The Official

2014-2015

National
Marketing
Campaign for
Catholic Schools

National Catholic Schools Week 2015

Liturgy
Guide

For Elementary and Secondary Schools

The National Catholic Educational Association

ncea.org/catholicschoolsweek

Liturgy Guide for

National Catholic
Schools Week 2015
January 25-31, 2015
Theme:
Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service
Liturgical Preparation for the Celebration of Catholic Schools Week
The theme for National Catholic Schools Week 2015 is once again Catholic
Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service. Repeating the same theme
allows schools to explore more deeply the concepts in the 2014 theme and to reuse
theme-related materials. Several new ideas and resources are included in this Liturgy
Guide. The readings for Mass change every year, both Sunday Mass readings and
weekday Mass readings. The 2015 liturgical year follows Year B for Sundays and Year I for
weekdays.
The theme encompasses several concepts that are at the heart of a Catholic education.
First, schools are communitiessmall communities in their own right, but also
members of the larger communities of parish, town, state and nation. They are, in the
first place, communities of faith, where children are openly taught about God, where
God is worshiped regularly, and where students and faculty put their faith into practice
on a daily basis. Secondly, Catholic schools exist to pass on knowledge -- not just the
practical knowledge of reading, writing, arithmetic and so on, but also knowledge of
God and truth, which is our spiritual heritage as Catholics. Finally, Catholic schools are
communities of service, places where helping one another and aiding the needy are the
modus operandi, the normal way of living life.
Faith, knowledge and service are three measures by which any Catholic school can
and should be measured. Consider adding scripture readings to your activities or daily
prayers. It is possible to substitute readings that speak about faith, knowledge and
service for the regular weekday Mass readings. Be sure to meet with your priest to alert
him to the Mass readings you have chosen and to plan the rest of the liturgy.

Scripture Readings on Faith,

Knowledge and Service
Faith

Habakkuk 2:2-4 Write the vision,
and wait for it; the just shall live by
faith.

Matthew 24:45 Parable of the
faithful or unfaithful servant.

Mark 2:1-12 Jesus heals the paralytic
when he sees the faith of the
paralytics friends.

Mark 4:35-41 Jesus, asleep in the
Celebrating Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
boat, awakens and calms the storm.
Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

Mark 5:25-34 Jesus heals the
woman with a hemorrhage.
will give people knowledge of salvation in the

Mark 11:22-24 Have faith in God
forgiveness of their sins.
and you can move mountains.

Luke
11:52 Woe to you scholars of the law! You

Luke 17:6 If you have faith the size of a mustard
have taken away the key of knowledge.
seed, you can say be uprooted, and it will obey.

1 Corinthians 12:4-12 There are varieties of gifts, but

John 14:12 Anyone who has faith in me will do
the same Spirit.
what I have done, and even greater things.

1 Corinthians 13:9-12 Now I know in part, but then I

1 Corinthians 12:4-12 There are varieties of gifts, but
shall know fully, as I am fully known.
the same Spirit.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 God desires all to be saved and

2 Corinthians 5:7 We walk by faith and not by sight.
come to knowledge of the truth.

Ephesians 3:14-19 That Christ might dwell in your

2 Timothy 1:5-7 I am reminded of your faith;
hearts through faith.
rekindle the gift of God within you.

Ephesians 6:16 Take the shield of faith, to quench

2 Peter 1:5-8 Supplement your faith with virtue,
the flaming arrows of the evil one.
virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control.

1 Timothy 6:11-12 Fight the good fight of faith.

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-10 Faith is evidence of things not
Service
seen.

Joshua 24:14-15 As for me and my house, we will
serve the Lord.
Knowledge

Psalm 100:2 Serve the Lord with gladness!

Genesis 2:8-9 God creates the tree of knowledge of

Matthew 4:8-10 The devil tempts Jesus, who
good and bad.
rebukes him: Worship and serve God alone.

1 Kings 3:5-12 King Solomon asks for wisdom and

Matthew 20:25-28 Whoever wishes to be great shall
understanding to discern what is right.
be your servant.

Proverbs 9:10 Fear of the Lord is the beginning of

Mark 1:29-31 Peters mother-in-law is healed,
wisdom.
leading her to serve Jesus and the apostles.

Proverbs 12:1 He who loves correction loves

Mark 10:45 The Son of Man did not come to be
knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
served, but to serve and give his life.

Proverbs 18:15 The mind of the intelligent

Luke 16:13 No one can serve two masters.
gains knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks

John 12:26 If any one serves me, he must follow
knowledge.
me.

Isaiah 11:1-2 The Old Testament spiritual gifts

John 13:12-17 Jesus washes the disciples feet, an
include wisdom and knowledge.
act of service, and asks us to do the same.

Hosea 6:6 I desire knowledge of God rather than

Romans 12:4-8 We are one body in Christ and have
burnt offerings.
gifts that differ, including service.

Luke 1:77 Zechariahs canticle: John the Baptist

1 Corinthians 12:4-12 There are varieties of service,

but the same Lord.
Galatians 5:13 Do not use freedom for the flesh;
rather, serve one another through love.
James 2:18 I will demonstrate my faith to you from
my works (service).
1 Peter 4:10-11 Be good stewards of Gods varied
grace.

Catholic School Stats

Below are statistics about Catholic education in the United States from the 2013-14 school year, the most recent
data available. Include some of these facts in your homily and publish them in the bulletin.

Enrollment

Total Catholic school student enrollment for the
2013-14 academic year was 1,974,578.

1,391,793 students were enrolled in elementary/
middle schools.

582,785 students were enrolled in secondary
schools.

Student diversity: 19.8% of students were racial
minorities; 15.0% were Hispanic/Latino and 6.4%
were reported as unknown in the racial data
collection.

Non-Catholic student enrollment was 323,542, or
16.4% of the total enrollment.

Schools

There were 6,594 Catholic schools: 5,399
elementary schools and 1,195 secondary schools.

42 new Catholic schools opened; 133
consolidated or closed.

1,986 Catholic schools had a waiting list for
admission.

The average student/teacher ratio was 13:1.

Professional Staff

Full-time equivalent professional staff numbered
151,351.

96.8% of staff were laity (Lay women: 75.1%, Lay
men: 21.7%)

3.2% of staff were religious/clergy (Sisters: 2.2%;
Brothers: 0.5%; Clergy: 0.5%)

Opening Sunday Liturgy

have a covenant relationship with each other. Why is

God wasting time with the Ninevites? God should get
busy punishing them for their many sins and crimes
against the people of Israel, or so narrow-minded Jonah
thinks. God, however, is shown to be concerned about all
people, and merciful toward all who repent of sin.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Sunday, January 25, 2015

First Reading:

Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Jonah 3:1-5, 10
The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying:
Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it
the message that I will tell you. So Jonah made ready and
went to Nineveh, according to the LORDS bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took
three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey
through the city, and had gone but a single days walk
announcing, Forty days more and Nineveh shall be
destroyed, when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small,
put on sackcloth.

R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

When God saw by their actions how they turned from

their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had
threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

Background

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 savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Jonah is one of the 12 minor prophets found in the Old

Testament. Unlike the other prophetic books, Jonah is
not a collection of prophetic sayings, but a
single narrative story full of irony and humor.
The author is unknown, but the story is told
from the point of view of Jonah ben Amittai,
a reluctant prophet who resists Gods call
to preach repentance to the Ninevites, the
ancient enemy of Israel. The book of Jonah
is post-exilic (mid-fifth century BCE [Before
the Common Era]). Nineveh was the capital
of Assyria, and the invading Assyrians ended
the Northern Kingdom of Israel and destroyed
Jerusalem in 701 BCE. In the Hebrew language,
Jonah means dove, but Jonah is anything
but peaceful. He is disobedient, petulant and
angry, the quintessential reluctant prophet. He
does not want to do what God asks, because
he does not want the Ninevites to repent
and be saved. Jonah thinks that God should
not be offering mercy to the Ninevites, but
should stick to helping only the Jews. The
Celebrating Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Jews are Gods own people, after all. They
St. Anthony Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Second Reading:

Gospel Reading:

1 Corinthians 7:29-31
I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having
them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as
not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using
the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present
form is passing away.

Mark 1:14-20
After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee
proclaiming the gospel of God: This is the time of
fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and
believe in the gospel.

Background
St. Pauls eschatology (theology of the end times) held
that Jesus would be returning very soon, and this belief
lies behind the opening line, the time is running out.
Paul is focused on sharing the life-giving message of
Jesus with others, and writes to the Corinthians to stop
worrying about worldly matters such as getting married,
mourning the dead and conducting business. Paul
understands that Jesus changed everything, including
human priorities and what we conceive to be important.
The present form of the world is passing away, meaning
that the world and social systems are changing. These
changes give an opening to the followers of Jesus
to evangelize (share the good news) and focus their
energies on building the kingdom of God.

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his

brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, Come after
me, and I will make you fishers of men. Then they
abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked
along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee,
and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending
their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father
Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and
followed him.

Background
Marks gospel is the earliest and the shortest of the four
gospels, but it is rich in detail. Mark emphasizes Jesus as
teacher, preacher and healer, and tells us in the opening
verse (1:1) that Jesus is the Son of God. For Mark, Jesus is
the gospel the good news and his message about the

The Catholic University of America (CUA) and Dominican House of Studies, in association with the
National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), celebrated National Catholic Schools Week at
the annual University Mass in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas, which was broadcast live on EWTN. The
Mass was held in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Crypt Church,
Washington, D.C.

kingdom of God being at hand means we have to shift

our lives now to participate in it.
In the opening words of this reading, Jesus returns to
Galilee after being baptized by John in the Jordan River.
The ministry of Jesus begins as Johns ministry ends.
John is a bridge connecting the Old Testament to the
New Testament. The time of fulfillment refers to Gods
promises coming true now, at this point in time. Jesus
calls us to repent, which means to turn around and
change direction. It is an urgent call to our hearts and
hands, to stop rebelling against God, to change our
behavior and to obey God.
After the call to repent and believe, we hear the story of
Jesus calling the four fishermen to follow him. Simon,
Andrew, James and John are invited to become fishers
of men, and they obey immediately. It is Jesus gracious
invitation alone that causes them to follow, unlike the
account in Luke 5:1-11, where the four disciples are
motivated to follow by a miraculous catch of fish. In the
remaining stories of Mark chapter 1, they witness him
teaching, preaching and healing, showing forth the good
news that God is with his people.

Homily

in the person of Jesus compelled their attention and

motivated them to trust him. Perhaps it was the love and
hope that emanated from him; perhaps they understood
in that moment that all their years of fishing in the Sea
of Galilee were only practice and preparation for their
true calling to fish for men and women in the world. For
whatever reason, Jesus called, and they followed, and
together they changed the world.
Today is the start of National Catholic Schools Week, and
Catholic schools have an important mission given to
them by the Lord, and that mission is being communities
of faith, knowledge and service. (Name of your Catholic
school) has been fulfilling its mission since (year the
school opened). We have (number of children) students
enrolled in our school (number of families) and a
student-teacher ratio of (insert your ratio here). We have
an excellent academic program, and many enrichment
activities, but what I want to emphasize is how our
school is fulfilling its mission of passing on the ideals of
faith, knowledge and service to each young person.
It is very important to form the hearts and souls of
children, to introduce them early and often to the love of
God and to Gods eternal truths. Our religion curriculum
communicates not just information about our faith, but
helps students encounter the living God who loves them
with an everlasting love. The word faith in our school
means two things: it is a noun, meaning the content,
the teachings, of Catholicism, and a verb, meaning the
act of believing in God. Our students know their faith
and our students have faith in the God who created and
redeemed them.

The Bible is full of call stories, stories of how God

broke through the noise of everyday life to capture the
attention of an ordinary person and give that person
a mission. We think of the prophets, all of whom were
called by God, but not all of the prophets were open
to the idea of doing Gods will at first. Take the prophet
Jonah. In the first reading, we hear the successful part
of the story, where Jonah goes to Nineveh and preaches
to them, and they repent and are saved. But we all know
the beginning of that story, where God calls and Jonah
thinks, No way, I am not interested in helping you save
the Ninevites. God says to go east, but Jonah, in his anger
and stubbornness, goes west. It takes a storm and getting
swallowed by a large fish before Jonah agrees to do Gods
will, and even then, he is not enthusiastic about it.

Faith is the first part of the mission of our school, and

knowledge is the second part. Knowledge is one of the
keys to a happy and successful life. Our teachers are
dedicated to excellence in the classroom, in helping
students to learn the subjects of English, math, history,
geography, social studies and the like. (Mention any
awards and high assessment scores, such as NCEA ACRE
scores, that recognize your schools academic excellence).

In contrast, when Simon, Andrew, James and John are

called by Jesus, they obey immediately. They leave their
nets and their father Zebedee, and follow him. There is
no obvious reason for them to leave behind family and a
successful business. He offers no compelling reasons, no
salary or retirement plan, nothing except the promise to
make them fishers of men and women. But something

Service is the third and final part of the mission of our

school. Our students learn to serve through a variety
of efforts. During Advent, students (describe service
activities such as a Giving Tree, collecting canned food,
coats or other items). Students also complete service
hours as part of their requirements for graduation (or
Confirmation). The most popular service activity by far is

(name the activity perhaps a mission trip, writing letters

to seminarians or soldiers, collecting toys for needy kids,
etc.)

Reader: We pray for those who have died, that they

would know the warmth of Gods love for all eternity, we
pray: Gracious Lord, hear our prayer.

Our school has a clear mission to be a community of

faith, knowledge and service, and it fulfills this mission
by educating the whole child to be a faith-filled,
knowledgeable disciple of Jesus Christ who puts his or
her faith into action by helping others. As we reflect on
the call of Jesus to the four disciples to become fishers
of men and women, I invite you to consider your own
call and your own mission. How will you answer? And
how will you help the children of our parish to hear and
answer the call of the Lord? Like Simon, Andrew, James
and John, when we say yes to following Jesus; he will
help us to change the world.

Presider: Loving Father, we place all these prayers into

your hands, confident that you will hear and answer
them according to your will. We make this prayer through
Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers of the Faithful

Weekday Prayer Services

General Outline for a Daily Prayer Service

Presider: Let us now with confidence present our needs

before our loving God:
Reader: Our response is: Gracious Lord, hear our prayer.
Reader: We pray for the Church throughout the world,
that Christians would never grow tired of announcing
the good news of Jesus, we pray: Gracious Lord, hear our
prayer.
Reader: We pray for national, state and local leaders, that
they would use their office to strengthen all schools and
to serve the common good, we pray: Gracious Lord, hear
our prayer.
Reader: We pray for (name of your Catholic school) and
for all Catholic schools during this National Catholic
Schools Week that they would accept their mission to
become communities of faith, knowledge and service,
we pray: Gracious Lord, hear our prayer.
Reader: We pray for each person here, that we would
hear the call and follow Jesus, joyfully accepting our
mission to change the world, we pray: Gracious, Lord,
hear our prayer.
Reader: We pray for the sick, the needy, the lonely and
the forgotten, that through our acts of charity and
kindness they might experience the love of God, we pray:
Gracious Lord, hear our prayer.

Opening Song
Opening Prayer
Presider: In the name of the Father, and the Son, and
the Holy Spirit. Amen. Holy Spirit, you bring light and
life to all who call upon you. Come now with your
power to open our minds to hear the Word of God
and to do what it commands. We make this prayer
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Reading(s)
You may choose one or two readings from the
scriptures for Mass, below, or you may choose
readings on faith, knowledge and service. See the list
of scripture passages in the Liturgical Preparations
for the Celebration of Catholic Schools Week at the
beginning of this liturgy guide.
Preaching or Reflection (depending on presider per
local norms)
Prayers of the Faithful
Presider: (Opening prayer) Lord Jesus, we turn now
to you, as we lift up the needs of our world.
Reader: (Petitions can be found after the reflection
for each weekday, below.)
Presider: (Closing prayer) Lord Jesus, we thank you
for hearing all our prayers, and for answering them
according to your will. We pray in your holy name.
Amen.
Our Father
Presider: Let us now turn to God and pray the prayer
that Jesus taught us. Our Father .
Closing Prayer
Presider: Holy Spirit, we thank you for helping us to
understand the Word of God today. As we go forth,
help us to grow in faith, increase our knowledge
and our desire to serve one another in love. We pray
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Final Blessing

Celebrating Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Archbishop Carroll High School, Washington, D.C.

Presider: May God bless you* Father, Son and Holy

Spirit (make the sign of the cross over the assembly).
Amen.
Closing Song

* If the presider is someone other than a bishop, priest, or

deacon use the following words and gestures:
Lay presider: May God bless us, Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit (make the sign of the cross over yourself ).

Weekday Mass Readings

Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year I

Monday, January 26

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus,

Bishops
Celebrating Our Community
2 Timothy 1:1-8 (or Titus 1:1-5)
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God
for the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my dear
child: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord. I am grateful to God, whom
I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,

as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and

day. I yearn to see you again, recalling your tears, so that
I may be filled with joy, as I recall your sincere faith that
first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother
Eunice and that I am confident lives also in you.
For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of
God that you have through the imposition of my hands.
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather of
power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed
of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for
his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel
with the strength that comes from God.
Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10
Mark 3:22-30
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
He is possessed by Beelzebul, and By the prince of
demons he drives out demons.
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in
parables, How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom
is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And
if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be
able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself

and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him.

But no one can enter a strong mans house to plunder his
property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he
can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all
blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will
never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.
For they had said, He has an unclean spirit.

Reflection
Today is the feast day of two saints named Timothy and
Titus. In the first reading, we hear from a letter that St.
Paul wrote to Timothy. Timothy was a young man who
worked with St. Paul to spread the gospel. He was a
convert to Christianity, as were his mother Eunice and his
grandmother Lois. Even though he was very young when
he began to follow Jesus, Timothy was a model that Paul
said all Christians should imitate. Paul praised Timothy for
his strong faith, which he learned from his mom and his
grandmother. As I look around today, I see many young
people who are wonderful models of faith, and I give
thanks to God for you all.
Our community is the focus of todays celebration of
National Catholic Schools Week. We are
grateful that our school is a community
of faith, a place where we help each other
grow closer to God. We are also grateful
for our larger community, (name your city,
neighborhood or town). It is my hope that
we can make a difference in both (name of
school and city, neighborhood or town) by
the way we live our faith.

Petitions
Reader: Our response is: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for ourselves, that in imitation of St. Timothy we
each find a way to share our faith with another person in
the next 24 hours, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our school community, that faith would
always be the center of our lives, we pray: Lord, hear our
prayer.
We pray for (name your city, neighborhood or town),
that it be a community blessed with peace, love and
friendship, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our families and friends, in thanksgiving for
their loving presence in our lives, we pray: Lord, hear our
prayer.
We pray for children around the world who do not have
enough food, medicine, housing or schools, and for all
those in need in any way, that through our acts of love
and kindness their suffering might be eased, we pray:
Lord, hear our prayer.

What is one thing you can do to share

your faith at school, at home or with your
neighbor? (Call upon several students for
their answers, which might include saying
prayers; telling someone that God loves
them; making a drawing or a card for a
teacher, family member or a friend; helping
a neighbor carry groceries, etc.)
St. Timothy, whom we celebrate today, was
a young person whose faith was strong.
I am sure that when you share your faith
in these ways, your family, friends and
neighbors will know that your faith is just
as strong as St. Timothys faith.
Ascension Catholic School, Melbourne, FL

10

Tuesday, January 27
Celebrating Our Students

Celebrating Mass at the Basilica of the National

Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Catholic
University of America, Washington, D.C.

Hebrews 10:1-10
Brothers and sisters: Since the law has only a shadow
of the good things to come, and not the very image
of them, it can never make perfect those who come to
worship by the same sacrifices that they offer continually
each year. Otherwise, would not the sacrifices have
ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, once
cleansed, would no longer have had any consciousness
of sins? But in those sacrifices there is only a yearly
remembrance of sins, for it is impossible that the blood
of bulls and goats take away sins. For this reason, when
he came into the world, he said:
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you
prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you
took no delight. Then I said, As is written of me in the scroll,
Behold, I come to do your will, O God.
First he says, Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and
sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in. These are
offered according to the law. Then he says, Behold, I come
to do your will. He takes away the first to establish the
second. By this will, we have been consecrated through
the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Psalm 40:2, 4ab, 7-8a, 10, 11
Mark 3:31-35
The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the
house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and
called him. A crowd seated around him told him, Your
mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside
asking for you. But he said to them in reply, Who are my
mother and my brothers? And looking around at those
seated in the circle he said, Here are my mother and my
brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother
and sister and mother.

Reflection
In the gospel, we hear Jesus tell us that he has the power
to create a family out of people who are not related. This
kind of family is created when we join with others who
are following Jesus. Together, Christians create bonds
of love that can be just as strong as the love between
parents and children or the love between brothers and
sisters.

In fact, Jesus says that whoever does the will of God is his
brother or sister. That makes for a very large family, for
there are millions of people who try to do Gods will on a
daily basis.

How do we know what Gods will is? We learn about
Gods will in many ways. One is by reading scripture, and
a second way is by praying. The Bible tells us how we are
to act. For instance the 10 Commandments teach us to
worship God, honor our parents and not to steal or lie.
We know that when we are obedient and kind, we are
doing the will of God.

A second way we can know Gods will is to pray. Each day,
we can ask God for direction in our lives. We can ask him
to help us know and do the right thing. We can ask for
courage to stand up to bullies, and for the right words to
say to repair a friendship when we have had a fight.

We know that helping others is the will of God, and there
are many ways to do this. We can help people spiritually
by going to Mass and praying for them and by reading
the Bible. We can also help people in tangible ways, by
sharing toys, giving hugs, collecting food and clothing
for the needy, sending cards and flowers to loved ones in
the hospital, listening to an upset or sad friend, going on
service trips to do housing repair, and sending letters to
soldiers or seminarians.

11

When we do these things, we are accomplishing Gods

will and living as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Petitions
Reader: Our response is: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our students, that they would know that they
are children of God and brothers and sisters in the Lord,
we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all people, that they would do the will of God
by acts of service and kindness, we pray: Lord, hear our
prayer.
We pray for all students everywhere, that they will
be blessed with good schools where they can gain
knowledge and skills and grow to their full potential as
human beings, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our teachers, administrators, parents, priests
and volunteers, and for all adults who help students on
a daily basis, that they would feel our gratitude and love,
we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those people who do not know God as their
Father and Jesus as their brother, that by our love and
sacrifices we can help them become members of Gods
family, the Church, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

Wednesday, January 28

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest

and Doctor of the Church
Celebrating Our Nation
Hebrews 10:11-18
Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering
frequently those same sacrifices that can never take
away sins. But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and
took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he
waits until his enemies are made his footstool. For by
one offering he has made perfect forever those who are
being consecrated. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for
after saying:
This is the covenant I will establish with them after those
days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I
will write them upon their minds, he also says:
Their sins and their evildoing I will remember no more.
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer
offering for sin.
Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4

Mark 4:1-20
On another occasion he began to teach by the sea. A
very large crowd gathered around him so that he got
into a boat on the sea and
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.
sat down. And the whole
DeMatha Catholic High School, Hyattsville, MD
crowd was beside the sea on
land. And he taught them
at length in parables, and in
the course of his instruction
he said to them, Hear this! A
sower went out to sow. And
as he sowed, some seed fell
on the path, and the birds
came and ate it up. Other
seed fell on rocky ground
where it had little soil. It
sprang up at once because
the soil was not deep. And
when the sun rose, it was
scorched and it withered
for lack of roots. Some seed
fell among thorns, and
the thorns grew up and
choked it and it produced

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no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced

fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a
hundredfold. He added, Whoever has ears to hear ought
to hear. And when he was alone, those present along
with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. He
answered them, The mystery of the Kingdom of God has
been granted to you. But to those outside, everything
comes in parables, so that they may look and see but not
perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order
that they may not be converted and be forgiven. Jesus
said to them, Do you not understand this parable? Then
how will you understand any of the parables? The sower
sows the word. These are the ones on the path where
the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at
once and takes away the word sown in them. And these
are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear
the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no
root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or
persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall
away. Those sown among thorns are another sort. They
are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety,
the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude
and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown
on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it
and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.

we have only to stop and pray, and we will be filled up

with Gods love and peace. So lets get to work! We have
a lot of ground to cover with the message of Gods love
and peace.

Petitions
Reader: Our response is: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray that the message of Gods love and peace, which
was sown in our hearts through faith, will take root and
produce much fruit in our lives, we pray: Lord, hear our
prayer.
We pray for our nation, that this country would be a
beacon of hope and justice for all people, we pray: Lord,
hear our prayer.
We pray in thanksgiving for farmers, for their hard work
in producing our food, that they be blessed with plentiful
harvests, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are poor and hungry, that the
shelters, food pantries and social welfare agencies might
have enough resources to help alleviate their needs, we
pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

Reflection:
A parable is a story with a twist. It has an unexpected
ending or a surprise in the middle. Because of these
twists and surprises, parables are stories that make us
think. Take for example the parable of the sower. It tells
us the story of a farmer who is planting seed in his field.
The twist comes in the way he plants the seed. He throws
it everywhere! It falls on the path, on rocky ground, and
among thorns. These three places are not where famers
usually plant their seeds. But this farmer has enough
seed to cover his good soil and his not-so-good soil. And
that is a second surprise. Most farmers have only enough
seed to plant in the good soil of their fields, and are very
careful with theirs seeds. So in this parable, we see two
strange things: the farmer throws seed everywhere, and
seems to have an unending supply of seed. What can we
learn from this? Jesus tells us that the seed represents
the word of God. Like the farmer, we are to take the word
of God everywhere, even into places we think it will never
grow. We are to share the word of God, his message of
love and peace, with everyone, no exceptions. Nobody is
left out of Gods plan; no one is excluded. And if we think
about it, we can never run out of the word of God; we
have an unending supply. If we think we are running low,

Thursday, January 29
Celebrating Our Vocations

Hebrews 10:19-25
Brothers and sisters: Since through the Blood of Jesus
we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary
by the new and living way he opened for us through the
veil, that is, his flesh, and since we have a great priest
over the house of God, let us approach with a sincere
heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled
clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in
pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession
that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is
trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another
to love and good works. We should not stay away from
our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage
one another, and this all the more as you see the day
drawing near.
Psalm 24: 1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

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Mark 4:21-25
Jesus said to his disciples,
Is a lamp brought in to be
placed under a bushel basket
or under a bed, and not to be
placed on a lampstand? For
there is nothing hidden except
to be made visible; nothing is
secret except to come to light.
Anyone who has ears to hear
ought to hear. He also told
them, Take care what you
hear. The measure with which
you measure will be measured
out to you, and still more will
be given to you. To the one
who has, more will be given;
from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken
away.

Celebrating Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the

Immaculate Conception, Crypt Church, Washington, D.C.

Reflection
In the gospel, Jesus tells us that the purpose of a lamp is
to give light. A lamp does no good if it is hidden under
a bushel basket or under a bed. When it is placed on a
lampstand, then it is fulfilling its purpose. Its light fills the
room and dispels the darkness. Everything can be seen
clearly.

In just the same way, we each are called to be lights for
the world, to light the way for others so they can see
God in us. The way we let our light shine is to live our
vocations. [You may ask the students to give you the
definition of vocation or give the definition of vocation
used in your religion curriculum before continuing]

The first vocation that we have is to be holy. Everybody
is called to be holy: girls and boys, women and men,
Catholics and Protestants, priests and deacons, religious
sisters and brothers, and lay men and women. We are all
called to be holy, and to be holy means to know, love and
serve God. If we pray with a sincere heart, and if we obey
God and help others, we are on the path to a holy life.

Another part of vocation is Gods call for each person
to serve one another. Some people are called to serve
through a life as an ordained priest or deacon or a
religious sister or brother. Other people are called to
serve through the married life or the single life. This is
a vocation that we each discover for ourselves with the

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help of the faith community. As we grow up, we need

to stay connected to God and ask him if we are called
to be married, to be single, to be a religious sister or
brother, or to be ordained as a deacon or priest. All of
these vocations are wonderful. God invites each person
to follow Christ closely, to be holy, in different ways
depending on the vocation he or she chooses.
When we are living out our vocations our light will shine
from within our hearts, for living our vocations makes us
supremely happy.

