Celebrating the Mass Lesson- Consecration

(This lesson is in accordance with the new Roman Missal that is to be implemented on November 27, 2011.)

*Be sure to adjust this lesson to fit the needs of your students.


(Please take in consideration that I am just a Mom and I'm providing these lessons and activities to the best of my abilities. I will try to make them as accurate as possible, but I know I will make a few mistakes and it was not intentional.)



There are several Eucharistic Prayers that can be used by the priest at Mass. They all have a common form and they can differ somewhat, but there are key parts you will always recognize. These are the Thanksgiving, the Acclamation, the epiclesis, the institution narrative and consecration, the anamnesis, the offering, the intercessions, and finally the great doxology.

The Thanksgiving (expressed especially in the Preface) is when the priest, in the name of the entire holy people, glorifies God the Father and gives thanks for the whole work of salvation or for some special aspect of it that corresponds to the day, festivity, or season.

The Acclamation is when the whole congregation, joining with the heavenly powers, sings the Sanctus. This acclamation, which is part of the Eucharistic Prayer itself, is sung or said by all the people with the priest.

The Epiclesis is a prayer petitioning God to send the Holy Spirit so that the offerings at the Eucharist may become the Body and Blood of Christ and thus the faithful, by receiving them, may themselves become a living offering to God.

In all of the Eucharistic Prayers, the action of the priest during this epiclesis over the bread and wine is the same. He places his hand, palms down, over the bread and wine as he says the prayer, then makes a Sign of the Cross over them with his right hand.

The institution narrative and consecration is a retelling of what Jesus did on the night before he died. As the priest recites the words of the institution of the Eucharist, he recounts what Jesus said and did at the Last Supper when he offered his Body and Blood under the species of bread and wine, gave them to his Apostles to eat and drink, and left them the command to continue this same mystery.

Every Eucharistic Prayer contains an anamnesis or memorial in which the Church calls to mind the Passion, Resurrection, and glorious return of Christ Jesus.

Offering- By which, in this very memorial, the Church—and in particular the Church here and now gathered—offers in the Holy Spirit the spotless Victim to the Father. The Church's intention, however, is that the faithful not only offer this spotless Victim but also learn to offer themselves, and so day by day to be consummated, through Christ the Mediator, into unity with God and with each other, so that at last God may be all in all.

(The intercessions and doxology will be discussed in the next two chapters.)


*Review with the students the Eucharistic Prayer that you use at your church.



As the priest recites the words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper, we kneel and pray silently.

*If the church you attend stands during the Eucharistic Prayer, you should make a solemn bow during the consecration of the bread and the wine. You will notice the priest genuflecting after he lifts up both the bread and the wine. This is your signal to bow solemnly in an act of adoration to our Lord who is now present under these forms.

*If you are kneeling, you should bow your head at this moment.


The consecration is when the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. Transubstantiation is the change of the entire substance of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ at the Consecration of the Mass. Priests change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ by repeating at the Consecration of the Mass the words of Christ: “This is My Body . . . this is My Blood.”



Bell Ringing - The bells should be rung by an altar server at specific times during the Mass as is the local custom in your parish. Typical times for ringing the bell are:

• Once, when the priest makes the Sign of the Cross over the gifts and calls on the Holy Spirit to come upon the gifts.
• Once at the elevation of the Consecrated Host.
• Once at the elevation of the Consecrated Wine.

Sometimes the bell(s) are rung three times in some parishes in honor of the Trinity; bells rung three distinct times for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But this is up to the parish priest.



Questions:

What does the bread and wine become? (The Body and Blood of Christ.)

What happens during the consecration? (It is the moment when the bread and wine become The Body and Blood of Christ.)

What is the change of the entire substance of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ called? (Transubstantiation)

Who changes bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ? (The priests.)

How is the bread and wine changed into the body and blood of Christ? (Priests change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ by repeating at the Consecration of the Mass the words of Christ: “This is My Body . . . this is My Blood.”)

What do we call the special meal in which Jesus shared bread and wine with his friends? (The Last Supper.)



Crafts:

Introduce craft: How can we remember the reason we celebrate Communion?

Last Supper (chalice)- make a colorful chalice

Jesus in the Holy Eucharist Craft The Catholic Toolbox

dltk-bible.com- Last Supper Key Chain
This simple keychain craft reinforces the memory verse from John 6:35.




Holy Thursday/Last Supper Craft by catholicicing.com- an easy craft based on the famous Leonardo da Vinci Last Supper painting.



These activities below are free, however they can only to be used for classroom and personal use. They may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted. All graphics/images/clipart etc. used on these activities are not my own and are from various internet sources.





