Richard Challoner School

Morning Prayers

Summer 2025 - Week 5 - 12th to 16th May

Our Spiritual Blog is updated with a new article or reflection every day!

Coming on the Spirituality Blog this week:

Dates of Interest this week

  • 18th May – 5th Sunday of Easter (info)
  • 19th to 23rd May - Walk to School Week (info)
  • 19th May – St Dunstan (info)
  • 20th May – St Bernadine of Siena (info)
  • 20th May – World Day of Prayer for Survivors of Sexual Abuse (info)
  • 20th May – World Bee Day (info)
  • 21st May – International Day of Cultural Diversity (info)
  • 22nd Mary – St Rita of Cascia (info)
  • 25th May – 6th Sunday of Easter (info)

Morning Prayers:

An act of worship should be made every morning.  This should include:

  1. a pause for reflection on the question for the day
  2. joint reading of the quote from the Bible
  3. an individual (a student or teacher) reading a prayer for the day

The prayers/reflections can be taken from this resource or from:

Theme for the week – Our New Pope

Question for Day 1:

What prayer can I offer for Pope Leo XIV as he starts his Papacy?

 

Bible Quote for Day 1:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

(1 Peter 2:9)

Prayer for Day 1:

O God, who in your providential design willed that your Church be built upon blessed Peter, whom you set over the other Apostles, look with favour, we pray, for Pope Leo XIV and grant that he, whom you have made Peter’s successor, may be for your people a visible source and foundation of unity in faith and of communion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

(The Roman Missal)

 

Question for Day 2:

How do I connect to the universal Catholic Church that Pope Leo XIV will now lead?

Bible Quote for Day 2:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

(Romans 12:1)

Prayer for Day 2:

Let us pray for Pope XIV. . May the Lord protect him and grant him length of days. Amen. May the Lord be his shield and deliver him from all harm. Amen. May the Lord give him happiness and peace all the days of his life.

Amen.

(Litany of the saints)

 

Question for Day 3

What do I understand about the sacrifice that Pope Leo XIV has made to be the new Shepherd of our Church?

Bible Quote for Day 3:

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:14-15)

Prayer for Day 3:

O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful,

look favorably on your servant Pope Leo XIV ,

whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd;

grant, we pray, that by word and example

he may be of service to those over whom he presides so that,

together with the flock entrusted to his care,

he may come to everlasting life.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

(The Roman Missal (2011), Prayers for the Pope (p. 1243)

 

Question for Day 4:

What time of day can I say an Our Father for Pope Leo XIV?

Bible Quote for Day 4:

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

(Matthew 16:19)

Prayer for Day 4:

Faithful God, You guide us on the path of life and your goodness is our constant companion.

Be with our new Shepherd, Pope Leo XIV, in his service of the Church.
Fill him with the power of your Spirit, the peace of your presence and the compassion of Christ.

May he walk with you, in wisdom and humility, and lead us, together with all God’s people,
to embody your love for the world.
Amen.

 

 

Question for Day 5:

What do I understand about the role of a shepherd?

Bible Quote for Day 5:

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 16:18

Prayer for Day 5: 

We ask the Holy Spirit to empower Pope Leo XIV with wisdom, understanding and perseverance as he embarks on his new ministry as the Shepherd of our Church. May Our Lady and all the saints intercede for him inspiring on his journey as leader of our Church. We ask this through Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

 

Chaplaincy on Social Media:

"From a School Chaplain" on Facebook

"RC_Chaplaincy" on Twitter

"RCChaplaincy" on Instagram

“Prayerful Pause” on YouTube

 

Bishop Richard Challoner

During his lifetime and after his death, he was considered not only as a model of every virtue but as a saint. We are asked to pray that our Blessed Lord, through the Pope, may reward him further, by raising him to the altars of the Church as a Saint.

Prayer for the Beatification of Bishop Richard Challoner

O God who made your servant Richard,

a true and faithful pastor of your little flock in England,

raise him, we beseech you, to the altars of thy Church,

that we, who have been taught by his word and example

may invoke his name in heaven,

for the return of our country to belief in the Gospel,

and to the unity of all Christians in the one Church of Jesus Christ.

We ask this through the same Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Bishop Richard Challoner

Pray for us