Liturgical Year

During the Liturgical / Church Year we are invited to celebrate times of significance in the life of Jesus with special place given to Mary and the saints. Well prepared liturgies marking these seasons are an experience of catechesis in action. Below you will find resources for prayer and worship as well as some classroom ideas.

The Religion Teacher site has recently posted new material relevant for class planning around the Liturgical/Academic Year.  CLICK HERE for more information.

Beginning of School Year

CLICK HERE for material on Beginning of School Year

 

General Liturgical Planning/Preparation

 

September – Beginning of School Year

 

October – Mission Month / Month of the Rosary

CLICK HERE for resources on praying the Rosary in October

Click on this link below to access the resources for Mission Month:

https://www.wmi.ie/emm

 

November – Remembrance/All Saints/All Souls

CLICK HERE for resources for Thanksgiving in November

 

Advent

CLICK HERE for Advent activities for late November/early December

 

Christmas

CLICK HERE for Christmas based material

 

Lent

CLICK HERE for Lenten resources

Lent 2022

Ash-Wednesday-Service

Liturgy – Ash Wednesday school liturgy of the word

 

General Resources

 

 

Easter

CLICK HERE for useful material for Easter

 

End of School Year/Graduation

CLICK HERE for material for End of School Year

Mission

Mission – Prayer Service

Mission – Class Lesson

 

All Saints

Prayer Service

 

Advent

Advent Prayer Service

Advent Prayer Service 2013

Advent Calendar 2013

 

Christmas

Christmas Crossword

Christmas is banned – Class Lesson

 

Lent

Prayer Burying the Alleluia

 

Ascension

The Ascension, which is one of the chief feasts of the liturgical year, marks the close of the appearances of Jesus which took place after his resurrection and celebrates his exaltation to the Father.  It is an essential element of the resurrection of the Lord.  It is portrayed as having taken place variously, even by the same author, on the evening of Easter Sunday and forty days later.  It underlines the teaching that it is from Heaven that the exalted Christ excerises his power over heaven and earth.  CLICK HERE for Ascension day service page 1.  CLICK HERE for page 2.

 

Pentecost Sunday

The problem with Pentecost Sunday and the school year is that this particular important feast can fall within the summer holiday period.  However, like Christmas, in anticipation of Pentecost, the students could tie this feast in with their Graduation Mass.  The gifts of the Spirit can be outlined at the graduation Mass also.

The word ‘Pentecost’ meaning ‘fiftieth day’ was the name given to the Feast of Weeks in the Jewish calendar because it fell on the fiftieth day after Passover.  In the Christian tradition it was applied to the feast of the decent of the Holy Spirit because this event is portrayed as occurring fifty days after Easter Sunday.  After Easter is has been described as the second festival of the Church.  Pentecost Sunday marks the close of Eastertide.

This important feast could tie in very well with a graduation liturgy.  The Word of God was proclaimed in many languages at Pentecost.  This tradition could be adapted to the school setting where different students could deliver prayers and readings in different languages.  The use of Taizé music may also be helpful here as it provides settings of music in different languages.  The following prayer service is particular to Morning Prayer but can be adapted to a Eucharistic Celebration (Graduation Mass) or alternative prayer service.  CLICK HERE for Page 1 and HERE for page 2.