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This past year during our 2nd Year Eucharistic Retreat the children looked at the Gifts Strip in a new way. This material helps us to see the great variety of gifts which God used to so beautifully fill the earth long before we arrived...and which He continues to pour out upon us today to assist us in our writing on the blank page of our moment in history as we await Parousia. Having enjoyed this material for many months, the 2nd graders took time on retreat to expand their thinking about the many gifts of God as they pondered how these gifts assist us in our worship of Him through at Mass or, in other words, how we assist all of creation to worship God most fully through the liturgy! As a child read each page, another child chose one material from the Atrium to represent that moment and its connection to the liturgy. We did this twice and so each moment has two items, chosen by the children, as examples of how all of the gifts of God help us in our worship at liturgy. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, as understood and experienced by the 1st - 3rd graders and the 4th - 6th graders in the Atrium through the materials and in their own words... Knowledge: Knowing God more and more each day.
- Sanctuary lamp: “It helps us know Jesus is with us.” - Good Samaritan: “When the Good Samaritan helped the man who was hurt the man knew God better.” - Cenacle from City of Jerusalem: “That’s where Jesus had the Last Supper.” - Summary of the Law: “God's Word helps us grow in knowledge.” - Candle: “The candle shows us God's light.” Understanding: Realizing how great God is. - Insistent Friend: “He was persistent and kept asking.” - Chalice and Paten: “The Holy Spirit helps us understand this is Jesus.” - Crucifix: “When Jesus died on the cross it showed His greatness.” - John Paul II: “He understood that people needed to know that God loved them.” - Angel from the Tomb: “He helped the women understand that Jesus rose from the dead.” - Angel from the Annunciation: “When the Holy Spirit came over her she understood why she was going to have a baby.” - Temple and candle from City of Jerusalem: “When Jesus died there was three hours of darkness but he was greater than the darkness.” - Tomb from City of Jerusalem: “This is because God rose from the dead. He died so I can live.” - Crucifix: “It shows how great God is because He took away our sins by dying on the cross.” Wisdom: Knowing what to do with our knowledge and understanding of God. - St. Therese: “She had wisdom because she loved the other sister, the one who didn't like her.” - Angel: “The angel tells us what we should do to live with these gifts well. - Crucifix: “When Jesus was on the cross God was with Him and when I look at the crucifix I know He is with me too.” - Nothing: “I brought nothing because I nothing can help me know how to use my knowledge and understanding except God.” - Bible: “God's Word is filled with wisdom and when we read it we have wisdom too.” - Bell: “When the bell rings at Church we use our understanding and know that the bread is Jesus.” - Wise Bridesmaids: “The wise ones brought oil so they could light the way when the bridegroom came.” - Sheep: “The sheep have wisdom because they only recognize the Good Shepherd's voice.” - Apostle: “The apostles used wisdom to spread the news about Jesus.” - Good Shepherd: “He had wisdom to have the sheep follow Him. He didn't force them. They just came so they knew and understood that He would take care of them.” - Mary and the gifts from the Magi: “When the wise men saw the star they knew it would help them and they followed it and were surprised when they saw Jesus.” - Cross: “We can know God any way and all ways.” - Globe: “God made the earth and I'm glad we are real and living so we can know and understand Him.” - Mary from the Flight into Egypt: “Mary had to go back and forth and listen to the angel and travel and listen to the angel and travel again and Mary went right away when the angel said she should go.” Counsel: Knowing the right choice, the choice God would have us make. - Origin of the Eucharist panel: “The people who teach in the church know more about God than me but God knows a lot more because God is God but the Church wants to share that with us.” - Maxim: “‘When you give alms do not blow a trumpet before you,’ is like making a decision; so, should I do the good thing or the bad thing.” - Joseph: “When the angel appeared to him and said they had to travel somewhere else Joseph decided to just go right away and not wait for the morning.” - Palm from the City of Jerusalem: “That’s when God was coming into other places. He can’t just be in one place. He can be in multiple at one time.” - Maxim: “‘Be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect,’ reminds us to be like God as much as we can.” - “Glory to God in the Highest:” “It helps you because if you say it you might feel better and then you might know what to do.” - Signpost for Egypt/Israel: “It helped Joseph and Mary to know where to go to make it safe. This was like a sign of safety.” - Insistent Friend: “When his friend needed bread, he made the choice to go and help