Corpus Christi

Palm Sunday Celebration of the Word

We gathered together as a school family to listen to God’s word. We talked about how we are nearing the end of our Lenten journey. This Sunday is Palm Sunday, where Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem and was greeted as if he were a king. This was strange because Jesus did not wear a crown, a fancy robe or travel on a noble horse. Jesus was humbles and was sent to be a king for all people. We gave praise and thanks to God for sending us Jesus, his Son, to teach us all about love and forgiveness. We are going to try extra hard to be thankful this week.

How can you grow in your friendship with God by caring for His creation this week?

How can you grow in your friendship with God by reaching out to others this week?

How can you share God’s forgiveness and peace with others this week?

Reconciliation

On Monday Year 5 and 6 gathered together, along with Father Paul, for a service of reconciliation.

We gathered in the presence of God to think about our actions and inactions and to wope clean the slate and start afresh at the beginning of Lent. We asked for forgiveness and guidance during this time. We also said sorry for things we have done wrong.

We listened to the Beatitudes and reflected on each of them by thinking about our own behaviours.

As we left the service we wrote our own commitment- something we will try to do to help make the world a better place.

Jubilee 2025 – Pilgrims of Hope

What is hope?

Year 2 gathered with their grown ups and children from Year 1 to explore the question, ‘What is hope?’ We explored the meaning of the word and what it means to us. Some of us thought that hope gave a peaceful feeling where others felt it is about never giving up. We listened to God’s word from Romans: ‘…may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.’ We reflected on this and asked our grown ups to write about what hope is to them. As we went out, we remembered that Pope Francis has tasked us with being a pilgrim of hope.

How can you grow your friendship with God this week?

Ash Wednesday

We gathered as a whole school to mark the beginning of Lent. Our Mini Vinnies led us in prayer and we reflected on a reading from the book of Joel. In this reading, we are told to “Let our hearts be broken, not our garments torn,” which means that it’s not about how you look on the outside but what your heart is doing inside. The children could name the 3 things that Christians are asked to do during Lent – give, act and pray. We talked about some of the things that we will be doing during Lent to support Lenten charities including the Big Lent Walk for CAFOD. All children made a Lenten promise that they will do their best to keep during Lent.

How can you love others like God loves?

How can we be like Jesus in our words and actions this week?

How does Jesus light up your life and shine His light in the world?

Jubilee 2025 ~ Pilgrims of Hope

In the Old Testament every fifty years the People of God had a Jubilee Year. It was a year when debts were forgiven, land returned to the original owners, the poor were cared for even more. It was a year to be extra joyful for God’s love and a year to share that love with others even more than usual. It was a party year celebrating God’s love.  These days, we celebrate the Jubilee Year every twenty-five years.

2025 is a Jubilee Year. It is a year to celebrate God’s love even more than usual and share that love with others. It is a year to show mercy and forgiveness. It is a time to renew our relationship with God, with one another and with the whole of creation. It is a year of justice, freedom and celebration. This is a special party year celebrating God’s love.

Pope Francis has called this Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope,” and invites us to be people of hope. Hope comes from knowing that God loves each one of us and God has defeated sin and death. Hope knows that all ends well because all ends in God. God’s love wins, we know that. Therefore, we are confident that God’s love will see us all through all the difficulties in life. That is true hope.

Today we gathered together to launch the Jubilee year in our school and to open our Holy Door. In crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, the pilgrim is reminded of the passage from chapter 10 of St John’s gospel: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” Passing through the Holy Door expresses the decision to follow and be guided by Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd.

We listened to a special message about the Jubilee Year from Bishop Stephen and reflected on God’s Word. This month, we are asked to consider how we will be pilgrims of hope.

As part of going forth, everyone walked through our Holy Door. Every child has been given a prayer card of the special Jubilee Prayer to take home and share with their families.

How can we be open to growing our friendship with God this week?

This week we are asked to think about how we can live out our faith in Jesus by asking, listening, believing and following.

This week we are asked to think about how we can love others as part of God’s family.

Christmas Crib Blessing

Today we gathered as a school family to bless our school crib. The Mini Vinnies told us about all of the figures in the crib and explained why they they were chosen by God to be a part of this special story. Other children in the school added the figures one by one.

Heavenly Father, bless our school crib, May Jesus remind us how to love May Mary remind us how to be brave May Joseph remind us how to be faithful May the angels remind us how to praise you May the shepherds remind us how to be joyful May the wise men remind us how to welcome others And may we remind everybody that we belong to God’s family. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

On the Third Sunday of Advent we are asked to think about how we can change our words and actions to show love to others.

On the Second Sunday of Advent we are reminded of Isaiah’s message; ‘Prepare a way for the Lord, make His paths straight.’

This Sunday was the Feast of Christ the King. We are asked to consider how we can have the courage to share God’s love with others.