“Do this in memory of me.”- directions and template


Directions:

1. Students cut out circle and glue in the middle of a paper plate.

2. Have students put a thin layer of glue where there is red on the chalice. Sprinkle with red glitter.

3. Have students put a thin layer of glue where there is gold for the Body of Christ. Sprinkle with gold glitter.

4. Students continue decorating the edges of the paper plate with glitter and various other craft supplies.



Game:

Last Supper File Folder Game- Play individually or in teams and work your way around the game board answering questions about the Last Supper. If you are correct you roll a die and move your marker in your row in any direction you want. If you land on a colored space, you can move on row toward the center with “Last Supper”. Play continues until a team or player reaches “Last Supper”.

Celebrating the Mass Lesson- Holy, Holy, Holy

(This lesson is in accordance with the new Roman Missal that is to be implemented on November 27, 2011.)

*Be sure to adjust this lesson to fit the needs of your students.


(Please take in consideration that I am just a Mom and I'm providing these lessons and activities to the best of my abilities. I will try to make them as accurate as possible, but I know I will make a few mistakes and it was not intentional.)



At this part of the Mass we praise God with all the angels. We praise God’s power, might, and glory. We call out “Hosanna” which is a Hebrew word that means “pray” or “save us”. Sanctus is the Latin word for “holy”. The name of this prayer is the Latin Tersanctus meaning “three holies,” because “holy” is repeated three times at the very beginning of the prayer.

The Priest, with hands extended, continues the Preface. The People are still standing.

At the end of the Preface he joins his hands and concludes the Preface with the people, singing or saying aloud:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Or:

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dóminus Deus Sábaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra glória tua.
Hosánna in excélsis.
Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini.
Hosánna in excélsis.


At the end of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” in most churches you will kneel. There are some churches in which kneelers are not present and the custom may be to stand.



Questions:

How many times do we say the word holy? (Three times.)

Who are we praising? (God)

What does Hosanna mean? (Pray or save us.)

What does Sanctus mean? (Holy)

Are we standing or sitting during Sanctus? (Standing)



Activities:

catholicmom.com- Catechist Resources for Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
Sanctus and Communion Invitation- lesson with Responding in the Second Half (of Mass) Worksheet (page 2), We Respond during the Liturgy of the Eucharist worksheet (page 3)



Games:

The following games are from nashvilleras.com- More than 100 Missions Bible Memory Games and Other Activities

Check Out- Write Holy, Holy, Holy or Sanctus on a chalk or white board, inserting an incorrect word between each two words of the prayer. Students take turns “checking out” an incorrect word. When all, have been “checked out,” let the students read the prayer together. Erase. Let each student say the prayer.

Dot the Verse- Print the prayer to be learned in a random fashion on a sheet of paper with a dot in front of each word. Make copies for each student. Have the students connect the dots in proper
order. Repeat until each student can say the prayer.

Fading Verse- Write the prayer to be learned on a chalk or white board. Erase one important word at a time while repeating the prayer each time. Continue until all words are erased and the prayer is learned.

Hand Down- Display the prayer. Let the students read the prayer aloud. Remove the prayer. Tell each student to raise his or her right hand. Ask a volunteer to lower his or her hand if he or she knows the first word of the prayer. Let him say the first word. Write it on a chalk or white board. Follow the same steps with each word in succession until the entire prayer is again displayed.

Hang the Verse- Print each word of the prayer to be memorized on a separate 3” x 5” card. Stretch a small rope between two chairs (or you can do it along the chalk tray of the chalk board). Use clothespins to pin each word in a jumbled fashion on the rope. Have students alternate to move one word at a time one space per move to put the prayer in order. Repeat until all students have learned the prayer.




The activities below are free, however they can only to be used for classroom and personal use. They may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted.


Holy, Holy, Holy Game- Review Sanctus with the class and discuss. Divide the class into teams. Say the first 3 words of Sanctus (English or Latin version that you use at your church). Have Team #1 fill in the next 3 words. If they are correct, they get a point. If they are incorrect, Team #2 gets a try. Continue with saying only 3 words to Sanctus and have a team fill in the next 3 words. The team with the most points wins.

*For younger students you can write Sanctus on the board as you review it with them. Have your students sit in a circle. Say the first 3 words of Sanctus (English or Latin version that you use at your church) and toss a small ball to one student. That student must fill in the next 3 words (they can look on the board). Then they toss the ball to any student. Continue game until the students have learned Sanctus.



Puzzles:

Holy, Holy, Holy- Crossword

Sanctus- Crossword



Worksheet

Holy Worksheet- For younger students have them fill out the worksheet. Go over worksheet with students. Try playing the game above (the younger student version) and allow students to place their worksheets in front of them to use when needed.

Celebrating the Mass Lesson- Preparation, Prayer, Dialogue

(This lesson is in accordance with the new Roman Missal that is to be implemented on November 27, 2011.)

