Teaching the Sacred Liturgy to Children

Teaching the

Sacred Liturgy

to ChildrenLiturgical Catechesis and Formation

Information and Preparation Celebration and Participation Vocation and Transformation

Our Game Plan• Some Challenges in teaching

Children about the Sacred Liturgy.

• Why is the Sacred Liturgy so important?

• Why is teaching about the Sacred Liturgy so important?

• Focus on four catechetical ways to teach about the Sacred Liturgy.

• Share some ideas that seem to be working.

The Cheerio SolutionCommon Mistakes

Sometimes …We ignore children completely.• We see the Liturgy is an Adult

Experience• If they are ignored in and by the

Liturgy, why would the want to be interested in it.

We infantilize the Liturgy.• We create “liturgies” that are childlike

or even childish.• The Liturgy celebrated with children

should always be modeled after, flow from, and return to the Communal Celebration of the Holy Mass on the Lord’s Day.

A Reality and a Goal• Children are baptized

Christians.• Children have a right to pray

and worship with the assembly.• That right implies a

responsibility of the Church to help them pray and worship with the assembly.

• Children should learn more and more of what it means to be a member of the worshipping assembly as appropriate for their age and development.

A Birthday Party

Challenges to Teaching Children about the Sacred Liturgy

So how do we teach children about the Liturgy?

• It takes attention. Liturgy means work! • We can’t rely completely on osmosis.• Be intentional. • Start early … or wherever they are!• The process is ongoing. It bears repeating. • Spiral, rather than linear. (Birthday Party)• There is no "graduation" from liturgical

catechesis. There may be ebb and flow. • Balance between the different stages,

expressions, and experiences of Catechesis.

GUIDING PRINCIPLE

Lex Orandi

Prayer, Belief, Life Worship, Faith,

Witness

Lex CredendiLex Vivendi

How you pray reflects what you believe.

What you believe calls you to a certain way of living.

Liturgical FormationPreparation and Information Celebration and ParticipationVocation and Transformation

EnvironmentalFormalExperientialMystagological

Why is the Sacred Liturgy so Important?

Sacrosanctum Concilium Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy

• Increase vigor in the Christian life of the faithful (CSL1)

• Help us manifest the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church.(CSL2)

• Builds us up into a holy temple of the Lord, the dwelling place for God in the Spirit (CSL2)

• Brings us to mature measure of the fullness of Christ. (CSL2)

THE CONSTITUTION ON THE SACRED LITURGY

• Strengthens our power to preach Christ and show the Church to all the nations. (CSL2)

• Gather the scattered children of God together until there is one sheepfold and one shepherd. (CSL2)

• Encounter the presence of Christ is always present in His Church, especially in her liturgical celebrations. (CSL7)

• God is perfectly glorified and we are sanctified. (CSL7)


• Is a sacred action surpassing all others; no other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same title and to the same degree. (CSL7)

• Is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed and at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows. (CSL7)

• Gives us a foretaste of the heavenly liturgy. (CSL8)

• Moves the faithful, filled with "the paschal sacraments," to be "one in holiness" (CSL10)

• Draws the faithful into the compelling love of Christ and sets them on fire. (CSL10)


Why is the Liturgical Catechesis so Important?


11. … Pastors of souls must therefore realize that, when the liturgy is celebrated, something more is required than the mere observation of the laws governing valid and licit celebration; it is their duty also to ensure that the faithful take part fully aware of what they are doing, actively engaged in the rite, and enriched by its effects.

14. Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that fully conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy. Such participation by the Christian people as a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people, is their right and duty by reason of their baptism.


In the restoration and promotion of the sacred liturgy, this full and active participation by all the people is the aim to be considered before all else; for it is the primary and indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive the true Christian spirit; and therefore pastors of souls must zealously strive to achieve it, by means of the necessary instruction, in all their pastoral work.


85. Christ is always present in his Church, especially in liturgical celebrations. Communion with Jesus Christ leads to the celebration of his salvific presence in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist. The Church ardently desires that all the Christian faithful be brought to that full, conscious and active participation which is required by the very nature of the liturgy and the dignity of the baptismal priesthood.

THE GENERAL DIRECTORY FOR CATECHESIS

General Directory for Catechesis, 85

85. For this reason, catechesis, along with promoting a knowledge of the meaning of the liturgy and the sacraments, must also educate the disciples of Jesus Christ "for prayer, for thanksgiving, for repentance, for praying with confidence, for community spirit, for understanding correctly the meaning of the creeds...", as is all of this is necessary for a true liturgical life

THE GENERAL DIRECTORY FOR CATECHESIS

23. Catechesis is intrinsically linked with the whole of liturgical and sacramental activity, for it is in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist, that Christ Jesus works in fullness for the transformation of human beings.

