Angelus or Regina Caeli during the Easter Season?

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The Regina Caeli is a Marian prayer synonymous with the Easter Season. Traditionally, it replaces the Angelus during this time. Some schools have asked whether they should adopt this during the Easter Season. There is no system position regarding this. Rather, this is a local decision. This decision might be influenced by the age of the students and their readiness to adapt to a new prayer for the Easter period, and the custom and practice of the local parish.

One particular difficulty for our schools is that the holidays fall during the Easter Season and this may work against students learning another new prayer.

Last year a number of schools prayed the Regina Caeli during the Easter Season and will do so again this year. Importantly, they prepared the students for this change.

If schools take the decision not to pray the Regina Caeli each day, they are still encouraged to raise awareness of its relevance to the Easter Season. This might be best done through the school newsletter.

As with a number of other prayers, there are slightly different versions of the Regina Caeli. The one with which the students might be most familiar is the version from the KWL textbook. It reads:

V. Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
R. For Christ, your Son and Son of God, alleluia.

V. Has risen, as He said, alleluia.
R. Pray to God for us, alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray.

God of life, you have given joy to the world by the Resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the prayers of his mother, the Virgin Mary, bring us to the happiness of eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Any questions about this should be directed to the Religious Education and Evangelisation team on 9568 8246.

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