‘Forgiveness’ from our friends at All Saints!

We start with the Sign of the Cross.

Ephesians 4:32

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians, 

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

The Word of the Lord.

Response: Thanks be to God. 

Are you a forgiving person? Do you find it hard to forgive? Are you holding onto a grudge that you need to let go of? Is it time to say ‘I forgive you’ to someone who has hurt you?

Think of someone who has hurt you who wants your forgiveness. Or think of a relationship that has ended because you or someone else could not offer forgiveness.

Forgiving someone who has hurt you can be a really difficult thing to do. It can also be one of the best feelings too. When we forgive, our relationships can heal and grow. We can feel healed and at peace in ourselves too.

Take the next minute to sit in silence and think about a person who needs your forgiveness. Offer up a silent prayer for this person. Once you are ready, simply type, ‘I forgive you’ in the comments box. You don’t need to tell anyone the person you were thinking about, but in your heart feel that you are at peace. What a brilliant way to have started your week.

Dear Lord, 

Help us to be true disciples by offering forgiveness to those who need it from us and help us to courageously seek forgiveness from those we have hurt.

Amen.  

We end by making the Sign of the Cross.

The Chapel will be closed at lunchtime today as we will be meeting Ash Wednesday helpers.

Ash Wednesday helpers come down to the Chapel Tuesday Lunchtime (today!) for final preparations and rehearsals for tomorrow please!

We start with the Sign of the Cross.

NDCYS have put together a great summary of the significance of this week in the Catholic Church. Today is an important day in the Church’s calendar but not because we may eat pancakes – but because it’s Shrove Tuesday! Have a listen out for why it has become a tradition to eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday and how you can prepare for Ash Wednesday tomorrow….

Today is the last day of Ordinary Time before Lent so it’s worth thinking about what you might do for the next 40 days and 40 nights to try to become a better person and stronger in your faith. Discuss in your form the challenges you may take on throughout Lent and today make the most of this last day of feasting before our time of fasting begins!

Let us know in the comments below some of the things your form are doing for Lent!

We end with the Sign of the Cross.

Before we begin our collective worship as a form group, don’t forget, for your Ash Wednesday Liturgy you should go to your usual lesson to register and drop off your bags and then your teacher will bring you down to the Chapel. Bring a pen with you in your pockets.

We start with the Sign of the Cross.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

You’ll be hearing more about the Liturgical Season of Lent throughout your Ash Wednesday Liturgies today but let’s start the day by reflecting on when we have fallen short as Christians and how we are going to improve.  Improve our relationship with God, improve our actions and improve the way we treat others.

Let us begin our Lenten Journey by considering how we have fallen short and what practical actions we can make to improve.  God invites you to his altar but do you always accept his invitation?

Listen to the music and silently consider how your personal Lenten journey will bring you closer to God. What changes do you want to make to become a better Christian?

You will only need to play the video for three minutes 🙂

Comment below about how you will get closer to God this Lent. 🙂

In your form rooms you should have a Liturgical Colours chart with an arrow. (If you don’t, get your form reps to come down to the Chapel and collect one for your form!) These should be stuck up somewhere at the front of your form room (perhaps on your tutor board?). In your forms, make sure that the arrow is pointing to ‘Lent’ in the relevant purple section of the chart as we begin out Lenten Journey!

As we thrive to ‘Live Simply’ as a school community, we invite you to pray CAFOD’s Lent prayer…

God of all wholeness,

heal our hearts

of all that prevents us responding

to our sisters and brothers

excluded by poverty

and prevented from living a full and healthy life.

This Lent, may we:

implore justice through our prayer,

stand in solidarity through our fasting,

and reach out through our giving.

Send your life-giving power

to revive the weary,

restore the broken

and renew the face of the earth.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

We end with the Sign of the Cross.

Chapel will be closed this lunchtime for filming for next weeks word of the week- Prayer! If you would like to be involved in the video please come down to the Chapel 🙂

We start with the Sign of the Cross.

After Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, he appeared to the Apostles, breathed on them and said: “receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you forgive, are forgiven them. Whose sins you retain, are retained.” (John 20:22-23)

Catholics can sorry to God for their wrong doings by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. During this Sacrament, God works through the priest and you will receive absolution (forgiveness).

Having said that, going to confession is difficult, it’s difficult to be open about the things we have done wrong. We must remember though, to receive forgiveness, we must be honest and truly sorry!

One of our brilliant priests in our Diocese, Father David Cain, explains in this video that reconciliation is not something that should be feared but actually, celebrated. God is both loving and forgiving, there is nothing that you could do, no matter how bad, that God would not forgive you of!

One of the necessary elements of the Sacrament of confession is reciting an act of contrition. The priest will usually prompt the penitent after they have confessed their sins by saying such words as “Now say your act of contrition…”

As a form group, silently think of a sin that you would like to be forgiven for. Say the act of contrition together:

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you, whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our saviour Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy

Make an extra effort this Lent to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If you haven’t received the Sacrament before you can still receive a blessing from one of our local priests and talk to them about any worries you have or what you are sorry for!

We end with the Sign of the Cross.

• Lunchtime Mass today in the Chapel- all staff and students are welcome! You can get a Mass pass from the Chapel at first break. We will be joined by Class 3 and FS2 from St Patrick’s School and we will all eat lunch together after Mass has finished. See you there!
• Filming for next weeks word of the week will be happening in the Chapel during first break- come down if you would like to be involved with the filming!

We start with the Sign of the Cross.

We end with the Sign of the Cross.