Meditation, Contemplation and Well-being

Serving the spiritual and mental health needs of our children in a time of pandemic

At any time, perhaps particularly in this time of the coronavirus pandemic, the need for each of us to be attentive to the anxieties and disquiets that we may experience is vital. We read in the Bible that Jesus regularly took himself off to a quiet place to pray, away from distractions, to draw near to the Father.

The coronavirus pandemic has massively disrupted life, not just in this country but around the world. People are experiencing dislocation from normal routines, from natural human contact, and isolation from loved ones. Any attempt to calm the anxieties that both adults and children may feel is a right step. The most important step that anyone can take, however, is a step towards God for whom our hearts were made.

In light of the anxieties and pressures our children feel, and in light of each person’s need for God, we are delighted to offer some resources and ideas that teachers can use in classrooms and which parents may use at home. Each of these feature a way into prayer that serves to lead people to Jesus (for example, Christian meditation, Imaginative prayer or Lectio Divina).

A simple guide for teachers and parents on serving the spiritual and mental health needs of our children in a time of pandemic, produced by the Education Commission and the Agency for Evangelisation and Catechesis (Archdiocese of Southwark), 2021