Lenten Activities Archives - Page 4 of 6

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Palm Weaving & Braiding

Here’s another Holy Week Lenten activity that gives catechists the opportunity to introduce children to the popular custom of palm weaving & braiding. Palm Weaving & Braiding Palms are sacramentals – “sacred signs instituted by the Church” (CCC 1667). They represent our homage and loyalty to Christ the King, who was hailed as king as he entered Jerusalem to the waving of palm branches. Catholics have long displayed palms in their homes after Palm Sunday […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Scenes From Holy Week

Joe Paprocki

Onto our next Lenten activity – Scenes from Holy Week – an opportunity for catechists to help their young people to focus on some of the dramatic events in the life of Jesus that take place during Holy Week. Scenes from Holy Week This activity is based on a Blackline Master from the Finding God program, Grade 5. Invite the young people to imagine that they have been invited to draw the cover for the parish bulletin […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Palm Crosses

Joe Paprocki

This is another Palm Sunday/Holy Week Lenten activity. For this one, we go to a Web site called King of Peace and learn how to make palm crosses. Palm Crosses This activity comes to us from King of Peace Episcopal Church in Kingsland, Georgia. This is something that can be done with children and families right after Palm Sunday Masses or at religious education classes held during Holy Week. For this activity, click here. You may […]

40/40 – Lenten Activities: Make a Paper Palm Branch

Joe Paprocki

To help catechists prepare their young people for Palm Sunday, this Lenten activity demonstrates how to make a paper palm branch. For this activity, we visit a site we have been to before: http://www.sundayschoolkids.com/activities-lent-easter/1-straw-palm-instru.htm. Make a Paper Palm Branch Here’s how the folks at Sunday School Kids describe this activity: After having experienced distributing of real palm fronds in Sunday School for many years, I think paper palms are much safer. I’ve had palm fronds […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Triduum Triptychs

Joe Paprocki

Here’s another Lenten activity that is a good opportunity for catechists to prepare young people for Holy Week. It is from the Christ Our Life series (grade 8). Triduum Triptychs Have the young people fold a sheet of construction paper into three equal parts. While the paper is folded, have them cut the top of it into the shape of an arch. At the top of each section, have them write the name of the […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: The Passion and Resurrection Activity Centers

Joe Paprocki

Today’s Lenten activity may be of more interest to DREs than to catechists, however, knowing catechists, they will be able to find ways to adapt some of the activity centers to their classes. Following is an Intergenerational Event which is designed to conclude with a Good Friday prayer service. Activity Centers for Intergenerational Event: The Passion and Resurrection of Our Lord This entire intergenerational event is available on the Loyola Press Web site. Here is […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: An Examination of Conscience

Joe Paprocki

Today’s Lenten activity is an opportunity for catechists to help prepare young people to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Lent, of course, is a season of repentance. For Catholics, the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is an intimate encounter with the Lord’s mercy and forgiving grace. A good confession should always be preceded by an examination of conscience. An Examination of Conscience Fill a glass bowl or a tall drinking glass halfway with […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: HCA Mission Stations of the Cross

Joe Paprocki

This Lenten activity is an opportunity for catechists to combine prayer and almsgiving and to help those they teach to develop an appreciation for the Missions, specifically through the Holy Childhood Association (children helping children). UPDATE: This resource is no longer available from HCA, now Missionary Childhood Association. Founded in 1843, the Holy Childhood Association is an international organization whose membership is made up of students in Catholic elementary schools and religious education programs; it is […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: The Scrutinies

Joe Paprocki

This Lenten activity focuses on the celebration of the rites called the Scrutinies which are celebrated with the catechumens (those to be baptized on Holy Saturday, now referred to as the Elect) on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent. To scrutinize means to examine something very closely. When we celebrate the Scrutinies at Mass, we are not scrutinizing the Elect. Rather, they are scrutinizing their own lives before God and we are called […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: The Desert Experience

Joe Paprocki

Today’s Lenten activity is an opportunity for catechists to explore with children the lenten image of the desert. We all know that the image of the desert plays a very important role in Scripture, especially the desert experience of the people of Israel (40 years of wandering) and the temptations of Jesus in the desert. The desert has long been a very important Lenten image. Unfortunately, too often only the negative aspects of the desert […]