“For where two or three come together in my name,
I am there with them.”
Matthew 18: 20
Prayer and liturgy is central to our Catholic faith and is a special way in which we encounter Christ in our daily lives.
At Saint Norbert’s, we make prayer and liturgy engaging and accessible experiences for all, with scripture always rooted at its heart. We are guided by the Prayer and Liturgy Directory as well as by our Diocesan approach ‘Planning and Celebrating Prayer and Liturgy with Young People: A practical and pastoral expression of The Prayer & Liturgy Directory for Nottingham Diocese’. We understand that by using the structure of Gather, Word, Response, Mission in formal acts of prayer and liturgy, we are helping our young people “to build a recognisable and understandable format that becomes familiar and safe for all those in the community” (PLD for Notts Diocese pg. 49). In modelling good practice, we also help our young people become confident and skilled at planning their own Celebrations of the word and times of communal prayer.
Saint Norbert’s attend Mass both in school and at church regularly, and we work closely with the parish clergy to ensure that there is harmony between themes, actions, prayers and responses so that children are confident to worship and live their faith beyond the school day. Upmost priority is given to ensure that feast days and liturgical seasons are marked appropriately.
Prayer punctuates the school day at Saint Norbert’s. Pupils also enjoy additional opportunities for communal prayer, such as when classes pray the Rosary during the months of May and October, and invitations to attend sessions of prayer and reflection held during the pupils break times are always well attended (such as Divine Praises group, Maundy Thursday ‘Stay and Pray 2024’, Advent Activity Club etc). Pupils and staff also receive prayer cards at various times throughout the year; for example all Year 6’s are given a SATs prayer card in advance of sitting these tests and teaching assistants receive a prayer bookmark or similar on Teaching Assistant Appreciation Day.
Here are some examples:
