Eucharist Final 2011

Family Faith 2011 Series

Eucharist Programme

How the Mass Began

Reading the Signs

Practising the Signs Post-1st Communion Session

To Live like Christ is to be Aware through the Gospels & the Sacraments

& to be

Active

in Church and Community

Family Faith Eucharist 2011 series

Contents Front Cover

Session One

Session Two

Programme Material How the Mass began Leader’s Guide Passover leaflet Table Guides photograph Reading the Signs

Leader’s Guide

Liturgy of the Word leaflet

Hand Signs at Mass ‘take-home’ leaflet

Session Three Practising the Signs Leader’sGuide

Hand Signs at Mass ‘take-home’ leaflet

After First Communion Session Four

To Live Like Christ Leader’s Guide Presentation Gospels for appropriate year Galilee Picnic leaflet Active for Good leaflet

Back Cover Credits

This set of 4 Family Faith Sacramental Programmes is a practical ‘hands-on’ way of supporting parents in their task of sharing the Faith with their children.

Many people have helped to shape the work over the years.

This version has been finalized in St Gregory’s parish, Archdiocese of Glasgow.

The parish priest, Fr Joseph Mackle has been at the centre of the process, supported by the Deacon, Jim Dean, and a small team of parishioners.

Most of the photographs have been taken by one of them, Mrs Betty Cronin.

Two other priests in the Archdiocese, Fr Noel Burke and Fr Angus MacDonald, made creative contributions at earlier stages of programme development.

Photographs from their participation are included in this edition.

Doreen Grant SND

Family Faith

Eucharist

Session One

Family

How the Mass Began

Passover Leaflet Table Guides photograph

Leader’s Guide

The Eucharist

1st Session

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

How the Mass Began

Passover & Last Supper with Families 1

The Eucharist

Session 1

RED print is used for Team Notes

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

This session involves detailed arrangements and needs a Team preparation meeting to ensure sucsess.

Materials required

Arrangement of Room The Bible and Paschal Candle have prominent positions at the front of the room, to right and left of a centre space which will be used for the Last Supper event.

Bible and stand Paschal Candle and stand

(a moveable version on temporary stand)

The Bible will be carried in procession to its stand.

From the start of the session it is kept ready

in a convenient place near the Paschal Candle.

Lighter Small night lights (1 per family) Tapers (1 per table) Doilies or mats

The tables should be attractively set - so that the room has a festive appearance when participants arrive.

The night lights are initially in the centre of the table.

for night-light arrangement

on each table

(the 'glasses' are within easy reach of Table Guide with wine.)

Copies of Passover leaflet

introductory hymn will have been decided at the Team Preparatory Meeting.)

Parent and child share a copy of the Passover leaflet.

(The

(If the introductory hymn and Shalom are well known, no copies of these are required)

One Box of Matzos An attractive serviette per table

One piece of Matzah is put in a special serviette directly in front of each Table Guide - no plates needed.

to wrap one piece of Matzah

.

The jug of ‘wine’ is placed to the right of the Matzah.

The plastic ‘glasses’ are grouped near the jug.

Red Grape Juice (To give each participant half a glass)

One half litre glass jug per table Plastic ‘glasses’ One for each participant) Photos of Table Guides in action

‘Last Supper’

Low table covered with a cloth a small plate with matzah Goblets/glasses to represent a set of chalices Tissues for wiping ‘chalices’

If there are not enough Team members to be the Table Guides, the photos could be available near the entrance to let people consider whether to volunteer as Table Guides.

Before children are invited to sit at the Last Supper event,

the low table is put in place and set with:

the filled goblets;

a piece of Matzah on the small plate.

Supporting the Table Guide volunteers

As people arrive it may be useful to show them the photos - if Table Guides will be needed, & to invite them to consider the task. If someone volunteers at that point, they could be given a copy of the Passover leaflet and have a brief discussion about their role, before the session begins.

A Team member should be available to support the volunteers as they find out what they have to do.

Two people should be ready to go with the children to prepare the hymns.

Two Readers are also required in this session.

Eucharistic Ministers might help at the final 'Last Supper' section.

2

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

The Eucharist

Session 1

Introduction

Tonight we begin to prepare together for a very special moment when the children here will receive Holy Comunion for the first time and so become full members of the church and in particular - of this parish.

Our first task is to learn why Jesus chose BREAD - strange, flat bread

- as the way he would come and live in us.

We will see that people, in the time of Jesus, found it easy to connect bread with the presence of God because they had famous stories about God giving their ancestors bread when rescuing them from Egypt.

We are going to hear one of those stories.

To get the feel of it, we need to imagine that we have travelled in a Time Machine and gone back thousands of years. We are now part of the people who were planning how to escape from slavery in Egypt - though we will hear it as if it was happening in this country in modern times!

Team member reads the modern version of Exodus 12:39 and 13:3 (See page 14)

That event allowed the Jewish people to pass from slavery to freedom.

It was so important that Jews still have a celebration for it every year. They call it the Passover.

They still use flat bread without yeast in it - unleavened bread

- as a reminder of God’s loving care.

Show the Matzos Here is the kind of unleavened bread that Jews use at the Passover celebrations today.

Jesus was a Jew. The night before he died, Jesus celebrated the Passover with his friends.

It was the last meal he would have before he was crucified, so we call it the Last Supper.

At that meal he turned the ancient Jewish Passover festival into the Mass

and gave his friends Holy Communion for the first time.

In this session we mean to share a little of that very special experience.

The tables have been arranged to help us take part in a small part of a Passover Celebration

- and then find what happened -

when Jesus changed the Passover bread into Holy Communion.

If extra Table Guides are still required, the invitation to take this role is repeated here.

3

The Eucharist

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Session 1

Individual participants required during this session for the following roles:

Table Guides; Mothers/tapers; Bible Carrier; Readers; Euchariatic Ministers.

Tonight's event begins with a hymn.

The children are invited to go and practice that - and other hymns now.

Then they will be ready to lead the singing, beginning with the Passover Entrace Hymn - after their parents have practiced their part.

Children go to another room with 2 adults.

The Parents' Rehearsal will take some time, so the Team members with the children should have enough singing prepared to keep them busy.

As well as the pieces for this Session, they might rehearse Communion hymns.

Rehearsal for Parents

For parents to feel confident in leading their children through this Passover experience, the Team, themselves, will need to be very clear about the steps, so that they can demonstrate with assurance.

This will be a very short version of the Jewish remembrance celebration.

We will connect it - in small ways - with our own Mass.

We already have the Easter Candle in place to help us make this link.

The celebration begins with each mother lighting a special candle for her own family.

Those candles should be on your table already.

There is also a taper on your table. Would one mother hold up your taper now?

When the time comes for this action, would you please bring out that taper and light it from the Easter Candle?

Then, go back to your table, light your own little candle

and pass on the lighted taper to the next mother at your table.

Every mother lights her own family candle.

4

When all the candles are lit, we are ready to start the ceremony.

We'll rehearse the beginning now,

so that you will be prepared when the children return.

(Give out Leaflets)

The Eucharist

Session 1

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Rehearsal for Parents

After all the candles are lit,

the mothers say a prayer together.

It is on your leaflet.

Please try it now: 'You are blessed O Lord, our God.....'

The rest of us join in the next prayer: 'May our homes be blessed.'

After this prayer we listen to readings from the Bible.

Would someone like to carry the Bible?

Wait for someone to volunteer.

Bible procession

The two Readers and the Bible Carrier please come and process now to the Bible stand.

The Bible carrier sits down after the Bible is in place.

The Readings These readings tell us the story of the first Passover and why we go on celebrating it.

We will not hear the readings just now, in this rehearsal. So the Readers can sit down again.

After a real Passover, there is a party meal. We will not be having that tonight!

So we will turn the page in the leaflet and go on with this rehearsal!

5

The Bible is returned to its starting place after this rehearsal.

The Eucharist

2010 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Session 1

Rehearsal for Parents

The Matzah

Would the Table Guides now hold up the Matzah, that is the piece of flat bread inside your serviette.

When all the Guides are ready, and all at the table are watching, say together the words on the leaflet: 'This is the bread of affliction....'

Everyone now joins in the Blessing: 'Blessed are you, Lord our God....'

Sharing the Matzah In the celebration we all receive a little bit of this strange bread.

We can't rehearse that! The bread has to stay whole just now!

So just watch this action.

Demonstration by the presenter.

Everyone is going to break off their own piece.

First, the Table Guides break the bread in two; then they break off their own personal small portion.

They then pass the halves down the two sides of the table so that all the adults and children may each take their own little bit.

If there is a piece left, return it to the Table Guide's serviette.

After the session is over,

the children could be invited to use up any bits still around.

6

The Eucharist

Session 1 The Wine

2010 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Rehearsal for Parents

The jugs we will use tonight will only have grape juice in them.

(During this practice, rehearse the words and action without pouring wine)

In a real Passover, wine is blessed and drunk a number of times.

Our 'wine' will be blessed once and drunk on two occasions.

We do the blessing of the wine in exactly the same way as we blessed the bread.

The Table Guides hold up their jugs. When they are all ready, they say the prayer together.

Then everyone says the blessing.

We will do that now, following the words in the leaflet.

' This is the wine...

In the celebration, when the Table Guides have poured a little 'wine' into each glass, the parents show their own children that they only take a sip of it the first time and leave some in their glass for the second 'toast'.

The next step is for the Table Guides to stand up, hold up their glasses and say: 'Accomplished is the order of the Passover...'

(Rehearse the words and action) Everybody then stands up as if about to go on a journey.

We hold up our glasses and say the second toast very loudly:

'Next year in Jerusalem!'

The 'wine' is then finished and the candles blown out.

Finally, everyone sits quietly, ready for the final part of the session about the Last Supper.

We will bring in the children now.

As they come, they will sing the Entrance Hymn. Please stand ready with your Leaflet.

Your child will sit beside you, & with your help, learn what to do at the Passover.

7

The Eucharist

Session 1

Copy of Passover Leaflet

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Opening Hymn Mothers Light the Festival Candles

Each mother lights a candle for her family then all the mothers say their prayer together.

Mothers' Prayer You are blessed, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe.

You have made us holy by your commandments.

You have commanded us to light the candles of the Passover holiday.

All present

May our home be blessed, O God, by the light of your face shining upon us and bringing us peace.

Tonight we celebrate Passover, the feast of freedom and redemption, and we read from the Haggadah, The Story.

1 8

The Bible is solemnly carried and placed on a stand.

The Readings are adapted from Exodus Cht. 13

The Eucharist

Session 1

Copy of Passover Leaflet

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Bible Readings 1st Reader "The Lord said, ‘Keep this festival, because it was on this day that I brought your people out of Egypt.'

Then Moses said to the people, 'Remember this day on which you left Egypt, the place where you were slaves.

This is the day the Lord brought you out with great power.

No leavened bread is to be eaten on this day.

For all time to come you must celebrate this day as a festival.

When your children ask you, 'What does this ritual mean?' you will answer, 'It is the sacrifice of Passover to honour the Lord.'

This observance will be a reminder, like something tied on your hand or on your forehead; it will remind you to continue to recite and study the Law of the Lord."

2nd Reader "In every single generation it is our duty to regard ourselves as having come out of slavery in Egypt.

It is written that when the festival begins the parents explain to their children that the feast is kept 'because of what the Lord did for me' "

The Jewish passover is a very lenthy event.

We will only share in a very small part of it.

(In the real Passover there is a party meal now.

Unleavened bread is used; wine is blessed a number of times.)

2 9

On the next page we share briefly in the blessings of bread and wine.

The Eucharist

Session 1

Copy of Passover Leaflet

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Table Guides Bless the Bread Table Guides hold up a piece of matzah and say:

This is the bread of affliction which Israel ate in the land of Egypt.

It is a symbol of days of slavery and pain.

It is our hope that next year all people will be free from every oppression.

All Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, You have given us bread from the earth.

The bread is passed round and everyone breaks off a small piece and eats it.

Table Guides Bless The 'Cup in Memory'

Table Guides hold up the 'wine' and say:

This is the wine of happy memory.

It is our duty to thank, praise and adore God who performed for our ancestors and for us such wonders.

He brought us forth from darkness to great light.

All Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, you have given us the fruit of the vine.

A small amount of wine is poured for each person.

3 10

Everyone sips a little of this `in memory' cup.

The Eucharist

Copy of Passover Leaflet

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Session 1

Final Toast Table Guides stand and hold up their glasses.

They say:

Accomplished is the order of the Passover according to precept, law and custom.

Lead to the Promised Land the children you have planted here and have redeemed.

ALL STAND Holding up their glasses, they - Loudly - say together:

Next year in Jerusalem!

4 11

The wine in the glasses is now finished and the candles blown out.

Everyone sits.

The Eucharist

Session 1

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

A 'Last Supper' Experience

We have shared tonight in the Jewish festival of the Passover because

the first people to receive Holy Communion did so at a Passover.This is how it happened: Jesus was in Jerusalem with a crowd of friends. They had arranged to hold the Passover together.

Jesus was at the top of the table, leading the celebration. All his friends were gathered round him.

We are going to act this out now. Father will take the place of Jesus for us.

The priest comes to the low table. He talks about the dishes that are there for the matzah and wine.

Will all the boys and girls come out now

and be those friends of Jesus?

Wait till the children are settled .

Jesus got to the part of the Passover where the table leader holds up the bread.

Jesus took up the bread but he did not say the words they expected, about being saved from slavery.

Watch and listen as Father says the new words that Jesus said that night.

(Father takes up the matzah)

This is my Body. This is me.

I am giving myself for you.

Jesus then gave out the bread that was now himself.

Go on pretending to be those friends.

Hold out one hand like a 'plate' to receive the bread.

Use the other hand to pick up the bread to eat it.

Each child receives a small piece of Matzah.

After the meal Jesus picked up the cup of wine.

Father will show us what he did and said:

(Father takes up the cup of wine.)

This is my Blood. This is me.

It is the blood of the New Covanant which will be poured out for you.

Do this in memory of me.

Presenter

Continue to be those first friends.

This is how you take the special cup.

Use both hands to take hold of it.

Take a little sip, then hand it back steadily.

12

Children receive from one of the cups.

The Eucharist

Session 1

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

A 'Last Supper' Experience

The people who were with Jesus that night wanted to show their friendship for everyone who had shared this wonderful event with them.

They did this by singing a sacred song together - then they went out.

Before we sing our song, we are going to group ourselves in a special way.

First the children wait where they are.

Would the parents please come out and make a circle?

Now, will the children go and join their parents, so that we have one big circle in the room.

We will now sing our song of friendship which begins with an old Jewish word, Shalom! which means Peace!

We are meant to enjoy this!

So, while we are singing, the children could move round and shake hands with all the adults!

Shalom my friends!

Shalom my friends!

Shalom! Shalom!

The peace of Christ I give you today.

Shalom! Shalom!

With that song, all the Team here say: 'Goodnight and God Bless you!'

The next meeting will be completely different.

We'll see you then!

13

The Eucharist

Reading for page 3 Session 1 Unleavened Bread Exodus 12:39

Last page of

2011 Leader’s Guide

About a thousand years before Jesus was born, Moses led the Jewish people out of slavery in Egypt into freedom.

It is a long and quite exciting story but we are only concerned with one tiny piece of it – how they came to use special, flat bread.

If the event had happened here – at least in the past - it would go something like this: The men were organising a kind of strike.

They were going to tell Pharaoh, the Egyptian king, that they would not be slaves any longer and they would force him to let them all leave.

“We’ll get away this week”, they said. But they didn’t! Then they were saying, “next week” and, as time went on, “very soon”. But it was a long time coming!

They kept telling the women to have everything packed and be ready to go at a moment’s notice.

The women talked about it among themselves.

“If we are going out from here into the desert where there are no shops and no food, how are we going to feed everyone? You know what the men are like. They will organise the move. Then, when we are miles from anywhere they will say, ‘Now, what’s for the meal?’”

So they made their own plans.

Usually, women made bread for their families every day.

To prepare bread, they made a dough mixture, shaped it into rolls or loaves and left it for a few hours for the mixture to rise up before it was baked.

They couldn’t do that if they had to be ready to travel quickly. They decided that on the day they moved they would make the mixture without leaven – today that would mean that they would not use yeast - so that they wouldn’t have to wait till it rose.

When the word came to move, they all made this unleavened dough.

They put it into big pieces of cloth, or bowls - or whatever they had – and carried it with them.

Sure enough, when they had escaped from Egypt and evening had come the men, as expected, asked, “What’s for the meal?”

They must have been pleasantly surprised to find that the women were ready for them.

They lit fires and cooked the dough they had brought.

It turned into bread that was flat, like cracker-bread, but good to eat.

The Bible tells the tale like this: (Exodus 12:39) “They baked cakes with the dough which they had brought from Egypt, unleavened because the dough was not leavened; they had been driven out of Egypt with no time for dallying, and had not provided themselves with other food.”

A year later, when they were far away from all those worries, and the first anniversary of the escape was going to be celebrated, they talked about it all and decided to use this 'funny flat bread’ at the party meal.

Eventually, it became the rule that they would always celebrate that wonderful time when they had passed from slavery to freedom.

They would have a special meal - using unleavened bread - and call it the Passover.

The Bible puts it like this: (Exodus 13:3) “Keep this day in remembrance, the day you came out of Egypt; no leavened bread must be eaten.”

14

The Eucharist

Passover Leaflet

Session 1

Opening Hymn Mothers Light the Festival Candles Each mother lights a candle for her family then all the mothers say their prayer together.

Mothers' Prayer You are blessed, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe.

You have made us holy by your commandments.

You have commanded us to light the candles of the Passover holiday.

All May our home be blessed, O God, by the light of your face shining upon us and bringing us peace.

Tonight we celebrate Passover, the feast of freedom and redemption, and we read from the Haggadah, The Story.

1

The Bible is solemnly carried and placed on a stand.

The Readings are adapted from Exodus Cht. 13

The Eucharist

Session 1

Passover Leaflet.

Bible Reading 1st Reader "The Lord said, ‘Keep this festival, because it was on this day that I brought your people out of Egypt.'

Then Moses said to the people, 'Remember this day on which you left Egypt, the place where you were slaves.

This is the day the Lord brought you out with great power.

No leavened bread is to be eaten on this day.

For all time to come you must celebrate this day as a festival.

When your children ask you, 'What does this ritual mean?' you will answer, 'It is the sacrifice of Passover to honour the Lord.'

This observance will be a reminder, like something tied on your hand or on your forehead; it will remind you to continue to recite and study the Law of the Lord."

2nd Reader "In every single generation it is our duty to regard ourselves as having come out of slavery in Egypt.

It is written that when the festival begins the parents explain to their children that the feast is kept 'because of what the Lord did for me' "

The Jewish passover is a very lenthy event.

We will only share a very small part of it.

(In the real Passover there is a party meal now.

Unleavened bread is used; wine is blessed a number of times. )

2

On the next page we share briefly in the blessings of bread and wine.

The Eucharist

Session 1

Passover Leaflet.

Table Guides Bless the Bread Table Guides hold up a piece of matzah and say:

This is the bread of affliction which Israel ate in the land of Egypt.

It is a symbol of days of slavery and pain.

It is our hope that next year all people will be free from every oppression.

All Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, You have given us bread from the earth.

The bread is passed round and everyone breaks off a small piece and eats it.

Table Guides Bless The 'Cup in Memory'

Table Guides hold up the 'wine' and say:

This is the wine of happy memory.

It is our duty to thank, praise and adore God who performed for our ancestors and for us such wonders.

He brought us forth from darkness to great light.

All Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, you have given us the fruit of the vine.

A small amount of wine is poured for each person.

3

Everyone sips a little of this `in memory' cup.

The Eucharist

Passover Leaflet.

Session 1

Final Toast Table Guides stand and hold up their glasses.

They say:

Accomplished is the order of the Passover according to precept, law and custom.

Lead to the Promised Land the children you have planted here and have redeemed.

ALL STAND, holding up their glasses, and say together;

Next year in Jerusalem!

4

The wine in the glasses is now finished and the candles blown out.

Everyone sits.

The Eucharist

1st Session

Passover Table Guides in other parishes

The Eucharist

Blessing the Bread

Blessing the ‘wine’

Family Faith

Eucharist

Session Two

Parents

Reading the Signs

Liturgy of the Word leaflet

Leader’s Guide

Hand Signs ‘take-home’ leaflet

Session 2

The Eucharist

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

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Parents' Workshop Team Guide

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

RED print is used for Team Notes

5 Readers

- or 3 Readers & 2 Cantors for sung items are required for the first part of this session.

Materials for this session 5 large labels for points where readings/ sung pieces will be presented.

For every parent:

Handout of Readings from Liturgy of the Word 16th Sunday in Ordinary time.

If possible, copy of Readings for the Sunday after this Parents' session.

Take-Home item for each family: Hand Signs at Mass leaflet

The use of the term 'Eucharist' in this programme is meant to encourage the child's awareness that receiving Holy Comunion is part of the Mass - and not a 'stand-alone' event.

2

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

Introduction

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

The Family of God

The material in this section is written for parents who have not done much Bible Study. So it may be too easy for the parents in front of you. But it is possible that at least some of your audience need this help.

Your personal opening words to the whole group, before the session begins, may smooth the way.

Your child's first Holy Communion is coming near now.

Already you may be thinking about all the people who might join you at this event.

Will Granny be there? What about cousins? Should they be invited?

The family is a good starting place for tonight's session.

Your own family cares about your child.

There is a wider family whose members also care.

Receiving the Eucharist during Mass brings your child into full membership of the family of the church and - particularly - the family of this parish.

Your child became part of the church when you chose Baptism for your son or daughter - and promised to bring up that child in the Faith.

Receiving Holy Communion completes that long preparation from Baptism towards becoming full, active members of the Catholic Church.

The whole parish rejoices with you as your child takes this final step into active Christianity.

This Preparation for receiving the Eucharist is meant to help the family to support the child's final step into becoming a fully practising member of the Catholic Church.

The church began 2,000 years ago, at the first Pentecost, when the Apostle Peter told the crowd that they should be Baptised in the name of Jesus.

St Luke, who wrote down this story long afterward, sums up the way that large group of Baptised people began living from then onwards.

He says: These remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the community, to the Breaking of Bread (the early form of the Mass) and to the prayers.'

You will find the whole account in the Bible: Acts of the Apostles chapter 2 verses 41 & 42.

Baptised people have lived these central elements of Faith ever since that event.

To remain faithful to our Baptism, you and I are expected to:

Believe the church's teaching, be active members of the Christian community, take part in the' Breaking of Bread' that is, the Mass and pray.

3

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

We are preparing, now, for a special Mass during which your child will be accepted, for the 1st time, as a full member of the Catholic church.

That full membership will be demonstrated during the Mass by your child receiving Holy Communion.

Tonight we look at ways of helping your child become actively involved in the Mass.

Mass has two main parts.

We will begin by looking at the 1st part: 'The Word of God'.

More exactly, The 'Liturgy of the Word'.

The Liturgy of the Word is made up of different readings from the Bible, set out in a special order.

(Liturgy definition: ‘the usual order in which a church service is arranged’ ).

The Children’s Liturgy is a great way for children to begin to understand these readings.

While we are listening to the actual words from the Bible, the children go to another room and learn about a part of that Sunday’s Readings, through activities that bring the message down to their level.

For them to get the most from that session, they should talk with you about it

- perhaps on the way home - and hear from you how their activity

matched the Bible Readings that you heard in the church.

Some adults could have a problem with that idea.

The Bible was written a very long time ago - parts of it, hundreds of years before Christ was born - so it is not easy for 21st century minds to understand!

We hope this session will help to take that worry away!

The order in which the Sunday Readings are placed is meant to encourage prayer and understanding.

To see how it does that, we will take 10 minutes now to look at the way the Readings on a Sunday are arranged.

That might help you, as parents, to match up your children's experience with your own.

There are special Readings for the Sundays before and after Christmas and before and after Easter.

Other Sundays are said to be ‘in Ordinary Time’. Let's start with an easy one from 'ordinary time'!

We will use as our example the 16th Sunday B in Ordinary Time.

Give out the leaflets of 16th Sunday B Readings.

This Sunday was chosen because the link between the Old Testament and the Gospel is obvious.

Many other Sunday Readings also make that relationship clear.

(Weekday Readings are planned in a very different way.)

4

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

Parents' Leaflet

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Liturgy of the Word

The example below comes from Sixteenth Sunday B in Ordinary Time

The Liturgy of the Word at Sunday Mass has 5 parts: 3 Readings divided by 2 pieces of poetry - the Psalm & Alleluia - often sung.

Work through the Leaflet.

If possible, the Readers & Cantors should stand in a line at 5 numbered places.

The 1st Reading is from the Old Testament - written long before Christ came.

Yet it contains a message that has a link to the last Reading - The Gospel.

Reading 1 Words of the Prophet Jeremiah chapter 23:1-6 (written 600 years before Jesus Christ was born) Woe to the shepherds

who mislead and scatter

the flock of my pasture says the Lord.

Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel against the shepherds

who shepherd my people:

You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.

You have not cared for them but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.

I myself will gather the remnant of my flock

from all the lands to which I have driven them and bring them back to their meadow; there they shall increase and multiply.

I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them

so that they need no longer fear and tremble;and none shall be missing, says the Lord.

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land.

In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security.

This is the name they give him: “The Lord our justice.”

5

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Parents' Liturgy of the Word Leaflet

The Psalms were written thousands of years ago. Yet they give us, at this point, a few moments of personal conversation with God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6 The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose;

beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side

with your rod and your staff that give me courage.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes;

you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever and ever.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

6

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Parents' Liturgy of the Word Leaflet The second reading is always a piece from a letter - usually from St Paul.

Like any letter arriving at your house, it has its own message

and was not written to fit in with the other readings.

Reading 2 St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 2:13-18 Jesus was a Jew and his first followers thought he had come only for the Jews.

Paul’s letter is to Greek people in Ephesus, a city in what is now Turkey. He tells them that Christ came for all & so different nations should live at peace with one another.

Brothers and sisters: In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, he who made both peoples become one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it.

He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord, I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

7

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Parents' Liturgy of the Word Leaflet

Gospel Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Mark 6:30-34

The apostles gathered together with Jesus

and reported all they had done and taught.

He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”

People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat.

So they went off in the boat

by themselves to a deserted place.

People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.

They hastened there on foot from all the towns

and arrived at the place before them!

(How would you have felt if people turned up and spoiled your chance of a quiet holiday?)

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Now that we have read the Gospel we will go back to look at the 1st Reading.

Find the words of the Prophet Jeremiah that come true in this Gospel.

Give time for people to see the connection.

Could you find out at home what the Gospel will be for next Sunday - and be ready to look for some of the same ideas in the Old Testament Reading that will come before it?

8

It possible,hand out take-home copies of the Readings for the Sunday following this Parents' meeting. That gives an immediate opportunity to grasp this Scripture pattern.

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

We leave the Litury of the Word now.

You may like to take your paper home and share it with others.

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages We will move on to:

The Liturgy of the Eucharist The Mass, in the first centuries, was said in Greek.

The word, Eucharist, comes from the Greek word

'eukaristos' and means: Thanksgiving.

The Mass is one great act of Thanksgiving for Christ who is here with us.

When your children come back from the Children's Liturgy, they sit beside you and look for your help

in following all the action

in this central part of the Mass:

The Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Helping children follow the Mass at this special point might seem a demanding task.

Yet there is a very simple way to keep their attention on what is happening.

The priest is making signs with his hands all through the Mass.

If they watch his hands - and even try the actions themselves - they will enjoy each step.

This leaflet offers some suggestions for the first few signs, to help them start.

Give out the 'Hand Signs at Mass' leaflets The leaflet is addressed to your child, but it is also a parent's handbook for use in the home.

It could support you during this time of preparation and help you to involve your child in the Mass.

It is really meant to be enjoyable!

To make the children interested in the action of the priest's hands, they need to become aware of their own use of hand signs.

That is how their leaflet begins.

Let yourself be a child tonight and try out all the activities!

Then you might feel more comfortable when you begin to help your child with these actions.

9

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

We will read and discuss this leaflet, page by page.

A reduced version of the leaflet is given on each page for convenient reference.

Page One

Handsigns

Read aloud the first few lines until the words, 'Do you ever talk with your hands?'

Then begin the discussion:

Talk to your neighbour about the handsigns on this page.

Then discuss ways in which you sometimes talk with your hands.

Team members walk round the groups, helping them consider all the ideas on the page.

Could you talk at home about the two handsigns on this page that mean Prayer to God? Discuss

Hand Signs at MassPage 1 My Activity Booklet in preparation for First Communion

Name:

The Mass is full of sign language.

The priest keeps giving us messages with his hands.

This picture shows one sign he makes often.

You could call it: Hands Up at Mass!

Do you ever talk with your hands?

What does a wave mean?

What is the message when a person does this?

What are we saying

when we shake hands?

Who are we talking to when we put our hands like this?

We join our hands together when we pray.

But that is not the only hand sign for prayer.

The priest uses his big hands up sign when he is talking to God, not just for himself, but for all of us.

Now we know two different signs for prayer.

Watch out for each of these Prayer Signs at Mass.

Something to do at home Try the 'hands up' sign for yourself.

If you want to know more signs the priest gives at Mass, turn over the page to find them!

10

Session 2 Reading the Signs

The Eucharist

Page Two

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

The Offertory of the Mass.

The Offertory of the Mass uses very ordinary human actions. We have all done this kind of thing.

You go to someone's house for a meal - and you bring a box of chocolates.

Children know how to offer things at home.

They may not know how the gifts are offered at Mass.

Let's read the 1st part of this page. (A Team member might read it aloud while parents follow from the page.)

Could you suggest, now, how you could help your child take an interest in this action - step by step?

Page 2

Preparing the Gifts: The Offertory After the Children’s Liturgy you join the adults for the part of the Mass called the Offertory.

During this: 1. Bread and wine for the Mass are carried up to the altar & offered to the priest.

2. The priest arranges these gifts on the altar and, with prayers, offers them to God. What do you do with your hands when you offer someone a sweet or a biscuit?

When you are at Mass: Watch the way someone offers the priest a small plate with a special kind of bread on it.

Watch another person give wine to the priest.

He may also be offered some water.

You might practise this at home and be ready to carry the gifts, if you are asked.

Something to do at home Draw the plate with the bread on it.

Draw the chalice with the wine.

* *

Second part Watch how the priest receives the gifts. Where does he put them?

Preparation of the Gifts Now the priest holds up the bread on its plate and thanks God that we have this bread to use at Mass.

Something to do at home Try these actions:

The priest then takes the chalice.

He puts wine into it with a little water and holds it up.

Again he thanks God.

Hold up a plate and say your own prayer of thanks.

*

Take a tumbler.

Hold it up and say 'Thank you' to God.

Now lets look at the second part of the page where the priest thanks God for these gifts that have been grown from the earth and changed into food by human hands.

We begin at the line: Watch how the priest...

Father, will you show us how you receive the gifts - and then offer them to God?

Could we have two volunteers to act out how the gifts are carried in this parish?

Would anyone like to comment on how you might talk about all that to your children?

By acting out the Offertory at home, the children will begin to see

that the Eucharist starts with offering and thanksgiving.

Discuss this with your neighbours It may be worth talking at home about what it would be like to be the disciples that Jesus sent to get the food - including the bread and wine which they were to use at the Last Supper.

(See Matthew 26 etc.)

11

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Pages 3 The Preface

We are all meant to join in this prayer - which leads to the most important part of the Mass.

There are a few easy and enjoyable ways of joining in.

Let's act out what the children are asked to do.

Draw attention to the various sections on the page - in whatever way is best for your group.

After that, repeat it in dialogue with the priest:

Father, will you please lead us in the first 'action' piece?

Now, would you say that long prayer so that we can listen for the word 'Angels' ?

Finally, could we sing the Holy, Holy, together?

We all Join in: The Preface

Page 3

This part of Mass is like a play.

The priest holds up his hands and says his first line.

Everyone answers, line by line.

You hold your hands up too.

Priest: The Lord be with you.

Everyone: And also with you.

Priest: Lift up your hearts.

Everyone: We lift them up to the Lord.

Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Everyone: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Keep your hands raised like the priest while he says a long prayer giving God thanks and praise.

The prayer ends with words about the angels singing their hymn of praise.

Listen for the word, Angels, then be ready to join in that hymn:Holy,Holy,Holy Lord, God of power and might, 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!

Something to do at home

Try this 'Play' in the house.

Ask your parent to say the priest's words.

Try to say your part off by heart.

Can you hold your hands out like the priest?

Your children may ask you to do this all over again at home.

At that time you will be doing the priest's part!

We will hear how you got on when we meet again next week!

12

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 14 pages

Page 4 Calling down the Holy Spirit Now we are at the central part of the Mass - & the first very special action in it!

Because this action is so quick, the children will need their parents help at Mass to find it.

Father, before we even read what it is about, will you do it now, to give us a start?

Demonstration Let's read the page - and then try to do the action with the priest.

Calling down the Holy Spirit

Page 4

After the angels' prayer, Holy, Holy, Holy,watch out for this action.

Keep YourEyes Peeled !

It is very quick, so have your hands ready to do the action with the priest.

The words that go with it are: Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us The Body and Blood

+

of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Something to do at home

Draw the priest's hands showing how he holds them over the bread and wine.

When your children have worked through this leafďťżlet with you at home, they will come to the Family Session with confidence from that first experience & understanding of these activities.

They should bring back their leaflet too!

Note Some leaflets may not be brought back because they have been lost or damaged at home.

No family should feel uncomfortable about attending the next session without their leaflet.

Extra copies will be made available when required.

We will go over the leaflet again at that session, to remind them of what they have done at home.

Then, sitting beside you, they will learn about the central act of the Mass- the Consecration

and all that follows from it.

13

The Eucharist

Session 2 Reading the Signs

Final page of

2011 Leader’s Guide

Receiving Holy Communion

Decisions about whether each child receives First Communion in a family group or in some other pattern will be made at diocesan or parish level.

Since there is no general process, no pattern can be set within this programme.

The plan for your area should be inserted into the programme locally, possibly using this page to share the details.

Team members can then take on the task of practising with the children and families, in a step-by-step session, the practical actions required.

14

The Eucharist Unit 2

Parents’ Liturgy of the Word Leaflet

Liturgy of the Word

Finding prayer and understanding in the group of Sunday Readings The Liturgy of the Word at Sunday Mass has 5 parts: 3 Readings divided by 2 pieces of poetry - the Psalm & Alleluia - (often sung).

The 1st Reading is from the Old Testament - written long before Christ came.

Yet it contains a message that has a link to the last Reading - The Gospel.

The example below comes from Sixteenth Sunday B in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Words of the Prophet Jeremiah chapter 23:1-6

(written 600 years before Jesus Christ was born)

Woe to the shepherds

who mislead and scatter

the flock of my pasture says the Lord.

Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel against the shepherds

who shepherd my people: You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.

You have not cared for them but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.

I myself will gather the remnant of my flock

from all the lands to which I have driven them and bring them back to their meadow; there they shall increase and multiply.

I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them

so that they need no longer fear and tremble;and none shall be missing, says the Lord.

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land.

In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security.

This is the name they give him: “The Lord our justice.”

1

The Eucharist Unit 2

Parents’ Liturgy of the Word Leaflet

The Psalms were written thousands of years ago. Yet they give us, at this point, a few moments of personal conversation with God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose;

beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side

with your rod and your staff that give me courage.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes;

you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever and ever.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

2

The Eucharist Unit 2

Parents’ Liturgy of the Word Leaflet

The second reading is always a piece from a letter - usually from St Paul.

Like any letter arriving at your house, it has its own message

and was not written to fit in with the other readings.

Reading 2 St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 2:13-18 Jesus was a Jew and his first followers thought he had come only for the Jews.

Paul’s letter is to Greek people in Ephesus, a city in what is now Turkey. He tells them that Christ came for all & so different nations should live at peace with one another.

Brothers and sisters: In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, he who made both peoples become one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it.

He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord, I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

3

The Eucharist Unit 2

Parents’ Liturgy of the Word Leaflet

Gospel Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Mark 6:30-34

The apostles gathered together with Jesus

and reported all they had done and taught.

He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”

People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat.

So they went off in the boat

by themselves to a deserted place.

People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.

They hastened there on foot from all the towns

and arrived at the place before them!

(How would you have felt if people turned up and spoiled your chance of a quiet holiday?)

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them,

for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Read the Gospel Then go back to the 1st Reading.

Find the words of the Prophet Jeremiah that come true in this Gospel.

Could you find out what the Gospel will be for next Sunday - and be ready to look for some similar idea in the Old Testament Reading that will come before it?

4

The Eucharist Session 2

Take Home Leaflet

Hand Signs at Mass My Activity Booklet in preparation for First Communion

Name:

The Mass is full of sign language.

The priest keeps giving us messages with his hands.

This picture shows one sign he makes often.

You could call it:

Hands Up at Mass!

Do you ever talk with your hands?

What does a wave mean?

What is the message when a person does this?

What are we saying

when we shake hands?

Who are we talking to when we put our hands like this?

We join our hands together when we pray.

But that is not the only hand sign for prayer.

