Title Synthesis of Overview of Sacraments 1& 2 () Category Level L 5 Pre-requisites Sources Liturgical time Doctrinal points Direct aims Indirect aim Materials Needed Presentation Sacraments Covenants, Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist Primary Curriculum Version 1.1 May 2012 CCC, Call To Faith, In memory of Me (Nihil Obstat), The Seven Sacraments by Felix Just, S.J., The Faith Explained-Father Leo Trese (Nihil Obstat) Ordinary Time CCC1114- All sacraments are instituted by Christ CCC1131 The sacraments are signs that make present the gift of God s grace. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required disposition To be introduced to all 7 sacraments and understand the effects of the sacraments To reflect on their own reception of the sacraments Title cards: Sacraments of Initiation, Sacraments of Healing & Sacraments of Promises/Service Name cards: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Holy Orders, Holy Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick Picture cards: Symbols for each sacrament Gift cards: See below text in bold, can put a picture of giftbox next to text Effects cards: (see below text in red) Stands for cards if necessary Even after He had returned to the Father, Jesus wanted to create ways for people to celebrate that He is present and to receive His saving action. To do this, He gave us the Sacraments. In the sacraments, Jesus shares Himself with us and gives His saving love to us freely. The sacraments also make us holy and give us the strength to walk in right relationship with God and with one another. (Distribute the name cards, picture cards and gift cards ask the children to match their cards with the 7 Sacraments.) The Church celebrates 7 Sacraments. Do you know what they are? (Invite the children to name the 7 Sacraments. As each Sacrament is mentioned, invite child to bring up the Sacrament card Slides 2-8) (once name cards laid out, invite other children with cards to match their pictures and gifts to the sacrament) Name of sacrament Baptism (Slide 2) Who has a picture symbol of Baptism Baptismal Font? Invite child to bring up Slide 9 and place below Slide 2 (Baptism) Do you know what is the gift of baptism? Response: New Life (Invite child Page 1
to bring up Slide 10 and place below Slide 9) Primary Curriculum Version 1.1 May 2012 Name of Sacrament Eucharist (Slide 3) Who has a picture symbol of the Eucharist Paten & Chalice? Invite child to bring up Slide 11 and place below Slide 3 (Eucharist) Do you know what is the gift of the Eucharist? Response: Jesus life (Invite child to bring up Slide 12 and place below Slide 11) Name of Sacrament Confirmation (Slide 4) Who has a picture symbol of Confirmation Dove? Invite child to bring up Slide 13 and place below Slide 4 (Confirmation) Do you know what is the gift of Confirmation? Response: Strengthening of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord (Invite child to bring up Slide 14 and place below Slide 13) Name of Sacrament - Holy Matrimony (Slide 5) Who has a picture symbol of Holy Matrimony 2 rings? Invite child to bring up Slide 15 and place below Slide 5 (Holy Matrimony) What s the gift of Holy Matrimony? Response: Family (Invite child to bring up Slide 16 and place below Slide 15) Name of Sacrament - Holy Orders (Slide 6) Who has a picture symbol of Holy Orders Chasuble? Invite child to bring up Slide 17 and place below Slide 6 (Holy Orders) What s the gift of Holy Orders? Response: Leadership (Invite child to bring up Slide 18 and place below Slide 17) Name of Sacrament Reconciliation (Slide 7) Who has a picture symbol of Reconciliation Purple Stole? Invite child to bring up Slide 19 and place below Slide 7 (Reconciliation) What s the gift of Reconciliation? Response: Forgiveness (Invite child to bring up Slide 20 and place below Slide 19) Name of Sacrament - Anointing of the Sick (Slide 8) Who has a picture symbol of Anointing of the Sick container of oil? Invite child to bring up Slide 21 and place below Slide 8 (Anointing of the sick) What s the gift of Anointing of the sick? Response: Healing (Invite child to bring up Slide 22 and place below Slide 21) Page 2
(When all the cards have been matched) Let s look at what s on these cards. (read through with the children) These are the 7 sacraments of the Church: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders, Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. Which Sacraments have you already received? (response Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist) I wonder who is giving us the gifts of the Sacraments? (Jesus) I wonder why Jesus wants to give us the sacraments? (because He loves us. He knows we need strength/help to do God s work) Each sacrament is a gift for us. Jesus is giving us his grace in some way when we meet him in the sacraments. What is grace? (response) Grace is God s love in action. Grace is a gift from God. It allows us to share in God s own life. We grow in grace each time we do a loving deed, think a loving thought and speak a kind word. I wonder how is grace given in each sacrament? (can briefly go through each one e.g. pouring of water in baptism, laying of hands in