*Be sure to adjust this lesson to fit the needs of your students.


(Please take in consideration that I am just a Mom and I'm providing these lessons and activities to the best of my abilities. I will try to make them as accurate as possible, but I know I will make a few mistakes and it was not intentional.)



There is a sequential order to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. First, the priest prepares the gifts. Then they are blessed. Next we share Holy Communion.

“Eucharist” is a Greek word that means to “give thanks”. The Eucharistic Prayer, also called the anaphora (a Greek word meaning “offering”), is the very heart of the Mass.

Once the priest has been given the bread and wine, both are taken and placed on the altar. The people are still sitting and the priest, standing at the altar, takes the paten with the bread and holds it slightly raised above the altar with both hands, saying in a low voice:

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
the bread we offer you:
fruit of the earth and work of human hands,
it will become for us the bread of life.

Then he places the paten with the bread on the corporal.

If, however, the Offertory Chant is not sung, the Priest may speak these words aloud; at the end, the people may acclaim: Blessed be God for ever.


The Deacon, or the Priest, pours wine and a little water into the chalice, saying quietly:

By the mystery of this water and wine
may we come to share in the divinity of Christ
who humbled himself to share in our humanity.

The Priest then takes the chalice and holds it slightly raised above the altar with both hands, saying in a low voice:

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
the wine we offer you:
fruit of the vine and work of human hands
it will become our spiritual drink.

Then he places the chalice on the corporal.

If, however, the Offertory Chant is not sung, the Priest may speak these words aloud; at the end, the people may acclaim: Blessed be God for ever.

After this, the Priest, bowing profoundly, says quietly:

With humble spirit and contrite heart
may we be accepted by you, O Lord,
and may our sacrifice in your sight this day
be pleasing to you, Lord God.

If appropriate, he also incenses the offerings, the cross, and the altar. A Deacon or other minister then incenses the Priest and the people.

Then the Priest, standing at the side of the altar, washes his hands, saying quietly:

Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

Standing at the middle of the altar, facing the people, extending and then joining his hands, he says:

Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters),
that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God,
the almighty Father.

The people rise and reply:

May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good
and the good of all his holy Church.

Then the Priest, with hands extended, says the Prayer over the Offerings, at the end of which the people acclaim: Amen.

Then the Priest begins the Eucharistic Prayer. Extending his hands, he says: The Lord be with you.

The people reply: And with your spirit.

The Priest, raising his hands, continues: Lift up your hearts.

The people: We lift them up to the Lord.

The Priest, with hands extended, adds: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

The people: It is right and just.



Questions:

“Eucharist” is a Greek word that means to do what? (“give thanks”)

The Eucharistic Prayer, also called the anaphora which is a Greek word meaning what? (“offering”)

Are the people standing or sitting when they say:

May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good
and the good of all his holy Church.
(Standing)

How do we respond after the priest says the following:

Extending his hands the priest says, “The Lord be with you.”

People: (“And with your spirit.”)

The Priest, raising his hands, continues: “Lift up your hearts.”

People: (“We lift them up to the Lord.”)

The Priest, with hands extended, adds: “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.”

People: (“It is right and just.”)



Activities:

catholicmom.com- Catechist Resources for Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
Invitation and Preface- lesson with Sequin Heart Craft (page 2), Woven Paper Heart Craft (page 2)



The activities below are free, however they can only to be used for classroom and personal use. They may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted.


Worksheet:

Preface Dialogue Matchup- Match what the priest says (the blue cards) to what the people say (green cards). Glue the cards next to each other in the proper order onto construction paper.



Puzzle:

Preparation, Prayer, Dialogue- crossword
For younger students you can do this together on the board.



Game:

Tic Tac Toe- This game is for 2 players or you can divide your class into 2 teams. Draw a large tic tac toe grid on the chalk board. Establish which team will be X and which team will be O. Ask Team #1 a question (according to their abilities) about the lesson they just studied. If they are correct, they get to put an “X” or an “O” on the tic tac toe grid. If a team is unable to answer a question, the other team may have an opportunity to answer it and score an "X" or "O". If no one is able to answer the question, play continues as before. The first player or team to get three in a row wins!


Examples of questions:

1. Ask the students how we respond to what the priest says.

2. Does the priest wash his hands during this part of the Mass? (Yes)

3. “Eucharist” is a Greek word that means to do what? (“give thanks”)

4. Once the priest has been given the bread and wine, where are they placed? (Both are taken and placed on the altar.)

5. What is placed below the bread when the priest holds it slightly raised above the altar saying in a low voice:

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
the bread we offer you:
fruit of the earth and work of human hands,
it will become for us the bread of life.

(The paten.)


6. If, however, the Offertory Chant is not sung, the Priest may speak these words aloud; at the end, the people may acclaim what? (“Blessed be God for ever.”)

7. The Priest then takes the chalice and holds it slightly raised above the altar with both hands, saying in a low voice:

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
the wine we offer you:
fruit of the vine and work of human hands
it will become our spiritual drink.

Where does the priest place the chalice after he says this? (He places the chalice on the corporal.)



8. There is a sequential order to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Put the following in order:

(You can write this on the board.)

Bless the gifts
Prepare the gifts
Share Holy Communion

(First, the priest prepares the gifts. Then they are blessed. Next we share Holy Communion.)



Mix up the people’s response and have the students tell you what is wrong.

Examples:

1. “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good, and the good of all his Church.” We do not say that any more. We now say, “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church."

2. “We lift our hearts up to the Lord.” We should say, “We lift them up to the Lord.”

3. “And also with you.” We do not say that any more. We now say, “And with your spirit.”

4. “It is right to give him thanks and praise.” We do not say that any more. We now say, "It is right and just."

5. “Bless be God.” We should say, “Blessed be God for ever.”

Celebrating the Mass Lesson- Our Gifts

(This lesson is in accordance with the new Roman Missal that is to be implemented on November 27, 2011.)

*Be sure to adjust this lesson to fit the needs of your students.


(Please take in consideration that I am just a Mom and I'm providing these lessons and activities to the best of my abilities. I will try to make them as accurate as possible, but I know I will make a few mistakes and it was not intentional.)



In most churches a basket is passed around and the people can contribute some money to help support the church. The Church uses that money to help pay for the Church expenses and contributions for the community and around the world. It takes money to buy various things like candles, instruments, books, music, etc. The money is also used for missionaries, charities, running the church, church maintenance, food for the poor, etc.

During the collection, we are sitting and a hymn is sung while the altar is being prepared and the gifts are being assembled. A corporal, purificator, Sacramentary, paten, and chalice are all placed on the altar. We continue to sing while our gifts as well as the bread and wine are brought from the congregation to the presider of the Mass in a procession.

Tithing is our contribution to the support of the Church; formerly one tenth of one’s yearly income given to the Church. The word tithe means 10%. A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. Lev. 27:30, 32. This means that a tenth of everything your land produces (company produces, or what you make) belongs to God.

Many verses in the Bible touch on the subject such as:

(You can have your students look these up in the Bible.)

Gen. 14:20
Gen. 28:20-22
2 Chr. 31:5-6
Neh. 10:35-39; 12:44
Matt. 23:23
Luke 11:42



Questions:

Do we sit or stand during the preparation of the gifts? (Sit)

What things do we (or our parents) give to the church? (Money, time, food for the poor, coats and clothes for people who need them, etc.)

What is the money given to the church used for? (Missionaries, charities, running the church, church maintenance, food for the poor, etc.)

What else is carried to the presider of the Mass along with our gifts of money? (The bread and wine.)



Crafts:


catholicicing.com- Church Piggy Bank

shereebirrell.blogspot.com- I Can Pay Tithing, Budget, and Save Money craft

christiancrafters.com- Tithing Bank

thehometeacher.org- Tithing Box Printable




Games:

These games below are free, however they can only to be used for classroom and personal use. They may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted. All graphics/images/clipart etc. used on these games are not my own and are from various internet sources.



Tithing- A simple game to help reinforce tithing to young children.


Introduction: Tithing is our contribution to the support of the Church; formerly one tenth of one’s yearly income given to the Church. The Church uses that money to help pay for the Church expenses and contributions for the community and around the world.

Directions: Give each player 5 tokens (play money, poker chips, milk caps, etc.) to represent their tithing (money that they have put aside to give to the Church). Put one small basket on the table to put the donations in. Place your marker on any space on the game board. Each player in turn rolls the die and moves their marker along the board. They may go forward or backwards or follow any branch of the board they wish, as long as they only go one direction within a turn. This means that you can go forward or backward, but only forward or only backward in a single turn. When a player lands on a space that has a basket on it, they pick up a Game Card and read it out loud (if they cannot read it, someone else can read it for them). Then they put their donation (1 token) into the basket and their turn is over. The first player to donate all their tithing money wins.








How much do you tithe?- Try to figure out how much you should tithe as you move around the board.


Place your marker on START. Roll the die and move that many spaces. Follow the directions on the space. If you land on a space with the picture of Tithing on it, the player to your left draws a card and reads it out loud. The player is asked "What is 10% of ___?" If the player answers correctly they stay where they are. If they are incorrect, they move back 2 spaces. If you land on the piggy bank that is hungry, you did not put God first and spent all your money. You did not leave any money to do tithing and therefore lose your next turn. If you land on Tightwad, all other players say “TIGHTWAD!” because you refuse to give any money so you must change places with the player that is closest to START. Players roll the die and continue to move around the board. The first player to FINISH wins.















Christianopoly (file folder game)- The object of the game is to learn the responsibility of good financial stewardship; making the right decisions about the money we have and managing it wisely. This includes being able to pay necessary bills at home, putting aside for the things you want, and taking care of your family. Not only do you have bills to pay, mortgages, insurance, etc. you must pay taxes, make donations and do tithing as well.



Worksheets

ministry-to-children.com- “Learn about Tithes and Offerings” Bible Worksheet

pullingcurls.com- Primary Tithing Worksheet

Church Potluck Recipe: Shoe Peg Corn Salad

Need something cool for a hot summer day and easy to make? Here is a great recipe I got from a friend years ago. Every time I bring it to a church potluck the casserole dish always comes back home empty.




Shoe Peg Corn Salad

Vegetables:

1 can French cut green beans (drained)
1 can Le Seur small peas (drained)
1 can Shoe Peg corn (drained)
1 (2 oz.) jar pimento (drained)- (I usually do not put this in.)
1/2 c. green onion (chopped)
3/4 c. green pepper (chopped)


Dressing:

1/2 c, vinegar
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c salad oil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper


Mix the dressing in a pot and bring to a boil. Cool completely and pour over vegetables that are thoroughly drained. Put in refrigerator and serve the next day cold.

Sign of the Cross Craft

Here is a cute craft I found to help little ones learn the Sign of the Cross.

loyolapress.com- Sign of the Cross Necklaces

Celebrating the Mass- General Intercessions (Prayer of the Faithful)

(This lesson is in accordance with the new Roman Missal that is to be implemented on November 27, 2011.)

*Be sure to adjust this lesson to fit the needs of your students.


(Please take in consideration that I am just a Mom and I'm providing these lessons and activities to the best of my abilities. I will try to make them as accurate as possible, but I know I will make a few mistakes and it was not intentional.)



In the Prayer of the Faithful we pray for the needs of all the Church, living and dead. We ask for God’s help for all of humanity. We call on God in petition to intercede in our lives with help and guidance.

The General Instruction for the Roman Missal (the official guidebook of the Mass) says that in the Prayers of the Faithful, we exercise our priestly role in interceding for all of humanity. There is much suffering around the world and as Catholics we should never forget that it is our duty to ask for someone's behalf endlessly for all people.

It is for the priest celebrant to direct this prayer from the presider’s or celebrant’s chair. He himself begins it with a brief introduction, by which he invites the faithful to pray, and likewise he concludes it with a prayer.

The intentions are announced from the ambo or from another suitable place, by the deacon or by a cantor, a lector, or one of the lay faithful.

Usually the Prayers of the Faithful follow this order:

1. Prayers for the universal Church, the pope, and the bishops.
2. Prayers for public authorities and the salvation of the whole world.
3. Prayers for those burdened by any kind of difficulty.
4. Prayers for the needs of the local church and community.


We stand and the reader presents our needs to God. We pray silently as the reader prays aloud.

Reader: We pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, hear our prayer.

The priest summarizes our needs. We pray silently as he prays aloud.

People: Amen.



Questions:

Who reads the petitions? (The deacon or a cantor, a lector, or one of the lay faithful.)

Do we stand or sit during the Prayer of the Faithful? (Stand)

How do we answer the prayer petition at Mass? (“Lord, hear our prayer.”)



Crafts:

buildfaith.org- Prayer Sticks

create-kids-crafts.com- Prayer Reminder Pockets
This craft activity can be used by young children to remember the people they are praying for. An adult can prepare for this activity by cutting one paper plate in half and then hole punch the half plate together with one whole plate. Also place two holes at the top of the paper plate for the hanger.

littleblots.com- Prayer Chain Craft
This is a great way to encourage participation and pray for each other’s needs.




These activities below are free, however they can only to be used for classroom and personal use. They may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted. All graphics/images/clipart etc. used on these activities are not my own and are from various internet sources.

Lord, hear our prayer activity sheet (for younger students)- Have the students trace the letters. Inside the heart the students will draw the needs they see around us in our community or their own personal desires.

Lord, hear our prayer (for older students)- Have the students draw a large heart on their paper. Below the heart have the students write: “Lord, hear our prayer.” (You can write this on the board for the students to copy.) Inside the heart the students will write the needs they see around us in our community or their own personal desires.

*The students can also cut out pictures from magazines and newspapers, or use pictures from the internet and make a collage of the needs they see around us in our community or their own personal desires on a piece of poster board. Under the collage have the students write “Lord, hear our prayer.” Or at the top of a bulletin board put the words, “Lord, hear our prayer.” Students can write on index cards or draw pictures of their prayer intentions and put on the bulletin board.



Class Discussion:

Discuss with the students what they think are the current needs of the world and the local community. Have the students keep the following series of intentions in mind:

a) for the needs of the Church;
b) for public authorities and the salvation of the whole world;
c) for those burdened by any kind of difficulty;
d) for the local community.

(You might ask: Which one is more important? Why is it more important? Which one is a need of your own personal desires? Etc.)

Have the students draw a Venn Diagram. Have them write the similarities and the differences between what the class thinks the general intercessions should be and what they personally think they should be. (Write details that tell how they are different in the outer circles. Write details that tell how they are alike where the circles overlap.) Discuss.

teachnology.com- Create your own Venn Diagram



Journal Writing:

Praying for others is not only a privilege, but a responsibility and a duty arising from baptism. Have the students journal why we pray for others and when and why they have done this.

The Power of Words

"It's not what you say, but how you say it."

This makes the point better than ever.
Have a look (filmed in royal Exchange Square Glasgow).

Celebrating the Mass Lesson- Profession of Faith

(This lesson is in accordance with the new Roman Missal that is to be implemented on November 27, 2011.)

*Be sure to adjust this lesson to fit the needs of your students.


(Please take in consideration that I am just a Mom and I'm providing these lessons and activities to the best of my abilities. I will try to make them as accurate as possible, but I know I will make a few mistakes and it was not intentional.)



The Nicene Creed, our profession of faith, is an important part of the Mass. The Creed is recited at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist just after the Gospel reading and homily. In between the two main components of the mass is a statement of beliefs Christians have expressed for 16 centuries.

Creed is from the Latin credo which means “I believe.” It is a summarization of the faith that Christians profess. Jesus brought important information to everyone about God and His message of salvation. Our acceptance of this information is faith. A Creed sums up the truths that God gave us and allows us to profess our beliefs so that we can acknowledge the truths by faith.

The Council of Nicaea met in 325 A.D. in a town in Turkey named Nicaea. Here the bishops composed a Creed to clearly state the beliefs of the Church and to reject many of the false understandings that were being taught. This prayer is called the Nicene Creed and it is a summary of what Christians truly believe. The Nicene Creed states the truths that the Church had been teaching since the time of the apostles.

The Creed is divided into three parts. The beginning speaks of the first Divine Person, God the Father, and the wonderful work of creation. The first thing our Creed tells us about God Himself is that He is the Father Almighty. Here we affirm that there is only one God and He is the creator of everything.

The middle part speaks of the second Divine Person, Jesus Christ, and the mystery of His Redemption for mankind. Beginning with stating that Jesus is indeed God, this is the longest section where Jesus’ role in the salvation process is defined. Here, Jesus’ life story is told and how He came to save mankind.

The final part speaks of the third Divine Person, the Holy Spirit, who is the source of our sanctification. Again, there is emphasis that the Holy Spirit is also God. The Holy Spirit is the part of the Trinity that is able to dwell within us so that we can have the gift of the grace of God.

Another important component of the Creed is the definition of the four marks of the Church. Here, another truth of Christ’s true Church is defined for us. It states that the Church that Jesus established for all time must be one, holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic or having its authority derived from the apostles.

The Nicene Creed is a summary of the principle truths of our God given to us by the early Church and has been passed on to every generation. As we profess and reaffirm the common faith that is the foundation of Christianity, we today share in the same truths as did the earliest Christians (Scaravilli, 2010).


During the Profession of Faith we stand and declare what we believe in. In the Profession of Faith we state our belief in God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit- the Holy Trinity. By reciting the summation of the Church’s belief, we declare ourselves both full members of the Church and faithful disciples of our Lord.

The Creed is to be sung or said by the priest together with the people on Sundays and Solemnities. It may be said also at particular celebrations of a more solemn character.

If it is sung, it is begun by the priest or, if this is appropriate, by a cantor or by the choir. It is sung, however, either by all together or by the people alternating with the choir.

If not sung, it is to be recited by all together or by two parts of the assembly responding one to the other.


There are two new words in the Nicene Creed: Consubstantial and Incarnate

God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;

Consubstantial means that God the Father and God the Son are made of the same substance.


For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

Incarnate means that the Son of God became a human being.



I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
(bow during this part) and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.



Questions:

Do we stand or sit during the Nicene Creed? (Stand)

Is the Nicene Creed sung or said? (Either)

What does credo mean? (“I believe”)

Where was most of the Nicene Creed written? (It was written long ago in a town in Turkey named Nicaea.)

What do we say we believe in the first part of the creed? (That we believe in one God.)

What do we say we believe in the second part of the creed? (Belief in Jesus is still belief in one God.)

