Photo was taken at Ennismore Retreat House, Cork (Irl)

You could call it designer and only nature could come up with such beauty.

Thought on Saturday – June – 11/06/2016

‘There are more than 10,000 ways for life to unfold when one takes that last step out the door of the school and into the great adventure of life. Exams provide one stepping stone on that journey, but they are a means to an end rather than an end in themselves.’ ~Maria Byrne

The Junior and Leaving Cert exams started yesterday across Ireland. The weather as we all knows comes really good when the exams start! For so many students the long wait is over. It is an anxious time for so many starting the exams and also an anxious time for parents. Everyone agrees it is an unfair system, that everything seems to rest on the outcome of these exams. Everyone who has done exams knows that there is always life after exams but for those doing the exams this is hard to see sometimes. But there is always a bigger picture. Exams are stepping stones in life. Education is life long and many opportunities will unfold no matter what happens with the exams taking place over the next week or so.

They say exams are not there to catch anyone out but to find out how much a student knows. So let’s hope and pray that each exam will give every student an opportunity to show how much they know. Saint Joseph of Cupertino is the patron saint for those doing exams. He struggled big time with study and exams. Somehow he always scraped through. Today he is a friend to everyone doing exams. We pray to him to gently calm, direct and help every student starting their exams today.

Exam Prayer for Students

Lord pour out your Spirit of Wisdom on me

Help me to remain calm

To attend carefully to the questions asked

To think clearly, to remember accurately

and to express myself well.

Grant that I may reflect the best of the work I have done,

and the best of the teaching I have received.

Help me not to become unduly stressed.

Lord I place all my trust in you.