“Can We Do That Again?”

To begin Monday’s session, we did an All Saints Day procession. I talked a little bit about what a procession is, comparing it to a parade and how parades usually celebrate victory and the hoisting of a trophy – such as the Stanley Cup here in Chicago! 🙂 We talked about how the Cross of Jesus is a symbol of victory: God’s victory over sin and death.

I had my aide, Daneen, lead the procession, holding a crucifix, and had all of the children carry the symbols they have brought in for our prayer table. 3 kids who did not have personal symbols to carry instead carried the holy water, Bible, and candle. They lined up on one side of the room and I taught them how to respond “pray for us” in a sung litany. We made the Sign of the Cross and then I began intoning the saints’ names to which they responded “pray for us” as they slowly walked around the room. As they came to the prayer table, Daneen took each of the symbols and prayerfully arranged them as the children went to their seats. I wrapped up the Litany of Saints when they were all in place and we made the Sign of the Cross.

I said, “There you go, you just did a procession and a Litany of Saints…be sure to tell your parents!” One of the girls raised her hand and asked, “Can we do that again?” Kids love ritual, don’t they? I told her we’d do another procession in a couple of weeks when we start Advent and set up our Advent wreath. In all, this took about 5 minutes and was a lovely experience of bringing liturgy and catechesis together.

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