GRADUATION LITURGY 2018
Diversity, Unity, Community
Entrance hymn: Gathered as One
Many faces, the young and the old, gathered as one in our God!
Throughout history the story’s retold, gathered as one in our God!
Like those come before us, we listen and learn.
We remember the promise and await your return.
So without hesitation a new generation proclaims the salvation of God!
Gathered as one in Jesus your Son, lifting our voices in praise,
we know and believe and long to receive
the word that is strength for our days, gathered as one!
Many voices raised up in song, gathered as one in our God!
In one family where all can belong gathered as one in our God!
Like those come before us, we listen and learn.
We remember the promise and await your return.
So without hesitation a new generation proclaims the salvation of God!
Introduction:
This evening we are here to remember, to pray, to hope and to sit side by side with one another in support.
We are a community – made up of many people who have different hopes, different dreams, and somehow, maybe it is fate or maybe a blessing we have ended up as a part of this particular community with people we now call our friends.
Let’s time to thank God for this community; for family, for the friends we have made and for the teachers and staff of Pobalscoil Neasáin.
It is a time mixed with sadness and joy.
We are joyful in moving forward but sad to leave a lot behind.
We pray for our upcoming exams and for success in them.
Our theme tonight is diversity, unity, community.
We take this opportunity to welcome you all into this community with us tonight as we celebrate our Graduation.
We welcome our celebrants: …….
To reflect on some of the characteristics of the class of 2018, Students will introduce some thoughts on our year group while the students bring up symbols to visually tell of our time spent here in….
Symbols of the Class of 2018
A Rubik’s cube. This represents the diversity within our year group, although we may be different we all work together to create one community.
The flags of all the different nationalities of our year, which shows just how diverse in nationalities we are.
A vinyl, a symbol of how community is created through music in our school environment.
Sports awards. It shows that with teamwork and unity we can achieve amazing things when we come together.
Drama faces which represent the many productions that we have been in throughout the years. They have brought us together as audiences and as performers.
A book which highlights the educational aspect of …. Despite what our teachers may think we actually do look at a book now and then.
Our first photograph together as a year group and a seed, both represent the beginning of our journey in …, the founding roots.
As time goes on the seedlings grow together. A friendship bracelet As our journey in … is coming to a close and whilst we’ll be sad to leave, we have the knowledge and skills … have given us, fully blossomed just like the plant brought up along with our photograph as sixth years.
Although we may be finishing in … and going our separate ways we have a whole new adventure in front of us, a blank canvas and some paintbrushes represents this.We decide our future and our path is what we make it.
Celebrant: In the name of the Father, Son + and the Holy Spirit,
All: Amen.
Celebrant: May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
All: And with your spirit.
Penitential Rite
For times when we get carried away and are unfair to people
Lord have mercy
All: Lord have mercy
For times when we let anger get the better of us
Christ have mercy
All: Christ have mercy
For times when we failed to respect ourselves and others around us
Lord have mercy
All: Lord have mercy
Opening Prayer
Grant us, Lord our God,
that we may honour you with all our mind,
and love everyone in truth of heart.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
All: Amen
LITURGY OF THE WORD
An Chéad Léacht:
Sliocht as leabhar Geineasas,
Sa bhliain sé chéad d’aois Naoi, sa dara mí, agus sa seachtú lá déag den mhí sin – an lá sin féin phléasc toibreacha uile an duibheagáin mhóir, agus osclaíodh comhlaí uisce neimhe. Bhí sé ag fearthainn ar an talamh ar feadh daichead lá agus daichead oíche. An lá sin féin is ea a chuaigh Naoi isteach san áirc lena mhic Séam, Hám agus Iáfat, agus triúr ban a mhac, agus in éineacht leo gach ainmhí de réir a gcineáil, an t-eallach go léir de réir a gcineáil, gach péist a shníonn ar talamh de réir a gcineáil, an éanlaith go léir de réir a gcineáil, gach éan de gach sórt. Chuaigh isteach san áirc le Naoi cúpla ar chúpla de gach feoil ina bhfuil anáil na beatha. Chuaigh isteach, más ea, fireannach agus baineannach den uile chineál is feoil, mar a d’ordaigh Dia dó.
Sin é briathar Dé.
Buíochas le Dia.
A reading from the book of Genesis
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.
On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah.
The word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Psalm:
All the Ends of the earth sing a joyful song
Sing to the Lord, there is salvation.
All the ends of the earth sing a joyful song.
Sing to the Lord, there is salvation.
Second Reading:
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Corinthians
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honourable we treat with special honour. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honour to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.
The word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Alleluia: Seinn Alleluia
GOSPEL
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
This is the Gospel of the Lord
All: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
Homily
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
We pray for our families during our time in … they have helped us and have made sacrifices for us – may they will always know that we love them.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us.
We pray for our teachers – especially those who are retiring – may they find contentment in knowing that they have made a difference in the lives of the students they have taught.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us.
We pray for those who are sick in body, mind or spirit that they will find strength and healing in the love from the people who surround and care for them.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us.
We remember those who have died – especially those who are close to us – may they be at peace and know that we remember them.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us.
We pray for those who were once part of our year group; that the roads they have taken lead them to happiness and inner peace, may they know that they will always be a part of our story.
Lord hear us,
Lord graciously hear us.
We pray for inspiration and calm in our exams and that we may achieve our goals.
We pray for our future; that we can take the lesson of diversity, unity and community with us and use it to better the lives of those whose paths we cross.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us.
We pray for the Class of 2018 – may they be blessed with happiness, success and love in their lives and remember the lessons they learned here in … and the memories they made. May You guide them over life’s mountains as they journey to follow their dreams.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us.
Climb Every Mountain
God our father, we offer all our prayers to you this evening, asking You to hear them and be present in every situation we have evoked. You clothe the grass of the field in such splendour, we believe that You know our needs and will provide.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
CEREMONY OF LIGHT
Blessing of the Flame:
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Let us pray.
Lord God, Father almighty,
You are the unfaltering light.
You are the creator of every light.
Bless this fire,
and grant that after the darkness of this world we may,
take this light and transform the lives of those we encounter;
may we be one in communion with others
especially the poor and those on the margins of society
we ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen
Significance of the Flame:
The flame that you see flickers, it is constantly moving, glowing and full of energy. When we light our candles, each will be diverse and individual in their own way, and yet we are ignited by the one flame. This flame represents our school. Though we are all different we have come together in unity to be lit by this flame.
As candles are being lit all Sing:
I’ve Got a Light
I’ve got a light, I’m gonna let it shine
I’ll never walk again in darkness
I’ve got a light, I’m gonna let it shine.
I’ve got a light that lets me see
I’ve got the light of life in me.
I invite a student to come forward, to take the flame of Diversity, Unity and Community and light the flame of the class of 2018. This flame will be burning for you in the oratory, every day during your leaving certificate as a sign of the support you have from your community and as a sign that God is with you through it all. May you let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven.
We ask this through Christ our Lord
All: Amen
As we extinguish our candles, we let go of the flame and watch the smoke rise up into the world. Remember the flame we were all once lit from, the one that gave us the chance to burn.
We bring all our hopes and dreams into your caring hands father as we say the prayer you taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed by thy name;
thy kingdom come, thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
PRAYER FOR PEACE
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles, Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
The Peace of the Lord be with you always.
And with your spirit.
Let us pause for a few moments to remember one thing for ourselves for this evening.
Reflection: Thanks!
One day I sat down and relaxed
and went back over the last year.
I thought of all I could be grateful for:
the people I met who helped me;
the people whom I love and who love me;
the times someone seemed to care.
And I was grateful too for the times
I could help another,
show some care,
And make life a bit easier for
family, friends, students, colleagues
and all I contact.
And I thought of health and of faith,
For having good food to eat,
and a warm bed to sleep in
and enough to live on.
Problems and worries came to mind to:
The worries of others,
my faults and failings,
but in the atmosphere of thanks
they seemed less intense.
As I go back over the years
I realise that there are
so many things I could say thanks for.
I’m here now and enjoy the memories,
I feel the thanks.
Thanks – such a small word
And yet it has great meaning,
Thanks – a word that brings us alive,
For what once was, can always give life.
Thanks – a word that keeps us humble,
for we know that we depend on others.
Thanks – a word that keeps us joyful,
for we know in every day
there are the meetings and the memories,
for the help and support, given and received.
May we always be people who are truly grateful
to others and to God
for what makes life worthwhile.
Remember this moment,
remember this day,
remember last week,
remember all times,
And be grateful!
And for one last time as this school community may we say our school prayer.
All: Let there be respect for the earth
Peace for its people
Love in our lives
Delight in the good
Forgiveness for past wrongs
And from now on a new start.
Amen
Final Blessing
Let us bow our heads as we receive our final blessing
God has given us the power
To create beauty
To make another smile
To be a healing presence in someone’s sorrow
To bring justice to the oppressed
To console people in difficulty
To bring joy and peace to others
To help people in need
To laugh and enjoy life
To do good and turn from evil
To forgive those who have hurt us
And, most of all to love.
Let us pray that God will continue
to grace us with love and mercy
and the power to spread that love to others
during our journey
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son,
+ and the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
All: Thanks be to God!
True Colours