Opening Prayers for Parent Meetings

These prayers were put together in 1990 as a joint venture between

the Eastern Region Parent Consultative Committee and the Sydney
P&F Federation under the direction of Helen Cannon.

They are offered as a practical way for members of the educating

community to come together in prayer, to reflect on their giftedness
and the mission of the Catholic School in a secular world.

Free for copying by non-profit educational institutions

but not for distribution for profit

Beginning
Welcome
Building Bridges
Hope
Respect
Recognition
Example
Values
Unity and Diversity
Ending
 Theme: Beginning

Leader: The beginning of a new school year is a good time for

dreaming and planning. The Catholic school that
educating community of children, pastor, parents and
teachers - has such great promise. It can be a
marvellous place where people really belong, where
the values of the Gospel can set children free to
learn and grow, and to live a full and happy life. Let
us pray that our association will play a vitally
important role in creating this educating community.

All: Lord Jesus, you are with us as we commence our

year's work.

Help us to understand our importance in educating

our children.

And bless our partners - the teachers. Guide us in

our decisions

And open our hearts in friendship to each other.

May we show particular care to those who are most in

need.

May we welcome, especially, those who are shy and

uncomfortable.

And may this meeting of ours result in many benefits

for the children on whose behalf we gather.

Amen

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the

last, the beginning and the end.
Revelations 22:13
 Theme: Welcome

Leader: Our Schools need the support of all parents. Each

has his or her unique contribution to make; some
special quality that can help build a community that
really cares for children. Let us pray that all parents
will experience a sense of warmth and welcome, and
that there will be a rich sharing of ideas, talents and
enthusiasm as together we go about our work of
helping our children to grow and learn.

All: Lord Jesus, you are with us now.

Help us recognise your presence in each other.

May friendship flourish here.

Fill us with a deep sense of peace.

Inspire us to listen with attention and patience to

each other, to share with courage and generosity,
and to welcome the ideas of all.

May this meeting of ours strengthen our friendship,

build our community and increase our confidence in
ourselves and our school.

Amen.

Above all, hold unfailing your love for one another

since love covers a multitude of sins. Practise
hospitality ungrudgingly to one another.
1 Peter 4: 8-9
 Theme:
Building Bridges

Leader: The Catholic school is at its best when it is a vital

part of the parish community, sharing in the Church's
work of spreading the Good News of salvation. Let us
do all we can to strengthen the links between our
parish, our school and our homes. Let us pray that
our children will feel at home in the Catholic
community and see their Faith as something that
gives meaning to their lives.

All: Lord Jesus, help us to become builders of bridges.

Bridges that will link our parish and our school, our
teachers and our parents, our hopes for our children
and the realisation of these hopes.

And, above all, help our children to see the relevance

of their Faith, and ours, to their everyday lives.

May this meeting of ours unite us in our vision and

strengthen us in our purpose.

Amen.

Put on them, as God's chosen ones ... compassion,

kindness, lowliness, meekness and patience ... and
above all these, put on love which binds everything
together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of
Christ rule in your hearts.
Colossians 3: 12-15
 Theme: Hope

Leader: At Easter we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord,

the triumph of life over death. It is the great season
of hope. Catholic schools should be places of hope -
Easter places! Let us pray that our schools will be
inspired by a view of life that is joyful and optimistic
and that our own association might contribute to this.

All: Lord Jesus, fill us with the spirit of hope and joyful
expectation.

You have shared your life with us and, if we allow it

to happen, we can never be alone.

The future you have in store for us is beyond all

human expectation.

May this meeting of ours reflect the promise we

share, and may we strive to keep our schools places
of hope.

Amen.

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week

... Jesus came and stood among them and said to
them, "Peace be with you".
John 20:19
 Theme: Respect

Leader: As parents we want our children to develop the

quality of respect. Not a weak compliance but a
genuine respect for themselves, for their companions,
for their teachers - and for us! This sort of respect
is a real valuing of God's gifts. It looks for what is
good in ourselves and others. It builds on strengths.
Let us pray for a respectful community.

All: Lord Jesus, you showed the greatest respect for

people - the poor, the sinners, the ill, the outsiders,
and especially, the children who have a special place
in the Kingdom.

Help us to value each other.

To value our pastor, our teachers and all those who

work at our school.

But above all, help us to value our children.

May this meeting of ours deepen our respect for

each other and give us the opportunity to help build
up your Kingdom in our school.

