Please remember to check the ‘Catholic Life and Chaplaincy Notices’ tab weekly! – Flame 2027 details are here!
Helpful resources to support the planning and delivery of prayer and liturgy can also be found on our diocesan Chaplaincy website here.
Day 1 – The Noise Inside Our Head
Day 2 – Listening to the Outsider
Day 3 – Tuning into Purpose
Catholic Life and Chaplaincy Notices
Useful Resources
The Word of the Week is:
We are in:
The liturgical colour is:
Listen
Week 26 in Ordinary Time, Year A
Green
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.
Listening is an important part of dialogue so this week follows on well from last week. It means paying attention to what others are saying and trying to understand their point of view. Listening is not just about hearing words; it is about hearing the heart. We are called to be good listeners, and we should make sure to listen to those who are different from us. Above all we should listen to what God is calling us to do in our lives.
How many tabs do you have open in your brain right now? Between notifications, school stress, social pressure, and our own individual priorities and interests, our minds are constantly working overtime. We think we’re multitasking, but mostly we’re just overwhelmed.
In the Bible, God rarely shouts over the noise. In the book of Kings, God speaks not in an earthquake or a fire, but in a gentle whisper or a still small voice. In Catholic tradition, this is about creating interior silence so we can actually hear what matters.
A reading from thefirst Book of Kings.
And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
The Word of the Lord.
R./ Thanks be to God.
For people of faith, prayer is a form of communication with the Almighty. Catholics believe that prayer is the raising of your mind and heart to God, or the requesting of good things from him.
Whether you choose to make time for prayer, mindfulness or just some quiet time, it’s important to put aside worldly distractions, to reflect on what is important to you and to remind yourself that you’re never alone.
‘GOD IS SPEAKING’ | Christian short film
Discussion Questions:
What is the loudest distraction in your life right now that you wish you could mute?
When was the last time you felt truly listened to by someone? How did it change how you felt about yourself?
Have you made time recently for prayer, meditiation or simply for yourself?
Click below to “Add Comment” and capture some of what has been said in your form for others to seeor add them to your form scrapbook.
A challenge for today:
Take a few minutes today to do a ‘digital fast’.
Turn off your phone, sit somewhere quiet, and just be still.
Practice noticing the quiet space inside yourself.
Dear Lord, help us to listen more attentively; to ourselves, to our friends and families and to the needs of the poor and marginalised. Help us to reflect more on what we hear and act as necessary. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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.
Have you ever tried talking to someone who is staring right at their phone screen while you speak? It feels terrible, right? We all want to be heard, but how often are we actually listening to the people standing right in front of us – especially the ones who are ‘awkward’, quiet or left out?
Jesus was famous for stopping for people the rest of the world ignored: the blind beggar, the outcast, the person everyone gossiped about. Catholic Social Teaching calls this ‘Human Dignity’. This is the belief that every single person has a story worth hearing because they are made and loved by God.
1st September is the feast day of a female saint called Saint Thérèse of Lisieux who lived something called ‘The Little Way’. In her eyes, listening to a fellow human with patience and empathy was an underrated but powerful act of charity.
“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”
– Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
Today, take time to ask somebody (a friend, a peer, an adult in school or someone you live with) a genuine question like, “How’s your day really going?” or “How have you been lately?” and commit to listening to their full answer without interrupting or making it about you.
Dear Lord, help me to be more like Saint Thérèse who did not strive to do extraordinary things in life, but instead tried to do small things with great love. Help me to be a listening ear to anyone in need and to listen without distraction or judgement. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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.
It might feel like everyone is constantly asking you, “What are you going to do with your life?” This might be especially true for you if you’re in Year 10, 11 or Sixth Form. It’s exhausting! It feels like you have to have your entire future mapped out by the time you leave here. But finding your path isn’t about guessing the future; it’s about paying attention to what brings you purpose and joy and where the world needs your specific gifts.
In the Gospels, Jesus constantly tells crowds, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” In Catholic spirituality, discernment just means learning to listen to the deeper currents of your life; your conscience, your passions and that quiet nudge to do good. Catholics believe that these things are God guiding us toward who we are meant to become.
Write a quick Post-it note entry for your form time scrapbook using this sentence starter: “If my inner voice had a message for me today, it would say…” It might say something that is specific to what’s important in your life right now (exams, school, family life, friendships) etc or guide you towards living out a certain characteristic or trait.
Father in Heaven, we pray today for world leaders; that they listen to their own inner voice and be guided towards making decisions for the common good. May they strive to promote the human dignity of every person and work hard towards a more peaceful world.
Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Calling all Year 10’s, 11’s and 13’s for FLAME 2027!
On Saturday 6th March 2027, thousands of young people from across England and Wales will fill the iconic OVO Arena Wembley for the biggest Catholic youth gathering in the country: FLAME 2027! A jam-packed day of live music, dance, motivational speakers, praise and worship in a way you’ve never experienced before!
Flame 2027
See the posters around school for more information or pop in to see Lucy in the Chaplaincy Office/Community Hub to ‘sign up’. There’s only about 20 spaces available! Don’t hang around too long!
Would you like to be part of our student-led Chaplaincy Team?
Applications close this Friday!
Please come down to the Community Hub to collect a form ASAP.
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! You do not have to be Catholic or even religious! There are lots of ways to get involved.
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.
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