Litany for Lent

This week in our RE lessons, we have been learning Litany prayers. A litany, in Christian worship, is a form of prayer used in services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions. We created our own litany to celebrate the season of Lent.

O God, Who for the redemption of the world, wast pleased to be born in a stable and to die upon a cross; O Lord Jesus Christ, by Thy holy sufferings, which we, Thy unworthy servants, call to mind: by Thy Holy Cross, and by Thy death, deliver us from the pains of Hell, and vouchsafe to conduct us whither Thou didst conduct the good thief who was crucified with Thee, Who livest and reignest eternally in Heaven. 

Amen.

Solemnity of the Annunciation

This week, we celebrated the Solemnity of the Annunciation. We gathered with our school and parish community and were led in Mass by Year 2. We recalled the Luke's Gospel where Mary accepted God's request when the Angel Gabriel appeared to her.

At midday, we prayed the Angelus to remind us of Mary's commitment to God.

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we to whom the incarnation of Christ, your son was made known by the message of an angel, may be brought by his passion and cross to the glory of his resurrection through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Season of Lent

During this Lenten season, let's pray for strength to resist temptation, a renewed focus on prayer, and a deeper understanding of God's love and sacrifice. 

Amen

Sacrament of Reconciliation

This weekend, we celebrated the sacrament of Reconciliation. This is a poignant moment in our journey on faith.  A special thank you to Father Sean, Father Denis and Father Paul who listened to our sins and forgave us for the times we have made wrong choices. 

O my God, because you are so good, I am very sorry that I have sinned against you and with the help of your Grace I will not sin again.

Commitment of Faith

At the end of Ash Wednesday Mass, Y made a very special commitment as he joined the Catholic faith. He was presented with some gifts from Mrs D to mark his special occasion.

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world, the light of life. I pray that, as I make these commitments, I will be drawn ever closer to you and receive your light, so that, as I walk with you I will follow your light, and reflect your light to all around me, to the honour of your Name.

Amen.

Reconciliation Retreat

This week, we gathered for a retreat to help us prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We listened and reflected on Luke's Gospel and the parable of the Prodigal son. We continued by examining our conscience and thought about times about we have done wrong before thinking about how we can make right choices in our life. 

Lord God, bring us together as one, reconciled with you and reconciled with each other. 

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

This week in school, we have been celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. We started our celebrations by joining our school and parish community in celebrating Mass which was led by Year 4. We then continued our celebrations by enjoying a croissant and hot chocolate in the school hall with our peers.

Throughout the week, we have been thinking about the life of St Bernadette, her apparitions of the Virgin Mary and how she is the patron Saint for the sick and the poor.

Our Lady of Lourdes, heal the sick, convert sinners. Health of the sick, Help of the suffering, pray for us. Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse in thee.

Amen.

Blessed Carlo Acutis

This week, we have been learning about Blessed Carlo Acutis and how he lived his life through the Eucharist. Blessed Carlo Acutis was born in 1991 and sadly died in 2006. However, during his short life, he was inspired many Catholic's around the world due to his work with promoting the importance of the Eucharist. Carlo went to Mass daily, and confession weekly, often encouraging his family members to join him.

Carlo created his own website that promoted the Eucharistic Miracles that had taken place around the world. He also visited places of pilgrimage to grow his faith.

 The work and life of Blessed Carlo can be found on his website website  https://carloacutis-en.org/.

"To always be close to God, that is my life aim" - Carlo Acutis

Pilgrims of Hope - Jubilee Year

This week in school, we have joined schools from across the Birmingham Diocese to celebrate the launch of the Jubilee Year. The focus of our Jubilee is Pilgrims of Hope. We listened to the words of Archbishop Bernard Longley, who has asked us to become a living example of faith, hope and love. Our learning in R.E for the next week will be focused around the Jubilee Year.

May the grace of the Jubilee

reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,

a yearning for the treasures of heaven.

May that same grace spread

the joy and peace of our Redeemer

throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed,

be glory and praise for ever.

Amen

Benediction

This week, we joined Deacon Tim for a service of Benediction. The Blessed Sacrament was present on the altar. Deacon Tim read out the Diving Blessings and we responded reverently and eloquently.

