40/40 – Lenten Activities: A Lenten Practices Jar

This Lenten activity is an opportunity for catechists to help young people focus on concrete, practical examples of practicing the Lenten disciplines. A Lenten Practices Jar Sometimes, kids need help in coming up with concrete suggestions for practicing the Lenten disciplines. They also need reminders! A Lenten Practices Jar is a way to do just this: provide suggestions and remind young people to practice the Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, and giving alms. Find a […]

40/40 – Lenten Activities: A Change-of-Heart Tree

On to our next Lenten activity which comes to us from the Christ Our Life program, grade 8 Catechist’s Guide. A Change-of-Heart Tree Have the young people make a Change-of-Heart Tree to show their progress in keeping their Lenten resolutions. Assign a group of young people to design the trunk and bare branches of a tree out of brown paper or felt. Have them glue it to a piece of white fabric or paper (about 3-foot […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days—Lenten Activities: Sacred Art/Budding Artists

This Lenten activity is designed to help catechists engage those young people who are more visual and perhaps even artistically inclined. Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University, developed the theory of multiple intelligences in 1983. Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences or ways of learning: linguistic (word smart) logical/mathematical (number smart) visual/spatial (picture smart) bodily-kinestheticl (body smart) musical (music smart) interpersonal (people smart) intrapersonal (self smart) naturalist (nature smart) Quite often, our […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Praying the Daily Examen

Today’s Lenten activity is one that some catechists are already familiar with and that is the notion of praying the Daily Examen, an Ignatian form of prayer. Praying the Daily Examen Arrange to have a TV/DVD player in your room. Insert any DVD, and press PLAY. (Keep the sound off.) Invite the young people to imagine that they are demonstrating how to use this equipment to someone who has never done so. Say, “I’d like […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: A Group Fast

As a way of helping catechists bring Lent to life for their learners, I am sharing 40 Lenten activities in 40 days. Here’s your next activity… A Group Fast Have a volunteer read aloud Mark 1:12-13 (Jesus in the Wilderness). Point out that during Jesus’ 40 days in the desert he fasted and prayed. Talk about what it means to fast: to do without food. Explain that, during Lent, Catholics practice fasting in order to […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Making a Paschal Candle

OK catechists, today we continue with another Lenten activity… Making a Paschal Candle Ask if any of the young people have experienced a power outage during a storm at night time Talk about how frightening it can be to be surrounded by darkness and how we rely on flashlights and candles to provide light for us at these moments. Explain that we use the image of “darkness” to talk about the bad things that are […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: The 7 Last Words of Christ Scripture Search

Today’s Lenten activity is a Scripture search on the Seven Last Words of Christ. More on that in a second. The Seven Last Words of Christ – A Scripture Search Explain that, before dying, many people speak final words that express their feelings and thoughts at that moment. Invite the young people to identify the speakers of these famous last words (fictional and non-fictional): “Et tu, Brute?”  (Julius Caesar) “I have been and always will be […]

40/40 – Lenten Activities: Operation Rice Bowl and Peace Pole

We continue our “festival” of lenten activities – ideas that catechists can use during these 40 days of Lent. Operation Rice Bowl and Peace Pole   Yesterday, I posted about Operation Rice Bowl. No sooner had I done that then I received an email from a good friend, DRE Terry Bergmann, at St. Julian Eymard Parish in Elk Grove Village, IL, telling me about how she has implemented Operation Rice Bowl at her parish and […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Bury the Alleluia

During these 40 days of Lent, I am offering 40 ideas (activities) to help catechists engage young people around the themes and images of this sacred season. Here is your next Lenten activity: Bury the Alleluia Write the phrase “absence makes the heart grow fonder” on the board and ask if anyone can explain what it means. (we miss something or someone the longer we are without it or them) Point out that during the […]

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