Elementary:
We begin our prayer, In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
This week is Catholic Education Week and we celebrate the gift of Catholic Schools. This year, our theme of Catholic Education week is "be joyful in hope".
Let us pray:
Loving God,
May we be people of your truth
Your love;
Your wisdom.
May we be people of hope.
God thank you for giving us
minds that can know,
hearts that can love,
and Catholic Schools in which
faith, hearts and minds celebrate together!
Help us to keep learning every day of our lives.
Amen.
In this month of Mary, let us once again pray the special prayer of devotion to her:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Mary, the Mother of God … pray for us.
High Schools:
We begin our prayer, In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
This week is Catholic Education Week and we celebrate the many gifts of Catholic Education. This year, our theme of Catholic Education week is "be joyful in hope".
Let us pray:
Loving God,
Help us to embrace your truth;
Your love;
Your wisdom.
Teach us to embrace hope and commitment
and live our lives into the future.
God of Light and Wisdom,
thank you for giving us
minds that can know,
hearts that can love,
and Catholic Schools in which
faith, hearts and minds become one!
Help us to keep learning every day of our lives--
no matter what the subject may be.
Let us be convinced that all knowledge leads to you
and let us know how to find you and love you in all the things You have made.
Encourage us when the studies are difficult
and when we are ready to give up
Help us bring a deep commitment
and sense of responsibility to our studies.
Enlighten us when our brains are slow
and help us to grasp the truth held out to us.
Give us the grace to put faith and knowledge to use
in building a civilization of love
which is Your Kingdom on earth
Amen.
In this month of Mary, let us once again pray the special prayer of devotion to her:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Today, National Child and Youth Mental Health day, we pray that each child is given the resources necessary to achieve mental wellness.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Mary, the Mother of God … pray for us.
Catholic Education Week Prayer for Monday, May 7, 2018
Be Joyful In Hope
INTRODUCTION
Leader: Each year, our Catholic schools participate in a week-long celebration to remember and
share the gift of Catholic Education. This year, our theme of Catholic Education week is
"be joyful in hope".
But we should also ask ourselves, what is hope? Hope is more than a feeling, rather, think of hope as an action. It is through hope that we are able to express the love in which we were created. Hope sees not just what there is, but what it can be. In essence, hope moves us into God's vision for ourselves, our family, our school community, and our world created by God.
Let us begin our prayer with the sign of our faith.
All: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
OPENING PRAYER
Leader:
Loving Father,
Thank you for the gifts of your life, death, and resurrection so that we may have great joy in the hope you bring us. During this special week dedicated to Catholic Education, thank you for the gift of Catholic schools where we can share our faith in Jesus Christ. Open our hearts to being joyful in hope as we explore this message in ourselves, our families, our school community, and in the world you created. We ask this in the name of our saviour Jesus Christ...
All: Amen.
SCRIPTURE – Romans 12:12
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans. (Romans 12:9-12 NRSV)
Love one another with mutual affection, outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope…
The word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
REFLECTION
Leader: A great way to think about hope is to think about planting a seed. We plant seeds in
good soil, water them when needed, and give it lots of sun. We patiently wait for the
plant to take the energy of the sun to become the plant we want it to be.
Now let's apply this same principle to our spiritual lives. God planted a seed of hope in each and everyone of us. When we turn to the source of our faith, Jesus Christ, we are filled with his divine light and our faith grows. Through Jesus, we are given the hope to face any challenge that our lives may give us.
And how do we turn to the source of our faith? By following the teachings of Jesus and living as his disciples. When we do, we will be filled with joyful hope.
TAKE AWAY ACTION
Our challenge this week is to symbolically grow our faith. What can you do to live as a disciple of Christ? How can you show your love for God? How can you show your love for your neighbor?
Your take away action is to nurture the seed of hope that God has given each of us by following the greatest commandment, to love God and each other. Consider doing one thing that strengthens your faith or consider acknowledging someone who did something good to nurture their hope.
LORD'S PRAYER
Now let us turn to the source of our hope, Jesus Christ, and say the words he taught us. Our Father….
CLOSING PRAYER
Leader:
God of love,
Thank you for the gift of hope in our lives.
Help us to embrace hope in our faith and show hope in our daily actions.
Inspire us to see hope in ourselves, our families, our school community, and in creation. Thank you for the gift of Catholic Education and the hope it brings us.
All: Amen.
