Prayer Resources
Our Weekly Theme & Scripture Reading
Our school diary is prefaced each week by a weekly theme and a scripture reading (based on the readings of the previous Sunday). Alongside this is a hymn of the week and the prayer given on the weekly pupil Bulletin. These are a useful resource as it gives the pupils a chance to reflect on the Sunday Gospel throughout the week and also is useful when deciding the theme of the pupil’s Form liturgy or Form assembly.
Weekly prayer PowerPoint
Each week Tutors in St Richard’s are sent a PowerPoint by Jo, our Lay Chaplain, which has a morning prayer for them to use with their Form if they wish. These are usually based around themes such as feast days, events in history and events in school and are a useful way to start the day in reflection and prayer.
You can find this week’s PowerPoint here:
Sample Mass & Form Service
Please see the links below to an example of a Form Mass and Form Service.
General prayers used in St Richard’s
A prayer for the beginning of term
By Annie Barnsdale
Lord God,
at the beginning of this new term teach us to be your hands and feet where we are; at the beginning of this new term teach us to love as you love us; at the beginning of this new term teach us to pray for those in need, so that You are honoured and glorified.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace. Our 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.
Prophets of a Future Not Our Own
By Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero
This is what we are about:
We plant seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything
and there is a sense of liberation in realising that.
This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for God’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Prayer of St Teresa of Avila
Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Some Definite Service
By Blessed John Henry Newman
God knows me and calls me by my name.…
God has created me to do Him some definite service;
He has committed some work to me
which He has not committed to another.
I have my mission—I may never know it in this life,
but I shall be told it in the next.
Somehow I am necessary for His purpose.
I have a part in this great work;
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection
between persons.
He has not created me for naught. I shall do good,
I shall do His work;
I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth
in my own place, while not intending it,
if I do but keep His commandments
and serve Him in my calling.
CAFOD Prayer for Syria
By Catherine Gorman/CAFOD
God of Mercy,
Pour out your peace upon us all.
Watch over our brothers and sisters in Syria, especially those who have fled their homes.
Lead them to a place of safety and bring comfort to those who mourn.
Inspire us all to share the light of your hope, and to reach out in a spirit of compassion.
Make us channels of your peace, so all your children may live free from fear, conflict and pain.
We ask this through Christ our Lord, Prince of Peace,
Amen.
PRAYER OF ST RICHARD
Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits thou hast given me,
for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly,
and follow thee more nearly, day by day.
Amen.