Look at the top picture again.

The priest uses his big hands up sign when he is talking to God, not just for himself, but for all of us.

Now we know two different signs for prayer.

Watch out for each of these Prayer Signs at Mass.

Something to do at home Try the 'hands up' sign for yourself.

If you want to know more signs the priest gives at Mass,

turn over the page to find them!

1

Hand Signs at Mass

The Eucharist

Take Home Leaflet

Preparing the Gifts: The Offertory After the Children’s Liturgy you join the adults for the part of the Mass called the Offertory.

During this: 1. Bread and wine for the Mass are carried up to the altar & offered to the priest.

2. The priest arranges these gifts on the altar and, with prayers, offers them to God. What do you do with your hands when you offer someone a sweet or a biscuit?

When you are at Mass: Watch the way someone offers the priest a small plate with a special kind of bread on it.

Watch another person give wine to the priest.

He may also be offered some water.

You might practise this at home and be ready to carry the gifts, if you are asked.

Something to do at home Draw the plate with the bread on it.

Draw the chalice with the wine.

Second part Watch how the priest receives the gifts. Where does he put them?

Preparation of the Gifts Now the priest holds up the bread on its plate and thanks God that we have this bread to use at Mass.

The priest then takes the chalice.

He puts wine into it with a little water and holds it up.

Again he thanks God. Something to do at home Try these actions: Hold up a plate and say your own prayer of thanks.

2

Take a tumbler.

Hold it up and say 'Thank you' to God.

The Eucharist

Hand Signs at Mass

Take Home Leaflet

We all Join in: The Preface

This part of Mass is like a play.

The priest holds up his hands and says his first line.

Everyone answers, line by line.

You hold your hands up too.

Priest: The Lord be with you.

Everyone: And also with you.

Priest: Lift up your hearts.

Everyone: We lift them up to the Lord.

Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Everyone: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Keep your hands raised like the priest while he says a long prayer

giving God thanks and praise.

The prayer ends with words about the angels singing their hymn of praise.

Listen for the word, Angels, then be ready to join in that hymn:Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, 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!

Something to do at home Repeat this 'Play' at home.

Ask your parent to say the priest's words.

Try to say your part off by heart.

Can you hold your hands out like the priest?

3

Hand Signs at Mass

The Eucharist

Take Home Leaflet

Calling down the Holy Spirit After the angels' prayer, Holy, Holy, Holy, watch out for this action.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled !

It is very quick, so have your hands ready to do the action with the priest.

The words that go with it are: Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us

The Body and Blood

+

of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Something to do at home Draw the priest's hands showing how he holds them over the bread and wine.

4

Family Faith

Eucharist

Session Three

Family

Practising the Signs

Leader’s Guide

Hand Signs ‘take-home’ leaflet

The Eucharist

Session 3

2011 Leader’s Guide in 12 pages

Practising the Signs

FamilyWorkshop 1

The Eucharist

Session 3 Practising the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 12 pages

RED print is used for Team Notes

This Session begins in the hall & concludes in the church - with the children joining the priest in the sanctuary.

The participation of a priest is necessary in both settings.

Materials required Setting One The Hall Flip chart Extra Copies of ‘Hand Signs at Mass’ the take-home leaflet from the Parents’ Session Paten and host Chalice small container of wine (or substitute)

Setting Two The Church Altar ready with cloth & candles (priest in alb and stole) paten and host chalice

2

The Eucharist

Session 3 Practising the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 12 pages

Introduction

Practising the Signs We are going to use a booklet at this session. It is about:

Talking with our Hands.

Many of you have already used it at home and might be able to help the rest of us.

Hands up those who brought back their leaflet? Good!

Hands up anyone who does not have a leaflet? You will have one in a minute.

But first, look at what you have all done just now.

You used your hands to give me a message, an answer.

What did your hands ‘say’ to me?

Responses

Show me some other signs you can give

with your hands.

Put your hands down again and we will look together at one or two of those signs.

Choose 1st example.

Let’s take your sign. Come out here and do it again

and see if the others know what you mean.

Take responses from a few examples to allow different interpretations of signs.

There were some different ideas about the meaning of those signs.

Let’s think about that.

If I wave my hand to you, what different things could I mean?

Variety of response: Hello! Goodbye! etc.

So a sign by itself could mean different things!

What should I add to my sign to make my meaning clear? Responses

So, signs and words together give the clearest meaning.

Now we will use our leaflets to learn about some of the .

3

Handsigns in the Mass.

The Eucharist

Session 3 Practising the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 12 pages

Give out ‘Hand Signs at Mass’ leaflets, where necessary, and work through pages one & two directly from the printed text.

Now can you find page 3 in your leaflet?

This is called the Preface.

It is like a little play

where all the boys and girls are making the same handsign as the priest

We are going to do that now.

All participate with the priest in acting out The Preface This is repeated until the children are able to respond easily.

Now Father is going to say the long prayer that comes next.

Page 3 tells you the word we have to listen for specially.

When we hear that word ‘Angels’, be ready to sing:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord.....

Turn to page 4 of your leaflet now, and find

The Holy Spirit Prayer

These words ask God to let the bread and wine become Jesus himself.

4

Watch carefully and do the actions with Father. This action is repeated as necessary.

You will not need your leaflet here any more. Take it home and share it with others.

The Eucharist

Session 3 Practising the Signs

Consecration of the Host

2011 Leader’s Guide in 12 pages

Now we are going to see the handsigns and hear the words that

- when said in the Mass make Jesus become present in Bread like this.

Father demonstrates the Consecration of the Host

Father, would you do that again for us, in small steps?

I’ll explain each step before it happens, so that we can all do it with you.

Step One Father, holding the host says:

Take this all of you and eat.

The priest repeats the first step.

Do the same hand action, as if you were holding the host.

Step Two The action does not change, but now we hear words of Jesus about himself

This is My Body, given for you.

The priest repeats the second step.

Did everybody hear that? Look for response. Did anybody miss it?

Did you notice that I used the words, every-body and any-body

When Jesus says, my 5

- when I meant every person here?

body’ he uses the word, body, with that same meaning.

He is saying, ‘This is me, I am here in person in this bread.

The Eucharist

Session 3 Practising the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 12 pages

Step Three Let’s see the final action with the Host.

Father says nothing, he just holds up the Host for us all to see.

You do that too.

Then Father genuflects and, in that moment, speaks in his heart to Jesus who is now present in a special way in the Host.

We might say:

We also should say a few words, in our hearts, to Jesus at this point.

Jesus, Thank you for coming!

I am glad that I am here with you.

Let’s do the whole of the Consecration of the Host again, with all the actions.

Remember that we talk to Jesus in our hearts as we finish this.

The whole action is repeated.

Would anyone like to tell us what they said just now to Jesus?

This idea might be new. If nobody offers a response, repeat the suggestion of what they might say, then ask if anyone has any other ideas.

Something similar happens with the Chalice. Let’s watch that.

6

The Eucharist

Session 3 Practising the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 12 pages

Consecration of the Chalice Step One When Father takes hold of the Chalice and says:

Take this, all of you, and drink from it; you hold your hands as if you had a Chalice in them Father demonstrates the words and actions.

Step Two Be ready to pray in your heart when Father bends over the chalice and says the words of Jesus: This is the cup of my blood.

The blood of the new and everlasting covenant It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.

Do this in memory of me.

Father demonstrates the words & action.

In our hearts we should again talk to God in our own words.

What might we say?

Take some answers.

Pick out any that suggest love, adoration, thanksgiving etc.

Step Three: Let’s see the final action with the Chalice.

Father holds up the Chalice for us all to see.

You do that too!

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The Eucharist

Session 3 Practising the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 12 pages

Put your hands down now and we will try to understand what Jesus is saying to us in this part of the Mass when he talks about his blood.

Perhaps the modern idea of a Blood Donor would help us.

Does anyone here know someone who needed a blood transfusion?

Or do you know a Blood Donor who gave a pint of their own blood so that some person in hospital would not die

- but could become well and alive again?

Let’s talk about that for a moment.

Give a few minutes for everyone to get hold of the idea.

Blood Donor

Then Jesus says he will give his blood ‘for you and for all’ he is not just saying he will be a blood donor - good and kind though that is.

He is saying that he is willing to give his whole life for each one of us - so that we

will be able to live with him forever!

These words of Jesus have two very special meanings for us.

1. Jesus is telling his friends that he is going to die on a Cross and is willing to let this happen to him - because it will make it possible for us to live forever.

2. At the same time he is saying that he stays with us in this life through the Mass.

To help them understand this he said it while holding up the Passover wine.

But it was only after Christ’s Resurrection from the dead that his friends understood that he had been telling them to go on repeating what he had said - in the Mass and he would be there with them each time!

He says:

‘Do this in memory of me’ He was saying this as he held up that cup of wine.

That is why the priest holds up the cup in the same way at Mass.

Look again at these words ‘Do this in memory of me’ The priest does the Consecration in memory of Jesus.

What have we to do?

Live like Jesus; share our lives with others; be Active Christians....

What do you think that Jesus meant by ‘in Memory’ ‘Do this in memory of me’ What is it that Jesus wants us to remember?

How He lived on earth; What his friends were like; How He died; The Last Supper; His Resurrection....

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What effect should those Memories have on us?

Discuss responses briefly

The Eucharist

Session 3 Practising the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 12 pages

After Father has said those words of Jesus over the chalice, he holds up the chalice for us all to see.

Then he puts it down and genuflects.

Everyone stays quite still at this time.

As the priest speaks for a moment, personally, in his heart to Jesus, every one of us taking part in the Mass, does the same.

Will someone suggest what we could say in our hearts, during that silence?

My Lord and my God; Thank you Jesus; Jesus I love you ....

After that moment, the priest stands up and invites us to say aloud what we believe.

He says: (Priest) Let us proclaim the mystery of Faith!

Everyone in the church answers: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again!

Could we sing that now?

The priest then says a long prayer for everyone.

He prays for the Pope and the Bishop and goes on to pray for all the living and dead.

That prayer leads to the climax of this central part of the Mass when the priest holds up the Chalice and Host.

Father will give us that special action now:

(Through him, with him..)

Everyone in the church responds with the Great Amen Could we sing that?

Amen!

It might be helpful to have 2 different voices making the following summing-up statatements: (1st voice) What we have just practiced, are the priest’s actions in the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

We began at the Preface, which is like a little play.

This led to the changing of the Bread and the Wine into the mysterious but living presence of Christ. We ended by saying - or singing - loudly with everyone present that we believe Christ is alive - and we will see him one day.

(2nd voice) We have learned how all the parts of the Mass come together: the Readings, in the first part of the Mass, lead up to this wonderful heart of the Mass.

9

The Eucharist

Session 3 Practising the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 12 pages

After this central point, those who believe in Jesus and want to live their whole lives like him, receive Holy Communion.

You will soon be able to come up and receive Christ in this way!

The following information might be given out in printed form to each family

At the First Communion Mass, each child will sit with their family, at the front of the church.

(Explain local arrangements)

There will be a practice for this Give details of date & time

so that all children can feel sure about coming forward and holding out their hands to receive Christ Our Lord.

Presenter

We are going to leave the hall now and go over to church where you, the children, will be invited to stand round the altar with the priest and join in the central part of the Mass that we have practised.

We will end that session by greeting people - as we will soon be doing every Sunday before Holy Communion.

Everyone should be reminded to take coats, papers etc with them. We will not return to the hall.

10

The Eucharist

Session 3 Practising the Signs

2011 Leader’s Guide in 12 pages

In Church

With the children round the altar, the priest - in alb - goes straight through from the Preface to the Great Amen.

The children do the actions with him. No instructions or explanations are given.

Parents sit nearby to watch.

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The atmosphere should be kept as quiet and reverent as possible .

The Eucharist

Session 3 Practising the Signs

Final page of 2011

Leader’s Guide

We are members of the Family of God. At every Mass, before we receive Communion, we should be friends with everyone in this family.

So, we always say the Our Father and then shake hands with the people around us, before Communion.

We will all stand up and do that now.

Father invites us with the words: Priest: Let us pray with confidence to the Father in the words Our Saviour gave us.

Our Father......

Now we are invited to do the friendship action:

Let us offer each other the Sign of Peace.

Decisions about whether each child receives First Communion in a family group, or in some other pattern, will be made locally.

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The children could learn how to accept the Host now, in church.

But it could also be taught at some other time.

Family Faith

Eucharist

Session Four

After 1st Communion

To Live Like Christ

Leader’s Guide

Presentation of Gospel for appropriate year

Galilee Picnic leaflet Active for Good leaflet

Family Preparation for the Sacrament of The Eucharist

After First Communion Session

2011 Leader’s Guide

in 8 pages

To Live like Christ is to be Aware through the Gospels & the Sacraments

& to be

Active

in Church and Community 1

After First Communion Session

To Live Like Christ

2011 Leader’s Guide in 8 pages

This session aims to help those who have received Christ in Communion become very conscious that they have taken an important step on the journey towards a life lived in the company of Christ.

To make this idea clear, the session begins with

a memorable ceremony of Gospel Presentation.

Starting from these personal copies of the Gospel, the session offers shared experiences which will: support Awareness of the Gospels; try to awaken a growing personal relationship with Christ in prayer; lead to active service in Christian living - in both church and wider community.

*

Materials required for this session

A Presentation Gospel for each First Communicant/family; ‘Galilee Picnic’ Leaflet for each family; Active for Good Leaflet, showing future possibilities; Flipchart to record choices and plans.

Brief Reflection for Presenters on this Crucial Point that has been reached by the families of the First Communicants.

The 3 sessions before First Communion aimed to support families in a conscious readiness to practice their Faith in a regular, ongoing way in harmony with the reception of the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

The point was made that Holy Communion means that

God and the person moved into a closer relationship in the great task of spreading the love and care that God put into the world.

But, locally, there may be a customary belief that First Communion is little more than a free-standing event - over and finished!

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This session attempts to develop an evolving custom of active, living Faith.

After First Communion Session

To Live Like Christ

2011 Leader’s Guide in 8 pages

If Christian Living was a crime

....would there be enough evidence

to convict you?

Introduction

Life is a journey.

All through our lives we have to make choices

about the paths we want to follow and the kind of person we want to be.

When you asked to receieve Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist,

you were choosing a path towards your future

in which you would be committed to being led by God. By taking on life as a Communicant you were saying: ‘Yes, Lord! I want to work with you.’

The effect of Receiving Holy Communion, should show in our lives.

It is not something that ‘happens’ to us without our participation.

We are called by God and drawn into an active role in the church.

‘Out of His infinite glory, may he give you the power, through His Spirit,

for your hidden self to grow strong’. Ephesians 3 v16

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After First Communion Session

To Live Like Christ

Receiving the Good News

2011 Leader’s Guide in 8 pages

To help us start on this new part of our journey, Father will present each family with a copy of the Gospel The word Gospel means ‘Good News’.

That good news is that God became a human person, Jesus.

He lived, died and rose from the dead so that we too should be able to live a new life forever.

