The Season of Creation

During the month of September we are marking the Season of Creation. We joined in with CAFOD’s live assembly on Thursday 11th September to find out more. Then CAFOD Club shared their Prayer and Liturgy so that classes can spend time in quiet reflection thinking about Creation and our part to play in it. Look out for classes spending time in our Spiritual Garden during this special time.

Education Sunday

On Sunday 14th September children proudly wore their uniforms to Sunday mass to celebrate Education Sunday. Children were involved in the offertory and received a special blessing from our new parish priest, Fr. Michael.

Harvest Thanksgiving

We gave thanks for the Harvest at our Harvest mass. Children helped throughout the mass by reading and at the offertory. We welcomed Fr. Michael to lead his first mass with us. Families donated food and we were lucky enough to have a representative from Community Grocery to tell us all about how our donations will help in the local community.

Remembrance

We gathered together to remember those who have died in war or who have been affected by war. When we were responding to our Scripture during our Celebration of the Word we spent 2 minutes in silent reflection. Each child made a poppy to create our display.

Advent Stay and Pray

Families were invited to pray with their children this Advent in class. Focusing on how we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ each class focused on the Advent Wreath and what we can do each day to prepare for Christmas. A joyous afternoon was spent praying through song, traditional prayer and reflection.

Advent at St. Jude’s

Each week during Advent we came together in a Celebration of the Word to light the candle on our Advent Wreath. Children were then asked to ‘Go Forth’ each week and try and live out that action in their lives. Y4 wrote and hand delivered letters of hope to the poorly at Wigan Hospital whilst Y2 made Christmas cards and hand delivered them to our local Nursing Home to spread joy to those who may need it. Each class also spent time at our school crib in prayer.

Sharing the Christmas Story

Every class were involved in sharing the Christmas story with families in different ways. Pre-school shared the Christmas story outside in our Spiritual Garden through a very special Celebration of the Word. Reception and Key Stage One children shared the Christmas Story through a Nativity and Key Stage Two children celebrated with a beautiful Carol Service at Church, not just for our families but the whole St. Jude’s parish.

The Feast of the Epiphany

We celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany by attending mass at Church. Children participated in the mass and then spent time in quiet reflection around the crib. Our Pre-school and Reception children celebrated with a very special Celebration of the Word where they dressed up as the three wise men and spent time reflecting on how the gift of Jesus was revealed to all.

Ash Wednesday

To mark the beginning of Lent Year 1 to Year 6 went to church to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday. We sang hymns, served at mass and brought up the offertory. Early Years received ashes in school with a special Celebration of the Word.

Lent displays

There are signs of Lent all around our school where children have the opportunity to stop and be still in silence with God to reflect on their Lenten promises. We know that purple reminds us to prepare our minds and hearts for Easter.

Mother’s Day Celebration of the Word

We marked Mother’s Day at St. Jude’s by welcoming all mums, grandmas, aunties and all the special women in our lives to a very special Celebration of the Word. We listened to scripture about how Mary was chosen to be a mother of Jesus and we spent time in quiet reflection thinking about how we can give praise and thanks to God for our own mums.

The Stations of the Cross

Year 3 and Year 4 presented The Stations of the Cross in a very meaningful way to the rest of the school and our families and parish. We spent time reflecting on how we can all live like Jesus, sacrificing ourselves in some way to help others.