Petitions
Reader: Our response is: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray that all people would choose to live their
vocations to be holy and to be single, married, a religious
sister, a religious brother, a priest or a deacon, so that
they can let their lights shine, we pray: Lord, hear our
prayer.
We pray in thanksgiving for the vocation of marriage, and
for all parents and children, that all families know that
they are beloved members of Gods family, we pray: Lord,
hear our prayer.
We pray in thanksgiving for priests, deacons, bishops,
religious sisters and religious brothers, that they know
many blessings as they live their whole lives in service to
God and Gods people, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray that the darkness of sin, ignorance and violence

would be dispelled by the light of faith, knowledge and
loving service, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the poor and hungry, that our donations of
money and food would help them know Gods love and
our love, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

Friday, January 30

Celebrating Our Faculty, Staff and Volunteers

Hebrews 10:32-39
Remember the days past when, after you had been
enlightened, you endured a great contest of suffering.
At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and
affliction; at other times you associated yourselves with
those so treated. You even joined in the sufferings of
those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation
of your property, knowing that you had a better and
lasting possession. Therefore, do not throw away your
confidence; it will have great recompense. You need
endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has
promised.
For, after just a brief moment, he who is to come shall come;
he shall not delay. But my just one shall live by faith, and if
he draws back I take no pleasure in him.
We are not among those who draw back and perish,
but among those who have faith and will possess life.
Psalm 37:3-4, 5-6, 23-24, 39-40
Mark 4:26-34
Jesus said to the crowds, This is how it is with the
Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed
on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and
the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of
its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then
the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain
is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has
come.
He said, To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed
that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of
all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs
up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth
large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in

its shade. With many such parables he spoke the word

to them as they were able to understand it. Without
parables he did not speak to them, but to his own
disciples he explained everything in private.

Reflection
Today we celebrate our teachers, administrators, staff and
volunteers. These people make it possible for our school
to exist, and we are very grateful for their presence. The
Letter to the Hebrews tells us, You need endurance to do
the will of God and receive what he has promised. When
we think of endurance, we think of people who have the
capacity to work long and hard, and there are no people
who work longer or harder to make this school a success
than our administrators, faculty and volunteers.

When we think of endurance, the first person that comes
to mind is our principal. (Name of principal) is a person
with many gifts and talents. S/he is filled with faith and
by his/her actions teaches us about God. S/he sets the
spiritual tone of the school, and makes sure that we
are not only taught about the Catholic faith, but given
opportunities to live it by arranging school Masses,
retreats, and service projects. For our principal and for all
our administrators, we are grateful.

Our teachers are the backbone of our school community.
They persevere in teaching us even when we dont
always want to learn. Teachers share knowledge with us,
instructing us not only how to read and write but how to
be holy people who follow Jesus. For all our teachers and
aids, we are grateful.

Our teachers serve our school community with their
heads and hearts . They share the joy of learning and
faith with students, keeping the school going in Gods
direction and working hard to maintain its place within
the church and community. Staff and volunteers are
the hands and feet of our school community. They go
where we need them to go and do what we need them
to do. Staff members like (name staff member)keep the
school building functioning by shoveling sidewalks,
cleaning the floors and bathrooms, replacing light bulbs
and fixing things. (are there other staff functions like
working in the principals office? School nurse? Serving
in the cafeteria?) Some of our volunteers help in the
classroom, some help in the lunch room, and some help
after school. Some volunteers help in the school office, or
at sports events, or help raise money for the school. You
may know some of these volunteers as your own family

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St. John the Baptist the Catholic School, Milpitas, CA

Saturday, January 31
Memorial of St. John Bosco,
Priest
Celebrating Our Families

Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19

Brothers and sisters: Faith is the
realization of what is hoped for and
evidence of things not seen. Because of
it the ancients were well attested.

members or neighbors. In all the countless ways our

staff and volunteers work, we are grateful for their loving
contribution to our school community.

Petitions
Reader: Our response is: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our teachers, administrators, staff and
volunteers, that God would pour out many blessings
upon them and help them continue to be excellent
models of patient love and enduring faith, we pray: Lord,
hear our prayer.
We pray for our school and for all Catholic schools, that
we would be a strong community of faith, an enlightened
community of knowledge, and an active community of
service, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the homeless and those who do not have
heat, that they would find shelter and warmth from the
Christian community, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick and the dying, that Jesus would heal
them and bring them comfort, we pray: Lord, hear our
prayer.
We pray for our benefactors, for those who have donated
time, talent and treasure to our school, that they would
be blessed a hundredfold for their generosity, we pray:
Lord, hear our prayer.

