Prayer and Liturgy at St Joseph’s

At St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, prayer and liturgy are at the heart of our Catholic life and mission.

Through prayer, Scripture, reflection, music, silence and celebration, we provide opportunities for every child to encounter God and to grow in their relationship with Him. Our prayer life reflects our school motto:

We Live, We Love, We Learn, We Share.

Throughout the year, our prayer and liturgy follow the liturgical year of the Church, helping children understand and celebrate the different seasons, feasts and important moments in the life of Jesus and the Church.

Our Prayer and Liturgy Provision

Our children experience a rich variety of prayer and liturgy throughout the school week. This includes:

• whole-school Celebrations of the Word based on the Sunday Gospel
• class and Key Stage prayer and liturgy
• daily morning prayer, grace before meals and end-of-day prayer
• pupil-led prayer and Celebrations of the Word
• Masses and celebrations with St Joseph’s Parish
• opportunities for traditional, spontaneous, reflective and creative prayer
• celebrations linked to important feasts, saints and the seasons of the Church
• opportunities for families and parishioners to join us for significant celebrations.

Prayer and liturgy are planned so that children do not simply attend or observe. As they move through school, they are encouraged to become increasingly involved in choosing, preparing, leading and evaluating prayer and liturgy.

Pupil Leadership

Our Liturgy Leaders, from Year 3 upwards, play an important part in the prayer life of our school.

They help to prepare sacred spaces, choose Scripture, music and symbols, gather prayer intentions and support the planning and leading of prayer and liturgy.

They also lead additional opportunities for prayer during the year, including our voluntary Wednesday lunchtime prayer group.

During October, the month traditionally dedicated to the Holy Rosary, our Liturgy Leaders lead our Rosary Challenge, giving children across school the opportunity to pray a decade of the Rosary together each school day.

Following the Liturgical Year

Our prayer life changes throughout the year to reflect the seasons of the Church.

During Advent, we prepare joyfully for the birth of Jesus through the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.

During Lent, children are encouraged to deepen their prayer and think particularly about service, sacrifice and helping others. We mark Ash Wednesday, celebrate our patron St Joseph on 19 March, pray the Stations of the Cross and journey together towards Holy Week and Easter.

During Eastertide, we celebrate the joy of the Resurrection, followed by the Ascension and Pentecost.

During May, the month traditionally dedicated to Mary, children have additional opportunities for Marian prayer and reflection.

Throughout Ordinary Time, children continue to explore the Sunday Gospel, the lives of the saints, Catholic Social Teaching and how Jesus calls us to live our faith each day.

Prayer for Everyone

We want every child at St Joseph’s to feel that they can participate meaningfully in the prayer life of our school.

Prayer and liturgy are therefore planned carefully to be accessible and inclusive, including for children with SEND. We use Scripture, music, visual resources, symbols, gesture, silence and different ways of responding so that children can participate in ways that are meaningful to them.

As a Catholic school, our prayer and liturgy are distinctly Catholic, while children and families of other faiths or no faith are welcomed and treated with dignity and respect.

School, Home and Parish

The relationship between school, home and parish is central to our Catholic community.

We work closely with St Joseph’s Parish and Monsignor Mark McManus, and families and parishioners are invited to join us for Masses, seasonal celebrations, sacramental occasions and other important moments throughout the year.

Through these experiences, we want our children to understand that prayer is not simply something we do in school. It should help us to recognise God in our lives and inspire us to put our faith into action through the way we live, love, learn and share.

 

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