Children and the Lord’s Prayer
Children at primary schools in the West of England have taken part in a special “Lord’s Prayer” project run by the Catholic Union’s Education Committee. The project is also supported by an ecumenical group – Christian Projects. A London-based group, LOGS, based at the Church of the Most Precious Blood at London Bridge, also took part, covering schools across Greater London and Surrey.
In the 2017 Children’s Handwriting and Artwork Project, children at primary schools in Somerset, Berkshire, Devon, Wiltshire and Hampshire showed their understanding of the Lord’s Prayer by writing it out and answering questions about it. The project followed a similar venture in 2016 for schools in Yorkshire and Lancashire.
Children were also asked to explain the meaning of “hallowed” and “trespasses” and many of them showed that they fully understood what these words meant.
Joanna Bogle, who leads this programme, has devised a simple leaflet that is sent to voluntary aided primary schools – mostly Catholic or Church of England – inviting them to take part in the project and the entries came pouring in to the Catholic Union office.
Education committee chairman Priscilla Sharp said “The aim is to help teachers to encourage children to get to know and appreciate this beautiful prayer”
“The judges were impressed with the children’s work – it is always hard choosing who should get prizes. There were some fine examples of really good calligraphy – and some excellent answers to the questions.”
Every child taking part in the project received a commemorative prayer card with the words of the Lord’s Prayer, and the best entries received specially-commissioned prayer books.