National Catholic Schools Week 2015

Liturgy guideFor Elementary and Secondary Schools

The National Catholic Educational Association ncea.org/catholicschoolsweek

the Official 2014-2015 National Marketing Campaign for Catholic Schools

2Liturgy guide for National Catholic Schools Week 2015

January 25-31, 2015

Theme: Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service

Liturgical Preparation for the Celebration of Catholic Schools Week

ThE ThEmE For NATioNAl CATholiC SChoolS WEEk 2015 is once again Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, knowledge and Service. repeating the same theme allows schools to explore more deeply the concepts in the 2014 theme and to reuse theme-related materials. Several new ideas and resources are included in this liturgy Guide. The readings for mass change every year, both Sunday mass readings and weekday mass readings. The 2015 liturgical year follows Year B for Sundays and Year i for weekdays.

The theme encompasses several concepts that are at the heart of a Catholic education. First, schools are communitiessmall communities in their own right, but also members of the larger communities of parish, town, state and nation. They are, in the first place, communities of faith, where children are openly taught about God, where God is worshiped regularly, and where students and faculty put their faith into practice on a daily basis. Secondly, Catholic schools exist to pass on knowledge -- not just the practical knowledge of reading, writing, arithmetic and so on, but also knowledge of God and truth, which is our spiritual heritage as Catholics. Finally, Catholic schools are communities of service, places where helping one another and aiding the needy are the modus operandi, the normal way of living life.

Faith, knowledge and service are three measures by which any Catholic school can and should be measured. Consider adding scripture readings to your activities or daily prayers. it is possible to substitute readings that speak about faith, knowledge and service for the regular weekday mass readings. Be sure to meet with your priest to alert him to the mass readings you have chosen and to plan the rest of the liturgy.

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3Scripture readings on Faith, Knowledge and Service

Faith habakkuk 2:2-4 Write the vision,

and wait for it; the just shall live by faith.

matthew 24:45 Parable of the faithful or unfaithful servant.

mark 2:1-12 Jesus heals the paralytic when he sees the faith of the paralytics friends.

mark 4:35-41 Jesus, asleep in the boat, awakens and calms the storm.

mark 5:25-34 Jesus heals the woman with a hemorrhage.

mark 11:22-24 have faith in God and you can move mountains.

luke 17:6 if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say be uprooted, and it will obey.

John 14:12 Anyone who has faith in me will do what i have done, and even greater things.

1 Corinthians 12:4-12 There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:7 We walk by faith and not by sight. Ephesians 3:14-19 That Christ might dwell in your

hearts through faith. Ephesians 6:16 Take the shield of faith, to quench

the flaming arrows of the evil one. 1 Timothy 6:11-12 Fight the good fight of faith. hebrews 11:1-3, 8-10 Faith is evidence of things not

seen.

Knowledge Genesis 2:8-9 God creates the tree of knowledge of

good and bad. 1 kings 3:5-12 king Solomon asks for wisdom and

understanding to discern what is right. Proverbs 9:10 Fear of the lord is the beginning of

wisdom. Proverbs 12:1 he who loves correction loves

knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. Proverbs 18:15 The mind of the intelligent

gains knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

isaiah 11:1-2 The old Testament spiritual gifts include wisdom and knowledge.

hosea 6:6 i desire knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

luke 1:77 Zechariahs canticle: John the Baptist

will give people knowledge of salvation in the forgiveness of their sins.

luke 11:52 Woe to you scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge.

1 Corinthians 12:4-12 There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1 Corinthians 13:9-12 Now i know in part, but then i shall know fully, as i am fully known.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 God desires all to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth.

2 Timothy 1:5-7 i am reminded of your faith; rekindle the gift of God within you.

2 Peter 1:5-8 Supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control.

Service Joshua 24:14-15 As for me and my house, we will

serve the lord. Psalm 100:2 Serve the lord with gladness! matthew 4:8-10 The devil tempts Jesus, who

rebukes him: Worship and serve God alone. matthew 20:25-28 Whoever wishes to be great shall

be your servant. mark 1:29-31 Peters mother-in-law is healed,

leading her to serve Jesus and the apostles. mark 10:45 The Son of man did not come to be

served, but to serve and give his life. luke 16:13 No one can serve two masters. John 12:26 if any one serves me, he must follow

me. John 13:12-17 Jesus washes the disciples feet, an

act of service, and asks us to do the same. romans 12:4-8 We are one body in Christ and have

gifts that differ, including service.

