Prayers

Prayer forms an integral part of our life at Barkston Ash Catholic Primary School. We regularly meet together as a whole-school and have regular prayers that we say during the day in class.  In addition to this, children learn new prayers linked to their RE lessons and Sacramental Preparation sessions. These are set out in our school prayer policy.

As well as learning prayers linked to their faith for particular purposes and seasons, the children also have regular opportunities to develop their own personal prayer life through quiet reflection and meditation.

Using our prayer garden, the children have regular circle time prayer sessions where they share their prayer intentions, pray communally and have moments of individual prayer and reflection.

Nurturing the prayer life of the children in our school forms part of our school’s aims, and enables our pupils to:

- develop their individual relationship with God;

- know that they are loved by God.

The prayer book below sets out some of the prayers that we use in school.

Holy Days of Obligation

Sundays and holy days of obligation are days on which the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass [… and to] abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body (Code of Canon Law, Canon 1247).

Holy days mark days in the liturgical year of special importance or that merit special celebration. Worldwide, there is some variation in the dates of celebration of holy days as local Church authorities acknowledge patron saints or allow the celebration of holy days that occur during the week on the nearest Sunday. In England and Wales, according to a 1984 decision of the Bishops’ Conference, holy days which fall on Saturday or Monday are in general transferred to the Sunday. From the first Sunday of Advent 2006 the feasts of The Epiphany of the Lord, The Ascension of the Lord and the Body and Blood of Christ have also routinely been transferred to the neighbouring Sunday. With effect from the 1^st Sunday of Advent 2017, two holy days of obligation have been reinstated: The Epiphany of the Lord, 6 January and The Ascension of the Lord, Thursday after 6^th Sunday of Easter.

See liturgyoffice.org.uk for Table of Liturgical Dates

Education Sunday

Education Sunday falls on the second Sunday of September and is one of the oldest Days of Special Prayer in England and Wales, established 175 years ago in 1848. It provides an opportunity to celebrate and give thanks to all involved in making Catholic schools places of enlightenment, as well as to look forward in anticipation of the year ahead.