Prayer and Liturgy

Emmaus

Each morning we begin our day by meeting with Christ, just as the early disciples did on the road to Emmaus.  Our Emmaus tutor/s accompany us on that journey every day from 8.40-8.50am.  We invite Christ to be with us throughout each day and to stand with us in our thoughts, words and actions. In Emmaus time, we explore the Gospel for the week and the values Jesus gave to us.  Prayer is at the centre of this.

Holy Masses are celebrated throughout the Year.

• Welcome Masses
• Thanksgiving Masses
• Whole School Masses
• Year Feast Day Masses
• Advent Masses

September 

• Welcome Masses
• Visit to Chapel
• Year 6 Feeder Day Retreat
• Sixth form induction retreat day – Soli House outreach team
• St Mother Teresa house social actions

October

• Harvest Festival
• The Annual Combined Schools Mass
• Year 11 Feast Day – Guardian Angels
• The Holy Rosary
• St Vincent de Paul social actions and St Francis of Assisi social actions

November 

• Holy Souls and Remembrance Services
• St Teresa of Lisieux social actions

December

• Advent Penitential Services
• Christmas Party for the Friends of Painsley
• Christmas Carol Service for Year 12 and 13
• Year 11 Retreat Morning
• Year 11 Retreat morning ‘Advent: Be Prepared’ Holy Family social actions

January

• Year 9 Feast Day – The Conversion of St. Paul
• Year 10 retreat day at Soli house

February

• Year 10 Feast Day – Our Lady of Lourdes

March

• Parable of the Talents – Year 7 Fundraiser
• Lenten Penitential Services
• St Chad of Lichfield social actions

April 

• Born For This – retelling of the Stations of the Cross
• Year 7 Feast Day – St. Mark the Evangelist

May  

• Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes Year 12 and Year 10
• Rosary and Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary
• St Joseph the worker social actions Year 9 Retreat Day ‘Called to be Holy’

June

• Whole School Mass – the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul
• Year 7 Retreat Day – You are special, you are unique.

July 

• Vocations Day for Year 9
• Year 8 Feast Day – St. Thomas, Apostle
• St Maximillian Kolbe social actions
• Year 7 Retreat day – ‘Know Yourself’
• Year 8 Retreat Day – ‘Laudato Si’

Our Emmaus Saints

Every Emmaus House has a Saint who inspires them to live out our Gospel Values and  Catholic Social Teachings.

CST	Saint	How
Dignity of the Human Person	St. Maximillian Kolbe	∙A Polish Franciscan friar ∙Founded monasteries in Japan and India ∙ Provided shelter for refugees, and Jews ∙A martyr in the German death Camp of Auschwitz during World War II by volunteering to take the place of a man with a family
Family and Community	The Holy Family	∙The Holy Family (Jesus, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster father, Saint Joseph) are the ultimate model for Christian families
Solidarity and the Common Good	St. Therese of Lisieux	∙ A patron of mission ∙ Taught that through small, loving actions we can deliver God’s love to the world. This teaching is called the ‘Little Way’ ∙Each year, we are invited to participate in ‘Little Way Week’ which is an initiative that encourages people to do seven small actions – one a day for a week – to witness to their faith through service
Rights and Responsibilities	St. Vincent de Paul	∙Spent his life preaching missions to and providing relief to the poor ∙Established hospitals ∙Extended his concern and ministry to convicts ∙Founded the Ladies of Charity, a lay institute of women, to help, as well as a religious institute of priests – the Congregation of Priests of the Mission, commonly referred to now as the Vincentians
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable	St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta	∙Established a religious community, Missionaries of Charity, dedicated to the service of the poorest of the poor ∙Formed the Co-Workers of Mother Teresa and the Sick and Suffering Co-Workers, ∙Known for her spirit of prayer, simplicity, sacrifice and her apostolate of humble works of love
Stewardship of God’s Creation.	St. Francis of Assisi	∙Patron saint of animals and the environment. ∙Known for his compassion and for his deep connection to all beings particularly the animal kingdom ∙He cared for the sick and the poor ∙He believed all creatures were his brothers and sisters under God
The Dignity of Work	St. Joseph the Worker	∙ Patron saint of workers ∙ St. Joseph was a carpenter & is often depicted with either the tools of his trade to signify that he was a worker

Chaplaincy Provision

Painsley has outstanding Chaplaincy provision with a dedicated lay chaplain in addition to our College chaplain. The chaplaincy team facilitate many liturgical and spiritual opportunities for all students. The College chapel is at the heart of all we do and is open for all during the College day.

Chaplaincy Crew and Chaplaincy Leaders

Students from Year 7-10 are Chaplaincy Crew

Students from Year 11-13 are Chaplaincy Leaders

Role of the Chaplaincy Crew and Leaders

The chaplaincy crew and leaders are the spiritual voice of the young people in our college. Everyone has their own role; you can take part in the liturgical life of the college by organising the liturgies, reading, serving, singing in the choir or even do a bit of acting.

Chaplaincy Crew weekly timetable

Monday 12.20pm

Rainbow Club – ‘Remembering our loved ones’

We pray and join in activities to remember all our loved ones, it gives us the space to think, chat and remember.

Year 7 Chaplaincy meeting – ‘Dare to Be’

We are the younger members of the chaplaincy crew, we meet together and bring lots of ideas and share our experiences of our faith journey at our primary schools.

Tuesday 12.20pm

Chaplaincy Meeting – Everyone welcome

‘Prayer and Share’ (lunch together)

We meet every week where we undertake chaplaincy duties, we discuss how we can enhance and improve the spiritual life of the college and participate in prayer and worship. We embrace every opportunity to serve our college community.

Thursday 12.20pm

Lourdes meeting – Year 12 and Year 10

‘Prepare for Pilgrimage’ – pray, fundraising and pack

Thursday 12.40pm

Adoration – Everyone welcome

‘A time to be together with the Lord in Prayer’

It is a time when we are quiet, reflective and reverent with the Lord. We really enjoy this time of prayer, we feel close to God and love the stillness and calm.

Represent

We also represent the college at Masses organised by the North Staffs Deanery; the Combined School Mass, the Good Shepherd Mass and the Deanery Vocations Mass.

At the start of every academic year we represent the college at the Birmingham Diocesan schools commissioning Mass celebrated by the Arch-Bishop. It is at this Mass that we are commissioned to be witnesses to our faith, to serve our community to go and spread the message of Jesus to all our college family.

Retreats

We have an annual retreat day to Soli House where we participate in team building, personal spiritual growth and development and liturgy planning activities.

Year 11 Retreat morning  ‘Advent: Be Prepared’

Year 10  Retreat Days at Soli House ‘Catholic Social Teaching’

Year 9  Retreat Day ‘Called to be Holy’

Year 8 Retreat Day – ‘Laudato Si’

Year 7 Retreat day – ‘Know Yourself’

Out Reach

We serve our Primary schools in out-reach work where we visit and share liturgies and services with them.

We think this is the most fun group to join in the whole school so if you want to come along and see for yourself please ask Fr. Kemball, Mrs Sowter or anyone from the Chaplaincy crew.

Chaplaincy Prayer

When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.
When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.
When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it.
When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.
When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.
When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.
When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going.
When times are tough, dare to be tougher.
When love hurts you, dare to love again.
When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.
When another is lost, dare to help them find the way.
When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand.
When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.
When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.
When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best.
Dare to be the best you can –
At all times, Dare to Be!