Catechetical Newsletter

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Ritual Celebration in the Classroom
by Jo Rotunno

Summer is a good time to think back on the successes and shortcomings of the past catechetical year and to make plans insuring that the upcoming year is the best year ever. One giant step forward might be to increase attention to good ritual prayer in the classroom.

Many catechists avoid these moments because they seem too time-consuming. A simple ritual prayer service need take only a few minutes. With a little pre-planning, children can gain the experience of an involving ritual prayer that helps them learn the signs, symbols, and gestures of Catholic liturgical and sacramental celebration.

This experience is a vital part of their faith formation and serves two of the six central tasks of catechesis: learning to pray, and learning the liturgy and sacraments. As the General Directory for Catechesis points out, it is important not only to learn about liturgy and sacraments, but to make the signs and gestures of our celebrations both known and loved. (See GDC 87.) Here’s an easy way to involve children in setting the stage for each liturgical season.

Invite the children to make seasonal banners or table coverings for each season in the appropriate liturgical color. They can glue pieces of felt to represent images from nature or from the Scripture readings of the season on the cloth. Establish a ritual for preparing the table in the prayer center for each liturgical season, adding seasonal items to the top of the table, along with the Bible, candle, and crucifix.

[Source: Faith First Legacy Edition, Grade 4 Catechist Edition, chapter 11.]