Welcome to this week’s new look Living Word! ‘The Living Word’ is what we call our form time prayer and liturgy at Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s. The Living Word is done during three form time sessions each week. It’s purpose is to introduce us to the Word of the Week (schools across our diocese will all be reflecting on the same word at the same time), link this word to scripture and help us to explore how this word is relevant to us in our lives today. The Living Word includes actions, like making the Sign of the Cross, prayerful opportunities, discussions and mission activities. It sometimes includes music or videos which help us to explore the Word of the Week in different and creative ways.
Please also check the new ‘Catholic Life and Chaplaincy Notices’ tab weekly too.
Lucy, the Lay Chaplain at Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s, is always keen to hear new ideas regarding the Living Word. If you’d like to get involved, you’d be very welcome to do so.
Helpful resources to support the planning and delivery of prayer and liturgy can also be found on our diocesan Chaplaincy website here.
Day 1 – What is Encounter?
Day 2 – True Encounter
Day 3 – Encounter Through Creation
Catholic Life and Chaplaincy Notices
Useful Resources
| The Word of the Week is: | We are in: | The liturgical colour is: |
| Encounter | Week 23 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.
Encounter is a really important word for us. It’s a word we should all know and be familiar with, but it’s also actually quite a tricky word to talk about and explain in the context of faith. When we speak about the word encounter, we are talking about where and how we meet or experience God.
Our faith is full of encounters with God. At Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s, we encounter God through prayer and liturgy, in Mass, in our RE lessons, in quiet moments in the chapel and through the actions and words of those around us. Can you think of any other ways in which you can meet God during your time at SSPP? These encounters can change us, challenge us, and bring us closer to God. When we open ourselves to encountering Christ in our daily lives, we allow his love to transform us and make us more like him.
This is the bishop of our diocese. His name is Bishop Patrick.
At Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s, we are part of the Diocese of Nottingham.
Bishop Patrick has given us the theme of encounter for this term and it is a priority not just for us at SSPP, but for all churches and schools within our diocese.
Discussion Questions:
- What is the difference between simply seeing someone and truly encountering them?
- Jesus promises to be present whenever we gather. How might keeping this in mind change how we treat people in our form group, classrooms, or online?
- What stops us from having real encounters with God and others during a busy school day?
Click below to “Add Comment” and capture some of what has been said in your form for others to see or add them to your form scrapbook if you have one!
Today, make a conscious effort to make eye contact, smile, or speak to someone you wouldn’t normally talk to.
Almighty Father, you sent your son, Jesus Christ to walk alongside us and bring us your love. As we begin this new school year, help us to answer Bishop Patrick’s call to seek an authentic encounter with you. Open our eyes to see you in our daily lives, and open our hearts to welcome you in every person we meet. 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.
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans.
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
The Word of the Lord.
R./ Thanks be to God.
In a world of carefully composed profiles, online filters, and social pressures, many of us walk around wearing invisible ‘masks’ – trying to play a role, appear unfazed, or pretend everything is fine even when maybe we’re struggling inside.
An authentic encounter asks us to look deeper. In Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans which we’ve just heard, he gives us a challenge: “Owe no one anything, except to love one another.” When we dare to let our mask slip and look past other people’s masks, we stop rating and judging and start encountering Christ in them instead. Our faith teaches us that every person is made in the image and likeness of God, and that every person is worthy of human dignity.
It can sometimes feel scary to let our guard down and be our true selves, but God loves each of us as we are. He accepts us unconditionally. He wants to encounter us as we authentically are, right now.
Challenge:
This week, if you feel tempted to make a snap judgment about someone in the corridor, on the journey home, or online, pause and ask yourself: “What might they be carrying that I can’t see?” Choose to offer an encouraging word or smile instead. Help them encounter the love of God by experiencing kindness and compassion through you.
Loving Father, you look past our outer appearances and love us exactly as we are. Give us the courage to step out from behind our own masks, and give us gentle eyes to see the hidden struggles of those around us. Help us to pay our debt of love today through quiet kindness, compassion and understanding. 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.
As we journey through the month of September, the global Catholic Church is celebrating the Season of Creation (1st September – 4th October). Creation is God’s first gift to us – a living place where we can encounter our creator. Just as Bishop Patrick calls us to encounter God through scripture, prayer and liturgy, we are also called to encounter him in the beauty of the Earth, and to respond to the cry of creation with care and stewardship.
The Season of Creation calls us each year to reflect upon the beauty of the natural world but also to consider the ways in which it is being mistreated. This season offers us an opportunity to reflect on our own habits:
– Do we make conscious choices about what we buy so that we choose sustainable and fairer options when we can?
– Do we dispose of our rubbish responsibly, always putting it into a bin rather than littering or better still, recycle it appropriately?
– Do we walk or use public transport when we can?
– Are we mindful of our use of and reliance on technology?
– Do we take time to simply look with awe and wonder upon this wonderful world around us?
Our previous pope, Pope Francis, published an encyclical letter entitled Laudato Si’. It was all about how we should all be caring more for our common home, Earth. Watch this YouTube short of our current pope – Pope Leo – reflecting on Laudato Si’.
Catholic Social Teaching calls us to be stewards of creation. How will you commit to taking better care of the world around us during this Season of Creation?
Scrapbook Activity:
Consider for a moment something in the natural world which just makes you stop and say, “Wow!” Your favourite animal, flower, type of weather, natural occurrence or favourite outdoor place to be. Write your response down on a Post-It note and add this to your form scrapbook along with the date (Wb. 7th September) and the WotW: Encounter.
Creator God, you filled the universe with light, life, and wonder, and entrusted your creation to our care. As we mark this Season of Creation, grant us eyes to encounter you in every part of your world. Soften our hearts so that we do not turn away from the needs of our planet or our global neighbours. Inspire us to act as faithful stewards, treading gently upon the earth you have made. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Would you like to be part of our student-led Chaplaincy Team?
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!
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 will be available at the end of this week. Just look to your left as you come into the building and you’ll see them in a wallet on the side of the bookcase. Completed forms can be returned to Lucy during break on a Monday, Thursday or Friday.
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.
Every Thursday lunchtime, Lucy will be in the chapel offering some wellbeing and mindfulness activities. Anyone is welcome.
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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