You are invited to begin by making the Sign of the Cross.

Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

R./ Glory to you O Lord. (+)

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

The Gospel of the Lord.

R./ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

We live in a culture that rarely forgets and almost never forgives. One bad tweet from three years ago, an embarrassing video leaked to a group chat, or a rumour spread in the corridor can permanently label someone. We screenshot receipts, hold grudges, and ‘cancel’ people the second they step out of line or we disagree with them.

Holding a grudge feels like power, but it’s actually an anchor. When we keep a mental tally of everyone who has wronged us, our world shrinks. We end up building walls around our hearts, convinced that staying angry keeps us safe. But Jesus points out the truth: you cannot reach out to build a bridge if your hands are full of stones to throw.

In Catholic theology, God’s mercy doesn’t run out after a few tries. Jesus’ command that we heard in our scripture today to forgive seventy-seven times isn’t about keeping count until 78 and then saying, “That’s it! You’ve had your 77 chances!”… It means infinite forgiveness because that’s what God offers us.

The music in the video below is based on the Bible story of the Prodigal Son – a key story about God’s mercy. It reminds us how we all sin and turn our back on God sometimes, but he is always ready to welcome us back. As you listen to the music, consider if there is anybody in your life who has upset you and with whom you have a difficult relationship with right now for any reason. Could you reach out to them and offer them forgiveness and a fresh start? Is there anything that you want to say sorry to God for? Use this time as the music plays to reflect on these questions.

Go through your messaging apps or social media today. If you have a draft message, a negative comment, or a grudge-filled thread, delete it.

Send one student from your form down to the Community Hub (outside Mr Ellis’ office) to collect a sheet to stick in your scrapbook for today’s mission activity.

You are invited to begin by making the Sign of the Cross.

Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We continue to journey through the ecumenical Season of Creation. It’s not just Catholics celebrating this season; it unites global Christian denominations in shared prayer and environmental action.

The theme this year is: Living Water.

Peer pressures, constant notifications, friendship drama and social anxiety can leave us all feeling completely drained. We live in a world that often operates like a dry desert – where people compete for attention, drain each other’s energy with gossip or leave people feeling isolated and dry.

When we feel parched or exhausted, our natural instinct is to snap at others or shut down. But true outreach flips this dynamic. Instead of being draining to the people around us, we can choose to be a source of refreshment. Just as a cold drink of water restores our tiredness, a genuine compliment, a warm welcome or a moment of active listening can revive someone who is quietly drowning in stress.

In Catholic theology, water is a sacred symbol of life and transformation. In the Sacrament of Baptism, water isn’t just poured for cleanliness. Water symbolises spiritual rebirth, washing away isolation and filling us with God’s grace. Outreach out during the Season of Creation means recognising that caring for people and bringing life to our relationships is the most vital way we can reflect God’s love for the world.

Scrapbook Activity:

Pass the activity sheet around your form group today and invite every person to add their own contribution of how they will reach out to the poor or to the earth during this Season of Creation and beyond. How will you be the hands, feet, eyes and body of Christ? Alternatively, have a class discussion about this and choose one or two designated writers. Initial your ideas if you can.

Remember to label your scrapbook page: W/B: 14th September. WotW: Outreach.

Would you like to be part of our student-led Chaplaincy Team?

Application forms now available!

Please come down to the community hub to collect one.

This year, we will have three student-led groups within one large Chaplaincy Team. If you’re interested in planning and/or leading prayer and liturgy, working towards justice and peace within the wider world, fundraising for good causes and engaging with the community, Lucy – our Lay Chaplain – would like to hear from you!

This is a new format this year, so even if you were in the Chaplaincy Team last year please do reapply and identify which part of the team you’d most like to get involved with. The aim is to start meetings in October.

For more information, drop into the Community Hub on a Monday, Thursday or Friday break time to chat with Lucy. Anyone is welcome. Application forms are now available. Just look to your left as you come into the building and you’ll see them in a red tray on the table just inside the door. Completed forms can be returned to Lucy during break on a Monday, Thursday or Friday or given to your form tutor FAO: Lucy.

Are you looking for a quiet space to go at lunch time? Have you considered the chapel?

Our school chapel (at the bottom of the Humanities staircase) is a welcoming and inclusive space for everybody. You do not need to be Catholic to make use of the chapel. Although it is primarily a place of prayer and worship, it is also a suitable space for quiet reflection and wellbeing.

Lucy will be in the chapel every Thursday lunchtime offering some wellbeing and mindfulness activities. Anyone is welcome. You don’t need to stay for the whole of lunch either, just call in for as long as you’d like to and make sure you eat before or after you come. Thank you.

Here are some resources to help you with the planning of Celebrations of the word.

Open Bible – Search the Bible by keyword for scripture suitable to your theme.

Planning sheets – Use the planning sheets on this page to plan your Celebration of the word. Remember that somebody else should evaluate on the same sheet (or on a second copy) during or shortly after your delivery.

Seasonal music – Hymns and worship songs recorded by members of the Trust Chaplaincy Team suitable for different seasons and themes throughout the liturgical year.

Introducing Scripture – It is very important that we give scripture the reverence it deserves. We should use translations taken from the English Standard Version at Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s. Ensure you choose this version if taking scripture from sites such as BibleGateway. Scripture should also be introduced and concluded correctly, depending on where in the Bible it comes from. A helpful guide can be found below. Please note the specific instructions and additions when scripture comes from one of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John). Ordinarily, we stand for the Gospel and we stay seated for scripture which comes from elsewhere.