The Prayer and Liturgy Directory

Prayer and liturgy at St Mary’s are guided by To Love You More Dearly: The Prayer and Liturgy Directory for Catholic Schools, Academies and Colleges, published by the Catholic Education Service.

The directory supports schools in creating prayer and liturgical experiences that are faithful to the Catholic tradition, appropriate to children’s ages and development, and responsive to the needs of the school community.

It helps us ensure that prayer and liturgy:

• Are centred upon Christ and rooted in Scripture

• Follow the rhythm of the Church’s liturgical year

• Enable children to encounter God and grow in relationship with him

• Include stillness, silence, reflection, music and symbolic action

• Draw upon the rich prayer traditions of the Catholic Church

• Are inclusive and accessible to all pupils

• Encourage full, conscious and active participation

• Give children increasing opportunities to prepare, lead and evaluate prayer

• Inspire the school community to put faith into action

At St Mary’s, children experience a range of prayer and liturgy, including daily classroom prayer, whole-school worship, child-led prayer, traditional Catholic prayers, meditation, the Rosary, Mass and celebrations connected with the seasons and feasts of the Church.

Our usual structure—Gather, Listen, Respond and Go Forth—helps children prepare for prayer, encounter the Word of God, respond thoughtfully and consider how they will live out its message.

You can read the full directory here: