To encounter Christ is to have a personal experience of God’s love and presence. It can happen in any place or time, and it can take many different forms. We often encounter Christ when we feel loved and cared for and we too can help others to encounter when we share his love with others. An encounter with Christ can be a lifechanging experience that can give us strength, hope, and peace.
This week’s Prayer Intentions are…
Everyone in our school community as we return for a new academic year
All who are new starters to our community – year 7s, year 12s, students and staff – we pray you will feel welcome!
As we we will be celebrating The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary we invite you join together in praying a Hail Mary. Asking Our Lady to pray for our intentions.
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.
Please keep these intentions in your prayers this week, and don’t forget to add any suggestions for prayer intentions in the comments box below.
Collective Worship and Catholic Life Rota
Monday COTW – Year 9 and 11 – Chapel, Year 8 and 10 – Hall
Monday P2 – Virtues 1
Monday P4 and P5 – Year 7 COTW prep and COTW in the chapel.
Year 7 can collect application forms during their chapel induction in RE.
School Music Video Filming!
The start of a new school year means it’s time to film our school music video!
If you are new here, you will find out more about our music video tradition and you will get to watch last year’s video under our “see” tab.
If you would like to be in this year’s school music video, please see Joe ASAP during break or lunch in the chapel or outside – filming will take place on Mon, Tues and Fri lunchtimes.
If you are in year 8 and above you can self consent to be in the video, if you are in year 7, we need photo consent from your parents or guardians.
Chaplaincy Team
Year 8 and above – WC Mon 14th September (Next Week) – New Chaplaincy Team Application forms can be collected from the chapel (the letter holder just outside the chapel doors in the hall). If you are already a member of the Chaplaincy team, you don’t need to complete another application.
Year 7 can collect application forms during their chapel inductions – these will happen in your RE lessons this week and next.
See
Gather
Every prayer time begins with us gathering together. To help us focus, you might dim the lights, light a candle if you have one, or move a cross or religious object to the front to focus on. As students are entering the room this morning, you might like to play this instrumental music to help create a calm atmosphere.
Good morning, we invite you begin our time of prayer today by making the sign of the cross…
In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
Welcome back everyone!
This week, our word of the week is Encounter – an encounter means to have a personal meeting. Every day, we encounter different people—some for the first time, and others we’ve known for years. During our time at the Becket School, there are so many wonderful encounters we will have – with friends, peers, staff, visitors to the school and people in the wider community who we might meet on trips.
One of the ways in which we celebrate our vibrant Becket school community is through our school music video which gets released every September (this is a tradition which has happened for the last 10 years!)
This morning we are going to see what last year’s music video entailed and we want you to get thinking about how you can participate in this year’s video to help us celebrate our community.
If you would like to be in this year’s school music video, please see Joe ASAP during break or lunch in the chapel or outside – filming will take place on Mon, Tues and Fri lunchtimes. We don’t have a lot of time before the year 6 open evening next week so make sure to see Joe if you want to be involved!
If you are in year 8 and above you can self consent to be in the video, if you are in year 7, we need photo consent from your parents or guardians – your parents can update this via arbor.
September Catch up
Now that we are back together, let’s take a few minutes to catch up with one another and reconnect with our form tutors and peers.
Discuss the following questions in pairs:
What was the highlight of your summer holiday?
Did you try anything new over the summer? What was it?
What are you most looking forward to this school year?
Is there something you would like to achieve, improve, or challenge yourself to do this year?
Let us know in the comments box what your form is looking forward to this academic year!
Let us pray together…
Lord, thank you for the gift of our community. Help us to see and appreciate the people we encounter every day – those we know well and those we are still getting to know. May we always follow the Becket Way, working hard, being loving, and doing the right thing, so that our actions reflect your light in the world. Amen.
We end by inviting you to make the sign the cross
In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
Extended Form/Think
The Season of Creation
Good morning, we invite you begin our time of prayer today by making the sign of the cross…
In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
September marks the beginning of the Season of Creation, a worldwide Christian celebration running from 1 September to 4 October, the feast day of St Francis of Assisi – the patron saint of animals and ecology (and our Geography department and hub of schools!) Christians are invited to pray, reflect and take action to care for God’s creation.
The official Season of Creation 2026 theme is “Living Water”, inspired by Ezekiel 47. The image is of God’s life-giving water flowing through the world, bringing healing, hope and new life wherever it goes. Christians are called to immerse themselves in this living water and play their part in renewing creation.
Think-Pair-Share
Where do you see signs of beauty, life and hope in the world around you?
What threatens these things?
St Francis’ Jubilee
St Francis of Assisi is our Hub Patron Saint, along with our feeder primaries and this year, the church is celebrating a special jubilee anniversary of St Francis of Assisi – marking 800 years since his death! Saint Francis is a brilliant saint and he inspires us through his example of humility, peace making, care for creation and charity. His example inspired Pope Francis so much that he chose Francis for his papal name!
Let’s watch this 3 minute video to have a recap on Saint Francis’ life…
Discussion Question
If St Francis walked through our school today, what would make him smile?
What might he challenge us to change?
Prayer Boards Decoration Task
As a form, you are now going to create a display for your prayer board to help us remember the Season of Creation and the example of St Francis throughout this term.
