“Fasting” – Whole School Prayer Resources
The Becket Way Focus
Notices
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Hear
Think
Do
The Becket Way Focus
Notices
We are in the 2nd week of Lent and the word of the week is Fasting
This week’s Prayer Intentions
- We pray for all innocent civilians who are caught up in, or affected by, the war and conflict in the Middle East. May God bring them protection, healing, and comfort. We pray for peace, reconciliation, and an end to violence.
- We pray for the Muslim community and our Muslim friends who are observing Ramadan – a season of fasting and spiritual growth
- We pray with Pope Leo and for his prayer Intention for March 2026 – “Let us pray that nations move toward effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, and that world leaders choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy instead of violence.”
- Following CAFOD’s Family Fast Day on Friday, we pray for those who are living in extreme poverty. May our contributions be a sign of solidarity, and may we work tirelessly toward a world where no child goes to bed hungry.
Please keep them in your prayers this week and don’t forget to add any suggestions for prayer intentions to the comments box below!
Celebration of the Word and Catholic Life Rota
Monday – Year 7-Chapel Year 8-Hall
Monday form – Justice and Peace meeting in B11 to plan next week’s resources and COTW.
Year 10 tutors – an email has been sent with a Q&A preparation task.
Monday lunchtime in the chapel – Filming International Women’s Day video – all are welcome to pop down to the chapel and take part!
Tuesday – Year 9-Chapel Year 10-Hall
Tuesday form – Justice and Peace meeting in B11 to plan next week’s resources and COTW
Wednesday – Sixth form chapel and hall
Thursday – Year 11 – chapel
Friday – Celebrations for Intentional women’s day and the special day of prayer for women. Please make sure you have collected postcards from the staffroom for Friday’s “do” activity!
Friday – Year 10 Retreat Day. A timetable will be sent out to staff this week. Year 10 will be off timetable P1-5. They must bring their normal school equipment and wear usual school uniform (pencil cases and colours will be needed) but they do not need to bring school books that day (unless told otherwise by their teaching staff).
Monday Lunchtime in B6 – all are welcome
Eco Update – Year 12 Litter Picking
| Week | Form | Tutor |
| February 2-6th | 12B | Mr Bestwick |
| February 9-13th | 12E | Mr Mach |
| February 23-27th | 12N | Mr Fowler |
| March 2-6th | 12P | Miss Cordes |
| March 9-13th | 12R | Mr Nevin |
| March 16-20th | 12T | Mr Felstead |
“The natural environment is a collective good, the patrimony of all humanity and the responsibility of everyone” Laudato si’ (95)
Each week, one form will conduct a litter pick during one Becket reads that week.
Your tutor will decide which Becket reads day to do the litter picking in. Your tutors will only need to supervise.
- You will be in groups of 3 max (no groups of 1).
- You will only litter pick outdoors on school site.
- Per group, you will be given 1 litter grabber, 1 bin bag and 1 pair of gloves. The person holding the bag will wear the gloves.
- Equipment is to be collected from B19 at the start of Becket reads after the register.
- Equipment is to be handed in at the end of Becket reads in B19 on the bell for 10:25.
- Bin bags with litter in are to be put in the large main rubbish bins outside the atrium.
- Health and safety:
- No picking up of rubbish with your hands (even if wearing gloves), use the grabbers only.
- No glass or sharp objects are to be picked up (even if with the grabber).
Search for the Light – Briars Open Retreat – Y10-13
This exciting Easter retreat at The Briars is open to all young people who are in Year 10 to 13 and will take place from the 2nd – 5th April 2026 – this retreat is not run by school and takes place during the Easter holidays.
The retreat is £55 per person. There will be some bursaries available through the St Francis of Assisi fund. There will also be lifts available from our local train station Ambergate for those young people relying on the train for transport.
Speak to Joe/Ruth if you would like to find out more or contact the Briars directly via Instagram (@NDCYS) or Facebook (NDCYS – The Briars) or you can give them a call (01773 852044).
See
Thank you to 12E for creating this week’s resources!
Good morning everyone, welcome back, we invite you to begin by making the Sign of the Cross:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
This week’s word of the week is Fasting – the second pillar of Lent!
Today we’re going to watch a video of some faces you find familiar – actor Mark Wahlberg and Jonathan Roumie (who plays Jesus in The Chosen) were interviewed on Ash Wednesday in our half term and here is what they had to say about their faith and what Lent means to them. Have a careful listen to what they say about fasting…
Often when people fast, they intentionally create a “hunger” in their lives. On this See Day, we are going to use that hunger to look at the world differently.
In the video, Mark Wahlberg mentions that fasting helps us focus on what is “really important in life”. When we look at the video, we see two successful men who, despite their fame, recognise that their lives are fullest and happiest when God is at the centre.
Let’s just have a moment of quiet reflection after watching that video. Listen carefully to the questions you are going to be asked and reflect on your own life and journey in Lent…
- See the distractions: What are the things filling up your time or sight that keep you from seeing God? (pause for time to reflect)
- See the need: Jonathan Roumie speaks about “returning our hearts to the Lord” and focusing on “works of mercy”. Who in our school community is struggling? Who is sitting alone? Who doesn’t have a voice? (pause for time to reflect)
- See the potential: Mark talks about fulfilling the “potential that God saw in me”. Can you see the potential God has placed in you this Lent? What can you do more of this Lent? (pause for time to reflect)
Let us pray…
Lord, Open our eyes this Lent. As we fast from the things that distract us, help us to see the beauty of Your grace, the needs of our neighbors, and the path You have set before us. May our sacrifice lead us closer to You. Amen.