After Christ’s Resurrection that good news was written by four people, Matthew Mark, Luke & John.

Those writers were four very different kinds of people!

So each brings us a different way of appreciating what Christ did for us.

To help us get the best of each, the church highlights them at different times.

St John’s Gospel is used in a particular way, every year, in Holy Week and the Easter Season.

The other three Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke have, in turn, the rest of the year in which to tell us about Christ in their own special way.

This year it is the Year of ........

So that version of the Gospel will be given to you now.

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After First Communion Session

To Live Like Christ

2011 Leader’s Guide in 8 pages

When everyone has had a chance to explore their copy of the Gospel, a simple exercise in finding & discussing a specific text is introduced.

The following paragraph is included for those not used to reading directly from the Bible and who might need to become more familiar with finding quotations using chapter and verse.

You can see that the Gospel is divided into chapters which are clearly numbered to help us find our way about.

Then each chapter has its own numbers. These divide the page into small pieces or verses.

In a few minutes time you are going to find your way round the Gospel by using this numbering system.

First, we are going to consider stories in the Gospel. Most of us enjoy a good story.

Jesus loved stories too and was good at telling them.

His stories, called parables, had always a secret meaning in them.

The listeners were expected to work out for themselves the hidden truth that Jesus was trying to share with them.

Your first task, when I give you the numbers for it, is to find a particular story that Jesus told.The story we are looking for is about planting seeds.

Most of the people listening to Jesus knew all about growing plants from seed. We are not so used to growing our own food. But maybe you have planted seeds in a plantpot or in a garden - or at least seen someone else planting seeds on television. So we are going to begin with a very short story that Jesus tells about seeds that were not all planted in the best places for growth.

The story itself is easy enough. But can you work out what Jesus is really talking about?

It has nothing to do with seeds planted in the ground!

It is all about you and me and the kind of people we grow up to be!

You will find the story in: (Select the relevant text.) Matthew13:4 Mark 4:1 Luke 8:5 Allow enough discussion for everyone to grasp the message.

Some may also be ready to read related paragraphs.

This activity is likely to need a good deal of support.

By now everyone will have found the story - and maybe the explanation that Jesus gives, just a few lines further on. Have you all found that?

Give time for this task to be completed We are going to consider only one part of the story just now.

Jesus said some of the seeds fell among thorns.

5

Talk with the families near you and see if you can find anything, in your life with your friends, that - like those thorns - could keep you back from letting Christ’s life and light grow in you.

Take examples & respond briefly.

After First Communion Session

To Live Like Christ

2011 Leader’s Guide in 8 pages

We have been giving our attention to the words of the Gospel as they have been written for us.

Now we are going to discover another way of exploring that Good News

- by making a little play out of a Gospel event.

Give out ‘Galilee Picnic’ leaflet

Galilee Picnic

Through the Gospels, Jesus speaks to each one of us.

Just like the people who first heard him, we need to become aware of what Jesus is trying to tell us.

The message may become clearer if we act out what we have read - or watch other people acting their version.

A group of families worked out a way of doing this. First, each family chose their own story

and planned what to do. When they next met, the families shared their ‘play’ with each other.

The first family chose the story of Peter and the miraculous catch of fish.

Matthew Mark and Luke all tell us that Jesus invited the fisherman, Peter - who was called Simon then and his partners at work, to become his special friends and go everywhere with him.

But only Luke (5: 1-11) gives us the interesting details that are in the story this family chose to act.

You might need to check that all know the story’s details.

The mother read the story from Luke 5: 1-11. The father & children sat in the ‘boat’ of cushions.

One of the boys acted as Jesus. The others were Peter and his friends. Peter spoke first: 1

2

After the catch: Depart from me , I am a sinful man!’

‘We have laboured all night - and caught nothing!

But, if you say so....’

3

Jesus said,‘From now on it will be people you will bring to join us - not fish!’

*****

6

Would you like to act a Gospel event?

After First Communion Session

To Live Like Christ

2011 Leader’s Guide in 8 pages

Here’s the plan.

First Meeting Families come together to consider the idea of acting a Gospel scene - as a family.

After discussion, each family chooses the scene they will practice at home.

Second Meeting They meet again on an agreed date to share their efforts.

Finally, everyone’s production could be presented to other families at a picnic near the pond in a park -

Your own ‘Sea of Galilee’!

Discuss with the group the idea of acting a Gospel event.

Set a date for the First Meeting.

Suggest that families work out at home the kind of Gospel scene they would like to act.

Remind families to bring their copy of the Gospel to the meeting.

Details of a first event should be announced at this current After-1st Communion session, so that continuity can be achieved and this group of families can grow and support one another.

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After First Communion Session

To Live Like Christ

Final page of 2011 Leader’s Guide

Why set up these further activities?

First Communion is not a final event where some kind of badge or trophy is won or achieved. Instead, it is the opening of a door to committed, active participation in Christian living.

Put another way, personal growth in Christ is offered to us by this sacrament - but that growth only becomes real in our lives through developing awareness of Christ and his teaching and commitment to being active in the community of the faith.

St Paul, as he set up the church in Europe, makes this point in many of his letters. See 1Corinthians 12:7 for example: ‘There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of services to be done, but always to the same Lord.’

The community of the church today needs to support both awareness and growth by providing opportunities and events in which those who have become full members of the church by receiving the Eucharist, can join together: 1. To become more aware of the presence of Christ and his teaching

through activities that make the Gospel come alive to them;

2. By becoming active in serving others

both in church and in the community - local or overseas.

What that means in practice will depend on the willingness of adults to give time to set up introductory sessions.

It will not happen by itself.

Some possible starting points are given in the Active for Good Leaflet.

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Galilee Picnic

Scripture event

2011 ‘After !st Communion’ Event Leaflet

Through the Gospels, Jesus speaks to each one of us.

Just like the people who first heard him, we need to become aware of what Jesus is trying to tell us.

The message may become clearer if we act out what we have read - or watch other people acting their version.

A group of families worked out a way of doing this.

First they planned what to do.

One of the families then shared their ‘play’ with the others.

They chose the story of Peter and the miraculous catch of fish.

Matthew Mark and Luke all tell us that Jesus invited the fisherman, Peter, or Simon as he was called then,- and his partners at work to become his special friends and go everywhere with him.

But only Luke (5: 1-11) gives us all these details.

The mother read the story from Luke 5:1-11 The father and children sat in the ‘boat’ of cushions.

One of the boys acted as Jesus. The others were Peter and his friends. Peter spoke first.

2

1

3

After the catch: ‘Depart from me , I am a sinful man!’

‘We have laboured all night and caught nothing!

But, if you say so....’

‘From now on it will be people you will bring in to join us - not fish!’

Would you like to act a Gospel event?

Here’s the plan.

1. Families meet to hear the idea of acting a Gospel scene - as a family.

After discussion, each family chooses their own scene to practice at home.

2. They meet again on an agreed date to share their efforts.

Finally, everone’s production could be presented to the other families at a picnic near the pond in a park - Your

own ‘Sea of Galilee’!

Active!

2011 ‘After 1st Communion’ Session leaflet

Active for good in today’s world.

Parish-based Opportunities to become involved in Justice and Peace issues

1

Active!

2010 ‘After 1st Communion’ Session leaflet

Active for good in today’s world.

Opportunities - and encouragement to have a service role in the Mass

Parish-based Opportunities to become involved in Active Service of others ‘You will have in you the strength based on his own glorious power never to give in but to bear anything joyfully thanking the Father who has made it possible for you to join the Saints and with them to inherit the light.’

Colossians 1 v12

Opportunities - and encouragement to serve people locally

2