During Lent we are encouraged to pray using the Stations of the Cross. There are many different versions of images and prayers used. It would be a great creative activity for our pupils to create their own Stations. Choose at least one of the Stations – examples have been posted on RE Twitter Account – and draw your own image(e) and or compose your own prayer.

For the prayer try to give a short explanation of the Station and what Jesus suffered. Then try and relate to our own lives and our own times.

For example, The Fifth Station ‘Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus Carry His Cross’.
In this Station Simon is forced to help Jesus. Lord help us to be aware of the many opportunities to help others and to have the strength and courage to do so.

Send a photo of your images and or prayers to the RE Twitter Account. @StNiniansRE

Here is a fine example from Caterina Lue, four years ago when she was in Second Year.

The last two weeks of Lent is known as Passiontide and it takes our focus to the Passion of Jesus, our Saviour. While the Stations of the Cross is used throughout Lent, Passiontide is an even more suitable time for the Stations.

Even in difficult tiimes for us, it is good to pray for others as well as ourselves. This link is to a Stations of the Cross service created by Missio on the theme of children in the Developing World. It is a service suitable for family use.

https://missio.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Stations-of-the-Cross-Powerpoint-reflection.pdf

For many years pupils of St Ninian’s have been involved in Lasallian Developing World Projects which involves giving 5/6 Weeks of your Summer. This project is open to pupils who have completed Sixth Year and for our current Fifth Year, the opportunity will be for Summer 2021.

Our Christian Faith commands that we love our neighbour and care for them. The Lasallian Projects offer practical support to communities in the Developing World. This support is directly linked to promoting the education of young people. Education is the key to the future of young people and to the development of countries.

The projects are very practical and will often involve physical work supporting local tradesmen but there will also be opportunities to work with local children in helping them with English. While the projects demand much from its volunteers, each and every volunteer will testify to the benefits they have gained from the projects.

With school currently closed, we are encouraging interested pupils to use the links below to apply online. While the timescale is uncertain at the moment, interested pupils should meet the deadlines noted in the documents below.

Lasallian Website.
http://www.delasalle.org.uk/ldwp

2021 Information for Lasallian Developing World Projects

Pupils in First, Second and Third Year can work through these activities from SCIAF. The theme for SCIAF’s Wee Box appeal is the abuse of women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Secondary Activities 1

A viewing activity for all pupils. The short powerpoint on the theme of SCIAF’s Wee Box Appeal 2020.

WEE BOX secondary 1

The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord is celebrated on 25 March and marks the visit of the Angel Gabriel to Mary to ask her to be the Mother of Jesus. A traditional prayer associated with this is the Angelus which many people say each day at 12.00 Noon. The link gives you information on the Angelus and the prayer itself.

The Angelus Prayer

The Stations of the Cross are a centuries old tradition which began with pilgrims to the Holy City of Jerusalem wishing to follow in the footsteps of Jesus in his last few hours on the road to Calvary. This practice widened to other places using images depicting fourteen events in Jesus’s journey to his death. The Stations of the Cross adorn the walls each Catholic Church and a feature of our Lenten Services.

The particular images here were created for the HCPT who each year bring children to Lourdes. To avoid the almost impossible path, for children with disabilities, of the the Lourdes Stations of the Cross banners were made and set around a field. The images were bold and colourful as the children especially those with sensory issues would notice the rough images and the bright colours.

In this year, when all pilgrimages to Lourdes have been cancelled for the immediate future use these images and refections with your families as an act of solidarity with HCPT, Youth to Lourdes, the Archdiocese of Glasgow’s Chilrens’ Pilgrimage to Lourdes and the many other groups who will not visit Lourdes this Easter.STATION2

As you know, in order to try to limit the spread of Covid-19, the Bishops have decided to suspend all public Masses for the foreseeable future.

This means that many people who are used to receiving Holy Communion regularly at Mass will not be able to do so for the time being.

During this “Eucharistic Fast” one way to keep close to the Lord is to make a “Spiritual Communion.” This is an ancient spiritual tradition of the Church which consists in making a simple act of “spiritual communion,” whereby we unite ourselves to God through prayer. It is a beautiful way to express to God our desire to be united with him when we are unable to receive Holy Communion.
St. Thomas Aquinas defined a Spiritual Communion as “an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament [in Communion at Mass] and in lovingly embracing Him as if we had actually received Him.” You can make a Spiritual Communion whenever and wherever you like, using the prayer given below, or others like it, or your own heartfelt thoughts.
An Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
Remember, you can receive Jesus in your heart from anywhere you might happen to be, at any time, day or night! You just need to approach Him with sincerity, humility and a desire to follow in His footsteps in acts of faith and charity. And He’s delighted when we do so! The Catechism teaches that a Spiritual Communion “is an act of devotion, and one very pleasing to God.”

In August 1984, St Ninian’s welcomed its first pupils into First, Second and Third Year. Since then the School has somewhat grown in size and has gone from strength to strength. To mark the completion of its 35th Session, we have organised as School Pilgrimage to St Ninian’s Cave in Whithorn. This will be Sunday 14 June 2020.

The highlight of the day will be the celebration of Sunday Mass at the very cave to which Ninian would often go to find some time for quiet prayer and reflection.

There will also be time to visit the area, now a Church of Scotland, where Ninian build his Candida Casa – his Church. As it can be a long day, we will stop on the way home in Girvan for supper. On a lovely day, there is nothing better than sitting at the harbour with your fish supper
Details of timings and costs are available on the School Website. We have a special rate for families. We extend this invitation to all pupils, staff, families, local parishioners and friends.

Details are available on the School Website and we have a special family rate.

To mark the Solemnity of St Joseph on Thursday 19 March, Fr Jonathan Whitworth will lead as short catechesis on ‘The Family – Passing On The Faith’. This will start at 8.00am in RE Room 2 and after Fr Whitworth’s input we will celebrate the Mass of St Joseph at 8.25am followed by breakfast in the Cafeteria for those who are available. All pupils, staff, and families are welcome.