St Catherine's RC Primary SchoolPrayer and Liturgy
Prayer and Liturgy is at the heart of life at St Catherine’s. It provides precious opportunities for our children and staff to come together in prayer, to encounter God and to grow in their relationship with Him. Through prayer, Scripture, music, reflection and stillness, we give thanks, ask for God’s guidance and celebrate our shared Catholic faith.
Our Mission Statement, “Be who God wants you to be and so set the world on fire,” inspires our prayer and worship. We encourage our children to recognise that prayer is not only something we say, but something that can shape the way we live. Through listening to the Word of God, children are encouraged to think about what Jesus is teaching us and how they can put His message into action through love, respect, faith, compassion, perseverance and inspiration.
Prayer takes place in many different ways throughout our school. Children experience daily classroom prayer, Celebration of the Word, whole-school and class worship, Mass, prayer stations, opportunities for quiet reflection and meditation, and prayer linked to the seasons and celebrations of the Church’s liturgical year.
An important part of prayer and liturgy at St Catherine’s is pupil leadership. Children are encouraged to take an active role in preparing and leading prayer, choosing appropriate Scripture, prayers, music and symbols and considering how they can help others to respond to God’s Word. Our pupil 'Faith Ambassadors' also help to strengthen the prayer life of our school and encourage others to live out their faith through their words and actions.
Throughout the year, we gather as a whole school community to celebrate Mass and important moments within the Church’s calendar. We also value opportunities to pray with our parish and families, recognising the important partnership between home, school and parish in nurturing the faith of our children.
Our prayer spaces around school change throughout the liturgical year and provide children with opportunities to pause, reflect and pray. Children are encouraged to understand that they can speak to God in their own words – whether they are thankful, joyful, worried, seeking forgiveness or simply wanting to spend time in His presence.
We warmly encourage families to continue this journey of prayer at home. By praying together and talking about faith, we can help our children understand that God is with them throughout every part of their lives.
At St Catherine’s, our hope is that prayer and liturgy enables every child to encounter Christ, deepen their faith and be inspired to go out into the world and “set the world on fire.”