1. Catholic Education Week 20-26February 2011 Thoughts for the Day Adapted from SCES website

2. Introduction This week is Catholic Education Week. When the Pope visited the UK in September, he had a special message. He says the future of the Church belongs to young people. He also gives a challenge that we live our faith openly:  “Grow in holiness: become saints of the 21st century.”

3. Monday  This week we have 2 aims:  first: to learn more about the mission Jesus gives us and that Pope Benedict reminds us of: “to change the world”.  second, to live our faith openly and grow in holiness  Today we pray that we change the world and that we live our faith openly and grow in holiness by following the words of Jesus:  “Love one another as I have loved you.”

4. Tuesday  We remember Pope Benedict’s words of encouragement: “lead lives worthy of the Lord”. He reminds us that we are special because we are all children of God. Sometimes we forget we have this dignity. Yet we know God has an unending love for each one of us. Today we pray that we allow Jesus to fill our heart, so that we are at home in God’s love and we share that love with others, especially with those in need.

5. Wednesday  When Pope Benedict invited young people to become saints, he was asking us not to settle for “second best”. He was warning us of the danger of looking for happiness in the wrong places. He asks us to have the courage to see that “true happiness is to be found in God alone”. Today we pray to recognise the gifts that God gives us and to live out of those gifts. Then we can find our happiness in God.

6. Thursday  Pope Benedict says:  “Think of all the love that your heart was made to receive, and all the love it is meant to give. After all, we were made for love.” We are grateful for all the love we have known, that has made us who we are today. This love teaches us what is truly important. This love lives in our hearts. Today we ask God to help us to choose love so that we help others and we build a better world.

7. Friday  Pope Benedict reminds us that faith is in everything we do. We can live our faith openly and be glad of the help it gives us. The Pope also tells us that we need to spend time with Jesus in prayer and in moments of silence “because it is in silence that we find God and discover our true self”. Today we make time to be silent, to be still with Jesus and to hear his voice.