CATECHESI TRADENDAECatechesis in Our Time

Catecheis Tradendae, 23

23. Catechesis always has reference to the sacraments. On the one hand, the catechesis that prepares for the sacraments is an eminent kind, and every form of catechesis necessarily leads to the sacraments of faith. On the other hand, authentic practice of the sacraments is bound to have a catechetical aspect. In other words, sacramental life is impoverished and very soon turns into hollow ritualism if it is not based on serious knowledge of the meaning of the sacraments, and catechesis becomes intellectualized if it fails to come alive in the sacramental practice.

CATECHESI TRADENDAECatechesis in Our Time

THE DIRECTORY FOR MASSES WITH CHILDREN

8. A fully Christian life is inconceivable without participation in the liturgical services in which the faithful, gathered into a single assembly, celebrate the paschal mystery. Therefore, the religious initiation of children must be in harmony with this purpose.


The Church baptizes children and therefore, relying on the gifts conferred by this sacrament, it must be concerned that once baptized they grow in communion with Christ and each other. The sign and pledge of that communion is participation in the Eucharistic table, for which children are being prepared or led to a deeper realization of its meaning.

This Liturgical and Eucharistic formation may

not be separated from their general education, both human and Christian; indeed it would be harmful if their liturgical formation lacked such a basis.


9. For this reason all who have a part in the formation of children should consult and work together toward one objective: that even if children already have some feeling for God and the things of God, they may also experience in proportion to their age and personal development the human values that are present in the Eucharistic Celebration.


These values include – the community activity, – exchange of greetings, – capacity to listen;– to seek and grant pardon, – expression of gratitude, – experience of symbolic actions,– a meal of friendship,– and festive celebration.

Eucharistic catechesis … should develop such human values.


10. The Christian family has the greatest role in instilling these Christian and human values. Thus Christian education, provided by parents and other educators, should be strongly encouraged in relation to the liturgical formation of children as well. By reason of the duty in conscience freely accepted at the baptism of their children, parents are bound to teach them gradually how to pray. This they do by praying with them each day and by introducing them to prayers said privately.


11. The Christian communities to which the individual families belong or in which the children live also have a responsibility toward children baptized in the Church. By giving witness to the Gospel, living communal charity, and actively celebrating the mysteries of Christ, the Christian community is an excellent school of Christian and liturgical formation for the children who live in it.


12. Even in the case of children, the Liturgy itself always exerts its own inherent power to instruct. Yet within religious-education programs in the schools and parishes the necessary importance should be given to catechesis on the Mass. This catechesis should be directed to the child's active, conscious, and authentic participation. Suited to children's age and capabilities, it should by means of the main rites and prayers of the Mass, aim at conveying its meaning, including what relates to taking part in the Church's life.


13. Various kinds of celebrations may also play a major role in the liturgical formation of children and in their preparation for the Church's liturgical life. By the very fact of such celebrations children easily come to appreciate some liturgical elements, for example, greetings, silence, and common praise (especially when this is sung together). But care must be taken that the instructive element does not become dominant in these celebrations.


15. While all that has been said remains true, the final purpose of all Liturgical and Eucharistic Formation must be a greater conformity to the Gospel in the daily life of the children.


So how does this all happen?

• Environmental Catechesis (Indirect)• Formal Catechesis (Direct)• Experiential Catechesis • Mystagological Catechesis

Foreign Language Class• The learning environment. • The vocabulary and grammar. • The Overseas Trip: Immersion!• Using the language.

Liturgical FormationLex CredendiPreparation and Information: Environmental CatechesisFormal Catechesis

Lex OrandiCelebration and ParticipationExperiential Catechesis

Lex VivendiVocation and Transformation: Mystagological Catechesis

• Indirect• Situation/Location• We are products of our

environment.• Tan line from the sun • Family Life• Basic Signs and Symbols • Liturgical Colors• Ritual experiences. • How do we celebrate birthdays in

the classroom?• What are we doing for November?• The Word

1. Environmental Catechesis:

2. Formal Catechesis

• Direct• Information• Curriculum• Meaning and Mystery• Words and Vocabulary• Postures and Gestures• Texts and Responses• Whys and Wherefores• Theology

2. Experiential Catechesis• Celebration• What does celebration mean?

observe, commemorate, make known publicly, proclaim, praise widely, present widespread and favorable public notice, perform with appropriate rites and ceremonies, solemnize

• Full, Conscious, Active Participation

• Getting their Attention• If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing

well. • Liturgical Ministries

4. Mystagological Catechesis• Transformation • Vocation• Mystagogy: Unpacking the Mystery• What just happened? What does it

mean? To them?• What did you see, hear, say, feel, etc.?• Don’t explain it away before hand. • It’s not just another experience and

then moving on to the next experience.• How are we different or supposed to

be different from what we experienced?