him.” - Baptismal oils: “Once you were baptized you started to make the choice to be good.” - Tax collector: “He used counsel so he could make a good choice to look deep inside his heart.” - Wise Bridesmaid: “She made the right choice to have extra oil.” - Cross: “Jesus used counsel and all of the gifts perfectly.” - Apostles: “When they gather for the Last Supper it was kind of like it was a council.” Fortitude: Being strong for God; using God's strength and power to do what is right and good. - Apostle: “They could use God’s power to do everything, even move mountains or make money like double for themselves, but they used it to help the poor. They could do miracles, but they helped and did things for others, not for themselves.” - Peter: “He was the second person to turn the bread and wine into Jesus’ Body and Blood.” - Garden of Olives: “When Jesus was praying, He had to have a lot of power to pray because it was stressful and when the guards took Him, He had a lot of power to not fight back.” - Sheep: “God was teaching them strength and they started learning how to follow Him.” - Anne and Mary: “Anne and Mary are reading the Bible and when they read, they get stronger.” - St. Thomas Aquinas: “He wrote about God and that took fortitude.” - Sheep and Hired Hand: “The sheep and the man were kind of scared. The man ran away but the Good Shepherd had fortitude and protected the sheep.” - Wheat seed (Mystery of Life and Death): “When God was very small, He was not so powerful at that time but when He died and was risen, He was very powerful.” - Jesus holding the paten: “Jesus had strength in Him, and He put that strength into the bread when He made it His Body.” Piety: Loving God more than anything or anyone else. Taking delight in loving God. - Pope Francis: “He’s a priest and he loves God more than anything.” - Mary from the Visitation: “Mary and Elizabeth were rejoicing because of Jesus.” - Apostles: “They told everyone about Jesus and shared His Body and Blood.” - Baptismal Oils: “Celebrating your Baptism and the joy that comes from Baptism.” - Simeon and Jesus: “He loved Jesus so much that he asked God if he could live just so he could see Him.” - Peter: “He loved Jesus more than anything and he cried a lot when he denied him.” - Mary: “She loved Jesus and she loved God. Jesus is God and He is God’s gift.” - Bible: “The Bible shows how we know God for like forever.” - 3 Wise Men: “They knew that Jesus was born and so they started to go and see Him because they loved Him so much.” - Priest: “He loved God more than anything else because at Mass He says that sometimes.” Fear of the Lord: Realizing that God is so great and we are so small and He loves us very much. - Shepherd: “The sheep was afraid but then he saw how good and great the Shepherd was.” - Amen: “We say Amen because God is so good.” - Angel from the Tomb: “When the angel came they were afraid but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid,’ and they were kind of afraid but then they were like, ‘How can this be that he’s alive?’ and they were kind of in awe.” - 3 Wise Men: “When they say baby Jesus they were in awe and they laid down in front of Him.” - “When miracles happened like when Jesus turned five loaves and two fish into so much more, people were surprised and in awe.” - Mary: “When the angel appeared to her and told her she was having a baby she was surprised, and she felt very good.” - Thurible: “When they incense the monstrance, they put the smoke in front of the monstrance which is God. They put fire and smoke in front of it because God is so powerful.” - Tomb: “I brought this tomb because when the three women saw that Jesus was gone, they were so amazed that He was risen and gone.” - Angel: “The angel loved God and God loved the angel and the angel was sending messages from God - Shepherds and angel: “When the angel appeared to them they were scared but they saw God had so much power and then they went and saw Jesus who was so little.” Last Friday the 2nd Year children spent a day "away" in the Atrium. Time to ponder the great gifts of Reconciliation and Eucharist, time to be in silence, and time to rejoice with each other over a beautiful Agape meal were all part of this long-awaited day. Much of the morning was spent decorating the wooden crosses the children received on Ash Wednesday and working with materials that have helped them to grow in their relationship with Jesus this year. After a delicious meal, during which each child was served by his 3rd Year prayer partner who had been praying specifically for him throughout Lent and into the Easter season, the children took time to weave a bookmark in silence, "digesting" both the physical and spiritual food of the day. What a beautiful gift to spend the day with Jesus! Thank you to all who helped make this day possible!
The Level III (4th - 6th grade) children took time out of their school day last Friday to prepare for and lead a beautiful celebration of the Liturgy of the Light. Complete with flashlights and processions, Scripture and prayers from the Roman Missal, singing and many, many candles, this yearly event is memorable for all involved. Truly, the light is stronger than the darkness!!
