Prayer Life at St Mary’s

As a Catholic primary school prayer plays a fundamental part of our daily school life and enables us all to join together as one as we worship.

Children are introduced to a variety of different ways of praying:

• quiet reflection / meditation
• spontaneous prayer
• praying together
• writing our own prayers
• prayers through music
• learning traditional Catholic prayers

School Prayer

We thank you for our school,
staff, children, one and all.
We pray Lord that you be at our centre,
our guide, our tutor and our mentor.
Help us to work hard in our learning,
be good friends, be fair and caring,
to be the very best we can in all we do and say,
growing together in your love and care each day.
Amen.

Growing Closer to God

In its simplest form, prayer is defined as “talking to God.” It is a personal time where we open our hearts to our Heavenly Father; bringing everything in our hearts to Him.

Prayer can be a powerful force for change in our lives, and the importance of doing it on a daily basis should be instilled in our children.

Communication is the foundation for success in any relationship. When we communicate openly and freely with each other, we learn to know each other as individuals. This principle also applies to our relationship with God. By talking to God, we can learn more about who He is and what plan He has for us.

Classroom Worship

This takes places each Monday and Tuesday. Each week, different children in each class prepare and lead their class in worship. In key stage one the children are guided by adults to prepare for this. In key stage two the children independently plan their own worship.

Hymn Practice

Each Thursday morning, the children from Reception to Year 6 gather together to sing songs of praise to God and practise hymns and songs that we use for our assemblies and Masses.

Gospel Assemblies

Each Wednesday morning, the children from Reception to Year 6 gather together for our Gospel assembly that is led by the Headteacher. The theme of this assembly is determined by the Liturgical calendar and the Gospel.

Celebration Assemblies

Each Friday the whole school community comes together for a time of celebration and collective worship. We celebrate the achievements of the school with our Star of the Week certificates being distributed alongside house points, attendance awards and green sticker awards. We end each week together by thanking God for all He has done to help us achieve and learn.

Mass

Throughout the year we have the joy of celebrating the Sacrament of the Eucharist in Holy Trinity Church on Brook Green.   Children help to prepare and lead the Mass through Altar Serving, reading and bringing up the gifts. On different occasions parents are invited to join us for Mass.

Liturgies

Throughout the year, to mark important events in the Church’s liturgical year, we hold special Liturgies.

Year Group Prayers

Please follow the links below to see the progression of prayers learned in each year group.

 

Hear our Prayers

Prayers to Pope Francis at St Mary’s School 🌟🙏

At St Mary’s, we believe in the power of prayer! 🌈✨ Here are our heartfelt prayers to Pope Francis beautifully displayed outside our school gates.

As we gather in spirit and unity, we invite you to join us in reflecting on these prayers. Let’s share our messages of hope with the world! 🌍

Reflecting Together: Ash Wednesday at St Mary’s 🌿

Today, our St Mary’s community united in a beautiful service to observe Ash Wednesday, marking the start of the reflective season of Lent. ✝️🌱

With heartfelt hymns and thoughtful prayers, we took a moment to connect deeper with our faith and the journey ahead. The imposition of ashes served as a powerful reminder of humility and renewal.

Year 3 Learns the Art of Praying the Rosary 🌹🙏

This week, our Year 3 students embarked on a heartfelt journey as they learned to pray the rosary. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to deepen their understanding of prayer and its significance in our faith.

Guided by their dedicated teachers, the students explored the history and meaning behind each mystery, fostering a spirit of reflection and mindfulness. The class was filled with reverence as they took turns reciting the prayers, each child contributing to the rhythm of devotion. 💖

Through this engaging session, our Year 3 pupils not only strengthened their spiritual connections but also built a sense of community and shared purpose. It was truly touching to witness their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn!

 🌟 Year 5 & 6 Visit Holy Trinity to Learn the Rosary 🌟

Today, our wonderful Year 5 and 6 students embarked on a soulful journey at our local church, Holy Trinity. 🙏✨ Together, we learned to pray the Rosary, diving into the Luminous Mysteries on this beautiful Thursday.

The experience was truly uplifting as we recited the Apostles' Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and concluded with the heartfelt Hail Holy Queen. To make this spiritual journey even more meaningful, our eager pupils participated by reading the Luminous Mysteries themselves, fostering a sense of community and reverence.

A special thank you to Deacon James and Terese, our catechetical coordinator, for generously providing Rosaries to those who did not have their own. 💖 These cherished tokens will accompany our children on their faith journey for years to come.

It was an enriching opportunity for Year 5 and 6 to experience the profound power of prayer and understand how awe-inspiring it can be to engage in the Rosary together.