Acts of Worship

The Academic Mass (September): Celebrates the beginning of the new academic year and asks for God‘s blessing upon the community and the year ahead.

Welcome Service: Welcomes the new Year 7 boys and their parents, when they arrive for their first day at St Ignatius.

Holy Days of Obligation: Mass is offered on all holy days that fall within the school week.

Remembrance Service: The College community gathers together in remembrance of all those who gave their lives at the service of their country. During the service the College Captain reads the roll call of those Old Ignatians who are listed on our war memorial and the Headteacher lays a wreath. This is followed by a two minutes silence at 11am.

Advent Mass: Celebrated as preparation for Christmas and to mark the end of the Autumn term.

Ash Wednesday: A service is held which includes the distribution of Ashes.

Tenebrae Service: This Liturgy of Shadows, marks the start of our spring term, as we journey towards Easter. It involves listening to seven reading and extinguishing candles one by one as Christ goes through his passion.

Year 11 Mass of inspiration: Pupils preparing for exams share in the Eucharist asking for God to bless their efforts

Year 13 Mass of Thanksgiving: This Mass celebrates and gives thanks for the contribution made by pupils who have come to the end of their time at St Ignatius College and is an opportunity to pray for God‘s blessing upon all leavers. Parents are warmly invited to attend this Mass which is followed by a farewell celebration.

Reconciliation Service: These services take place during Advent and Lent, providing students and staff with the opportunity to experience the Sacrament of reconciliation.

End of Term Mass of St Ignatius of Loyola: Offered on the last day of the academic year, this is an opportunity for us to thank God for all the blessings we have received throughout the year and to especially remember our patron St Ignatius whose feast we celebrate.

INSET Prayer Service: Staff come together to pray and receive spiritual encouragement.

 

Prayer is an important aspect of our daily life in school.

 

Students have the opportunity to pray and reflect every day in their form groups. Prayers are prepared to follow the Liturgical Year. At 12.18 each day the school community prays the Examen. The Examen is a prayer developed by St. Ignatius and involves a prayerful reflection on the events of the day/week in order to see God’s presence in our lives.

 

During May and October reflections on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary are prayed on Wednesdays in the Chapel.  They also form part of our morning registration prayers during this time. In Lent, the Stations of the Cross, journey through the school, allowing students to reflect and pray. Also, on Wednesdays the Stations of the Cross take place in the Chapel. Members of the Youth Chaplaincy Team lead the reflections and prayers.

 

Students are engaged in many forms of prayer e.g. they write their own prayers and have extempore prayer. During retreats students are given the opportunity to pray and reflect upon their lives.  They experience imaginative contemplation and meditation.

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"It unites us with a shared purpose and helps us become more connected to God. It shows that no one is struggling alone and that we are all here to comfort and respect each other."  

6th Form Student

 

"It helps us focus and makes us closer to God."

Year 7 Student

The Examen is a prayerful reflection from the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola, which can have a powerful impact on the lives of those who use it. The Examen consists of setting time aside each day to reflect prayerfully on the events of the day and where God has been in those events.

 

The Examen is an exercise in the practice of attentiveness to my lived experience and also in the art of discernment - becoming aware of the ways in which God is active in my life and resolving to co-operate better with his gifts and calling.

 

The Examen is prayed together as a community at 12.18pm each day as a way of encouraging pupils and staff to reflect on their experience and to explore the ways in which God is present in that experience.

 

Please click on the document below to download the latest copy of our Examen:

Examen - 23 June 2025

THE PRAYER FOR GENEROSITY

Lord Jesus,
Teach me to be generous,
To serve you as you deserve;
To give and not to count the cost;
To fight and not to heed the wounds;
To toil and not to seek for rest;
To labour and not to ask for any reward,
Save that of knowing I do your will. Amen.

Beatum pangimus

Patrem Ignatium

Qui lancea restituit

Crucis imperium

 

1. Te, Dominum laudamus

Laetantes hodie,

Misisti militanti

Ecclesiae robur.

Qui in diebus suis,

Bellator inclytus,

Surrexit ut spes nostra,

Sed mors pestiferis.

 

2. Dum saucius iactaris

Inani gloria,

Mirifica imago

Cor tuum surripit,

Iam vides Christum ducem

Novam militiam,

Et stimulis amoris

Amplexus es crucem.

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We acclaim our father, Ignatius,

Who, with a soldier’s strength,

Restored the reign of the Cross.

 

1. We praise you, Lord

And rejoice today

For you sent a strong defender

To your people.

In the days of his youth

He was famous in battle;

Now he is raised up to be our hope

To destroy all that brings us harm.

 

2. As Ignatius lay wounded,

Enticed by dreams of glory,

A vision of strange and wonderful

Power seized his heart;

He saw Christ as his leader,

In a new pattern of service.

And spurred on by love

He took up Christ’s cross.