Since the foundation of the school, Bishop Challoner’s Meditation for the 5th November, ‘On the Perfection of our Ordinary Actions’ has been read by the Headteacher at the beginning of our Patronal Feast day Mass. It contains the motto that all who study and work here hold dear.
A Reading from the Meditations of Bishop Richard Challoner
Every Christian ought to desire and endeavour to be a saint. Nor does sanctity consist in much fasting, or in wearing hair shirts, or in taking disciplines, or in giving large alms, or in reciting long prayers, or in any other extraordinary practices or observances; all of which, however good in themselves, have been found in hypocrites, or in such as have been all the while slaves to pride, self-love, and passion. But true sanctity consists in unfeigned charity in both its branches, that is, as it regards both the love of God and our neighbours. It consists in conformity with the will of God in all things, and adhering close to him; it consists in being humble.
Consider that sanctity does not so much depend upon doing extraordinary actions, as upon doing our ordinary actions extraordinarily well. Our life passes away in the daily ordinary actions, which take up our time from morning till night; such as our rising, our morning exercise, our daily labours, or the business of our calling, our regular devotions, and spiritual lectures, our meals, our conversation, the employment of our thoughts when our hands are at work, our examination of conscience at night; and our evening exercise, &c. Now, if all these daily performances are done extraordinarily well, our whole time will be spent extraordinarily well; and nothing more will be required to make us saints.
Prayer for the Beatification of Richard Challoner
O God who made your servant Richard Challoner,
a true and faithful shepherd to his flock,
graciously honour him
to be numbered among the Blessed of the Church
that through his intercession
we, who have been taught by his word and example,
may be given the grace to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ
and strive always to do ordinary things extraordinarily well.
We make this prayer through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen
Prayer for our sister school
Heavenly Father, we pray for the students and staff of St Bede’s College,
our sister school in Bamenda: keep them safe in your care.
May our communities grow in love and understanding of You and of one another.
We make these prayers through Christ our Lord.
Amen
“Pray without ceasing”
–Â Thessalonians 5:17
Wanting support to grow in the habit of daily prayer?
Here are a few tried and tested suggestions of apps/ sites that lead you through a meaningful prayer time, of about ten to twelve minutes. All the places below also have other forms of prayer to discover.
Pray as you go
– free and accessible on laptops or as an app for phones https://pray-as-you-go.org/
Sacred Space
– free and accessible on laptops or as an app for phones https://www.sacredspace.ie/
Hallow App
– free trial for 40 days and afterwards £50 a year. https://hallow.com/
In need of prayer right now
Catholic Christian Prayer Line 020 7434 9211 https://www.stpatricksoho.org/outreach/sos-prayerline
Christian Prayer line 0300 111 0101Â https://www.premierlifeline.org.uk/
You are also very welcome to email our lay chaplains to ask for prayer for you/ your families.
Teresa.cripps@bcs.hants.sch.uk / Angelica.Carroll@bcs.hants.sch.uk
“Prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”
–Â St. Therese of Lisieux