Celebrating mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the immaculate Conception.Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

4 1 Corinthians 12:4-12 There are varieties of service, but the same lord.

Galatians 5:13 Do not use freedom for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love.

James 2:18 i will demonstrate my faith to you from my works (service).

1 Peter 4:10-11 Be good stewards of Gods varied grace.

Schools There were 6,594 Catholic schools: 5,399

elementary schools and 1,195 secondary schools. 42 new Catholic schools opened; 133

consolidated or closed. 1,986 Catholic schools had a waiting list for

admission. The average student/teacher ratio was 13:1.Professional Staff Full-time equivalent professional staff numbered

151,351. 96.8% of staff were laity (lay women: 75.1%, lay

men: 21.7%) 3.2% of staff were religious/clergy (Sisters: 2.2%;

Brothers: 0.5%; Clergy: 0.5%)

enrollment Total Catholic school student enrollment for the

2013-14 academic year was 1,974,578. 1,391,793 students were enrolled in elementary/

middle schools. 582,785 students were enrolled in secondary

schools. Student diversity: 19.8% of students were racial

minorities; 15.0% were hispanic/latino and 6.4% were reported as unknown in the racial data collection.

Non-Catholic student enrollment was 323,542, or 16.4% of the total enrollment.

Catholic School StatsBelow are statistics about Catholic education in the United States from the 2013-14 school year, the most recent data available. include some of these facts in your homily and publish them in the bulletin.

5Opening Sunday LiturgyThird Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Sunday, January 25, 2015

First reading:

Jonah 3:1-5, 10The word of the lorD came to Jonah, saying: Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that i will tell you. So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the lorDS bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single days walk announcing, Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed, when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

BackgroundJonah is one of the 12 minor prophets found in the old Testament. Unlike the other prophetic books, Jonah is not a collection of prophetic sayings, but a single narrative story full of irony and humor. The author is unknown, but the story is told from the point of view of Jonah ben Amittai, a reluctant prophet who resists Gods call to preach repentance to the Ninevites, the ancient enemy of israel. The book of Jonah is post-exilic (mid-fifth century BCE [Before the Common Era]). Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, and the invading Assyrians ended the Northern kingdom of israel and destroyed Jerusalem in 701 BCE. in the hebrew language, Jonah means dove, but Jonah is anything but peaceful. he is disobedient, petulant and angry, the quintessential reluctant prophet. he does not want to do what God asks, because he does not want the Ninevites to repent and be saved. Jonah thinks that God should not be offering mercy to the Ninevites, but should stick to helping only the Jews. The Jews are Gods own people, after all. They

have a covenant relationship with each other. Why is God wasting time with the Ninevites? God should get busy punishing them for their many sins and crimes against the people of israel, or so narrow-minded Jonah thinks. God, however, is shown to be concerned about all people, and merciful toward all who repent of sin.

Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

r. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Your ways, o lorD, make known to me; teach me your paths, Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. r. Teach me your ways, O Lord. remember that your compassion, o lorD, and your love are from of old. in your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, o lorD. r. Teach me your ways, O Lord. Good and upright is the lorD; thus he shows sinners the way. he guides the humble to justice and teaches the humble his way. r. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Celebrating mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the immaculate Conception. St. Anthony Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

6Second reading:

1 Corinthians 7:29-31i tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.

BackgroundSt. Pauls eschatology (theology of the end times) held that Jesus would be returning very soon, and this belief lies behind the opening line, the time is running out. Paul is focused on sharing the life-giving message of Jesus with others, and writes to the Corinthians to stop worrying about worldly matters such as getting married, mourning the dead and conducting business. Paul understands that Jesus changed everything, including human priorities and what we conceive to be important. The present form of the world is passing away, meaning that the world and social systems are changing. These changes give an opening to the followers of Jesus to evangelize (share the good news) and focus their energies on building the kingdom of God.

gospel reading:

Mark 1:14-20 After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. repent, and believe in the gospel. As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, Come after me, and i will make you fishers of men. Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. he walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

Backgroundmarks gospel is the earliest and the shortest of the four gospels, but it is rich in detail. mark emphasizes Jesus as teacher, preacher and healer, and tells us in the opening verse (1:1) that Jesus is the Son of God. For mark, Jesus is the gospel the good news and his message about the

The Catholic University of America (CUA) and Dominican house of Studies, in association with the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), celebrated National Catholic Schools Week at the annual University mass in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas, which was broadcast live on EWTN. The mass was held in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the immaculate Conception, Crypt Church, Washington, D.C.

7kingdom of God being at hand means we have to shift our lives now to participate in it.

in the opening words of this reading, Jesus returns to Galilee after being baptized by John in the Jordan river. The ministry of Jesus begins as Johns ministry ends. John is a bridge connecting the old Testament to the New Testament. The time of fulfillment refers to Gods promises coming true now, at this point in time. Jesus calls us to repent, which means to turn around and change direction. it is an urgent call to our hearts and hands, to stop rebelling against God, to change our behavior and to obey God.

After the call to repent and believe, we hear the story of Jesus calling the four fishermen to follow him. Simon, Andrew, James and John are invited to become fishers of men, and they obey immediately. it is Jesus gracious invitation alone that causes them to follow, unlike the account in luke 5:1-11, where the four disciples are motivated to follow by a miraculous catch of fish. in the remaining stories of mark chapter 1, they witness him teaching, preaching and healing, showing forth the good news that God is with his people.

Homily

The Bible is full of call stories, stories of how God broke through the noise of everyday life to capture the attention of an ordinary person and give that person a mission. We think of the prophets, all of whom were called by God, but not all of the prophets were open to the idea of doing Gods will at first. Take the prophet Jonah. in the first reading, we hear the successful part of the story, where Jonah goes to Nineveh and preaches to them, and they repent and are saved. But we all know the beginning of that story, where God calls and Jonah thinks, No way, i am not interested in helping you save the Ninevites. God says to go east, but Jonah, in his anger and stubbornness, goes west. it takes a storm and getting swallowed by a large fish before Jonah agrees to do Gods will, and even then, he is not enthusiastic about it.

in contrast, when Simon, Andrew, James and John are called by Jesus, they obey immediately. They leave their nets and their father Zebedee, and follow him. There is no obvious reason for them to leave behind family and a successful business. he offers no compelling reasons, no salary or retirement plan, nothing except the promise to make them fishers of men and women. But something

in the person of Jesus compelled their attention and motivated them to trust him. Perhaps it was the love and hope that emanated from him; perhaps they understood in that moment that all their years of fishing in the Sea of Galilee were only practice and preparation for their true calling to fish for men and women in the world. For whatever reason, Jesus called, and they followed, and together they changed the world.

Today is the start of National Catholic Schools Week, and Catholic schools have an important mission given to them by the lord, and that mission is being communities of faith, knowledge and service. (Name of your Catholic school) has been fulfilling its mission since (year the school opened). We have (number of children) students enrolled in our school (number of families) and a student-teacher ratio of (insert your ratio here). We have an excellent academic program, and many enrichment activities, but what i want to emphasize is how our school is fulfilling its mission of passing on the ideals of faith, knowledge and service to each young person.

it is very important to form the hearts and souls of children, to introduce them early and often to the love of God and to Gods eternal truths. our religion curriculum communicates not just information about our faith, but helps students encounter the living God who loves them with an everlasting love. The word faith in our school means two things: it is a noun, meaning the content, the teachings, of Catholicism, and a verb, meaning the act of believing in God. our students know their faith and our students have faith in the God who created and redeemed them.