In the third part of the creed what do we declare? (Our belief in the Holy Spirit and the Catholic Church.)

What does consubstantial mean? (Made of the same substance.)

What does incarnate mean? (To make human.)



Activities:

thereligionteacher.com- Nicene Creed Lesson Plan & Activities

catholicmom.com- Catechist Resources for Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
Creed- lesson with Worksheet (page 2), The Creed Crossword (page 3)

looktohimandberadiant.blogspot.com- The Creed & Notebooking

smp.org- The Trinity: Unpacking the Nicene Creed – PowerPoint
This PowerPoint is part of the Living in Christ Series. The Trinitarian themes of the Nicene Creed are defined, unpacked and explored by breaking the prayer down and reflecting on smaller statements of faith.

teacherspayteachers.com- Nicene Creed Prayer Activity Packet

looktohimandberadiant.com- The Creed-Words to Know
Here are a few ideas for getting the meaning of those important words through to your students.

looktohimandberadiant.com- The Creed + Tetris
This is an easy activity that can be used to help memorize groups of text, in this case, the Nicene Creed.



Crafts:

catholicicing.com- Catholic Trinity Craft

looktohimandberadiant.blogspot.com- We Are the Church Craft (highlighting the Four Marks of the Church found at the end of the Nicene Creed)

catholicicing.com- Nicene Creed Craft (Be sure to change this to say: I believe in one God, etc.)

looktohimandberadiant.com- I Believe Mobile

Make Nicene Craft from catholicicing.com according to directions. Have students trace the beginning of the Nicene Creed: "I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible." (Printed out on tracing handwriting sheet.) Glue prayer on a piece of construction paper. Glue the bottom part of the hand on the back of the prayer with the hand showing above prayer.

Nicene Creed Tracing Handwriting Sheet- Students write their name on the top line. Students then trace the handwriting sheet and follow directions above.



Games:

superteachertools.us- Nicene Jeopardy Instant Jeopardy Review is designed for live play with up to ten individuals or teams. Teams choose a question, then try to give the best answer.

superteachertools.us- Instant Jeopardy Review is designed for live play with up to ten individuals or teams. Teams choose a question, then try to give the best answer. Scoring is built in for each team.

catechistjourney.loyolapress.com- We are going to do this review using a Jeopardy-like game that I found online last year at http://ccdgames.com/Jeorpardy.php. This site provides the game in a Powerpoint format so that it can be projected on a screen as a gameboard! I found that it was possible to simply save one of the games as a Powerpoint file and then change the categories, questions, and answers to suit your needs. As a result, I’ve put together 4 “rounds” which you are welcome to use or adapt as needed. (Scroll down to this.)

loyolapress.com- The Creed Game
Students help each other learn the Nicene Creed while playing a game.


These games below are from nashvilleras.com- More than 100 Missions Bible Memory Games and Other Activities

I Am a Verse- Divide the Nicene Creed into parts equal to the number of children. Print each part on separate sheet of paper or index card. Jumble paper/cards and give one to each child. Holding the paper/card in front, each child lines up in proper sequence. Call out your part. Repeat until the Nicene Creed is memorized.

Illustrated Verse- Ask children to draw pictures of words in the Nicene Creed that help them remember the word. Put the drawings together repeating the words using the visual clues. Continue until all have learned the Nicene Creed.

Missing Words- Write the Nicene Creed on a chalk or white board omitting key words. Give each student a card with a key word missing from the Nicene Creed. Ask students to place their word cards in the proper place as they say the Nicene Creed. Shuffle cards and repeat until all have learned the Nicene Creed.

Photograph a Verse- Write words to the Nicene Creed on separate sheets of construction paper. Take pictures of each child holding a line to the Nicene Creed. Children then use the pictures to arrange the words to the Nicene Creed in proper order. Tape to poster board.

Verse Chain- Print lines of the Nicene Creed on separate strips of paper. Give each child one strip. After repeating the Nicene Creed several times with the children, ask them to assemble the chain by putting the words of the Nicene Creed in order. Staple the chain together.




These activities below are free, however they can only to be used for classroom and personal use. They may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted.


Nicene Creed- Cut out strips and glue strips of the Nicene Creed in the proper order on a piece of construction paper. (For younger students you can do this together as a group activity.) You can also play this as a game by dividing the class into teams and give each team the strips of the Nicene Creed. See which team can put it in the proper order the fastest.

The Nicene Creed- The objective is to be the first player to get all four of his or her color pawns from his or her START location to his or her HOME space. Players must do this by answering questions about the Nicene Creed and rolling the die.



