Anti-Bullying Liturgy
Introduction:
Today is Anti-Bullying/Pink Day at our school. We are gathered
together as a school community to reflect on how we are called to love
others. Please join us in our opening song, _________________.
Opening Song: Some suggestions: “I Believe in the Sun” or “Prayer of
St. Francis”
Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Our God is a God of love. We are called to love God and love others. We
are to care about all people and share God’s love with them. Help us to
be caring, compassionate people as Jesus showed. We make this prayer
in Jesus’ name. Amen.
First Reading:
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. (58:3-4, 7-8)
God says:
Remember, it is no good saying your prayers to me, if you go on hurting
each other, or if you keep on arguing and fighting. You must share
things. You must feed the hungry, and get houses for the poor people
and buy clothes for the people who haven’t got enough. If you do this,
you will make the whole world bright. You will be like the sun that fills
the sky with light each morning.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm:
The response is God the Father loves us.
God the Father loves us.
1. God loves our voices. He loves our eyes. Response…
2. God loves every strand of our hair. He loves our names.
Response…
3. God loves each one of us; he loves us all the time. Response…
4. God loves us when we are awake. He loves us when we are asleep.
Response…
5. God loves us when we are happy. He loves us when we are sad.
Response…
Gospel Acclamation: Sing one that is familiar to your school or say:
Alleluia, Alleluia. Jesus said, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Gospel Reading:
A reading from the Gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord
One day Jesus said, “Take care of each other. This is my new rule: Love
each other just as much as I have loved you. If you do this, people will
notice and they will say, “You are like Jesus.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Reflection:
Some possible themes are:
Discuss the history of pink day/anti-bullying.
Ask reflective questions such as:
If there was a new student at school who did not seem to fit in well,
what could you do?
If you see someone else being mean to someone at recess, what could
you do?
Get students to think about what change they are going to make today
to make the school even better.
You could also relate this theme to the Prayer of St. Francis.
Prayers of the Faithful:
The response is Lord, hear our prayer.
Lord, hear our prayer.
1. We pray for our Pope Francis, Bishop Donald, Bishop Bryan and all
Church leaders that they will continue to lead our Church with
strength. We pray to the Lord.
2. We pray for all those who have been victims of bullying that they
would feel God’s presence and healing in their lives. We pray to
the Lord.
3. We pray for all those who have bullied others that Jesus would
soften their hearts and allow them to make better choices. We
pray to the Lord.
4. For all of us at ____________________ school that we may
stand up for what is right by protecting those who need our help.
We pray to the Lord.
Our Father:
Please join us in the prayer Jesus taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from
evil. Amen.
Final Prayer:
Our new Pope, Francis, chose his papal name after St. Francis of Assisi.
The prayer of St. Francis teaches us how to love and make our world
better. Please reflect on this prayer:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Closing Song: