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40 Ideas for 40 Days—Lenten Activities: Silence Is Golden (In Honor of St. Joseph)

March 19 is the Feast of Saint Joseph, and he serves as the inspiration for our next Lenten activity. One aspect of St. Joseph’s life is especially fitting for Lent, and that is his quiet nature. The Gospels reveal Joseph as a man of few words and he is revered for his “silence”—his quiet dedication to his family and to hard work. Here’s what Pope Benedict XVI said about Joseph back in 2005: The silence of Saint Joseph […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: A Spiritual St. Patrick’s Day Activity

Joe Paprocki

St. Patrick’s Day falls smack dab in the middle of Lent and, for many, is seen as a “day off” from Lent. A quick search for St. Patrick’s Day activities reveals mainly opportunities to color shamrocks, leprechauns, rainbows, and pots of gold; very little of spiritual value is offered. As catechists, we can still have fun with our young people on St. Patrick’s Day while also teaching something of spiritual value. Here are a few […]

40/40 – Lenten Activities: A Lenten Practices Jar

Joe Paprocki

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

Joe Paprocki

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

Joe Paprocki

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

Joe Paprocki

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 […]

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

Joe Paprocki

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: CRS Rice Bowl

Joe Paprocki

Here we go with your next Lenten activity! Note: In 2013, Operation Rice Bowl was renamed CRS Rice Bowl by Catholic Relief Services. CRS Rice Bowl Bring in 100 pennies and place them on a table in the center of the group. Tell the young people to imagine that these pennies represent all of the earth’s resources and wealth. Ask for 10 volunteers to represent the world’s population. Divide the pennies in the following manner (according to […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days—Lenten Activities: What’s with the Pretzels?

Joe Paprocki

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. What’s with the Pretzels? Ask the children to show a common posture for praying (kneeling or standing with hands folded). Explain that, in the early Church, Christians often prayed with their arms folded across their chests, each hand on the opposite shoulder. […]

40 Ideas for 40 Days—Lenten Activities: Remembering the Lamb

Joe Paprocki

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 holy season. Here is your next Lenten activity. Remembering the Lamb Explain that we refer to Jesus as the “Lamb of God” not because we want to think of him as cute and cuddly, but because lambs were the animal used in sacrifice for the celebration of Passover. Remind the […]