Prayer Life

Prayer is central to the Catholic life and mission of St Gregory’s and is fundamental to our identity as a Catholic school. Through prayer, our students are supported in developing a personal relationship with God, deepening their understanding of the Gospel and growing in spiritual maturity. Prayer underpins all aspects of school life and enables students to reflect, develop morally and spiritually, and live out our school motto “Pro Deo,” “For God the best and the greatest,” in practical and meaningful ways.

Students participate in daily prayer during form time, ensuring that prayer is a consistent and visible part of the school day. These prayer opportunities include Celebrations of the Word within year groups or houses, use of the Form Prayer Booklet created collaboratively by students at the start of the academic year, and Lectio Divina, usually based on the Gospel reading from the previous Sunday. These structured prayer experiences encourage students to engage thoughtfully with Scripture and apply its message to their own lives.

Prayer at St Gregory’s also supports our students’ understanding of Catholic Social Teaching through regular reflection and prayer based on its core principles, enabling students to develop a strong sense of justice, compassion and responsibility towards others. Weekly opportunities for an Examination of Conscience, typically on Fridays, allow our students to reflect on their actions and choices, promoting personal growth and moral responsibility.

Prayer is further embedded across the curriculum through subject-specific prayers, using our School Prayer Booklet, reinforcing the integration of faith and learning. This ensures that prayer is present in all lessons, intentionally inviting God into every learning environment across the school. Each subject prayer is carefully linked to the individual discipline, helping students to recognise how faith informs all areas of knowledge and understanding. Through this approach, students are encouraged to see their learning as part of God’s plan, deepening their awareness that faith and education are inseparable within our Catholic school community.

A varied and inclusive prayer timetable ensures that students experience different forms of prayer, helping them to identify prayer styles that are meaningful to them and encouraging lifelong engagement with faith beyond school. In addition, Fr Brendan, our Priest Chaplain, leads dedicated weekly morning prayer sessions for staff and students, strengthening the spiritual life of the school and fostering a strong sense of unity and shared faith across the community.

 

Weekly Prayer Timetable

At St Gregory’s, prayer is a fundamental expression of our Catholic identity and mission. We are committed to providing all students with regular, structured and varied opportunities to engage in prayer throughout the school week. This planned approach ensures that prayer is inclusive, developmental and rooted in the teachings of the Church, supporting the spiritual formation of every pupil. The prayer timetable below demonstrates how prayer is intentionally embedded into the daily life of each year group.

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Year 7	Form Prayer Booklet	Celebration of the Word	Catholic Social Teaching Prayer	Lectio Divina	Examination of Conscience
Year 8	Form Prayer Booklet	Catholic Social Teaching Prayer	Celebration of the Word	Lectio Divina	Examination of Conscience
Year 9	Celebration of the Word	Form Prayer Booklet	Catholic Social Teaching Prayer	Lectio Divina	Examination of Conscience
Year 10	Form Prayer Booklet	Catholic Social Teaching Prayer	Celebration of the Word	Lectio Divina	Examination of Conscience
Year 11	Form Prayer Booklet	Celebration of the Word	Catholic Social Teaching Prayer	Lectio Divina	Examination of Conscience
6th Form	Celebration of the Word	Form Prayer Booklet	Catholic Social Teaching Prayer	Lectio Divina	Examination of Conscience