Faith Development

Prayer life is very important in St Louis and every day begins with our school prayer. We have class Masses as well as whole school masses and have special liturgies throughout the school year especially throughout the seasons of Advent and Lent. Our Christmas term ends with our annual Carol Service where members of the local community visit the school for this event.

School Prayer

Good morning Lord, thank you for this brand new day. Give me the wisdom to see its possibilities, the strength to face its challenges and the grace to be open to its promise. Give me your heart of love to do a favour, speak a kindness, offer a hand, soothe a hurt, share a sorrow, or in some small way give of myself in love to another in your name. Amen.

Assemblies

Pupils take ownership of Assemblies and use this time to teach each other about special Saints’ days, liturgical times of the year, or simply about how to live as a good Christian!

Charities

What lies at the very heart of being a good Catholic is living out the words of Jesus to love God and to love our neighbour. We, in St Louis, put our words into actions and actively take part in various charitable endeavours for example the annual Shoebox Appeal, the annual Trocáire fast, the Catholics Caring Appeal and fundraising for Cancer Research etc.

School Trips

Every year St Louis pupils and staff travel to Romania in order to have the opportunity to put our faith into action.

Extra Curricular Activities

In St Louis we value time spent together working together or individually in nurturing the gifts and talents given to us by God. We do this in a number of endeavours in school.

We are delighted to formally introduce the members of our Faith Formation Liturgy Team -Molly, Edward, Riona, Harry and Ronan!

Hi, I’m Ronan, I am a Year 14 student and a proud member of the Liturgy Prefect Team. Being part of the Liturgy Prefect team has been an incredibly fulfilling experience. It gives me the opportunity to actively contribute to the spiritual life of our school and to help shape the liturgical practices that bring our community together. I love the responsibility of assisting in organising masses, prayer services, and other religious events, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and meaningfully. One of the most rewarding aspects is seeing the impact of our efforts on others. Whether it’s through preparing the altar, leading prayers, or helping coordinate student participation, I feel a deep sense of purpose knowing that my actions help deepen the faith of our peers. The sense of community that comes from working with fellow prefects, teachers, and students in this way is also very special, it fosters a strong bond among us all. Moreover, being part of the Liturgy Prefect Team has allowed me to develop valuable skills, such as leadership, communication, and teamwork, while also deepening my own spiritual life. It’s a privilege to serve in this capacity, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to our school’s liturgical traditions, making them vibrant and meaningful for everyone involved.

Hello, my name is Molly, and I am a member of the Liturgy team in St Louis. Being a member of the Liturgy team allows me to talk about, live out and promote our faith within our school community. It means I can actively lead, develop, and participate in wide range of events organised with a view aiding development of my own faith formation and the faith formation of my peers. So far this year, we invited our school community to join with us in praying the Rosary on Monday 7 October -Word Rosary Day – in response to Pope Francis’ call to the Christian community to pray for the specific intention of peace in the world. The Liturgy Team also helped to organise a pilgrimage for Sixth Form students to see the relic of St. Bernadette in St. Mary's Chapel Belfast. Whilst here we were honoured to lead one of the liturgies planned to venerate the relic; this involved praying the rosary, hymn signing provided by our Sixth Form Chamber Choir, it was a very reverent experience and time of prayer that we will all reflect on in the coming years. As a young person of faith, to be part of this team alongside my peers feels inspiring, it gives me hope that my generation will be able to carry on the many traditions and great gifts that the Church has given us over the past 2000 years. Being a part of this team, a team that works so industriously to upkeep the faith handed down to us throughout the generations is something I am beyond grateful for. So, thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed upon my life. Amen.

Hello! I’m Edward and this year I have the privilege of being a Liturgy Prefect in St Louis. Some you might be wondering what exactly this consists of. I’ll try my best to explain. What does this big word ‘liturgy’ mean and why is it important in school life? Liturgy is a chance for man to meet God in a simple, beautiful, and personal way; it can take many forms and styles and often knocks on the door of peoples’ hearts to allow God into their lives in a special way. For us as a team (and me personally), we have the ability to create an environment that is alive in Christ; an environment that promotes encounter, growth and love of Christ and places this at the core of life in St Louis. The organisation of faith formation events in school allows us to encounter Him who loves us, and to encounter Him as we interact with each other. I pray that our efforts enable every member of our school community, both past and present, to know the love of Christ.

Hello everyone, my name is Riona, and I am a proud and privileged member of the Liturgy team here at St. Louis. The liturgy prefects work in harmony and unity as a team to promote faith through our school. St. Louis is a Catholic school, and it is such a privilege for me as a young person of faith to bear witness to my faith proudly in my school environment. Our team works to schedule events inside and outside school, to help promote faith development for all here at St. Louis. We are so lucky here to have our own Oratory, located in the original convent building, which we can use for prayer sessions, masses and individual prayer and quiet time. It is a unique feature and has such beautiful embellishments which makes it a spiritual, comfortable and special place for students to get away from the stresses of life when they need to. Faith is so important for the entire community here at St. Louis and is deeply embedded into the culture and ethos of our school. It helps to keep us focused, calm and protected and to strengthen us when we experience times of difficulty in all aspects of our life. We as a team , are dedicated to bringing this to all, giving opportunities to express our beliefs proudly and putting our faith into action. Following our school motto “Ut Sint Unum” That They May Be One, our faith formation work helps to guide us together with its sense of community.

Hello, my name is Harry and I am also proud to introduce myself as a member of the Liturgy Team in St Louis. It is an honour to be part of this team and to be afforded the platform to lead and bear witness to my faith, which is a huge part of my identity as a young Catholic and Christian. I am delighted that my school family has afforded me such a rich opportunity to develop the faith that has been taught to me by my family; a faith that I practice at home and is such a huge part of my life. Being a Liturgy Prefect has broadened my horizons by giving me the opportunity to promote the Word of God in school. For example, just last month, we were honoured to visit the relic of St Bernadette and lead the Hourly Water, Rosary and Litany Liturgy. This alone was a wonderful event and it was so reassuring to see such a public out-pouring of faith on the streets of Belfast. This experience is one among many that will resonate with me throughout my life, long after I have left St Louis.

Cultivating and creating the St Louis Centenary Garden - a bespoke space and place celebrating the interconnectedness between faith, ecology, and education.

In the spirit of Pope Francis' call to care for our common home and inspired by ‘Laudato Si', our school community has embarked on a transformative journey to repurpose a space where our nuns were once laid to rest.

The genesis of this project lies in the recognition of the interconnectedness between faith, ecology, and education. Staff and pupils convened to discuss the creation of a space that would serve multiple purposes – a place for quiet prayer/reflection, an avenue for ecological spirituality, and an outdoor classroom for learning and teaching experiences whilst marking the centenary of the school.

A work in progress.

The decision to repurpose the space where our nuns were previously buried symbolises a transformative shift from a place of resting to a living testament of our commitment to caring for our common home,

A space and place, transformed.

The creation of the St. Louis Garden aligns with the Beatitudes of Pope Francis, specifically the fourth one that emphasises the blessedness of those “who protect and care for our common home”. This project contributes to the faith development and formation of our Catholic school community by embodying the principles of ‘Laudato Si', and fundamentally incorporating the Seven Goals of ‘Laudato Si’. The garden will become a space for reflection, prayer, and communion with nature, fostering a deeper spiritual connection among pupils, staff, parents, the parish, and the wider community – those who use it.

As we tread on this ground, we hope to inspire others to join us on the path of environmental stewardship and the building of God's Kingdom.