for children to learn.  Appendix 9.5 details a recommended scheme for introducing the prayers according to age.  Holy Family have adapted this to produce a document which shows progression of prayer across our school.

prayer progression updated with new prayer and liturgy directory.pdf

 

 

 

 

When does Prayer and Liturgy Take Place?

Monday

8.50am-9.10am

 Key Stage Celebration of the Word or Child-Led in Class Worship

Tuesday

8.50am-9.10am

Gospel Celebration of the Word

Wednesday

8.50am-9.10am

Celebration of the Word followed by Hymn Practise

Thursday

8.50am-9.10am

Celebration of the Word followed by Good News/Timetabled Class Mass at Holy Family Church 9am

Friday

8.50am-9.10am

Class Led Celebration of the Word or Child-Led in Class Worship  

 

 

*S48 Inspection Report 2017

Our Prayer Spaces

 

Sanctuary 2024

 

We are very proud of our school sanctuary - it is a place where we can prayer and reflect. It is available on a weekly rota for each phase to use and enjoy. School Staff and the Chaplaincy Lead Team will help lead sessions in the Sanctuary and will provide a wide range of activities for the children to complete. 

We are also very luck at Holy Family to have an outdoor sanctuary - a place of quiet reflection for children and staff. 

Prayer in our Community

 

On 22nd March 2024, our Chaplaincy Lead Team led the whole school in a Lent Reconciliation Service.  The school - both staff and pupils - joined in with praying and singing.  Our Leads shared how our relationship with God is a two way thing.  Sometimes we do things to avoid being a friend of God, we separate ourselves from Him; we forget to pray or don't bother to.  We might be too busy to spend some time with God.  We are very proud of out Chaplaincy Lead Team, who are dedicated to their roles and would encourage everyone to embrace their message and spend some time reflecting on this as we approach Holy Week.

 

Reconciliation Service Lent 2024

 

 

 Way of the Cross News 2023-24

On Wednesday 20th March some of our Chaplaincy Lead Team were invited to St Mary’s School to take part in “The Way of the Cross” to commemorate Jesus’ passion and death on the cross. The stations were depicted through art, dance and reflection. Every school from the Samuel Partnership took part. Our Chaplaincy Leads acted out the 13th and 14th station with reverence and grace. Well done.

 

 Stations of the Cross - Big Lent Walk 2024

 As part of our Big Lent Walk, everyone in school joined together in the ‘Stations of the Cross’ led by our Chaplaincy Leads.  This event was due to take place outside, on the field, as a lead-in to each class taking part in the Big Lent Walk, however, due to the horrendous weather conditions a Stations of the Cross assembly was held instead.  All of our Chaplaincy Leads took part and coped admirably with the last minute change.  

 

 

 

Stations of the Cross 2022-23

The Holy Family Chaplaincy leads invited pupils in St. Josephs to join them in a Reconciliation service which was led by Holy Family Chaplaincy Leads.  Following this, both Chaplaincy Lead Teams prayed together carrying out a Stations of the Cross walk around the school hall and the Sanctuary garden.  They then spoke to each other about their roles in each school and how they could next work together.  

Please see the attached link for more information - St Joseph’s Chaplaincy pupils join Chaplaincy Leads | Clifton Diocese

Prayer at Home

Holy Family subscribes to Ten:Ten's Collective Worship Resources for Celebration of the Word.  This prayer and liturgy programme provides schools with prayer, liturgy and worship resources for Gospel assemblies, classrooms, teachers and parents.  Through their media-rich resources, the programme helps school communities grow in faith, love, understanding and compassion.  You can find a link to their monthly parent newsletter below.

Ten Ten Parent Newsletters

Ten Ten Parent Newsletter 

 

   

 Resources for Prayer at Home

 Weekly Gospel resources

   

Lent Resources 2024

 

Stations of the Cross - Lent Resources 2024

 

Prayer Bags - Advent and Lent

During Advent and Lent each class is assigned a reflection bag. These bags contain a variety of items that can be used by our families to lead a reflection at home. These bags include a story, some material, a candle, ideas for prayer, an artefact and a book for the children to record their reflections. 
                      An Advent Bag                                                     A Lent Bag
Our Annual Lent bag has just been organised and delivered by our Chaplaincy team. (April 2024)
Chaplaincy Team Deliver Lent Bags - Click here for more info 
Examples of spontaneous prayers at home

 The Holy Father's Prayer Intention for 2025

January – For the right to an education

Let us pray for migrants, refugees and those affected by war, that their right to an education, which is necessary to build a better world, might always be respected.