Faith is the first part of the mission of our school, and knowledge is the second part. knowledge is one of the keys to a happy and successful life. our teachers are dedicated to excellence in the classroom, in helping students to learn the subjects of English, math, history, geography, social studies and the like. (mention any awards and high assessment scores, such as NCEA ACrE scores, that recognize your schools academic excellence).

Service is the third and final part of the mission of our school. our students learn to serve through a variety of efforts. During Advent, students (describe service activities such as a Giving Tree, collecting canned food, coats or other items). Students also complete service hours as part of their requirements for graduation (or Confirmation). The most popular service activity by far is

8(name the activity perhaps a mission trip, writing letters to seminarians or soldiers, collecting toys for needy kids, etc.)

our school has a clear mission to be a community of faith, knowledge and service, and it fulfills this mission by educating the whole child to be a faith-filled, knowledgeable disciple of Jesus Christ who puts his or her faith into action by helping others. As we reflect on the call of Jesus to the four disciples to become fishers of men and women, i invite you to consider your own call and your own mission. how will you answer? And how will you help the children of our parish to hear and answer the call of the lord? like Simon, Andrew, James and John, when we say yes to following Jesus; he will help us to change the world.

Prayers of the Faithful

Presider: let us now with confidence present our needs before our loving God:

reader: our response is: Gracious lord, hear our prayer.

reader: We pray for the Church throughout the world, that Christians would never grow tired of announcing the good news of Jesus, we pray: Gracious lord, hear our prayer.

reader: We pray for national, state and local leaders, that they would use their office to strengthen all schools and to serve the common good, we pray: Gracious lord, hear our prayer.

reader: We pray for (name of your Catholic school) and for all Catholic schools during this National Catholic Schools Week that they would accept their mission to become communities of faith, knowledge and service, we pray: Gracious lord, hear our prayer.

reader: We pray for each person here, that we would hear the call and follow Jesus, joyfully accepting our mission to change the world, we pray: Gracious, lord, hear our prayer.

reader: We pray for the sick, the needy, the lonely and the forgotten, that through our acts of charity and kindness they might experience the love of God, we pray: Gracious lord, hear our prayer.

reader: We pray for those who have died, that they would know the warmth of Gods love for all eternity, we pray: Gracious lord, hear our prayer.

Presider: loving Father, we place all these prayers into your hands, confident that you will hear and answer them according to your will. We make this prayer through Christ our lord. Amen.

Weekday Prayer Services

General Outline for a Daily Prayer Service

opening Song opening Prayer Presider: in the name of the Father, and the Son, and

the holy Spirit. Amen. holy Spirit, you bring light and life to all who call upon you. Come now with your power to open our minds to hear the Word of God and to do what it commands. We make this prayer through Christ our lord. Amen.

Scripture reading(s) You may choose one or two readings from the

scriptures for mass, below, or you may choose readings on faith, knowledge and service. See the list of scripture passages in the liturgical Preparations for the Celebration of Catholic Schools Week at the beginning of this liturgy guide.

Preaching or reflection (depending on presider per local norms)

Prayers of the Faithful Presider: (opening prayer) lord Jesus, we turn now

to you, as we lift up the needs of our world. reader: (Petitions can be found after the reflection

for each weekday, below.) Presider: (Closing prayer) lord Jesus, we thank you

for hearing all our prayers, and for answering them according to your will. We pray in your holy name. Amen.

our Father Presider: let us now turn to God and pray the prayer

that Jesus taught us. our Father . Closing Prayer Presider: holy Spirit, we thank you for helping us to

understand the Word of God today. As we go forth, help us to grow in faith, increase our knowledge and our desire to serve one another in love. We pray through Christ our lord. Amen.

Final Blessing

9 Presider: may God bless you* Father, Son and holy Spirit (make the sign of the cross over the assembly). Amen.

Closing Song

* if the presider is someone other than a bishop, priest, or deacon use the following words and gestures:lay presider: may God bless us, Father, Son, and holy Spirit (make the sign of the cross over yourself ).

Weekday Mass ReadingsThird Week in Ordinary Time, Year I

Monday, January 26 Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, BishopsCelebrating Our Community

2 timothy 1:1-8 (or titus 1:1-5)Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God for the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my dear child: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our lord. i am grateful to God, whom i worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,

as i remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day. i yearn to see you again, recalling your tears, so that i may be filled with joy, as i recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother lois and in your mother Eunice and that i am confident lives also in you. For this reason, i remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.

Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10

Mark 3:22-30The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, he is possessed by Beelzebul, and By the prince of demons he drives out demons. Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, how can Satan drive out Satan? if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself

Celebrating mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the immaculate Conception. Archbishop Carroll high School, Washington, D.C.

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and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong mans house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, i say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin. For they had said, he has an unclean spirit.

reflectionToday is the feast day of two saints named Timothy and Titus. in the first reading, we hear from a letter that St. Paul wrote to Timothy. Timothy was a young man who worked with St. Paul to spread the gospel. he was a convert to Christianity, as were his mother Eunice and his grandmother lois. Even though he was very young when he began to follow Jesus, Timothy was a model that Paul said all Christians should imitate. Paul praised Timothy for his strong faith, which he learned from his mom and his grandmother. As i look around today, i see many young people who are wonderful models of faith, and i give thanks to God for you all.

our community is the focus of todays celebration of National Catholic Schools Week. We are grateful that our school is a community of faith, a place where we help each other grow closer to God. We are also grateful for our larger community, (name your city, neighborhood or town). it is my hope that we can make a difference in both (name of school and city, neighborhood or town) by the way we live our faith.

What is one thing you can do to share your faith at school, at home or with your neighbor? (Call upon several students for their answers, which might include saying prayers; telling someone that God loves them; making a drawing or a card for a teacher, family member or a friend; helping a neighbor carry groceries, etc.)

St. Timothy, whom we celebrate today, was a young person whose faith was strong. i am sure that when you share your faith in these ways, your family, friends and neighbors will know that your faith is just as strong as St. Timothys faith.

Petitionsreader: our response is: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for ourselves, that in imitation of St. Timothy we each find a way to share our faith with another person in the next 24 hours, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for our school community, that faith would always be the center of our lives, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for (name your city, neighborhood or town), that it be a community blessed with peace, love and friendship, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for our families and friends, in thanksgiving for their loving presence in our lives, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for children around the world who do not have enough food, medicine, housing or schools, and for all those in need in any way, that through our acts of love and kindness their suffering might be eased, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

Ascension Catholic School, melbourne, Fl

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in fact, Jesus says that whoever does the will of God is his brother or sister. That makes for a very large family, for there are millions of people who try to do Gods will on a daily basis. how do we know what Gods will is? We learn about Gods will in many ways. one is by reading scripture, and a second way is by praying. The Bible tells us how we are to act. For instance the 10 Commandments teach us to worship God, honor our parents and not to steal or lie. We know that when we are obedient and kind, we are doing the will of God. A second way we can know Gods will is to pray. Each day, we can ask God for direction in our lives. We can ask him to help us know and do the right thing. We can ask for courage to stand up to bullies, and for the right words to say to repair a friendship when we have had a fight. We know that helping others is the will of God, and there are many ways to do this. We can help people spiritually by going to mass and praying for them and by reading the Bible. We can also help people in tangible ways, by sharing toys, giving hugs, collecting food and clothing for the needy, sending cards and flowers to loved ones in the hospital, listening to an upset or sad friend, going on service trips to do housing repair, and sending letters to soldiers or seminarians.

Tuesday, January 27Celebrating Our Students

Hebrews 10:1-10 Brothers and sisters: Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of them, it can never make perfect those who come to worship by the same sacrifices that they offer continually each year. otherwise, would not the sacrifices have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, once cleansed, would no longer have had any consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is only a yearly remembrance of sins, for it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins. For this reason, when he came into the world, he said: Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, O God. First he says, Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in. These are offered according to the law. Then he says, Behold, I come to do your will. he takes away the first to establish the second. By this will, we have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Psalm 40:2, 4ab, 7-8a, 10, 11

Mark 3:31-35 The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you. But he said to them in reply, Who are my mother and my brothers? And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.

reflectionin the gospel, we hear Jesus tell us that he has the power to create a family out of people who are not related. This kind of family is created when we join with others who are following Jesus. Together, Christians create bonds of love that can be just as strong as the love between parents and children or the love between brothers and sisters.

