Mother's Day Liturgy

With great sadness, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are unable to host our wonderful mothers for the K-2 Liturgy. This has traditionally been, not only a highly anticipated event, but a very special moment for mothers to share with their children. It is with great delight, however, we are able to share with you a beautiful liturgy created for you to share with your family on Sunday.

We have been busy compiling a Mothers Day Liturgy for you to participate in, together as a family on Sunday in lieu of visiting the Church, to celebrate all our magnificent mothers.

A letter from Pope Francis

On 25 April, in a letter to all of us, Pope Francis invites us to join in saying the Rosary in our homes each day of May asking God’s help in this terrible time and as a sign of global solidarity. Whether or not the Rosary has been part of your life up till now, this is something we can all join in. Not sure how to pray the Rosary? It’s easy. Don’t have any beads? Can’t find yours? Fingers are fine!

Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis

to the Faithful for the Month of May 2020

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The month of May is approaching, a time when the People of God express with particular intensity their love and devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is traditional in this month to pray the Rosary at home within the family. The restrictions of the pandemic have made us come to appreciate all the more this “family” aspect, also from a spiritual point of view.

For this reason, I want to encourage everyone to rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May. This can be done either as a group or individually; you can decide according to your own situations, making the most of both opportunities. The key to doing this is always simplicity, and it is easy also on the internet to find good models of prayers to follow.

I am also providing two prayers to Our Lady that you can recite at the end of the Rosary, and that I myself will pray in the month of May, in spiritual union with all of you. I include them with this letter so that they are available to everyone.

Dear brothers and sisters, contemplating the face of Christ with the heart of Mary our Mother will make us even more united as a spiritual family and will help us overcome this time of trial. I keep all of you in my prayers, especially those suffering most greatly, and I ask you, please, to pray for me. I thank you, and with great affection I send you my blessing.

An Examen for Life During COVID-19

(from the Jesuits)

Take a moment to settle. Take a deep breath. Get comfortable.

Like a rock settling on the bottom of a lake after it’s thrown in, let yourself settle.

1. Acknowledge how you are feeling in this moment. If being calm is hard, acknowledge it. If you find yourself frustrated or stressed, acknowledge it. God wants to be present in all parts of our lives—not just the easy or serene moments.

2. Ask for light and insight as you prepare to review your day. For some that light may come in the form of a sense of the Divine. For others it’s from a deep sense of your true self.

3. Take a moment to think about how COVID-19 has impacted your life. Even as we are being asked to distance ourselves from one another socially, ask yourself what connections you find yourself grateful for? Who makes you feel grounded and connected to God?

4. Public health issues have a way of making us recognise how interwoven our lives are with others in society. It can help us realise who we may often choose not to see or connect with. Is there a person or group of people especially affected by COVID-19 that you don’t often choose to see or connect with normally? What connections to others are you becoming more aware of? Who do you normally choose to reach out and connect to? Who do you avoid or refuse to see? If you can, picture the faces of these people. What connections do you take for granted in your life? What connections impact you the most?

5. Note the emotions you feel when you think of these individuals without judging or over analysing. Simply acknowledge them, pay attention, and listen to where God may be speaking.

6. As you think of the ways we are connected or disconnected to one another, pick a connection (or lack thereof) that seems important, significant, or is manifesting itself the strongest. Pause and reflect on where you’re being invited to grow from that moment. If you are a person of faith, take a moment to pray with it.

7. God gifted us with limitless creativity and imagination. Even in this time of separation and possible isolation, what is one way you can maintain meaningful connection to others—whether directly, through technology, or intentional focus and attention?

Take a deep breath and moment of quiet. When you are ready, return to your day.

St Philomena's School News

Issue 6 · 07 May 2020

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