Liturgical Seasons & Feasts Archives - Page 34 of 43

They’re Here! 40 Ideas for 40 Days of Lent AND My New Book!

Just in time for Lent! I’m happy to once again provide my very popular 40 Ideas for 40 Days of Lent – a resource that provides catechists and families with 40 practical, creative, and inspiring catechetical activities for the Lenten season, many of them placed specifically on days/dates to which they connect in the Lenten liturgical calendar. This year, to keep things fresh, I have included 7 brand new ideas, one for each week of Lent. […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Last Supper Craft

Joe Paprocki

This activity is called Last Supper Craft and comes to us from a Web site called Catholic Icing. It is ideal preparation for Holy Thursday and is based on Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper Painting. The nice thing is that Lacy, the host of the Web site, is kind enough to share her printables which make this craft possible. She has a nice tutorial that leads you step by step through creating this simple work […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Good Deeds Bracelets for Lent

Joe Paprocki

This activity is called Good Deeds Bracelets for Lent and it comes to us from Arma Dei. They describe it this way: Inspired by St. Therese, this bracelet works similar to other good deed bead bracelets, as the beads slide and stay in place, recording each good deed, extra prayer (foregone opportunity to complain) or sacrifice. Arma Dei sells a craft kit that contains everything you need to create these bracelets. Be sure to take […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Salt Dough Crown of Thorns

Joe Paprocki

Today’s activity – a Salt Dough Crown of Thorns – can be found in many places on the Internet, I am drawing from a couple of Web sites: Ten Kids and a Dog and Three Sided Wheel (which has an excellent tutorial) Basically, you make a salt dough and then roll out the dough into 3 long rolls/ropes. Next, you braid the rolls/ropes and shape it into a circle. Add toothpicks (loosely) to represent the thorns, asking forgiveness […]

Catechists in Action – Dan Ward Segment 6

Joe Paprocki

In this segment of Catechists in Action, 7th grade catechist Dan Ward continues to work with his students to prepare them for Christmas. Watch as Dan… invites his students to take 3 minutes to think of what they need to do to prepare for Jesus’ coming invites volunteers to share their ideas shares an idea of how he and his family are going to prepare for Christmas httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2SlSHFTlvs

It’s Not Too Early to Start Thinking LENT!

Joe Paprocki

Believe it or not, LENT is only 4 weeks away! With that in mind, I’m happy to once again provide you with a number of Lenten resources right here on my blog, beginning with the popular 40 Crosses Lenten Calendar idea created by my friend Victor Valdez, a DRE in Mountain View, CA. Thank you, Victor, for sharing this idea with us. With help from some folks here at Loyola Press, we’ve updated the calendar for […]

Catechists In Action #3 – Dan Talks About Advent/Christmas Preparations and the Sacrament of Reconciliation

Joe Paprocki

In this segment of Catechists in Action, we watch as 7th grade catechist Dan Ward talks with his students about preparing for Christmas and the coming of Christ and about preparing to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation the following week. Watch for the following as Dan: multi-tasks: teaching while also distributing materials pauses and shushes students when they get innattentive gives the students a writing activity to do but creates a sense of urgency by […]

A Nativity Play According to Luke

Joe Paprocki

Click here for a Nativity Play that was sent to me by Karen from Elizabeth, Illinois, who writes: Hi Joe, If anyone needs a “bomb proof” script for the Nativity Play, a children’s production, for this year, please pass along the attached file. It’s based on the Gospel of St. Luke, this year’s cycle. It also starts right at the Prologue, a unique tool used by Luke. We’ve taken selected readings from Chapter 1, then continue […]

Holy Week Activity – Looking for Clues in the Good Friday Passion

Joe Paprocki

Here’s what I’ll be doing this evening with my 4th graders: After our opening prayer, I’ll have my aide, Daneen, take those students who have yet to finish their final assessment into the neighboring room so that they can complete the test. Meanwhile, I’ll meet with each of the students who have completed their test to go over their results with them. As I’m meeting with them individually, I’ll have them work on a Holy […]

A Word That Will Rouse Them

Joe Paprocki

May this line from the First Reading for Palm Sunday inspire us as catechists as we enter this HolyWeek and beyond! The Lord has given me a well-trained tongue, that I may know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. (Isaiah 50:4) Lord, grant that we may speak a word that will rouse all who we teach!