Spiritual Life
This article outlines the Spiritual year month by month, with interesting facts along the way.
Month of December
Celebrating The Birth Of Jesus
At the beginning of December, the season of Advent starts. Some people use advent calendars to celebrate this and some people light candles on an advent wreath.
The word Advent means "coming" and its name suggest it is a time of preparation for the coming feast of Christmas.
Along with Easter, Christmas time is one of the most important periods on the Christian calendar, and is closely connected to other holidays at this time of year, such as Advent, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, St. Nicholas Day, St. Stephens Day, New Years and the Feast of the Epiphany.
We celebrate the Birth of Jesus in our school by acting out the story of Christmas. We display wonderful productions from all Key Stages of the story where parents and family are more than welcome to see.
Month of January
Holy Name Of Jesus
January is the month of the Holy name of Jesus. This has been celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church since the end of the fifteenth century. The celebration has been held on January 1st, eight days after Christmas, which celebrates the circumcision and naming of the child Jesus; as recounted in the Gospel read that day "at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, we was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb."
Month of February
The month dedicated to the Holy Family
Between the events which marked Christmas and the beginning of Christ's public life the Church has seen fit to recall the example of the Holy Family for the other uses of the Christian family.
The feast of the Presentation (or Candlemas) forms a fitting transition from Christmas to Easter. The small Christ-Child is still in his Mother's arms, but already she is offering Him in sacrifice. In February we celebrate Shrove Tuesday, we will find ourselves preparing for Ash Wednesday, This month bridges Christmas and Easter. A candle symbolises "the light of Christ" and the Paschal candle burns brightly during the Easter vigil liturgy. We accept the cross of blessed ashes on Ash Wednesday and take part in the major excercises of Lent (fasting and praying) laying our thoughts and prayers on the hearts of our Mother Mary. The lady, who offered her Son in the temple and on the cross, will teach us how to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow after her Son.
The months of March and April
Easter Story
March this year introduces us to an important part of the Catholic Diary, Easter. At Easter we celebrate Jesus, God's only Son, giving up his life for us and we also celebrate his resurrection.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday. We ask the children in school to wear something purple every Friday during Lent.
In school we celebrate this by performing Easter productions in which parents, friends and family are more than welcome to come and watch.
Easter begins on Holy Week. During this time we celebrate Palm Sunday, Maunday Thursday, The Last Supper, Good Friday and lastly Easter Sunday.
The Year 5 children will perform Good Friday. This is the day that Jesus was crucified and died on the cross for us. The Children act this very important story with great and powerful detail, educating us, the audience with every bit of the story.
Easter Sunday is a joyous occasion where, and is known as the most important day in the Catholic Diary, where, praise be to God (hallelujah) Jesus, the Son of God, has rose again. Jesus' body was laid to rest in the tomb when Mary Magdalene went to anoint the body only to find the stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty! Angels appeared, letting Mary Magdalene know that everything was ok and in fact Jesus had risen and to inform the disciples, which she did so.
