Sunday
7 MAY
SUNDAY 7th May
World Day of Prayer for Vocations  

​Fourth Sunday of Easter
John 10:1-10    Jesus the Good Shepherd.  
Teacher Background 

Monday
  8 MAY
May is Mary's Month
During the month of May, the Church honours with special love Mary the Mother of God.

Praying with the Gospel
Listen to the gospel. In this gospel Jesus talks about what it means to be a good shepherd. In the times of Jesus, the shepherd’s job was to care for his flock, making sure they were safe, nourished, calm and protected. The shepherd’s job was to keep the sheep on the move and to also make sure that they were rested and on the right path. He often had to rescue them or search for those that were lost. Jesus says that a good shepherd recognises his sheep and that the sheep know his voice and follow him. He also compares himself to the gate that sheep go through to get into the sheepfold, the yard where they stay at night for safety.
  • God calls each of us to be like good shepherds in our job of being Christian leaders. 
  • Let us pray for all leaders of our Church including Pope Francis, Bishop Mark and all bishops, priests and religious. Let us pray for vocations to ordained ministry and religious life.
  • Pray with the song Jesus Good Shepherd  by Michael Herry.

Tuesday
9 May
Praying with Psalm 23
  • The response to the psalm is ‘The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.’
  • Choose an image, word or phrase that you remember from praying this psalm.
  • Write or draw this image, word or phrase and reflect on its meaning and relevance for you.
  • Pray with Psalms for Kids: Psalm 23  (younger students)
  • Pray with a song inspired by this psalm e.g. The Lord Is My Shepherd  Josh Blakesley  (older students) 

Wednesday
10 May
National Volunteers Week
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Blessing  
National Volunteers Week is an annual celebration acknowledging the amazing contribution that volunteers make in our communities. The theme for 2017 is ‘Give Happy Live Happy’.
  • Reflect on the generous spirit of people who demonstrate a spirt of giving in our classrooms and school, in our parish and local community, in our country and abroad.
  • Recognise local volunteers by praying a blessing over them at an assembly or sending them a blessing in a letter or card.  

Thursday
11 May
​Lighting Prayer Candles for mothers and women
Within the Catholic tradition and many other faith traditions, candles are lit as prayers of intercession are prayed. Let us watch and pray as these three candles are lit.

We light a candle and pray for all mothers in our community. (Light candle and pause)
Lord hear us
All: Lord hear our prayer

We light a candle and pray for all our mothers and grandmothers who have died. (Light candle and pause)
Lord hear us
All: Lord hear our prayer
​
We light a candle for all mothers and women in war torn lands, all mothers who are refugees, all mothers who watch their children die hungry and all mothers who live in violent situations.
(Light candle and pause)
 Lord hear us
All: Lord hear our prayer
 
Think about out our mothers, our grandmothers or women who do or have played a significant role in our lives. Let us offer a prayer of thanks for these women who have touched our lives in so many ways. (Silent prayer)  

Friday
12 May
Our Lady of Fatima
Mary, the Mother of God, has many titles. Tomorrow, the church celebrates Mary under the title of ‘Our Lady of Fatima’.  Mary appeared six times to three shepherd children near the town of Fatima in Portugal between May 13 and October 13, 1917. Mary told them that she had been sent by God with a message for every man, woman and child living in the world.  This occurred at a time when people were torn apart by war and violence.  The Blessed Mother repeatedly emphasised the importance of praying the Rosary for peace in the world.
Two of the children, Jacinta and Francisco Marto will be canonised by Pope Francis when he visits the Portuguese shrine this week.
  • Let us pray one Hail Mary or one decade of the Rosary for peace in our world.
  • Praying the Rosary
​