The Upper Elementary children (E2 / Level III) spent two hours preparing to lead the Liturgy of the Light celebration for the entire school. They read through their assigned readings, they walked through the movements, they practiced both together, and then even had five minutes to spare before the Atrium began to fill with children. Beginning with the Dressing of the Easter Candle, moving through the Exultet and readings from Scripture including Matthew's account of the Resurrection, and into a renewal of the Baptismal Promises, the children were truly led in prayer, song, and silence. Each child was called by name and received a candle lit from the Paschal / Easter Candle. From one light came many lights. After Children's House, Lower Elementary, and Adolescents had left the Atrium, the Upper Elementary children took some time to reflect. The original "ending" to our prayer showed the Good Shepherd surrounded by the individual candles of the children. However, some felt it would be better to have the Easter Candle behind the Good Shepherd. In the end, though, they decided that just the Paschal Candle surrounded by the children's candles was best because it was the clearest sign of the Good Shepherd surrounded by His sheep, the Light surrounded by His light. God is truly so good! One sign of His great, great goodness was the blessing of First Sacraments and entry into the Sheepfold for several Way of the Shepherd children! Congratulations to all those who were welcomed into the Catholic Church this Easter. We are so grateful to have you with us!! It's that time of year once again! Each of the children (ages 3 to 12) spent time writing and decorating an Alleluia card this past week in the Atrium. It brought a smile to my face to see the older children enter and exclaim with joy over this yearly activity that they have fond memories of! The elementary children who have experienced this before went right to work without an introduction, designing some beautiful Alleluias that I look forward to sharing with you once they are "unburied" at Easter! Some of the younger children remembered this event from last year, but for many this was a new experience. We spoke about what "Alleluia" means ("Praise the Lord!) and talked about Lent as a time of quiet and listening as we prepare for Easter and "save up" our Alleluias for that greatest of all feasts!
We begin each year in the Atrium by introducing (or "reintroducing") the Holy Bible. This year in Children's House, each Atrium group had a procession to "enthrone" the Bible on the Prayer Table. The new children in Elementary received their own, personal Bible to use at school. Those children in first through third grade reflected on the importance of this great book which has been translated into many languages and were able to hold Bibles in Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Hebrew, Greek, and even more! The Upper Elementary children were introduced to how to look up the upcoming Sunday's Gospel, and they will begin their Atrium day this way each week. Sometimes we become a bit immune to the incredible privilege we have in holding the Word of God in our hands. How many people of the past only dreamed of such a thing? How many people even today have no idea that this precious treasure is here, waiting for us to "pick up and read?" We come to the Atrium to listen for God's voice, and in His Word He speaks to us clearly, beautifully, straight to the heart. What a gift! Last week the children all had the opportunity to participate in a Pentecost celebration fitting to their age. At the end of each celebration we said good-bye to each other and to the Atrium until next fall. During our time together the children each prayed for a specific gift of the Holy Spirit to be stirred up within their hearts to help them in a special way this summer. I pray that we will all take time to listen and visit Jesus through adoration and by participating in the sacraments over our break so that we will return next school year even further on our journey the Good Shepherd and His flock. May your summer be a time of pondering and rejoicing, a time with family and with friends, and a time of peaceful rest. Blessings to you!
The Way of the Shepherd 2nd grade children spent last Friday on Retreat. They were joined by three Community Atrium children who are also preparing for First Communion. The day was filled with time in silence and prayer, gathering materials which have helped them prepare to receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time, and expressing their growth this year through artwork as they decorated the crosses which were blessed for them at the beginning of Lent. The children also had time to choose work that would help them to listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd as they spent their day with Him. And they most enjoyed their Agape Meal, so beautifully served by their 3rd grade prayer partners! Please continue to keep these children in prayer as many of them will be receiving Jesus in His Body and Blood for the first time over the next few weeks.
Happy Easter!! The Way of the Shepherd children celebrated the beginning of the Easter Season with an all-school participation in the Liturgy of the Light, patterned after the Easter Vigil Services. The E2 children (4th-6th grade) spent the morning preparing and then leading this celebration for the rest of the children and staff on our first day back at school after Easter. It was a beautiful time of prayer filled with much song and LIGHT!
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Carolyn Kohlhaas
CGS Catechist and Formation Leader (Levels I, II, and III) Categories
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April 2024
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