Throughout Lent, a number of catechists weighed in with contributions of their own. I’m pleased to share the following activity with you from a catechist named Greg in my home state of Illinois! Thanks, Greg! A Holy Week Gift Box Hi Joe, I teach my last class before Easter this week on Palm Sunday afternoon (to my 7th graders). I would love to leave each of my students with something as both a “gift” and […]
Today’s Lenten activity comes from an eighth-grade catechist in Ohio who just loves her kids and wanted to share something she does with them during Holy Week. She calls them “Resurrection Eggs,” but they could easily be referred to as “Holy Week Eggs” or “Passion Eggs,” since they help children to recognize various elements of the Passion reading. Resurrection Eggs I found some “Resurrection Eggs.” They are plastic eggs that have a symbol of the Passion, Death, […]
This Lenten activity is an opportunity for catechists to connect Holy Week and the end of Lent to the celebration of Easter. Holy Week Basket We are all familiar with Easter Baskets. This activity takes the Easter Basket and transforms it into a Holy Week Basket in preparation for the celebration of Easter. Place a traditional Easter Basket (filled with that fake green grass!) in the center of the room. In the basket, place a number […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
This Lenten activity is most appropriate for Holy Week and comes from the grade 5 Finding God catechist guide. Unjust Punishment During the Triduum, we recall that Jesus was falsely arrested, accused, and unjustly convicted and executed. Today there are people in various parts of the world who suffer similar injustice. An organization called Amnesty International (AI) works to promote internationally recognized human rights. AI also regularly produces case studies that have been specifically designed for young […]
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