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen

Feast of the Epiphany

Welcome back to our Catholic Life Page. We hope you had a wonderful celebration of Christmas with your loved ones.

 This week in class, we have celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany. Our Liturgy Leads led us in Sunday's Gospel where we listened to the words of St Matthew that retells the Three Kings (Magi) visiting the baby Jesus and gifting him with Gold, Frankincense and Myrhh. 

Lord God of heaven and earth,

you revealed your only Son to every nation

by the guidance of a star.

Bless this home and all who inhabit it.

Fill us with the light of Christ

That our concern for others may reflect your love.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
 

Amen.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Year 3 would live to wish everybody a Merry Christmas. Please watch our school carol concert performance by using the below link.

 https://www.mcn.live/Cameras/Player/251704 

Lord Jesus Christ,
your birth at Bethlehem
draws us to kneel in wonder at heaven touching earth:
accept our heartfelt praise
as we worship you,
our Saviour and our eternal God.
Amen.

Advent Workshop

This week, our adults were invited to join us in school for an Advent workshop. Our theme focused around Peace and how this Advent we can promote peace in our lives. 

We read St Luke's Gospel which told us about the words of Prophet Isaiah; "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight". It is important this Advent we prepare for the coming of the Promised King, Jesus Christ.

God of peace, in still in us your peace that surpasses all understanding. As we prepare for his coming, make us instruments of your peace and help us find rest in the Prince of Peace, your son, Jesus Christ.

Amen

Advent

We have entered the season of Advent. Advent is a time of preparation and we await the coming of Jesus. Every morning, we gather for an online retreat with Dan and Emily from OneLife Music to help prepare for the coming of Christ.

Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas. Amen

Christ the King

This week we celebrated the Solemnity of Christ the King. The Solemnity of Christ the King is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Liturgical year. We thought about Jesus as our King and how he reigns over us to keep us safe.

Jesus came to establish an eternal kingdom which is founded on love and gives peace, freedom, and fullness of life. - Pope Francis 2020

Red Wednesday

This week we wore red to stand in solidarity with Christians who have been persecuted as a result of their faith. We visited church, lit a candle and prayed in silence in remembrance. 

Let us pray that the Church may faithfully proclaim the message of freedom to a troubled world, and that by your grace and the work of the Holy Spirit, the Church will continue to transform, heal and make new the hearts of all who hear her message.

Gospel of the Lord

This week in our learning, we have been considering God's word in the Gospel. In our RE lessons, we were tasked with finding extracts of Jesus' life in each of the four Gospels before recording our findings.

We then celebrated Sunday's Gospel from St Mark. The message was to remind that we are all unique and valuable to God. Everybody has a gift from God and we should express our gifts to help one another.

Dear Jesus,

You challenge use to give what we have to others. May we strive to do this intentionally and prophetically, spreading your message of peace to all. Help us to learn to stand together in unity and solidarity, choosing to give freely to those in need.

Amen

Human Dignity

This week, we gathered with our school community for an assembly on Human Dignity. Human Dignity is when we treat someone with love, kindness and respect. It is important to treat everybody with those values as we are all created in the image of God. In year 3, we all follow the golden rule of treat others the way you want to be treated. By doing so, we are all ensuring we are treating everybody equally and showing the values God had bestowed in us.

You have created each of us in Your image, bestowing upon us an inherent dignity that cannot be diminished. Help us, Lord, to recognise and honour this sacred gift in every person we encounter. Grant us the courage to uphold the vision of human dignity in our daily lives. Inspire our hearts to tend to the needs of others, especially those who are marginalised, oppressed, and suffering. Empower us with Your Spirit to respond to injustice with compassion and resolve. May our actions reflect Your love and mercy, bringing comfort and hope to those in need.

Amen

Harvest Mass

This week, year 3 had the privilege of leading Mass about the Harvest. We reminded our school community of God's provision for us and God's blessing for others. Everybody read and sang eloquently and ensured Mass a true celebration! Well done year 3!

Almighty God, wonderful creator, giver of this beautiful earth on which we live, we give you thanks and praise. You have guided us all throughout the generations and you have taught us the need for care of everyone. We thank you for the harvest and the gifts that we can share.