Amen..

......and what does the Lord require of you but to do

justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with
your God.
Micah 6:8
 Theme:
Recognition

Leader: We all know the power of praise and recognition in

the building of self-esteem. Children, parents,
teachers - we all flourish when our contributions are
acknowledged. Let us begin this meeting by praying
for the many generous people who help to build up
and maintain our educating community.

All: Lord Jesus, we thank you for our children; they are
your gift and a constant reminder of your love.

We thank you for our partners - the teachers - who,

along with us, 'touch eternity'.

We thank you for the school secretaries whose very

presence makes school more like a home.

And we thank you for each other and for the work
each has done in building our community.

Bless this meeting of ours where we celebrate our

many strengths and plan our continuing work in your
service.

Amen.

I have called you by your name,

You are mine.
Behold, I have carved you
In the palm of my hand.
Isaiah 43:1; 49:16
 Theme: Example

Leader: Children learn so much from watching their parents

and teachers. This can be a somewhat frightening
thought, yet, when we think about it, they are
learning many more good things than bad from being
with us. Let us resolve to show them more clearly
what our deepest beliefs and values look like when
they are acted upon. And let us pray for the
strength to teach our children, and each other, by
example as well as words.

All: Lord Jesus, we have long seen you as offering the

great example of how life should be lived.

Help us to be models for our children.

May they see us as people who are loving and

forgiving, peaceful and just, compassionate and
generous, prayerful, full of fun and full of hope.

May this meeting of ours be inspired by the ideals we

hold and the hopes we have for the future of our
school.

Amen.

He took a child and put him in the midst of them, and

taking him in his arms, he said to them: "Whoever
receives one such child in my name, receives me; and
whoever receives me receives not me, but him who
sent me".
Mark 9:36-37
 Theme: Values

Leader: Catholic schools are build on values. Through their courses

and programs, through the Religious Education they offer,
and through the ways in which teachers and pupils relate
to each other, Catholic schools continually teach certain
values. But values are most effectively learnt in our
homes. Let us pray then that our teachers and parents will
teach the values of Jesus.

All: Lord Jesus, help us all become better teachers of values.

Let us teach the value of love without which children

cannot grow.

Let us teach the value of justice which sets children free

from the forces that hold and bind and limit their growth.

Let us teach forgiveness that re-unites and makes us

whole again.

And let us teach hope in a glorious future and in a God that

has carved our name in the palm of His hand.

And bless this meeting of ours. May it be energised by

the values of your Kingdom.

Amen.

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 Saviour.
Psalm 25: 4-5
 Theme:
Unity and Diversity

Leader: Unity and diversity are two sides of the one coin, the coin
that admits us to the world of problem-solving and
creative work. There is a great richness in every group of
people; fresh ideas, challenging thoughts, different
talents, various experiences. All can contribute to building
up the group. But the group must have unity; it must be
able to bring things together, to find compromises, to set
plans, to share tasks, to gain co-operation. Let us pray
that our association can creatively balance these important
elements in the interests of our children.

All: Lord Jesus, give us the courage to welcome new thoughts.

Help us to have an open mind and confidence in the

promptings of the Spirit.

Guide us also towards harmony and help us trust the

wisdom of our friends.

Renew our confidence in Your presence as we seek to serve

this community.

And bless this meeting of ours where we have to make the

decisions that will be in the best interests of our children.

Amen.

Jesus prayed, "May all be one, as you, Father, are

one in me and I in you ... that the world may believe
that you sent me".
John 17:21
 Theme: Ending

Leader: The end of the year approaches and our work for the
moment, is almost complete. Let us remember the many
blessings we have received this year, the friendships we
have made, the challenges we have met, the struggles we
have endured, and the achievements we have celebrated.
Let us be thankful for all the graces bestowed on our
education community, on our school.

All: Lord Jesus, we thank you for your presence in the life of
this association and our school.

You have spoken to us through the events of the year.

In our many discussions about Catholic schooling,

In our shared plans and hopes and dreams,
In the prayers and liturgies and celebration on special
occasions,
And, often enough,
In the words of our children.

Bless all of those who have been part of our community.

Bless especially the teachers, children and parents who will

not be here next year.

And bless this meeting of ours where we gather to bring

our year's work to completion.

Amen.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy

endures forever; Give thanks to the God of Gods for
his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to the Lord of
Lords, for his mercy endures forever.
Psalm 136