“Witness” – Whole School Prayer Resources
The Becket Way Focus
Notices
Think
Hear
See
Friday – Do
The Becket Way Focus
Notices
We are in the 5th week of Easter tide and the word of the week is “Witness”
This week’s Prayer Intentions…
- For Year 6, Year 11 and Year 13 students
As our Year 6, 11 and 13 students prepare for their SATs, GCSE’s and A Levels this week, we pray that they feel God’s peace and presence. May they be a witness to the value of hard work and perseverance. Lord, grant them a calm mind and a confident heart. - For The Becket School Community as we celebrate Saint Thomas Becket this week
We pray for all members of The Becket School community, both past and present. Inspired by the witness of the English Martyrs celebrated this week, may we continue to build a legacy of faith and kindness. We ask for God’s blessing on our alumni as they journey through life and on our current students as they grow together in grace. - For the Month of Mary and Our World
During this month of May, we look to Mary as the ultimate witness to God’s love. We pray for our global family, especially for the Pope’s intention this month that everyone may have access to enough food. May we follow Mary’s example by saying ‘yes’ to helping those in need and caring for our common home.
Please keep these intentions 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
There is no in person celebration of the word this week. This week we will be celebrating our patron Saint Thomas Becket on our prayer resources.
The chapel will be open during Wednesday and Friday lunchtime this week.
Year 9 and 10 Briars – Important Notice
Everyone attending the year 10 Briars retreat (May) and Year 9 Briars retreat (June) needs to return their health forms and behaviour contracts ASAP!
You can collect printed copies from the chapel. Please return letters to the chapel (not the main office as we need to check you have completed the forms correctly). The chapel will be open during Wednesday and Friday lunchtime this week.
If you can no longer go to the retreat, you need to see Joe/Ruth ASAP.
CAFOD Fundraising!
A massive thank you to everyone who has been contributing to our fundraising for CAFOD this Lent and Eastertide – there have been some incredible student fundraising stories and projects we can’t wait to share our accomplishments in the coming weeks! If you have taken any photos at your fundraisers or can help write a little article for our newsletter to celebrate our amazing work – please email Ruth or pop down to the chapel during a break or lunchtime!
More info will follow soon regarding money collections and counting…
Think
Thank you to 7P for creating this week’s resources!
We invite you start 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
This week (5th May) we are celebrating the anniversary of the blessing of the foundation stone of the new Becket School building and our school patron Saint Thomas Becket!
Saint Thomas’ feast day falls in the Christmas holidays whilst we aren’t in school, so this week is a great opportunity to celebrate our patron and the wonderful Becket community we are a part of!
Let’s get “thinking” and see how much you know about our school’s patron…hopefully this knowledge will improve as we journey through the week!
Let us know in the comments box how many you get right.
In which city was Thomas Becket born in the year 1118?
A) Paris
B) London
C) Canterbury
D) Rome
Answer: B) London (He was born to merchant parents in Cheapside).
Before becoming Archbishop, what high-ranking government position did Thomas hold under his friend King Henry II?
A) Sheriff of London
B) Chief Justice
C) Chancellor of England
D) Prime Minister
C) Chancellor of England (He was the King’s closest advisor).
How did Thomas’s lifestyle change after he was ordained a priest and consecrated as Archbishop?
A) He became even more lavish and wealthy
B) He moved to France immediately
C) He gave up his life of luxury for a life of prayer and simplicity
D) He decided to join the army
C) He gave up his life of luxury (He famously began to wear a hairshirt and care for the poor).
What was the main reason for the big argument between Thomas and King Henry II?
A) Disagreements over the King’s taxes
B) The King wanted to control the Church and its laws
C) Thomas wanted to be the King himself
D) A dispute over who owned the school buildings
B) The King wanted to control the Church (Thomas stood up for the Church’s independence).
How many years did Thomas have to live in exile in France because it wasn’t safe for him in England?
A) Two years
B) Six years
C) Ten years
D) Only six months
B) Six years (He lived in a Cistercian abbey during much of this time).
King Henry II got very angry and reportedly shouted a famous phrase. What was it?
A) “Off with his head!”
B) “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?”
C) “I never want to see Canterbury again!”
D) “He is no longer my friend!”
B) “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” (Four knights took this as an order).
Where exactly was Thomas Becket when he was killed by the King’s knights on December 29, 1170?
A) In his garden
B) In the King’s palace
C) Inside Canterbury Cathedral
D) On a ship to France
C) Inside Canterbury Cathedral (He was murdered during the evening service of Vespers).
Let us pray…
Heavenly Father,
We thank you for the life and witness of Saint Thomas Becket, who showed us what it means to be brave and faithful to you above all else.
As we celebrate his feast day and the history of our school, help us to be witnesses of your love in our classrooms and our community today. May we always stand up for what is right with the same courage our patron saint shown.
Saint Thomas Becket, pray for us.
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
Hear
We invite you start 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
This week we are celebrating the anniversary of the blessing of the foundation stone of the new Becket School building, and our school patron, Saint Thomas Becket. Saint Thomas’ feast day falls during the Christmas holidays when we are not in school, so this week gives us a special opportunity to celebrate our patron saint and the wonderful Becket community that we are part of.
Saint Thomas Becket is remembered as a man of courage and integrity – someone who was a witness to his faith, even when it was difficult. His life reminds us that being a witness is not just about words, but about how we live, the choices we make, and the values we stand for.
A big thank you to 7P, who have helped to put together this week’s resources. Let’s hear from them now as we learn a little more about our patron saint…
As we reflect on what we have heard from 7P, take a few moments in your form groups to discuss the following questions:
• How was Saint Thomas Becket a witness to his faith?
• What do you think it cost him to stand up for what he believed was right?
• Where do you see people being witnesses to goodness, truth, or faith in our school community today? Has anyone stood out to you recently?
• In what ways can you be a witness in your everyday life?
Let us bring our prayers together….
Loving God, We thank you for the example of Saint Thomas Becket, who witnessed to truth with courage and faith. Help us to be witnesses in our own lives – in our words, our actions, and the way we treat one another. May our school be a place of kindness, integrity, and hope, where your love is seen in all that we do. We ask this through Christ our Lord. 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.
See
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.
As we celebrate Saint Thomas Becket and our Becket community this week, we’re going to watch a video from some of our Becket alumni – past students who are now out in the wider world (some of them are quite local to us!)
You might have seen this video once before, but we thought it is a wonderful reminder of just how special the Becket ethos and community are, and one of the big reasons why so many Becket students come back to work here, or why past Becket students choose to send their children to The Becket School.
As you’ll hear, many of the past students in the video were witnesses to faith being lived and shared during their time in our school community. That experience empowered them to continue having a faith, and for some, even to choose specific vocations inspired by their faith…
So, to our Becket staff, we want to say a heartfelt thank you for everything you do in helping students here feel empowered and supported to express and explore their faith, whether they choose to practise it openly or simply ask questions. As you saw in the video, this opportunity and support really can make a difference to students’ future and sense of vocation.
And to our Becket students – continue to be brave in your faith and in your witness. Get involved, embrace opportunities, ask questions, and open your hearts to encounter – because having faith can give strength and change our lives for good.
Let’s take a little time now to discuss some of the following questions in your forms today as we reflect on our Becket community:
- What do you most love about being a part of Becket? What are you grateful for? Do you have a favourite memory or time of the year at Becket?
- What makes The Becket School different from other schools?
- If your form tutor attended or worked at the old Becket School, ask them some questions to find out more about the history of our community.
- Does anyone have a parent who attended Becket? Do they have any stories or fond memories from their time here?
Let us finish by praying pray our school prayer together…
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.
Friday – Do
FRIDAY Notices – CAFOD Fundraising notice
If you have any CAFOD money in your form rooms, please label it and bring it down to the chapel during Friday form time!
Please quietly drop it off (make sure its labelled!) as year 12 will be filming in the chapel during this time.
** Culture Day – Friday 22nd May!**
This year, Culture Day will take place on Friday 22nd May – Please carefully read through the plans for the day so that everyone can get prepared for this joyful occasion and fully celebrate our vibrant school community!
