Prayer and Liturgy
Through him,
with him and in him,
O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honour is yours,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Joining Christ in praise of the Eternal Father and united by the Holy Spirit in making intercession for the world through prayer and liturgy lies at the heart of the daily life of our school. The quality of the prayer and liturgy not only gives honour to God but forms the spiritual and ethical life of pupils and staff alike.
At St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary School, there is a range of prayer and liturgy: classroom prayer, meditation, assemblies, devotions, special services for times in the school year, and celebrations of Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
What is prayer?
"lifting up of the hearts and minds to God"
Mother Teresa described prayer as: “To think of God with love”
Prayer is simply a conversation with God—just like that daily conversation with someone we love. God wants to be close to us and have an intimate, safe, trust-based relationship with us. He is concerned and interested about what goes on in our lives. As with any conversation, we need to both talk and listen when we are praying.
Children need to be given the language of prayer and taught how to be still so that they can listen to God.
They should be taught to pray in a range of different ways and for a variety of purposes. They should know that prayer can be silent or said aloud; prayers can be formal or informal; they can be learnt or made up. We can pray with our voices, our hearts or our minds.
There are 4 main types of prayer: Praise, Thanksgiving, Repentance and Intercession
| Informal | Formal examples |
Praise | Praising God for all His goodness | The Magnificat, The Glory Be |
Thanksgiving | Saying thank you for our many gifts. | Grace after meals |
Repentance | Saying sorry for our sins | Act of Contrition |
Intercession | Asking for ourselves and for others. Asking God to help us to be the best we can, to look after people etc. | Grace before meals The Hail Mary |
Celebrating Mass
The Holy Eucharist is the “source and summit” of Catholic life, uniting the faithful with Christ and with His Body, the Church.
At St Joseph the Worker, we are blessed to be situated right next door to our parish church, which allows us to join together regularly in the celebration of Mass. Led by Fr Gary Dench, these occasions deepen our sense of community and faith.
Our children take an active role in the liturgy, proclaiming readings and reflections, offering bidding prayers, singing, playing music, and serving at the altar. School Mass is truly a highlight for our pupils, staff, parents, and the parishioners who gather with us in worship.