Celebrating mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the immaculate Conception. Catholic

University of America, Washington, D.C.

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When we do these things, we are accomplishing Gods will and living as brothers and sisters in the lord.

Petitionsreader: our response is: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for our students, that they would know that they are children of God and brothers and sisters in the lord, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for all people, that they would do the will of God by acts of service and kindness, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for all students everywhere, that they will be blessed with good schools where they can gain knowledge and skills and grow to their full potential as human beings, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for our teachers, administrators, parents, priests and volunteers, and for all adults who help students on a daily basis, that they would feel our gratitude and love, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for those people who do not know God as their Father and Jesus as their brother, that by our love and sacrifices we can help them become members of Gods family, the Church, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

Wednesday, January 28 Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the ChurchCelebrating Our Nation

Hebrews 10:11-18 Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated. The holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying: This is the covenant I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them upon their minds, he also says: Their sins and their evildoing I will remember no more. Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin.

Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4

Mark 4:1-20 on another occasion he began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got

into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land. And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, hear this! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. it sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C. Dematha Catholic high School, hyattsville, mD

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no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. it came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. he added, Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear. And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. he answered them, The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside, everything comes in parables, so that they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven. Jesus said to them, Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.

reflection: A parable is a story with a twist. it has an unexpected ending or a surprise in the middle. Because of these twists and surprises, parables are stories that make us think. Take for example the parable of the sower. it tells us the story of a farmer who is planting seed in his field. The twist comes in the way he plants the seed. he throws it everywhere! it falls on the path, on rocky ground, and among thorns. These three places are not where famers usually plant their seeds. But this farmer has enough seed to cover his good soil and his not-so-good soil. And that is a second surprise. most farmers have only enough seed to plant in the good soil of their fields, and are very careful with theirs seeds. So in this parable, we see two strange things: the farmer throws seed everywhere, and seems to have an unending supply of seed. What can we learn from this? Jesus tells us that the seed represents the word of God. like the farmer, we are to take the word of God everywhere, even into places we think it will never grow. We are to share the word of God, his message of love and peace, with everyone, no exceptions. Nobody is left out of Gods plan; no one is excluded. And if we think about it, we can never run out of the word of God; we have an unending supply. if we think we are running low,

we have only to stop and pray, and we will be filled up with Gods love and peace. So lets get to work! We have a lot of ground to cover with the message of Gods love and peace.

Petitionsreader: our response is: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray that the message of Gods love and peace, which was sown in our hearts through faith, will take root and produce much fruit in our lives, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for our nation, that this country would be a beacon of hope and justice for all people, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray in thanksgiving for farmers, for their hard work in producing our food, that they be blessed with plentiful harvests, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for those who are poor and hungry, that the shelters, food pantries and social welfare agencies might have enough resources to help alleviate their needs, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

Thursday, January 29Celebrating Our Vocations

Hebrews 10:19-25 Brothers and sisters: Since through the Blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Psalm 24: 1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

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Mark 4:21-25Jesus said to his disciples, is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear. he also told them, Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

reflectionin the gospel, Jesus tells us that the purpose of a lamp is to give light. A lamp does no good if it is hidden under a bushel basket or under a bed. When it is placed on a lampstand, then it is fulfilling its purpose. its light fills the room and dispels the darkness. Everything can be seen clearly. in just the same way, we each are called to be lights for the world, to light the way for others so they can see God in us. The way we let our light shine is to live our vocations. [You may ask the students to give you the definition of vocation or give the definition of vocation used in your religion curriculum before continuing] The first vocation that we have is to be holy. Everybody is called to be holy: girls and boys, women and men, Catholics and Protestants, priests and deacons, religious sisters and brothers, and lay men and women. We are all called to be holy, and to be holy means to know, love and serve God. if we pray with a sincere heart, and if we obey God and help others, we are on the path to a holy life. Another part of vocation is Gods call for each person to serve one another. Some people are called to serve through a life as an ordained priest or deacon or a religious sister or brother. other people are called to serve through the married life or the single life. This is a vocation that we each discover for ourselves with the

help of the faith community. As we grow up, we need to stay connected to God and ask him if we are called to be married, to be single, to be a religious sister or brother, or to be ordained as a deacon or priest. All of these vocations are wonderful. God invites each person to follow Christ closely, to be holy, in different ways depending on the vocation he or she chooses. When we are living out our vocations our light will shine from within our hearts, for living our vocations makes us supremely happy.

