“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit exults in God my saviour!”
(Luke 1:46)
LITURGY in Honour of Our Holy Mother
Mary, Woman of Faith
& to welcome the Travelling Mary Icon
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Song:♫
“AS I KNEEL BEFORE YOU”
As I kneel before you,
As I bow my head in prayer,
Take this day, make it yours
and fill me with your love.
Ave Maria, Gratia plena,
Dominus tecum, Benedicta tu.
All I have I give you,
Every dream and wish are yours,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of mine, present them to my Lord.
Ave Maria, Gratia plena,
Dominus tecum, Benedicta tu.
As I kneel before you,
And I see your smiling face,
Ev'ry thought, ev'ry word
Is lost in your embrace.
Ave Maria, Gratia plena,
Dominus tecum, Benedicta tu.
During entrance
hymn:
One candle bearer (CANDLE UNLIT) from each class/group brings candle into the
hall and keeps hold of it until after first reading.
Introduction:
Headteacher /
Leader
Pope Benedict XVI, our Holy Father, has called for this year 2012-13 to be
a special Year of Faith. In our diocese we are thinking about the example
of faith shown to us by our Blessed Mother, Mary. She was a woman of
deep faith. In saying “yes” to the message that the angel Gabriel brought to
her from God, she showed courageous trust in God as she became his
mother, the mother of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.
In our Diocese, we want to continue our celebrations for the Year of Faith
by praying together with people in other schools and parishes. This Icon of
the Blessed Virgin Mary is travelling around the diocese over the year. It
will visit all the schools in the diocese and each one is invited to add
something to this special book – a photograph, a prayer, a message.
Sign of the Cross
We begin our liturgy today …
In the name of the Father …..
Nottingham Roman Catholic
Diocesan Education Service
READING 1
A Reading adapted from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:26)
Child 1: In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God,
to a young woman named Mary.
The angel came to her and said,
“Rejoice full of grace, the Lord is with you.”
Mary was troubled at these words,
wondering what this greeting could mean.
Child 2: But, the angel said,
“Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you.
You shall conceive and bear a son and you shall call him Jesus.
He will be great and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High.”
Child 3: Then Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be if I am a virgin?”
And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
Therefore, the Holy Child to be born shall be called Son of God.”
Then Mary said,
“I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.”
And the angel left her.
One child from each class to bring unlit candle to place on the central area near the
icon of Mary. Light candles. Bring forward contributions for the travelling book
(photograph, school prayer, etc).
ALL STAFF
Read together
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit exalts in God my saviour.
Nottingham Roman Catholic
Diocesan Education Service
(Luke 1:36)
Song: ♫
“HOLY VIRGIN BY GOD’S DECREE”
Holy Virgin, by God’s decree, you were called eternally;
that he could give his Son to our race.
Mary, we praise you, hail, full of grace.
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria.
By your faith and loving accord, as the handmaid of the Lord,
you undertook God’s plan to embrace.
Mary we thank you, hail, full of grace.
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria.
Joy to God you gave and expressed, of all women none more blessed,
when in mankind your Son took his place.
Mary, we love you, hail, full of grace.
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria.
Refuge for your children so weak, sure protection all can seek.
Problems of life you help us to face.
Mary, we trust you, hail, full of grace.
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria.
To our needy world of today love and beauty you portray,
showing the path to Christ we must trace.
Mary, our mother, hail, full of grace.
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria.
READING 2
THE MAGNIFICAT
Child 4: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit exalts in God my saviour!
He has looked upon his servant in her lowliness,
And people forever will call me blessed.
The mighty one has done great things for me,
Holy is his name!
All:
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit exalts in God my saviour!
Child 5: From age to age his mercy extends
to those who live in his presence.
He has acted with power and done wonders,
and scattered the proud with their plans.
All: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit exalts in God my saviour!
Child 6: He has put down the mighty from their thrones
and lifted up those who are downtrodden.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
All: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit exalts in God my saviour!
Nottingham Roman Catholic
Diocesan Education Service
Child 7: He held out his hand to Israel, his servant,
For remembered his mercy,
Even as he promised our fathers,
Abraham and his descendants forever.
All:
Song: ♫
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit exalts in God my saviour!
“HAIL, QUEEN OF HEAVEN”
Hail, Queen of heav'n, the ocean star.
Guide of the wanderer here below!
Thrown on life's surge we claim thy care.
Save us from peril and from woe.
Mother of Christ, Star of the sea,
Pray for the wanderer, pray for me.
O gentle, chaste, and spotless Maid,
We sinners make our prayers thro' thee.
Remind thy Son that He has paid
The price of our iniquity.
Virgin most pure, Star of the sea,
Pray for the sinner, pray for me.
Sojourners in this vale of tears,
To thee, blest advocate, we cry.
Pity our sorrows, calm our fears.
And soothe with hope our misery.
Refuge in grief, Star of the sea,
Pray for the mourner, pray for me.
Nottingham Roman Catholic
Diocesan Education Service
Priest or Leader: A Reading from the Gospel of John (John 2:1-11)
All:
Glory to you O Lord
Three days later there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee and the mother of
Jesus was there. Jesus was also invited to the wedding with his disciples.
When all the wine provided for the celebration had been served and they
had run out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
Jesus replied, “Woman, what concern is that to you and me? My hour has
not yet come.”
However, his mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Nearby were six stone water jars meant for the ritual washing as practiced
by the Jews; each jar could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the
servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them to the brim. Then
Jesus said, “Now draw some out and take it to the steward.” So they did.
The steward tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing from
where it had come; for only the servants who had drawn the water knew.
So, he called the bridegroom to tell him, “Everyone serves the best wine
first and when people have drunk enough, he serves that which is ordinary.
Instead you have kept the best wine until the end.”
This miraculous sign was the first and Jesus performed it at Cana in
Galilee. In this way he let his Glory appear and his disciples believed in
him.
All:
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Priest: Reflection
(if present)
Priest or Leader: Let us pray…
Lord God, we thank you for the precious gift of faith which you have given
us. You chose the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Woman of Faith, the image
and model of your Church to be our mother. Bless us with faith and hope,
love and humility, as we journey through life. May we always remember to
honour and love our Holy Mother Mary and never forget to call upon her to
pray for us. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, her Son, Our Lord.
All:
Prayers of
Intercession
Amen.
The response is, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.”
Child 7: When we feel burdened by the difficulties of life,
All: Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.
Child 8: That we may forgive those who hurt us,
All: Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.
Child 7: That we all might increase in love and faith in the one true God, the Father,
Son and Holy Spirit,
Nottingham Roman Catholic
Diocesan Education Service
All:
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.
Child 8: That those called to Religious life and priesthood may be faithful to their call
All: Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.
Child 7: That all who have lost their faith will find it again
All: Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.
Child 8: Let us ask Mary, Woman of Faith, to join her prayers to ours as we say…
All: Hail Mary, full of grace…
Sign of the Cross:
In the name of the Father …..
Final Hymn: ♫
“IMMACULATE MARY”
Immaculate, Mary!
Our hearts are on fire.
That title so wondrous
Fills all our desire!
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria!
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria!
We pray for God's glory,
May His Kingdom come.
We pray for His Vicar,
Our Father, and Rome.
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria!
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria!
We pray for our Mother,
The Church upon earth.
And bless, sweetest Lady,
The land of our birth.
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria!
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria!
Nottingham Roman Catholic
Diocesan Education Service