Opportunities for prayer and liturgical celebration are an essential aspect of Our Lady of Mercy College Burraneer’s overall Religious Education Program. These opportunities allow students to discover and respond to the depth of God's love for them. There are also opportunities for students to find their worth as a person of love, created in the image of a God who is love – a person who is loved for who they are and not what they are.

While there is diversity in the faith backgrounds of the students who attend Our Lady of Mercy College, all students will be given the opportunity to know, understand and value the religious and spiritual part of what it is to be fully human. Students will be challenged to grow in personal faith and commitment and to arrive at an understanding of themselves and of life as a journey in faith. Students will be challenged to accept, and give commitment to, the fundamental values taught by Jesus in the Gospels.

The Faith Development and Spiritual Formation Program at Our Lady of Mercy College strives to be true to the charism of the founder of the Mercy Sisters, Catherine McAuley. Within the 4 years of the students’ time at Our Lady of Mercy College, they are given the opportunity to discover and experience the love of God for humankind, and celebrate this love in a spirit of Joy and Hope.

Variety of Opportunities and Contexts

A variety of opportunities and contexts for prayer and liturgical celebration are part of the life of Our Lady of Mercy College and include:

• daily morning prayer as a central part of the routine of morning roll call. Opportunities are given for prayers of praise, thanksgiving, intercessions and the sharing of our hopes and needs within the College community during this time each morning.

• prayer and liturgical experiences to mark important events and feast days and conducted within a variety of different sized groups from class, year and whole school groups.

• prayer as a central part of all scheduled staff and student meetings within the school community

• a variety of prayer and liturgical forms in class, year and whole school groupings that highlight key events in the Liturgical Calendar and events of importance for the College community.

• eucharistic experiences in class, year, and whole school groups.

• the Reflection and Retreat programs which provide students and staff with unique opportunities for very positive experiences of Christian community in the prayer and liturgical forms that can be promoted in these settings.

• regular prayer at the commencement of lessons and as part of the programing of various R.E modules


Variety of Liturgical Celebrations

Whole School Eucharistic Liturgies:
• Opening College Mass – including Induction of College Leaders
• Feast Day Mass (Mercy Day)
• Final (Christmas) Mass (Years 7-9)

Special Eucharistic Liturgies:
• Opening Staff Mass – combined with De La Salle Cronulla, St. Aloysius Cronulla and St. Francis de Sales Woolooware.
• Year 10 Graduation Mass
• Mass on Year 10 Retreat

Religious Education Class Liturgies:
• Prayer Service as part of each R.E. module

Other Liturgical Formats:
• Ash Wednesday Liturgy
• Holy Week Liturgy
• Penitential Service (during Lent)
• Mary Help of Christians (24 May) Prayer Service
• Feast of the Assumption (15 Aug) Prayer Service a
• Remembrance Day (11 November) Prayer Service