Liturgical Year at St Edmund's
CELEBRATIONS DURING THE LITURGICAL YEAR
Autumn
Prayer tables are green at start of academic year.
Harvest Thanksgiving - A Communal Harvest Festival with gifts of food and drink which are delivered by the children to our local food bank in Whitton.
Month of the Rosary: October is the month of the Rosary. Classes are encouraged to pray at least a decade of the Rosary each day.
Month of Remembrance: During November we remember all those souls who have gone to Heaven. On the 11 November we particularly remember those who have died in war.
Advent: This is the season to prepare for Christmas Introduction and blessing of the Advent Wreath. A common Advent Calendar with thoughts for the day. The prayer table should be changed to purple.
Christmas: There are a range of concerts, assemblies, liturgies and nativity plays led by the different classes throughout the school. Parents are invited and welcome to attend.
Reconciliation: Y4,5 and 6 attend individual confession with the Parish Priest for Advent.
Spring
Prayer tables are gold for Christmas season then green for Ordinary Time after Feast of Baptism of Our Lord.
Epiphany (if in term time) – Visit of the Wise Men– Parish Mass
Holy Family (if in term time) – Parish Mass
Candlemas: Celebration of Light and Jesus’ presentation in the Temple. Led by Reception.
Lent: Ash Wednesday Mass in church led by Parish Priest. This season is to prepare for Easter. Opportunity for Prayer and Penance is given to all children. We encourage awareness of our greater responsibilities and of our privilege to help our brothers and sisters in the wider world. .
Stations of the Cross are prayed in each class or in the parish church. KS2 classes go to parish Mass during this season - a different KS2 year group per week. Special assembly on the last day of term to remember the Last Supper and washing of the feet.
Reconciliation: Y4,5 and 6 attend individual confession with the Parish Priest for Lent
KS1 Mothers' Day Service in Church: Celebrated before the week leading up to the 4th Sunday in Lent.
Easter – The resurrection of our Lord is celebrated during the school holidays however covered through 4 week RE topic. Special assembly and displays when the children return to highlight the importance of this feast.
Summer
Prayer table in gold for Easter season until Pentecost where they change to green for Ordinary Time.
First Holy Communions: The children in Year 3 (there may be children from other year groups) make their First Holy Communion on a Saturday in May. As many staff as possible try to come to celebrate this occasion with them.
May Procession in Honour of Our Lady: Led by Year 3 for the EYFS and KS1 classes. May is a month devoted to Our Lady. Children process to either field or Church. Children bring in flowers which are distributed to the elderly and housebound in the local community. For the rest of the month each class try to say a decade of the Rosary each day.
Ascension: Celebration of our Lord’s return to Heaven. Parish Mass and special assembly to celebrate.
Pentecost: Celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Parish Mass and special assembly to celebrate.
Corpus Christi: Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. Eucharistic adoration in the Church
Feast of St. Peter and Paul: Celebrated with parish community.
Leaver Mass and disco: A farewell celebration for the Year 6 leavers. This is where they are presented with their golden books.