Amen.
We finish this time of prayer together, by making the Sign of the Cross…
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Hear
We invite you start our time of prayer by making the sign of the cross… In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
You will notice that the Middle East is in our prayer intentions this week. You may have heard things on the news or on social media, so let’s spend some time this morning learning more about the situation and reflecting on where our prayers are really needed in the world.
First, let’s hear from Newsround to learn more about some of the events from the weekend and the history of Iran…
On Sunday, the US‑born Pope Leo XIV used his Angelus address in St Peter’s Square to share his “deep concern” for what is happening in the Middle East and Iran.
He said:
“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of immense proportions, I make a heartfelt appeal to all the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm….
May diplomacy regain its proper role, and may the well-being of peoples, who yearn for peaceful existence founded on justice, be upheld…
And let us continue to pray for peace…
“In these days, troubling news has also arrived of clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I urgently appeal for a return to dialogue.
Let us pray together that harmony may prevail in all conflicts throughout the world.
Only peace, a gift of God, can heal the wounds between peoples.”
As we hear this news, let us join Pope Leo in praying for an end to violence, and pray that world leaders may find the courage to listen, to reconcile, to seek peace, and to protect the dignity of life entrusted to them in a world so heavily affected by weapons and conflict.
We particularly pray for the civilians who are affected — those who have been hurt, who are hiding, or who are seeking shelter and safety.
In our own communities and families, we may have relatives or friends who are in the Middle East at this time, including one of our former cover supervisors, Mrs Booth, who moved to Dubai before Christmas to be with her family.
We encourage you to keep all of these people closely in our hearts and prayers at this time.
We ask for Jesus’ healing and Mary’s intercession as we pray:
Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Let us finish this time of prayer together, by making the Sign of the Cross.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
As we learn about difficult events in the world, it’s important to look after ourselves and one another. If anything you see in the news or online worries you, please speak to a trusted member of staff. Let’s remember to be kind to one another and be role models of respect and compassion.
Think
Good morning! We invite you to begin by making the Sign of the Cross:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today’s prayer journal resource for our week on Fasting is inspired by the time Jesus spent in the desert, as told in Matthew’s Gospel:
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Glory to you O Lord
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
The Gospel of the Lord
Praise you Lord Jesus Christ
We know that fasting isn’t just about giving things up; it is about making space to look at our own hearts. Just as Jesus faced temptations in the desert when he was at his weakest, we all face things in our lives that tempt us, whether it’s social media, being unkind when we are tired, or putting ourselves before others.
From this scripture, we are reminded that Jesus understands our struggles. He knows what it’s like to feel “hungry” for things that don’t always serve us, and He wants to give us the strength to change.
For the next few minutes, we would like you to use your prayer journals to reflect on your own “wilderness.” Try not to overthink it; just write or draw what is on your heart today.
You might want to:
- Focus on Temptation: What are the things in your life that you are most tempted by?
- Reflect on Change: Is there a habit or an attitude you would like to change during this time of fasting?
- Ask for Strength: Write a short prayer asking God to help you when you feel pressured or tempted.
- Draw your Journey: Use symbols or images to represent the “desert moments” where you need God’s help the most.
If you have colours, feel free to use them to add drawings to your prayer or craft your reflection in a creative way.
As you write and draw, take a moment to listen to this song and let it guide your thoughts and intentions:
When you’ve finished writing your prayer for the week, take a quiet moment to read it back to yourself and offer it to God.
Now let us pray our closing prayer together…
Loving God,
thank you for reminding us today that we don’t need perfect words to pray.
You know what’s in our hearts even before we say it.
Help us this week to speak to you simply and honestly,
and to trust that you are always listening.
Guide us on our Lenten journey and stay close to us in the quiet moments of our day.
Amen.
Let us finish this time of prayer together, by making the Sign of the Cross.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Do
Good morning, We invite you to begin by making the Sign of the Cross:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today is a special day, today we join the church in marking a special moment of prayer and appreciation for women everywhere.
And this Sunday, we will celebrate International Women’s Day – a global day recognising the achievements, strength, dignity, and contributions of women in every part of society.
Now, let’s head over to 12E and our Becket community who are going to help us to celebrate!
A huge thank you to everyone who got involved and has helped spread joy this morning and celebrate the inspiring women in our lives!
Now, we move on to our “do” action. Each form has a set of postcards. (collectable from the staffroom from Monday briefing)
On your postcard, we’d like you to write a message to an inspiring woman in your life and deliver it to them today or over the weekend.
This could be:
- a mother or grandmother
- an auntie
- a member of staff
- a friend
- a neighbour
- or any woman who has made a positive difference to your life
Think of someone who either supports you, strengthens you, teaches you, keeps you safe, or has helped shape the kind of person you are becoming.
When writing and decorating your postcard, you might want to:
- thank them
- wish them a happy International Women’s Day
- tell them why they inspire you
- offer a prayer for them
- or share a message of kindness and gratitude
Please make sure to write neatly and thoughtfully for the person who receives it. Only kind words are allowed! This is an opportunity to celebrate, uplift, and share joy.
Let us finish with a time of prayer…
Loving God,
we thank you for the gift of women in our lives—
for their courage, their care, their creativity,
for all the ways they guide us, protect us, inspire us, and love us.
Bless all women around the world, especially those who face hardship, inequality, or fear.
Fill them with strength, hope, and peace.
May we always honour the dignity of every woman we meet.
We ask Mary, the Mother of Jesus and mother of us all, to pray for us and for all women, as we say together:
Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Let us finish this time of prayer together, by making the Sign of the Cross.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.