Religious Education in a Catholic school has two main areas of focus; to educate students in formal RE lessons about religion and religious practices and to educate students about being religious. One of the ways we recognise and celebrate being a religious community is by praying.

Staff prayer takes place each week on a Thursday morning. We come together, at the moment via Teams, to place ourselves in the presence of God, read scripture or reflect on a liturgical feast day or season, and share our prayers as a faithful community. Yesterday morning, Mrs Michelle Katuke shared a beautiful prayer as part of R U Ok? Day, some of which I have included below.

Our college prayer life is important, and it provides staff and students with a moment of grounding in a busy day. We stop, come together, and are united in mind and spirit. Our prayers are about life, hope, courage, support, care of creation, compassion, empathy, strength and love. Our prayer life helps us to focus on what God has called us to do as Catholic educators, which is to share the message of Jesus with each other and be a role models of Christ’s love to those in our care. 

Loving Creator, we come to you on this R U OK? Day because we know that you are a God of love and compassion. We come as people seeking your presence, comfort and guidance. We come as teachers, family members, friends and co-workers. We come this day because we believe that You, love each one of us just as we are and you walk with us on our individual journeys through life. You see the ignorance and injustice that divides and separates persons struggling with mental health conditions and you weep with us.

Give us courage to face our challenges and open us today to the many ways you are already working in our midst. Help us to identify mental illness as the disease it is so that we might have courage and wisdom in the face of ignorance and stigma. Inspire us as we seek to overcome fear, acquire knowledge, and advocate for compassionate and enlightened treatment and services.

Lead us as we open our hearts and homes, our communities and job opportunities, our houses of worship and communities of faith. Enable us to find ways to be inclusive of persons living with mental health conditions in our everyday lives. Be with doctors, therapists, researchers, social workers, and all those in the helping professions as they seek to overcome ignorance and injustice with care and compassion.

Sometimes, Divine Spirit, we feel discouraged and hopeless in the face of so many challenges. Help us to see ourselves as you see us…persons of value and worth…persons of creativity and potential. May we come to understand the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit in bringing about health and wholeness. And may we go forward into our communities with a renewed sense of vision, hope and possibility for the future.  Amen.

Erica Drewsen
Religious Education Coordinator