February – For vocations to the priesthood and religious life

Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ’s mission in the priesthood and religious life.

March – For families in crisis

Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences

April – For the use of new technologies

Let us pray that the use of the new technologies will not replace human relationships, will respect the dignity of the person, and will help us face the crises of our times.

May – For working conditions

Let us pray that through work, each person might find fulfilment, families might be sustained in dignity, and that society might be humanized.

June –That the world might grow in compassion

Let us pray that each one of us might find consolation in a personal relationship with Jesus, and from his Heart, learn to have compassion on the world.

July – For formation in discernment

Let us pray that we might again learn how to discern, to know how to choose paths of life and reject everything that leads us away from Christ and the Gospel.

August – For mutual coexistence

Let us pray that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious or ideological reasons.

September – For our relationship with all creation

Let us pray that, inspired by Saint Francis, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are loved by God and worthy of love and respect.

October – For collaboration between different religious traditions

Let us pray that believers in different religious traditions might work together to defend and promote peace, justice and human fraternity.

November – For the prevention of suicide

Let us pray that those who are tempted to commit suicide might find the support, care and love they need in their community, and be open to the beauty of life.

December – For Christians in areas of conflict

Let us pray that Christians living in areas of war or conflict, especially in the Middle East, might be seeds of peace, reconciliation and hope.

 

The Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for 2024

January – For the gift of diversity in the Church

We pray that the Holy Spirit may help us recognize the gift of different charisms within the Christian community, and to discover the richness of different traditions and rituals in the Catholic Church.

February – For the terminally ill

We pray that those with a terminal illness, and their families, receive the necessary physical and spiritual care and accompaniment.

March – For the new martyrs

We pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel in various parts of the world inflame the Church with their courage and missionary enthusiasm.

April – For the role of women

We pray that the dignity and immense value of women be recognized in every culture, and for an end to the discrimination they experience in different parts of the world.

May – For the formation or religious and seminarians

We pray that religious women and men, and seminarians, grow in their own vocations through their human, pastoral, spiritual and community formation, leading them to be credible witnesses of the Gospel.

June – For migrants fleeing their homes

We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.

July – For the pastoral care of the sick

We pray that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick confer to those who receive it and their loved ones the power of the Lord and become ever more a visible sign of compassion and hope for all.

August – For political leaders

We pray that political leaders be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good, especially caring for the poor and for those who have lost their jobs.

September – For the cry of the earth

We pray that each one of us will hear and take to the heart the cry of the Earth and of victims of natural disasters and climactic change, and that all will undertake to personally care for the world in which we live.

October – For a shared mission

We pray that the Church continue to sustain in all ways a Synodal lifestyle as a sign of co-responsibility, promoting the participation, the communion and the mission shared among priests, religious and lay people.

November – For anyone who has lost a child

We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community, and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

December – For pilgrims of hope

We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthen our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.

The Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for 2023

January - For educators

We pray that educators may be credible witnesses, teaching fraternity rather than competition and helping the youngest and most vulnerable above all.

February - For parishes

We pray that parishes, placing communion at the center, may increasingly become communities of faith, fraternity and welcome towards those most in need.

March - For victims of abuse

We pray for those who have suffered harm from members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering.

April - For a culture of peace and non-violence

We pray for the spread of peace and non-violence, by decreasing the use of weapons by States and citizens.

May - For church movements and groups

We pray that Church movements and groups may rediscover their mission of evangelization each day, placing their own charisms at the service of needs in the world.

June - For the abolition of torture

We pray that the international community may commit in a concrete way to ensuring the abolition of torture and guarantee support to victims and their families.

July - For a Eucharistic life

We pray that Catholics may place the celebration of the Eucharist at the heart of their lives, transforming human relationships in a very deep way and opening to the encounter with God and all their brothers and sisters.

August - For World Youth Day

We pray the World Youth Day in Lisbon will help young people to live and witness the Gospel in their own lives.

September - For people living on the margins

We pray for those persons living on the margins of society, in inhumane life conditions; may they not be overlooked by institutions and never considered of lesser importance.

October - For the Synod

We pray for the Church, that she may adopt listening and dialogue as a lifestyle at every level, and allow herself to be guided by the Holy Spirit towards the peripheries of the world.

November - For the Pope

We pray for the Holy Father; as he fulfils his mission, may he continue to accompany the flock entrusted to him, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

December - For persons with disabilities

We pray that people living with disabilities may be at the centre of attention in society, and that institutions may offer inclusive programs which value their active participation.