As we get ready to celebrate this new Lenten journey to the Great events of Holy Week and Easter here are some resources for school discussion and assemblies.
“Wake up the World!” – Pope Francis certainly has a way with words! His now-famous rallying call for the Year of Consecrated Life has reverberated around the globe since he announced that 2015 would be a year of prayer and thanksgiving for women and men who live a vocation to the religious life. ‘I am counting on you to “wake up the world”, he told them.
The theme for Catholic School Week 2015 is Catholic Schools: A Call to Serve
Dates for this Year : January 25 – February 1, 2015
Resources for schools will be sent out to all schools during the week of January 5, 2015
The theme for Catholic Schools Week 2015: Catholic Schools: A Call to Serve, All involved in Catholic Education are called to reflect on what we understand by service and how we live out the call to serve. We are all called as members of the school community to recall and rediscover the founding values; in other words, education is all embracing of our full personalities and never simply about transmitting simple facts. This year, school communities are encouraged to answer the Call to Serve; for example, by reaching out to those who are most in need in society. Do try to celebrate this in your own school as well as participating in Diocesan Celebrations.
A Call to Serve. ( Armagh Diocesan Celebration )
To celebrate all we do in our great schools we invite all school Principals, school’s Religious Education Co-ordinator, two students and a member of your school general staff to a Celebratory Mass of thanksgiving in St Patrick’s Cathedral Armagh on Wednesday January 21st at 11.30 am . (Please note change in time from last year please.)
You will be invited on arrival to place a fresh bread baguette in a basket at the entrance to the Cathedral. Also the Planning Group would love if the Confirmation Class and in the case of Secondary Schools the Students Council might collect and donate a gift of £20 in an envelope for use in projects by 4 Religious Orders who will be our special guests that day. This year we especially remember and celebrate those who have consecrated their lives as members of Religious Congregations
Resources have been produced to use with R.E. classes for each of the school days during Catholic Schools Week: See downloads above.
Dundalk Schools celebrate CSW at the Church of the Holy Redeemer.
Through Baptism, we are united to Christ and made sharers in his risen life. As Christians, the way of servant leadership modelled by our Teacher and Lord becomes our own. All that is asked on our part is faithfulness to love of God and neighbour. Drawing strength from our union with Christ through his Church, we serve and lead, while encouraging others to grow and use their gifts for building up the body of believers
Download PDF Liturgy for Class reflection & Worship
Carmelite sister, Saint Edith Stein, was a born into an practicing Jewish family. However, by her mid teens, she became an atheist. On January 1, 1922, Edith Stein was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church. She became a Carmelite Nun.
Sr Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Edith Stein was arrested in 1942 and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp where she died in a gas chamber.
On May 1, 1987, Edith was beatified as a martyr by Pope John Paul II and then canonized on October 11, 1998.
Welcome back after the summer hols. Hope you had great rest and feel re-energized again.
Some resources to help introduce the year to students:
Ephesians 5 “Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ. Wake up from your sleep, Climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light! So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.”
Look at the Jim Carey Film “Yes Man” Clip here below or read from section of the original book “Yes Man” by Danny Wallace. This will give rise to a very positive approach to the new year. Carpe Diem …Sieze the Day !!
