Year of Prayer

2025 will be a Jubilee year in the Catholic Church. To prepare for this special year Pope Francis has designated 2024 as a Year of Prayer. During this year we are encouraged to deepen our commitment to prayer and accompany others, especially school communities, in their prayer life.

We should reflect and think about why we pray.

“Prayer unites us; it makes us brothers and sisters. It is in prayer that our hearts find the strength not to be cold and insensitive in the face of injustice. In prayer, God keeps calling us, opening our hearts to charity.”

Pope Francis

During the year there will be a particular focus on the prayer Jesus taught us, the ‘Our Father.’

Our Father,
Who art in Heaven,
hallowed be Thy name;
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen

Prayer Progression

For the Year of Prayer we have introduced prayer progression at St Joseph's.

As part of our Catholic faith life, the children pray daily. As the children move up the school from Reception to Year 6, the prayers they learn develop and help to deepen their understanding of the power and and spiritual enrichment attributed to daily worship.

Click on the links below to see the prayers and video examples from the children.

Age phase

5-7(KS1)

7-9 (Lower KS2)

9-11 (Upper KS2)

Prayers

Other Prayers

We have been learning these prayers in class.

Prayer Bear

During the Year of Prayer, the Reception Class have introduced a prayer bear to help children with their prayers.

Praying the Rosary in May

May is dedicated to Mary, Mother of God. During this month we honour Mary and seek her prayers for the world.

The Chaplaincy Team have recorded a special video leading the school in the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary for the Care of Creation.

“Mary, the Mother who cared for Jesus, now cares with maternal affection and pain for this wounded world.”(Laudato Si’, 241, Pope Francis)

Year 3 Walkable Rosaries

Year 3 have been creating walkable rosaries in the school playground to help them with their learning of the rosary.

Cafod Prayer Cards

Each child was given a special Year of Prayer Card produced by Cafod.

Prayers before a test

Year 6 have been saying the following prayer before their SATs tests.

Father,

Be with me as I take this test.

Keep my mind alert and my memory sharp.

Calm my nerves and help me concentrate.

I know that you walk with me,

Guiding my path and inspiring my heart.

I pray that I would feel you with me,

And that your friendship would soften the pressure I feel.

I pray that I would pass this test and go on to new things with you.

Thank you for your peace and your love in my life.

Thank you for your kindness and care for me.

Amen.

Prayers for Bishop Bosco

We have been offering prayers for Bishop Bosco. We pray for grace and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help Bishop Bosco.

O God, eternal shepherd

who governs your flock

with unfailing care,

grant your boundless

fatherly love on Bishop Bosco.

May he always be

under your guidance and

watchful care.

Amen

Cathedral dean Bosco MacDonald to be new Bishop of Clifton

Holy Week Prayer Stations 2024

Classes visited different prayer stations focusing on the events of Holy Week.

Holy Week Prayer Stations 2024

Chaplaincy Team Making Prayer Pots

The Chaplaincy Team have made prayer pots to help children lead prayer in their classes. Each class prayer pot contains lolly sticks which displays an area on which to focus prayer on.

St Joseph the Patron Saint of Workers

For St Joseph's Day this year we focused on St Joseph the patron saint of workers.

As part of a Celebration of the Word session, children coloured in pictures of different people who help us in our lives and wrote a prayer on the back. These were then placed under and around our sleeping St Joseph statue. Later we put these prayers and pictures on display in the hall.

St Joseph Prayer Art

As part of St Joseph's Day celebrations, the children in Y5 & Y6 created Saint Joseph prayer art. The children produced St Joseph pictures which included the prayer to St Joseph by Pope Francis.