- The Baptism Area
- Gathering Crosses and Crucifixes
- The Gestures Altar
- The Model Altar
- The Good Shepherd
- The Prayer Table
This week in the Atrium the Level I (Children's House) children were asked which materials helped them to listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd. They responded...
- The Baptism Area - Gathering Crosses and Crucifixes - The Gestures Altar - The Model Altar - The Good Shepherd - The Prayer Table The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is founded on two pillars, Scripture and Liturgy. From the youngest age, the Liturgy of the Eucharist forms the heart of the Atrium experience. The children set the model altar and enjoy the liturgical colors which are displayed by the chasuble of the priest. They ponder individual moments of the Mass, particularly the gestures or movements of the priest. The reality that the Good Shepherd, who gives all of Himself for His sheep, calls them to the best food and best drink, His Body and Blood, at the Church, is concretized through an extension to the Good Shepherd material. Upon entering the Level II (E1) Atrium, the children revisit all of these materials and then begin to synthesize their understanding of the gift of the Mass by writing out and illustrating the most essential prayers within the great prayer of the Mass. As they move into Level III (E2), every prayer of the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist grows in significance as the children are offered the opportunity to order and scribe each and every moment. What a beautiful way to become immersed in the language and heart of the most beautiful prayer of the Church, the Holy Mass.
Having pondered the great gift given by Jesus at the Last Supper from the age of three, the gift by which He remains with His sheep, the 6th graders (Level III) took time to look again at this moment of history, in a new way, by pondering the Eucharist as Memorial. This word, "Memorial," has a deep meaning with its roots in the Old Testament. In Exodus 12, the Passover meal is set up as a Memorial, a ritual by which the Jewish people enter back into the moment in which they were freed from the slavery of Egypt, even if they live hundreds or thousands of years after the event. In the "Memorial" presentation, the question is asked, "Were we born too late?" We were not present at the Last Supper or at the death and resurrection of Jesus or at the moment of Pentecost. So, "Were we born too late?"
After receiving the presentation, the 6th graders took some time to write out their thoughts: - "At the Passover, Jesus said, 'This is my Body, which will be given up for you and for many. Do this in memory of me,' and at Mass the priest does the same thing. Then the same thing happens with the Blood. It becomes a perpetual memorial." - "Jesus passed the words He said down to the apostles and then they passed it down to the bishops and priests who preach it to us." - "After Jesus has ascended to heaven, the apostles pray to the Father to send His Spirit, and they repeat Jesus' words and they still do." - "I wonder why they said those words. I wonder how they all said similar things. I wonder if I go back in time if people would behave like we do. I wonder how I would feel if I were in those moments." - "Parousia: We don't know our fate on this day but we do know this. God promised it will happen and God always keeps His promises." While the children begin their explorations of the Land of Israel, that tiny country where the Son of God chose to become man and live on the earth in the midst of humanity, around the age of three in the Atrium, there are many ways to expand their explorations over the following years. Having been introduced to the three principle cities in Jesus' life at the age of three (Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem), and the regions and waterways at the age of four or five, the elementary children are excited to learn about many more cities which are referenced in the Gospels. After tracing the puzzle map of the Land of Israel and using watercolor pencils to finish their map, the pin map of Israel is introduced. The children use atlases to research the city flags and place them on the map. After checking their work with the control, they take out all of the pins they have placed and try to replace them by memory, only adding three more cities onto the map if they have been able to remember accurately all those they have previously placed. Once all cities are known well enough to place them without the atlas or control, the children begin to label the cities on their watercolor map of Israel. This year there have been many children showing interest in the map of the Land of Israel and many who are returning to this work and extending it in various ways. Repetition with variety is a need of the elementary child and the work related to the maps has, this year, proven that need to be alive and active in the Level II Atrium!
|
Carolyn Kohlhaas
CGS Catechist and Formation Leader (Levels I, II, and III) Categories
All
Archives
April 2024
|