Our Catholic Life
The Liturgical Year is the cycle of seasons and feasts through which the Church celebrates the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It provides a rhythm of prayer, worship, and reflection that helps Catholics grow spiritually throughout the year.
The Liturgical Year includes seasons such as:
- Advent – a time of waiting and preparation
- Christmas – celebrating the birth of Jesus
- Ordinary Time – reflecting on Jesus’ teaching and ministry
- Lent – penance, prayer, and preparation for Easter
- Holy Week – the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ
- Easter Season – celebrating Jesus’ resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
Each season is marked by liturgical colours, prayers, Scripture readings, and traditions that help the community focus on particular themes of faith. These are updates in each of our classrooms.
At St William of Perth, the Parish plays a vital role in supporting pupils and staff in marking these holy seasons through Masses, prayer services, celebrations, parish projects, and shared acts of worship. Together, the school and parish ensure that children experience the Liturgical Year in meaningful, age‑appropriate and faith-filled ways.
How We Celebrate the Liturgical Year at St William of Perth
We celebrate the seasons of the Liturgical Year through RE lessons, collective worship, Masses, prayer stations, assemblies, and parish involvement. Our prayer stations reflect the season through symbolic colours, themed prayers, Scripture, and visual reminders that help deepen pupils’ understanding.
Our Priests Father Neil and Father David support us throughout the year by leading Masses, penitential services and special liturgies that help us live our faith more fully in the light of Christ.
Below is an overview of how we mark the key aspects of the Liturgical Year.
Year 3 lead our Harvest Festival, giving thanks for the season’s blessings. We celebrate God’s generosity by sharing with others, offering donations to our local food bank. Together, we live out our CST calling to act with compassion, gratitude, and justice for all in our school and community. During Advent we also donate Advent calendars so that everyone regardless of economic income and are able to count down Advent and celebrate Christmas.
Fr blessed each class’s Advent wreath with holy water, reminding us of God’s presence as we begin this special season. Advent is the four‑week period of preparation for the coming of Jesus. It is a time of waiting, hope and reflection, as we prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ’s birth at Christmas. Throughout this liturgical season, the children learn about the symbolism of the Advent wreath, the candles and the themes of hope, peace, joy and love. Each class has changed their prayer areas to purple, the liturgical colour for Advent, to show that we are preparing spiritually during this sacred time. This also gives our students the opportunity to receive confessions.
EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2 worked together to create a heart‑warming Nativity play that helped everyone appreciate the true meaning of the season. The children retell the story of Jesus’ birth with joy, confidence and wonder, bringing each moment to life through song, acting and narration. Their performances highlight themes of love, hope and kindness, reminding the audience about the joy of Christ's birth.
We marked Ash Wednesday with a school Mass for KS2, while KS1 and EYFS took part in gentle penitential services. The children learned about Lent as a time of reflection, prayer and making good choices. Receiving ashes reminded everyone of God’s love and our call to grow closer to Him. This also gives our students the opportunity for confessions.
Years 3 and 4 led a moving Passion Play, thoughtfully retelling the final days of Jesus’ life. Through narration, drama and prayerful reflection, the children guided the school community through key moments of Holy Week, including the Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, the trial and the Crucifixion. Their reverent performances helped everyone appreciate the depth of Jesus’ love and sacrifice. The Passion Play offers a moment of stillness, reflection and faith for our whole school community.
The Marian Procession is a beautiful whole‑school tradition that brings our community together in prayer, reflection, and gratitude as we honour Mary, the Mother of Christ. With reverence, children and staff offer a vibrant bouquet of flowers—symbolising love, devotion, and the simple gifts of our hearts—alongside prayers that celebrate Mary’s faith, courage, and care for others. This act of collective worship not only deepens our spiritual connection as a school family but also extends our mission of service beyond our gates, as the flowers are later donated to local churches, care homes, and community groups, sharing our blessings and bringing joy, comfort, and hope to others.
One morning on his way to daily Mass, William found an abandoned baby at the church door. He adopted the child, named him David, and taught him his trade. This act of compassion is one of the reasons he is honoured as the patron saint of adopted children. We are inspired by his kindness and devotion to God.
Celebrating Mass on the feasts on All Saints, St Peter and Saint Paul, the start of the school year, the Celebration First Holy Communion and other Holy Days of Obligation reminds us of our unity with the universal Church. These days honour key witnesses of faith and call us to gather, give thanks, and deepen our commitment to living the Gospel. During our leavers Mass we thank God for the time our children have been in our school and pray for them during their transition to secondary school.
The Story of St William of Perth
St William of Perth lived a long time ago in Scotland. When he was young, people said he could be a bit wild, but as he grew older, he decided he wanted to live a good and holy life. He became a baker, and he was very kind. Every day he baked lots of bread, and he always gave every tenth loaf to people who were poor so they would not be hungry.
William went to church every morning. One day, he found a tiny abandoned baby on the church steps. Instead of walking away, William picked up the baby gently and decided to raise him as his own child. He named the boy David and taught him how to bake bread too.
Years later, William decided to go on a pilgrimage, a long journey to holy places to show his love for God. He took David with him, and on their way they stopped in Rochester, England. Sadly, something terrible happened there. David, the boy William had looked after and loved, turned against him and killed him, hoping to steal from him.
Even though the ending of William’s life was very sad, something amazing followed. A woman who was mentally poorly found William’s body. When she placed a garland of flowers on him, she was healed. People believed this was a miracle from God.
Because William had lived so kindly—helping the poor, adopting a child who needed love, and giving his life during a holy journey—the Church later made him a Saint. He became known as the patron saint of adopted children, and many pilgrims visited his shrine in Rochester to pray and ask for healing.
St William inspires us to be kind, generous, and caring, even when life is difficult.
Heavenly Father, Creator God,
We thank you that you have made us in your own image and given us joy in making something beautiful for You in these panels.
We pray that You will use them to draw others to You.
We thank You for the good example of St William of Perth.
May we, like him, be generous to the poor, kind to those in need and walk closely with you throughout our lives.
To find out more about St William of Perth, please click on the link below.