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By faith Abraham obeyed when he was

called to go out to a place that he was
to receive as an inheritance; he went
out, not knowing where he was to go.
By faith he sojourned in the promised
land as in a foreign country,
dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob,
heirs of the same promise; for he
was looking forward to the city with
foundations, whose architect and maker is God. By faith
he received power to generate, even though he was past
the normal ageand Sarah herself was sterile
for he thought that the one who had made the promise
was trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one
man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous
as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on
the seashore.
All these died in faith. They did not receive what had
been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and
acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens
on earth, for those who speak thus show that they
are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking
of the land from which they had come, they would
have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a
better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not
ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a
city for them.
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises was ready to
offer his only son, of whom it was said, Through Isaac
descendants shall bear your name. He reasoned that God
was able to raise even from the dead, and he received
Isaac back as a symbol.

Psalm: Luke 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75

Mark 4:35-41
On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his
disciples: Let us cross to the other side. Leaving the
crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he
was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall
came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that
it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on
a cushion. They woke him and said to him, Teacher, do
you not care that we are perishing? He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Quiet! Be still!
The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he
asked them, Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have
faith? They were filled with great awe and said to one
another, Who then is this whom even wind and sea
obey?

Reflection
In the gospel reading today, we hear the story of a storm
that came up on the Sea of Galilee. The waves were large,
the wind was howling, and it was raining very hard. From
this story we learn two things: that even with Jesus in the
boat with them, the disciples still experienced a storm
that made them afraid, and that Jesus has power to calm
storms. Both of these lessons are important for us as
individuals and for our families.

Sometimes we think that being a follower of Jesus means
that nothing bad will happen to us. We think that God
will protect us and our families from accidents, storms,
and getting sick. But what God promises us is good news,
not good times. Christians will experience good things
and bad things that are part of human life
. We dont get an exemption from suffering just because
we are Christians. Difficult times will come in our lives,
and we may get mad, or sad, or afraid, and that is ok. This
is the first lesson in todays gospel.

But it is what we do next that is key. When the storms of

life are raging, we have to remember that Jesus is right
beside us, there in the boat with us, and that he has the
power to end storms. Sometimes, Jesus calms the storm,
and sometimes, he lets the storm rage but calms us. We
can have inner peace when we grab hold of our faith and
remember that Jesus is with us.

As we come to the end of National Catholic Schools
Week, we can be grateful that our faith will see us
through the storms of life. Our families are our first
community, where faith, knowledge and service are lived
every day, a community that shelters us from the storms
of life, and we are thankful for each and every member of
our families.

Petitions
Reader: Our response is: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our families, that parents and children would
learn to trust in Jesus through the storms of life, we pray:
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all people who are experiencing trials in life,
and for those who are afraid, that we would share our
faith with them and help them in practical ways, we pray:
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all those traveling by land, air or sea, that
they would arrive safely at their destinations, we pray:
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the whole church, especially those churches
experiencing persecution, or famine, or natural disasters,
that they would grab hold of their faith and trust that
God will bring them safely through it, we pray: Lord, hear
our prayer.

Author Information
Katherine Schmitt, M.Div., is a lay ecclesial minister with almost two decades of experience serving adults, teens
and children. She works for the Seminary Department of the National Catholic Educational Association and for St.
Nicholas Parish in Laurel, Maryland.
Beatriz Ruiz, an award-winning designer, is manager of graphic design and production at the National Catholic
Educational Association. She has worked for the association for more than 20 years and is a graduate of the
University of Maryland.

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At A Glance
Catholic Schools Week January 25 - 31, 2015
Sunday, January 25

Wednesday

Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Jonah calls the people of Nineveh to
repentance.
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
The world in its present form is passing
away.
Mark 1:14-20
Jesus calls Simon and Andrew, James
and John to follow him.

Hebrews 10:11-18
Jesus, the perfect priest, offered one
sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever
at the right hand of God.
Mark 4:1-20
The parable of the sower, who throws seed
on the path, rocky ground, thorns and rich
ground.

Monday
2 Timothy 1:1-8 (or Titus 1:1-5)
I remind you to stir into flame the gift of
God.
Mark 3:22-30
A kingdom divided cannot stand.

Hebrews 10:19-25
We must consider how to rouse one
another to love and good works.
Mark 4:21-25
Put the lamp on the stand to light the
whole house.

Tuesday

Friday

Hebrews 10:1-10
We have been consecrated through the
offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once
for all.
Mark 3:31-35
Whoever does the will of God is my
family.

Thursday

Hebrews 10:32-39
We need endurance to do the will of God
and receive what he has promised.
Mark 4:26-34
Something as small as a mustard seed can
grow into a large tree, providing shelter for
others.

Saturday, January 31
Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for
and evidence of things not seen.
Mark 4:35-41
Jesus rebukes the storm, and the disciples
ask, Who is this whom wind and sea
obey?

To provide feedback on your Catholic Schools Week activities, please complete the
Quick Feedback form online at www.ncea.org/cswfeedback

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National Catholic Educational Association

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Suite 525
Arlington, VA 22201
800.711.6232
www.ncea.org