4. Worksheet: Build a customized catechetical session for your catechumens

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "4. Worksheet: Build a customized catechetical session for your catechumens"

Matthew Anderson
5 years ago
Views:

1 4. Worksheet: Build a customized catechetical session for your catechumens NEXT ACTIONS Print this worksheet and complete it. Leading an extended catechetical session This is an outline of what I did on the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, A. This flows from the dismissal session given in Exercise 3. Read through it and then go to the online forum to respond to the question given at the end of the session. Before begin, however, take a moment to jot down some doctrinal themes or topic that came up for you as you reflected on the readings for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, A. A sample catechetical session This catechetical session can take place immediately after the dismissal session. Parents, companions, and sponsors join after Mass while the catechumens take a break. Provide hospitality and warmly welcome folks as they enter. The catechetical session can also take place later in the week. Remember to place the lectionary on the table prepared and lead the children to their places around the lectionary enthroned on the table. Quietly light the candle. Page 1

2 Opening prayer, gathering, and transition from breaking open the Word As you begin again, ask one of the children to share some of the ideas discussed during the dismissal catechesis. We hear another parable this week, and this time it s about a great banquet. What was surprising about the guests at this banquet? After the summary, you may wish to offer an opening prayer or begin immediately with the next segment. My story Jesus tells a story about a king who throws a great wedding feast. Imagine you were giving a big party. Tell me what it would be like. What would the foods, the drinks, the decorations and the people be like? Ask the group to freely brainstorm their ideas and call out whatever comes to mind when they think of a great banquet or party. Be sure to lead the brainstorming around to a description of the people who would be invited to their party. Summarize the brainstorming effort. Throwing a party usually involves lots of delicious food and drinks, like what you ve just described. But what s most important are the guests at the party. Remember, the king goes out to the highways and byways and invites all kinds of people. If it were your party, would you invite bad and good alike (v.10)? This parable is not only describing the great heavenly feast (heaven), but it is to remind us of a banquet that s happening now the Eucharist. Jesus is telling us that people off the streets; the bad and good; the poor and lonely are all invited to the heavenly banquet. They are invited to our Sunday Eucharist too (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1397). Let s talk about our weekly banquet the Sunday Eucharist. Church s story The Eucharist (Sunday Mass) is also a type of banquet. It s a special meal. Since you are preparing for Baptism, many of you do not yet eat and drink at Eucharist. Some of you, however, can still describe what makes Eucharist like a meal. Page 2

3 Adults meet in a separate group so that they can consider more deeply some of the theology of the Eucharist. Sponsoring parent leads this discussion on the points given below. Ask participants to name the elements of the Eucharist that are like a meal. Write their responses on newsprint. Then make the following points: Sponsoring parent: The Eucharist has a structure much like a family or community meal. We begin Mass by gathering as a Christian community: Introductory Rites (CCC, no. 1348). We talk about our family and share the stories of the community: Liturgy of the Word (CCC, no. 1349). We give thanks and bless our food and drink. We eat and drink: Liturgy of the Eucharist. We are dismissed from the table and go forth full and fed: Concluding Rite. In the Eucharist, we remember Jesus last meal, the Last Supper (CCC, no.1329). At the Last Supper, Jesus offered the eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood (CCC, no. 1323). We believe that the bread and wine become Christ Jesus Body and Blood (CCC, nos. 1374, 1375). The Eucharist unites us to Christ, to one another, and especially to those who are poor (CCC, nos. 1391, 1396, 1397). Summarize the input piece and move to the connecting activity by using these or similar words: Sponsoring parent: The Eucharist is a sacred meal in which we remember Jesus actions at the Last Supper. When we celebrate the Eucharist, we are united to Christ Jesus and to one another. Let s think about our unity with Christ and with one another around the eucharistic table. Connecting my story to the church s story The great banquet: unity with Christ and one another Divide the participants into small groups. Make sure one adult or another specified leader is facilitating each small group. Give each group a sheet of newsprint and several markers. Provide the following instructions: Page 3

4 If you were in charge of a wedding feast or a great banquet, what would it be like? On the newsprint, draw a large banquet table. Fill it with the kinds of food and drink you would want. Around the table, draw the people who you think should be there. Remember the words of the king: Go out into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find. Think about who Jesus would invite to the banquet. Discuss this question as you draw your table: In what way does the Eucharist unite us with Christ and others? Response Invite each small group to share their banquet description. As each group shares, have them tape their newsprint to the wall. Have the next group connect their table drawing to the previous table drawing so that all the drawings are eventually taped together. After all the groups have shared, ask participants to look at their banquet drawings once again to see if there is anyone missing from the table anyone who Jesus might like you to invite: Is there a classmate, teacher, or co-worker you dislike who should be at the table? Are the bad and good alike at your banquet? Are people who are disabled, poor or sick at your table? Are there people of different colors and races at the table? Don t just draw them on your picture. Think about how you will reach out to a person who needs to be added to your table. What will you do to reach out to someone who needs to be at the table? All time for participants to respond. Make closing remarks and move to prayer. Closing prayer and ritual Invite all participants to stand and gather around the enthronement, which also holds the loaf of bread and glass of juice or wine. During this prayer, as a sign of unity with Christ and with one another, pass around the loaf of bread and invite participants to break off a piece of bread to eat. Use these or similar words to begin the prayer: Jesus is inviting you to receive his body and blood in the eucharistic banquet. Our sessions are helping you to prepare for the day when you will share in the Eucharist. But for now, we ll pass around this loaf of regular bread as a reminder that we are preparing to share in the Eucharist one day. May this bread remind us to reach out to others who are not at the table. Please tear off a piece of bread and offer the loaf to the person next to you. Page 4

5 Questions for online forum What are the benefits of having catechesis flow from the Liturgy of the Word? How would this work in your parish? What would you differently? Page 5

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Year B

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Year B HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE Dismissal Session The Dismissal Session is for catechumens only who are dismissed from worship before the Creed (RCIA