Amen

Hymn Practice

This week, we are leading our first Mass of the school year. Our Mass is about the Harvest. As a school community, we have gathered to learn the hymns that we will be singing at our Mass.

Lord of the Harvest, thank you for your generosity to us. For all the good things that you have given to us. From the plants that grow, to the foods we eat, and those who sit alongside us. Help us to share what we have, being generous as you are generous to us.

Missio Assembly

This week we gathered in class for a Missio assembly. We watched a video about Father Leon who has set up mission in Cameroon and the good work he is doing to help those in need. We then paused to think about how we can build a community to show love today.

Loving God and Father of all, through you we learn that we are all your children and belong to your one global family.  Help us to act as sisters and brothers, supporting each other and working together, so that with your help, we can build a world of mercy, kindness, justice and peace. 

Amen

Class Assembly on Creation

This week, we held a school assembly about Creation. We retold the Creation story from the Book of Genesis before considering how we can be stewards to God creation and protect our common home. On 4th October, we celebrate the feast day of St Francis of Assisi. St Francis could be viewed as the original Earth Day advocate. He cared for the poor and sick, as well as preaching about animals, and wanted all creatures of Earth, including humans, to be treated as equals under God. 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring love. Where there is offence, let me bring pardon. Where there is discord, let me bring union.

Celebration of Mass

In our learning in RE this week, we have been thinking about the celebration of Mass. We gather at Mass to celebrate the Eucharist. As a class we discussed about the role of people in our parish at Mass.

We were very fortunate that Father Sean visited as we were discussing the Introductory Rite. We sang the first hymn that we would be singing at Mass this week, we hope he was impressed!

On Thursday, year 6 led us in Mass to celebrate the feast of St Cosmas and St Damien. Ss. Cosmas and Damian were twins brothers who were doctors that became Christian. They were reported to have cured blindness, fever and paralysis, and doing so, attracted many people to the Christian faith.

O Saints Cosmas and Damian, we honour and venerate you with humility and affection. We invoke you, glorious martyrs of Our Lord, who exercised the art of healing with charity and sacrifice, curing the incurable and ministering with the aid of medicine through Christ.

Celebrating Sunday's Gospel

Every Monday to start our school week, we gather as a class to celebrate Sunday's Gospel reading. This weekend was the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time and we listened to St Mark's Gospel. In the Gospel, Jesus asked his disciples who people say he is and Saint Peter replied "you are Christ". The Gospel message illustrates that Jesus may have many names but is important to remember he is Christ - the son of the living God.

Dear Lord Jesus, 

Please help us to get to know you through prayer, understand your ways through listening to your word and follow your example in all that we do.

Amen

Season of Creation

Throughout the month of September and until the feast day of St Francis of Assisi (patron Saint Ecology), we are celebrating God's creation. During this season, we are encouraged to renew our relationship with God and all his creations. 

Mrs Larkin led a school assembly focusing on how we can be stewards for God's creation, what we could do to be a good stewards as well as how we can take care of Gods creation. 

God our Father, you created the world and sent your own Son to live among us, made of the same stuff, breathing the same air, marvelling at sunrise and sunset just as we do. Help us to participate in the life around and within us as your life, as you living in us and we living in you and in each other.

Amen

School Mission Statement, Class Saint and Jesuit Virtues

The focus in  our R.E work has been surrounding our school mission statement, class Saint (Saint John Vianney) and Jesuit Virtues. We will take inspiration from all and seek support throughout this school year.

Christ our Lord, You are the centre of our school community.

Together we live out your mission in both word and deed.

We show love to all no matter who they are
and celebrate our own uniqueness.

We long to learn more about our faith
and come to know you more deeply.

Amen

New Beginnings

Welcome to Year 3's Catholic Life Page. It has been fantastic to reconnect with our school community and begin another wonderful academic year. We look forward to continuing our journey in faith together.

Lord, Our God, In your wisdom and love you surround us with the mysteries of the universe. Send your spirit upon these students and fill them with your wisdom and blessings. Grant that they may devote themselves to their studies and draw ever close to you, the source of all knowledge.

We ask this through Christ our Lord,

Amen