Petitionsreader: our response is: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray that all people would choose to live their vocations to be holy and to be single, married, a religious sister, a religious brother, a priest or a deacon, so that they can let their lights shine, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray in thanksgiving for the vocation of marriage, and for all parents and children, that all families know that they are beloved members of Gods family, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray in thanksgiving for priests, deacons, bishops, religious sisters and religious brothers, that they know many blessings as they live their whole lives in service to God and Gods people, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

Celebrating mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the immaculate Conception, Crypt Church, Washington, D.C.

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We pray that the darkness of sin, ignorance and violence would be dispelled by the light of faith, knowledge and loving service, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for the poor and hungry, that our donations of money and food would help them know Gods love and our love, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

Friday, January 30Celebrating Our Faculty, Staff and Volunteers

Hebrews 10:32-39 remember the days past when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a great contest of suffering. At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and affliction; at other times you associated yourselves with those so treated. You even joined in the sufferings of those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you had a better and lasting possession. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence; it will have great recompense. You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised. For, after just a brief moment, he who is to come shall come; he shall not delay. But my just one shall live by faith, and if he draws back I take no pleasure in him. We are not among those who draw back and perish, but among those who have faith and will possess life.

Psalm 37:3-4, 5-6, 23-24, 39-40

Mark 4:26-34 Jesus said to the crowds, This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.

he said, To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? it is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in

its shade. With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

reflectionToday we celebrate our teachers, administrators, staff and volunteers. These people make it possible for our school to exist, and we are very grateful for their presence. The letter to the hebrews tells us, You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised. When we think of endurance, we think of people who have the capacity to work long and hard, and there are no people who work longer or harder to make this school a success than our administrators, faculty and volunteers. When we think of endurance, the first person that comes to mind is our principal. (Name of principal) is a person with many gifts and talents. S/he is filled with faith and by his/her actions teaches us about God. S/he sets the spiritual tone of the school, and makes sure that we are not only taught about the Catholic faith, but given opportunities to live it by arranging school masses, retreats, and service projects. For our principal and for all our administrators, we are grateful. our teachers are the backbone of our school community. They persevere in teaching us even when we dont always want to learn. Teachers share knowledge with us, instructing us not only how to read and write but how to be holy people who follow Jesus. For all our teachers and aids, we are grateful. our teachers serve our school community with their heads and hearts . They share the joy of learning and faith with students, keeping the school going in Gods direction and working hard to maintain its place within the church and community. Staff and volunteers are the hands and feet of our school community. They go where we need them to go and do what we need them to do. Staff members like (name staff member)keep the school building functioning by shoveling sidewalks, cleaning the floors and bathrooms, replacing light bulbs and fixing things. (are there other staff functions like working in the principals office? School nurse? Serving in the cafeteria?) Some of our volunteers help in the classroom, some help in the lunch room, and some help after school. Some volunteers help in the school office, or at sports events, or help raise money for the school. You may know some of these volunteers as your own family

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members or neighbors. in all the countless ways our staff and volunteers work, we are grateful for their loving contribution to our school community.

