Prayers for the school year

September 26, 2022 in Featured News, News

Occasional Prayers for the School Year (Messenger Publications) » by Gráinne Delaney consists of prayers and reflections for use in school gatherings and assemblies at specific times in the year. It is a one-stop resource for busy teachers and chaplains who look for inspiration at planned and spontaneous events, and it includes poems from young people. There are also prayers and reflections for any time in the school year.

Examples of prayers and reflections that are found in the book include:

Dear Lord, guide me…

  • To check what is being asked of me and know what I can do.
  • To commit to things and see them through.
  • To prioritise my time and pursue a hobby.
  • To develop a good routine as I prepare for sleep.
  • To be aware of how food and exercise affect how I feel (For the start of the school year in September).

Dear Lord,

Surround us with your care. Be with us in grief, when things feel unsure. And give us strength and reasons to hope. Wrap those who have died in peace! And give them rest. We give them to you. We remember all our loved ones who have died, and we pray for them in this holy month of November. Amen.

Beatitudes for the adolescent:

Happy are the quiet, for they will enjoy all things. Happy are the reflective, for they will experience God’s mercy. Happy are the sensitive, for they will be in tune with society. Happy are those who seek justice, for they will be rewarded. Happy are those who forgive, for they will be forgiven. Happy are those who are selfless, for they will be praised. Happy are the peacemakers, for they are examples to us all. Happy are those who stand up for others, for they will have light in their lives (Written by students of Crescent College Comprehensive SJ to create a mood of thanksgiving as students return to school in January).

On lighting a candle:

I light a candle and suddenly the world around me changes; one small flame is all it takes to let the darkness know that it cannot win (For any time in the school year).

The prayers in the book will most frequently be used at Friday morning prayer in Crescent College Comprehensive SJ, so if people say the prayers, they join this weekly praying community. Each morning the community also says the prayer of St Ignatius which can be found in the book.

Gráinne Delaney is chaplain of Crescent College Comprehensive SJ, Limerick. She received her Bachelor of Religious Science from the Mater Dei Institute of Education. Her role as chaplain for over 20 years has fostered her interest in faith formation.

Occasional Prayers for the School Year by Gráinne Delaney is published in Ireland and the UK by Messenger Publications. It is priced at €12.95/£11.95.