Creating an HSC Youth Mass

HSC Prayers for Inclusion in your Bulletin & during your Mass

A Student’s HSC Prayer
Lord, you have loved me into life and I thank you. In this exam period, give me a calm heart and quiet confidence in the knowledge that you hold me in the palm of your hand. Bless me with keen understanding and a retentive memory. Give me the ability to grasp things correctly, and express myself clearly. Help me to look beyond this time of exams and see clearly whatever you are calling me to be in life. Show me my gifts and talents and help me to have the courage to use them to love others, to give you glory and to leave this world a better place. Amen.

A Parish HSC Prayer
Heavenly Father, we bring before you our HSC students. Give them the gifts of wisdom, right judgement, knowledge and courage. Bless them with calm hearts and clarity of mind as they sit for their exams. May they be affirmed in their efforts and may they know that you are there with them. We pray that they will stay calm under pressure and work to the best of their ability. May they feel your loving presence in their lives, now and always, and may they be strengthened by the prayerful support of us, their parish community. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen

Making the HSC Youth Mass Special

Welcome Team
Have your friendliest parishioners on welcoming duty at the door to make the students and their families feel completely at home in your parish. Some of them may not have visited for a while.

Wear your Year 12 Jersey
Ask all parishioners to wear their past Year 12 leaver’s jersey to the HSC Mass as a sign of solidarity with the current HSC students (it also makes for a colourful Mass!) The Year 12’s should this as well. It helps you know whether any have turned up to your mass.

Pray specifically for the Year 12 students Present
Include petitions for the students in your Prayers of the Faithful. At some point in the Mass, invite HSC students to stand, or come out the front, to receive a special blessing in preparation for their exams.

Prayers of the Faithful

Petitions can be downloaded to be read during Mass or shared on your social media platforms. Click here to access.

HSC Prayers of the Faithful (Individual) (zip file)

HSC Prayers of the Faithful (All) (Pdf & Image file)

Give each student an “HSC survival pack”
If you can calculate approximately how many students would come to your Mass, have little care packages ready for them with items such as these in them (but get creative!):

  • A copy of the Students Prayer (see above)
  • The name of one or more parishioners who have promised to pray for them specifically throughout the HSC exam period.
  • A treat or two (little boxes of “Smarties” or “Nerds”)
  • Some chamomile tea bags or something similar
  • A summary of parish Reconciliation and Mass times, as well as upcoming youth group/event dates and details.
What is CYP doing to help you?

Social media assets will be shared online for you to download. CYP HSC Prayer Cards and Stress Balls can be provided for you to offer Year 12 students who attend the Mass. If you would like us to provide these to you, please email the approximate number of Year 12 students that you expect to attend your HSC Mass to eleanor.bonwick@parracatholic.org or direct message us on Facebook or Instagram @catholicyouthparra