Prayer at Our Lady of Lourdes

What is praying?

“Praying means talking to God. Praying means giving your heart to God. Praying means becoming quiet. Praying means listening to God. Praying means listening to God. Praying means thanking HIM. Praying means asking HIM, telling HIM everything: all your worries, all your fears, everything that burdens your conscience, everything that you are pleased about.

Praying also means accepting sadness and asking God to come also into our difficulties.”

(YOUCAT for kids) Catholic Catechism for Children and Parents

If you would like to pray at home, here is a list of some suggestions you could try together as a family.  We believe there is no right or wrong way to pray to God, we teach children in school that a prayer is like having a chat.  You can say one of our formal prayers or you can just say what you are thinking and what you want God to know. A prayer could start with ‘Dear God’ ‘Father in heaven’ ‘My friend Jesus’ and end with ‘Amen’ It can also include one of these ideas below to get you started or try something new.

OLOL Prayer handbook link, Prayer Progression across Our Lady of Lourdes

Prayers at home in Lent

In Lent, you could create a prayer table together.

1. For the season of Lent, find some purple material.
2. Add a candle
3. Add a cross you have, or make one using paper or sticks from outside.
4. Add a focus – a storybook or handwritten prayer that you might want to say.
5. Make the sign of the cross.
6. You could start with the prayer below before you say your own.

‘God bless you, God bless me, And keep us safe, As safe can be.’

Proclaiming the Lord’s Year of Favour

Can you share in Jesus’ mission to bring Good News to the world around us this Jubilee Year by trying one or two of these challenges?

Salford Diocese Jubilee Challenges:

Pentecost Party

As the feast of Pentecost approaches here are some ideas about how you might want to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit at home and the Birthday of the Catholic Church. Pentecost is 50 days after The Resurrection and 10 days after The Ascension when Jesus went back to heaven. The scripture reference is Acts 2: 1-8.

Here are some suggestions though we know you will have many more yourselves:

• Wear an item of clothing to represent the Holy Spirit: Red, orange, yellow.
• Make party hats in appropriate colours; maybe with a flame, dove or images with older children that celebrate the gifts/fruits of the Holy Spirit.
• Maybe share some special food. This may be food from around the world to celebrate how the Church has spread throughout the world.
• Make/decorate streamers in red, yellow, orange.
• Compose prayers to the Holy Spirit.
• Learn songs about the Holy Spirit.
• Make windmills or doves to represent the Holy Spirit.
• Learn about the fruits/gifts of the Holy Spirit.
• Learn a prayer to the Holy Spirit.
• We are grateful to all be connected as one global family, so can you research as many ways as possible to say thank you in different languages.
• Create a piece of art work to represent the Holy Spirit or the power of the Holy Spirit in action through your own eyes.
• Make Birthday cards for your friends and family to celebrate this special day.

Life is an Opportunity. Benefit from it.

Life is a Beauty.  Admire it.

Life is a Dream.  Realise it.

Life is a Challenge.  Meet it.

Life is a Duty.  Complete it.

Life is a Game.  Play it.

Life is a Promise.  Fulfil it.

Life is Sorrow.  Overcome it.

Life is a Song.  Sing it.

Life is a Struggle.  Accept it.

Life is Tragedy.  Confront it.

Life is Adventure.  Dare it.

Life is Luck.  Make it.

Life is too Precious.  Do not destroy it.

Life is Life.  Fight for it.

Mother Teresa (St. Theresa of Calcutta)