• Example: Sacrament of Penance and Rite of Reconciliation

The Witness of the Catechist

• Our Mystagogy• Prayerfulness• Full, Active, Conscious

Participation• Enthusiasm• Authentic Testimony• Our own expression of

Faith, Worship, and Witness

• Faithful, not perfect.

Important Ritual Components

• The Liturgical Year• The Catechumenal

Process• Signs and Symbols

• Word• Language• Song

• We best teach Liturgy to children if we are people of the Liturgy in our own lives.

• Make ritual a part of every class/gathering.

• Do as little explanation about its meaning as possible before. Unpack following

• Temporarily leave the role of teacher and be participant. For instance, don’t discipline children during the Liturgy unless it is absolutely necessary.

• Assign children and teenagers, as appropriate, to be readers, candle bearers, cantors, etc.

• Develop parish-wide or school-wide rituals.

Reverend Johannes Höfinger, SJ“Here is the last and most

decisive reason why teaching through worship is superior to all other forms of Christian teaching: the liturgy gives what it teaches, it not only presents the mystery of Christ concretely: it also lets us immediately participate in this mystery.”

Visible Signs• Incarnational• reaches out to the whole person

(body and soul)• The senses. • The body is included by actually

doing things: – going to the Church, – genuflecting, – kneeling to pray, – standing for a Gospel– reading, – using holy water – and making the sign of the cross

Go into the Church!• The Church building itself! • Dome, symbolizing the dome

ofheaven;

• pointed arches pointing upwards like hands in prayer;

• The centrality of the altar• Stained glass windows. • Images • Font• What else?

In the Classroom…• Use a Crucifix, ad crucem• A prayer table, center, place, or

“classroom altar”. • Candles • A beautiful book copy of the

Sacred Scriptures.• A clean white cloth represents

Christ’s shroud at death and his swaddling clothes at birth.

• Liturgical colors for the seasons.• The Saint of the Day• Advent Wreath, Easter Water,

etc. • Sacred images and icons.

Catechize from and for the Whole Treasuryof the Liturgy

• Its not only the Holy Mass• The Liturgical Life that

flows from the Mass.• Adoration and Benediction• Divine Office• Sacrament of Penance • Example: Blessing of

Animals

Family Catechesis

• Parent Meetings• PTO• Social Media• Getting Ready for

Sunday• Indirect and Direct• Environmental • Experiential • Put resources in their

hands.

SOME PRACTICAL IDEAS

Reflecting on Thanksgiving DinnerBreaking Open the Word Getting Ready for SundayPenance ServiceHoly Thursday Morning Prayer

Thanksgiving Dinner • Where is it?• What happens to get ready for

dinner?• Who is there?• Who isn’t there? • Who sits where?• What do you eat?• Who does the talking?• What do you talk about? • What happens when dinner is

over?

Breaking Open the Word

• Eighth Graders• Small Group• Lunch or Snack• Readings• Questions for Reflection• Ideas and Images • What would you say in the homily?• What should I say in the homily?

Social Media BlastGet Ready for Sunday | October 20, 2013This Sunday’s Gospel will encourage us to be

persistent. We know we get results when we are persistent in our exercise regimen, athletic training, and practice of a musical instrument. It’s the same way in our relationship with God. When we are persistent in our prayer and participation in the Mass and the Sacraments, we get a very special result: grace, strength, and courage. Let us be persistent! Masses or the Lord’s Day at Saint Catherine Laboure Church, are Saturday at 4:30 p.m., and Sunday at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 7:00 p.m. See you in Church!

Penance Service

• The Rite of Rite of Reconciliation of Several Penitents with Individual Confession and Absolution

• Communal Proclamation of Praise

• Environment

Holy Thursday Morning Prayer

• The Liturgy of the Hours

• Don’t have to invent something!

Catechetical Methodology Liturgical Catechesisby Marianne Cuthbertson and Caroline Fareyhttp://www.thesowerreview.com/Subscribers/Files/File/pp14-16_Catechetical_methodology.pdf

Liturgy, Catechesis, and Conversion by Barbara Morgan

http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2005/bmorgan_catech1_oct05.asp

http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/

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Teaching the

Sacred Liturgy

to ChildrenLiturgical Catechesis and Formation

Information and Preparation Celebration and Participation Vocation and Transformation

Education

Teaching the Sacred Liturgy to Children