Education Sunday is marked this year on 14 September - just after the new academic year starts. The theme for 2025 is “The Son of Man must be lifted up” taken from St John’s Gospel (John 3:13-17).
Sunday, 14 September 2025
Education Sunday falls on the second Sunday of September (14 September, in 2025) just as the new academic year starts and is one of the oldest Days of Special Prayer in England and Wales, established 175 years ago in 1848. It provides an opportunity to celebrate and give thanks to all involved in making Catholic schools places of enlightenment, as well as to look forward in anticipation of the year ahead.
To help celebrate, the CES has provided a range of resources:
Education Sunday offers an opportunity for us to pray to Almighty God for all people involved in Catholic education, to celebrate the achievements of the past and to ask Our Lord to bless the work of the year ahead.
The following reflection is by Fleur Dorrell, Biblical Apostolate Manager for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales in partnership with the Bible Society.
Here are some quotes about education which may be of use in preparing homilies for Education Sunday.
We have a number of resources available for download to help you engage with this year’s Education Sunday in addition to a series of Bidding Prayers.