Petitionsreader: our response is: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for our teachers, administrators, staff and volunteers, that God would pour out many blessings upon them and help them continue to be excellent models of patient love and enduring faith, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for our school and for all Catholic schools, that we would be a strong community of faith, an enlightened community of knowledge, and an active community of service, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for the homeless and those who do not have heat, that they would find shelter and warmth from the Christian community, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for the sick and the dying, that Jesus would heal them and bring them comfort, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for our benefactors, for those who have donated time, talent and treasure to our school, that they would be blessed a hundredfold for their generosity, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

Saturday, January 31 Memorial of St. John Bosco, PriestCelebrating Our Families

Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he was looking forward to the city with

foundations, whose architect and maker is God. By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal ageand Sarah herself was sterile for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore. All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. if they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name. he reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received isaac back as a symbol.

St. John the Baptist the Catholic School, milpitas, CA

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Psalm: Luke 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75

Mark 4:35-41on that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: let us cross to the other side. leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? he woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Quiet! Be still! The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith? They were filled with great awe and said to one another, Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey? reflectionin the gospel reading today, we hear the story of a storm that came up on the Sea of Galilee. The waves were large, the wind was howling, and it was raining very hard. From this story we learn two things: that even with Jesus in the boat with them, the disciples still experienced a storm that made them afraid, and that Jesus has power to calm storms. Both of these lessons are important for us as individuals and for our families. Sometimes we think that being a follower of Jesus means that nothing bad will happen to us. We think that God will protect us and our families from accidents, storms, and getting sick. But what God promises us is good news, not good times. Christians will experience good things and bad things that are part of human life. We dont get an exemption from suffering just because we are Christians. Difficult times will come in our lives, and we may get mad, or sad, or afraid, and that is ok. This is the first lesson in todays gospel.

But it is what we do next that is key. When the storms of life are raging, we have to remember that Jesus is right beside us, there in the boat with us, and that he has the power to end storms. Sometimes, Jesus calms the storm, and sometimes, he lets the storm rage but calms us. We can have inner peace when we grab hold of our faith and remember that Jesus is with us. As we come to the end of National Catholic Schools Week, we can be grateful that our faith will see us through the storms of life. our families are our first community, where faith, knowledge and service are lived every day, a community that shelters us from the storms of life, and we are thankful for each and every member of our families.

Petitionsreader: our response is: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for our families, that parents and children would learn to trust in Jesus through the storms of life, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for all people who are experiencing trials in life, and for those who are afraid, that we would share our faith with them and help them in practical ways, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for all those traveling by land, air or sea, that they would arrive safely at their destinations, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for the whole church, especially those churches experiencing persecution, or famine, or natural disasters, that they would grab hold of their faith and trust that God will bring them safely through it, we pray: lord, hear our prayer.

Author Information

Katherine Schmitt, M.div., is a lay ecclesial minister with almost two decades of experience serving adults, teens and children. She works for the Seminary Department of the National Catholic Educational Association and for St. Nicholas Parish in laurel, maryland.

Beatriz ruiz, an award-winning designer, is manager of graphic design and production at the National Catholic Educational Association. She has worked for the association for more than 20 years and is a graduate of the University of maryland.

At A GlanceCatholic Schools Week January 25 - 31, 2015

Sunday, January 25Jonah 3:1-5, 10Jonah calls the people of Nineveh to repentance.1 Corinthians 7:29-31The world in its present form is passing away.Mark 1:14-20Jesus calls Simon and Andrew, James and John to follow him.

Monday2 timothy 1:1-8 (or titus 1:1-5)i remind you to stir into flame the gift of God.Mark 3:22-30A kingdom divided cannot stand.

tuesdayHebrews 10:1-10We have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.Mark 3:31-35 Whoever does the will of God is my family.

WednesdayHebrews 10:11-18Jesus, the perfect priest, offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God.Mark 4:1-20 The parable of the sower, who throws seed on the path, rocky ground, thorns and rich ground.

thursdayHebrews 10:19-25We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.Mark 4:21-25 Put the lamp on the stand to light the whole house.

FridayHebrews 10:32-39We need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.Mark 4:26-34 Something as small as a mustard seed can grow into a large tree, providing shelter for others.

Saturday, January 31Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.Mark 4:35-41Jesus rebukes the storm, and the disciples ask, Who is this whom wind and sea obey?

To provide feedback on your Catholic Schools Week activities, please complete the Quick Feedback form online at www.ncea.org/cswfeedback

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