Organised by the Respect & Diversity Chaplaincy Mission Team and the Becket School Council, Culture Day will happen on Friday 22nd May (just before Pentecost Sunday – the birthday of the Church), when the Good News was shared across languages and cultures.
What to Wear:
On Friday 22nd May, students are invited to wear:
- Traditional or cultural dress that reflects their heritage
- A national sports shirt (no club teams)
- Colours of their country or culture
All clothing must be respectful, with no offensive symbols or inappropriate logos.
Form Time Celebrations:
During form time, each tutor group will host a Pentecost celebration with their tutor. You could:
- Share food from different cultures
- Bring an item for cultural show & tell
- Share music, dance, or a short video
- Speak or perform in different languages
Form prayer resources will be available on Be Inspirational.
Lunchtime Celebrations:
Talent Show!! – You said, we did…by popular demand we are going to host a culture day extravaganza!
At lunchtime, we will host a celebratory culture day talent show, featuring 1–2 entries from each house. Houses are welcome to collaborate on acts – this is a celebration, not a competition!
Performances might include:
- Dance
- Music or instrumental performances
- Singing
- Poetry or spoken word
- Other forms of cultural performance
Please speak to your House Captains or Heads of House if you are interested!!
Sharing Table Fundraiser
There will be a food sharing table in the hall during the talent show.
Students are invited to donate items such as:
- Cakes and biscuits
- Sweet treats or desserts
- Cultural snack dishes (e.g. samosas, spring rolls, pastries, flatbreads)
Food will be sold at a small price – please bring some change.
All proceeds will go towards CAFOD.
Important: Please include a list of ingredients for any food donations. We are a nut-free school – no nuts allowed please.
Period 5 – Pay to Play
During period 5 on culture day, our celebrations will conclude with a pay to play fundraiser organised by the School Council. More details will follow from the school council.
Form Prayer
Good morning, Happy Friday! Let us begin by making the Sign of the Cross:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our school Becket badge is full of symbols. The word symbol means “to bring together.”
Each symbol shows us something we can see, and something deeper that we believe.
Today, you will choose three symbols from the school badge to reflect on, and think about how they connect to your life and your faith.
✏️ Step 1: Draw and Notice
I would like you to begin by drawing the outline of the Becket school badge in your journal.
As you draw, take your time and notice the details.
Think quietly to yourself:
- What do I notice about the badge?
- Which symbol stands out to me the most?
- Why might that be?
🔍 Step 2: Choose 3 Symbols
Now, I’d like you to choose three symbols from the badge to reflect on. If you don’t have time for 3, don’t worry, choose 1 or 2 to reflect on.
🛡️ The Shield
The shield reminds us that we are a family in faith, and that we are called to stand up for others.
Think:
- Who might need my support?
- How can I stand up for what is right?
Write one way you can support someone.
🕊️ The Pelican
The pelican represents sacrifice and reminds us of Jesus.
Think:
- What could I do for someone else this week?
- When is it difficult to be kind?
Write or draw one sacrifice you could make.
🐦 The Chough Birds
The three birds remind us of the Trinity and our gifts.
Think:
- What am I good at?
- How can I use my talents to help others?
Write down three gifts or strengths you have.
✝️ The Crosses
The crosses remind us that doing the right thing can sometimes be difficult.
Think:
- When is it hard to do the right thing?
Write about a moment where you can show courage.
🧣 The Pallium
This symbol reminds us we are all called to lead.
Think:
- How can I set a good example to others?
Write one way you can be a positive leader.
✍️ The Motto – “To Work is to Pray”
Our work can be a prayer to God.
Think:
- How can I try my best in my work today?
Write one goal for your effort today.
Closing Prayer
Let’s end in prayer together.
Loving God,
Thank you for bringing us together as a family in faith.
Help us to live with courage, love and purpose.
May our work always be a prayer to you.
Amen.
Saint Thomas Becket, pray for us
Let us finish our prayer with the Sign of the Cross…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
2 Comments
all right!!!!!
9N, One wrong, we got 6/7