Each student will receive either a water droplet template or a leaf template.
On the Front
Carefully and neatly write one of the following:
Option A: A Creation Pledge
This year I will care for God’s creation by…
Examples:
reducing waste
recycling more carefully
using less single-use plastic
spending more time appreciating nature
encouraging others to care for our common home
Option B: A Message Inspired by St Francis
Like St Francis, I will…
Examples:
be kind to others
show gratitude for creation
be a peacemaker
care for those in need
respect all living things
On the Back
Write a short prayer in your own words.
You may wish to begin with:
Loving God, thank you for…
or
St Francis, help me to…
or
Lord, help us to care for…
Remember that these will become part of your prayer board display, so take time and care with your presentation. Use your best handwriting and decorate your leaf or water droplet appropriately.
Displaying Your Work
Once everyone has finished, work together to create a display for your form prayer board.
You could:
Create a garland by cutting out the leaves and droplets, hole-punching them and hanging them on string.
Build a tree of hope using the leaves as branches and the water droplets as signs of God’s life-giving water.
Make a river of creation by arranging the droplets into a flowing river and surrounding it with leaves.
Find or create a piece of St Francis artwork and put him at the centre and arrange your prayers and pledges around him.
Whichever design you choose, make it colourful, prayerful and something your form can be proud of throughout the term. 🌿💧
As you decorate your templates, we invite you to listen to this song based on “The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.”
Let us join in prayer together with a call and response…
Please choose someone to take on the “leader” and everyone joins in with All.
Leader
Loving God, thank you for the beauty of creation, for water, air, animals, people and all the gifts you have given us.
All
Help us to care for our common home.
Leader
As we celebrate the life of St Francis, teach us to see creation as your gift.
All
Help us to live simply, kindly and gratefully.
Leader
Pope Leo calls us to build peace through truth, justice and love.
All
Make us instruments of your peace.
Leader
May this new school year be filled with hope, friendship and respect for all creation.
All
Amen.
Let us finish by remembering God is with us throughout this day by inviting you to make the sign the cross…
In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
Do
Gather
Every prayer time begins with us gathering together. To help us focus, you might dim the lights, light a candle if you have one, or move a cross or religious object to the front to focus on. As students are entering the room this morning, you might like to play this instrumental music to help create a calm atmosphere.
Good morning, we invite you begin our time of prayer today by making the sign of the cross…
In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
CARDS FOR FR JOHN AND FR EVARIST
Give extra time if needed – make sure they all complete and return to the chapel office
Let us pray…
Loving God,
We give you thanks for Fr John and Fr Evarist, for their dedicated service, guidance, and warmth within our school community. We are deeply grateful for the time they have spent walking alongside our students, staff, and families, sharing Your word and showing us Your love.
As they prepare to move on to new adventures and ministries, we ask that You bless them. Grant them the strength, wisdom, and energy to carry out the work You have set before them. May Your Holy Spirit guide their steps, bring peace to their transitions, and fill their hearts with joy as they build new relationships and serve new communities.
Keep them safe in Your care, surround them with supportive friends, and remind them that they will always remain a cherished part of our school family.
Amen.
Let us finish by remembering God is with us throughout this day by inviting you to make the sign the cross…
In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
Hear
Gather
Every prayer time begins with us gathering together. To help us focus, you might dim the lights, light a candle if you have one, or move a cross or religious object to the front to focus on. As students are entering the room this morning, you might like to play this instrumental music to help create a calm atmosphere.
Good morning, we invite you begin our time of prayer today by making the sign of the cross…
In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
An encounter means meeting someone or something in a way that makes us pause, think, or even changes how we see the world. Sometimes, when we think of faith, we picture old buildings or strict rules, distant and separated from our normal routines. But real faith is about encountering God in the unexpected and everyday moments of our lives.
Today, for our ‘Hear’ day, we are listening to an extract from the Nun the Wiser podcast. In the podcast, Tom chats with Sister Liz a Catholic nun who works in hospitality for homeless teenagers and refugees. As you watch, listen out for how our expectations of people can be challenged, and how meeting others with simple kindness is actually a direct way we encounter God.”
Watch until 8:15
Class Discussion Questions
Challenging Stereotypes: Sister Liz talked about how people expect nuns to look like characters from old films or horror movies. Have you ever had an encounter with someone who turned out to be completely different from what you expected?
Love in Action: In the clip, Tom mentions that when someone is in need, titles and status don’t matter what matters is loving them in that moment. Where in our school or local community can we bring a positive encounter to someone who might be struggling?
Seeing the Unexpected: Sister Liz explained that God often speaks or works through unexpected people and situations. How can we open our minds to seeing the good in people who are different from us?
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us pray…
Lord God,
Thank you for every person we encounter in our school, our homes, and our community today.
Help us to break down barriers, look past stereotypes, and treat everyone with warmth and respect.
Just as Sister Liz and Tom reminded us, teach us to make your love real through practical acts of kindness, welcoming the lonely, helping those in need, and being a friend to the unexpected.
Open our eyes to see You in every person we meet today. Amen
Let us finish by remembering God is with us throughout this day by inviting you to make the sign the cross…
In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