Lessons:

4catholiceducators.com- Lesson Title: "I believe..."

wpengine.netdna-cdn.com- What Is The Creed? (lesson with activities)



Puzzles:

armoredpenguin.com- Nicene Creed (word search)

wordsearchfun.com- Nicene Creed (word search)

whenwecrosswords.com- Nicene Creed (crossword)

wordmint.com- Nicene Creed (crossword)

edubakery.com- Nicene Creed (crossword)

edubakery.com- Nicene Creed (word scramble)


The activity below is free, however it can only to be used for classroom and personal use. It may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted. All graphics/images/clipart etc. used on these activities are not my own and are from various internet sources.

Nicene Creed (crossword)- For younger students you can do this together on the board.



Worksheets:

teacherspayteachers.com- Fill in the Blanks (FREE)
This is a great way to get your students in Religious Education to start memorizing the new Nicene Creed. It is a one page worksheet that has specific words left out of the prayer. The students pick from the word bank to add in the correct words. You can also photo copy the word bank out to make it harder for older students.

icsaamenia.org- Compare and Contrast the Creeds (page 13)

Celebrating the Mass Lesson- The Gospel

(This lesson is in accordance with the new Roman Missal that is to be implemented on November 27, 2011.)

*Be sure to adjust this lesson to fit the needs of your students.


(Please take in consideration that I am just a Mom and I'm providing these lessons and activities to the best of my abilities. I will try to make them as accurate as possible, but I know I will make a few mistakes and it was not intentional.)



Gospel means “good news” and the reading is taken from the New Testament. During the Gospel we stand and listen to the priest read from the Book of the Gospels.

If incense is used, the priest puts some into the thurible. After this, the deacon who is to proclaim the Gospel, bowing profoundly before the priest, asks for a blessing, saying in a low voice: Your blessing, Father.

The priest says in a low voice:

May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips
that you may proclaim his Gospel worthily and well,
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The deacon signs himself with the Sign of the Cross and replies: Amen.

If, however, a deacon is not present, the priest, bowing before the altar, says quietly:

Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God,
that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.


The Deacon, or the Priest, then proceeds to the ambo, accompanied, if appropriate, by ministers with incense and candles. There he says:

The Lord be with you.

People: And with your spirit.

Priest: A reading from the holy Gospel according to N.

*At the same time, he makes the Sign of the Cross on the book and on his forehead, lips, and breast. The people make a fist with their right hand and with our thumb we make a small Sign of the Cross on our forehead, on our lips and over our heart and silently pray, “God be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart.”)

People: Glory to you, O Lord.


Then the deacon, or the priest, incenses the book, if incense is used, and proclaims the Gospel.

At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims: The Gospel of the Lord.

All reply: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Then he kisses the book, saying quietly: Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.

Then follows the homily, which is to be preached by a priest or deacon. The homily may even be given by a Bishop or a priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate. During the homily the people sit. This is when the priest shares special thoughts and ideas with us to help us connect the gospel to our own life experiences.

After the homily a brief period of silence is appropriately observed.



Questions:

What does Gospel mean? (Good News)

Do we stand or sit during the Gospel? (Stand)

What book is the Gospel read from? (The Book of the Gospels)

Is the Gospel from the Old or New Testament? (New)

Who reads the Gospel? (A deacon or a priest.)

Where do we cross ourselves three times? (Once on the forehead, once on our lips, and once over our heart.)

When we cross ourselves three times, what do we say? (“God be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart.”)

Who does the homily? (A deacon or a priest.)

Do we stand or sit during the homily? (Sit)

What is a homily? (This is when the priest shares special thoughts and ideas with us to help us connect the gospel to our own life experiences.)



Craft/Activity:

Lesson 11: Preparing for the Gospel- Children Discover the Mass by Mary Doefler Dall
An inventive way to help children learn to make the Sign of the Cross on our forehead, on our lips and over our heart and silently pray, “God be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart.” (Craft/Activity directions pages 59 – 60).



These activities below are free, however they can only to be used for classroom and personal use. They may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted. All graphics/images/clipart etc. used on these activities are not my own and are from various internet sources.


Game:

Stand Up, Sit Down Game

Directions: Have the students stand in front of their chairs with plenty of room in front of them. Say to the students: Let’s review what you should do during the Liturgy of the Word Sequence. When I say a part of the Liturgy of the Word, you must stand or sit like you would do in Mass.

During the First Reading, what are you supposed to do? (Sit)

During the Responsorial Psalm (we join in a prayer that is read or sung) what do we do? (Sit)

During the Second Reading, what are you supposed to do? (Sit)

When we sing the Gospel Acclamation (“Alleluia”), what are you supposed to do? (Stand)

During the Gospel what do you do? (Stand)

What do we do during the Homily? (Sit)

*If the students do well, mix up the sequence above and see how well they do.



Worksheet:

The Gospel- Circle the best available answer for each of the following.