A Caring Family Member is someone who:
- relates to family members in a loving, compassionate and respectful manner
- recognizes human intimacy and sexuality as God-given gifts, to be used as the creator intended
- values and honours the important role of the family in society
- values and nurtures opportunities for family prayer
- ministers to the family, school, parish, and wider community through service
Introduction to Prayer Service
The Prayer Service below is in regards to loss and is intended to be used in a Catholic High School. I believe this service fits nicely into the sixth Catholic Graduate Expectation which places importance on students becoming caring family members. Specifically, it looks to students becoming a caring family member who ministers to the family, school, parish, and wider community through service. Students have an active role in the prayer service through prayer, readings, responses, lighting candles, and song; as a result they are taking part in a service for their school community. I believe that a prayer service helps students meet the expectations of a caring family member.
The Prayer Service below is in regards to loss and is intended to be used in a Catholic High School. I believe this service fits nicely into the sixth Catholic Graduate Expectation which places importance on students becoming caring family members. Specifically, it looks to students becoming a caring family member who ministers to the family, school, parish, and wider community through service. Students have an active role in the prayer service through prayer, readings, responses, lighting candles, and song; as a result they are taking part in a service for their school community. I believe that a prayer service helps students meet the expectations of a caring family member.
A Prayer Service for Catholic Schools on Loss
Order of Service
Welcome and Introduction
Presider: We gather together as a community of faith on this day to remember those who are no longer here with us.
Let us stand and begin with the sign of our faith
All: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Presider: Let us pray …
We make this prayer in the name of Jesus, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for
ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Presider: Let us now join together and sing while the lighting of candles takes place.
(Each student who has passed away will have their picture framed and a candle beside them, at this point each candle
will be lit by a different student previously selected).
Song: Yahweh I know you are near
Reflection
Scripture Reading
Reader: A reading from the Gospel of John (14: 1 – 4)
“Let knot your hearts be troubles. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”
All: Glory to you, Lord.
PowerPoint Slide Show and Song: Slideshow will showcase students/teachers of the school community who have passed
Song: I Will Remember You By: Sarah McLachlan
Reflection during Song and Slideshow
Closing Prayer
Presider: Let us pray …
Heavenly Father, of all the changes we have to face as we journey through life, the hardest of all is the loss through death of someone we love. Lord, you know everything about each one of us and you see and feel our pain our tears, our loneliness, our regrets and our despair. Comfort us in our sorrow and help us to move on. Change the, at times, overwhelming grief and sadness to peaceful acceptance and our weakness to strength. Help us to cope and adjust to a different pattern of life, never for a moment forgetting those who have gone, but trusting you to keep them safe for us. Help us to remember that spring always follows winter.
Through dying for us on the cross, Jesus has conquered death and opened the gates of glory. May we know, through your grace, the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection and new life. We ask these prayers in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
All: Amen.
(Prayer taken from: The Parish Church of St Mary
the Virgin) (http://www.stmarysbarton.org.uk/StMarysBarton/Prayers.html)
Presider: Let us go forth in the peace of Christ.
All: Thanks be to God!
Closing Hymn: Save a Place for Me by Matthew West
Audience
The intended audience for this prayer service is high school students in grades 9 – 12, and teachers/colleagues who work at the school. This prayer service can be done inside possible in the chapel if it is with small groups, or in the gymnasium or cafeteria for larger groups. The prayer service is important for everyone and thus all students/teachers will have the opportunity to attend one of the scheduled prayer services during one period. Multiple classes, or the entire school can attend together if room permits.
The intended audience for this prayer service is high school students in grades 9 – 12, and teachers/colleagues who work at the school. This prayer service can be done inside possible in the chapel if it is with small groups, or in the gymnasium or cafeteria for larger groups. The prayer service is important for everyone and thus all students/teachers will have the opportunity to attend one of the scheduled prayer services during one period. Multiple classes, or the entire school can attend together if room permits.