confirmation etc...) We re going to think more about the graces given in each sacraments and how the sacraments help us. The 7 sacraments are divided into different groups: they are Sacraments of Initiation, Sacraments of Healing & Sacraments of Service. Who has the cards for these 3 groups? Invite children to bring up Slides 23-25 (person reads card and places it down: Sacraments of Initiation/Healing/Promises) Let s look at the first group: the Sacraments of Initiation are the first steps towards being members of the Church. We are initiated by our Baptism, strengthened by the Spirit and nourished by the Eucharist in the Initiation process. (Invite 3 children to come forward) Can you place the sacraments that belong to this group under the heading? (get children to move all baptism, confirmation and eucharist cards under the heading) So let s look at these 3 sacraments of initiation: Baptism Baptism is the sacrament of rebirth. In receiving baptism, we are united with Jesus in his death and cleansed from all sin. We are welcomed into the community of the Church and permanently related to God as his adopted children. Who has a card that explains the effects of Baptism? (Invite Page 3
child to bring up Slide 26 Effect of Baptism read and place it below the other cards) The effect of Baptism is that we become a member of the Church of Christ and share in the life of God. All of our sins are also forgiven. Confirmation: Another name for confirmation could be making stronger. Through Confirmation, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit, who gives us the grace to be an even stronger follower of Jesus by our words and actions. Confirmation marks us as Jesus strong witnesses which means that, by our words and example, we are actually helping to spread the Kingdom of God, starting with our friends and family. Who has a card that explains the effects of Confirmation? (Invite child to bring up Slide 27 Effect of confirmation read and place it below the other cards) The effect of Confirmation is that it completes our baptism. We are strengthened by the Holy Spirit and "confirmed" in the fullness of the Christian faith. Eucharist: The Holy Eucharist is the center of the Christian s life. We celebrate the Eucharist in obedience to Jesus instruction at the Last Supper: Do this in memory of me. When the priest consecrates the bread and wine, they are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ even though the appearance of the bread and wine remains the same. In the meal, Jesus nourishes us with the Bread of Life, and unites us more closely with God and with one another. Who has a card that explains the effects of Eucharist? (Invite child to bring up Slide 28 Effect of Eucharist read and place it below the other cards) The effect of the Eucharist is that we are spiritually nourished by Christ's body and blood and united with Christ and other believers. Next we come to the Sacraments of Healing. The 2 Sacraments of Healing are: The Anointing of the Sick & Reconciliation & Penance. (Invite 2 children to come forward) Can you please help move the correct cards? (children to move anointing of sick and reconciliation cards under heading) Let s look now at these 2 sacraments of healing: Reconciliation: Just as our bodies get sick and need to be healed, our souls suffer sickness as a result of our sins. Through this wonderful sacrament, Jesus heals our souls of sins Page 4
committed after baptism. He also gives us the grace necessary to avoid these sins in future. Through this sacrament, we are healed of our sins, and the hurt we have done to the Body of Christ is healed. Who has a card that explains the effects of Reconciliation? (Invite child to bring up Slide 29 Effect of Reconciliation read and place it below the other cards) The effect of Reconciliation is that we are forgiven of our sins and reconciled to God, the Church, and other people. We also receive the strength needed to live our Christian faith. Anointing of the sick: Being sick can be hard because pain often makes people tired and afraid. Jesus often cured the sick and showed his love for them. He gives a sacrament to people who are very sick especially those in danger of death. The priest anoints the person s head with oil and says some prayers. This sacrament can help the person in his suffering and can even heal his body if that is God s will. Who has a card that explains the effects of the Anointing of the Sick? (Invite child to bring up Slide 30 Effect of Anointing the Sick read and place it below the other cards) The effect of the Anointing of the Sick that we are strengthened in body and soul in times of illness. The last 2 sacraments are Sacraments of Service. X & Y can you please move the cards?(children move holy order and matrimony cards) These are the 2 sacraments of service: Holy Orders: In Holy Orders, Jesus calls some men to come very close to him in a special way by becoming a priest. After receiving the sacrament of Holy Orders, Jesus works through his priests to make other people holy. Who has a card that explains the effects of Holy Orders? (Invite child to bring up Slide 31 Effect of Holy Order read and place it below the other cards) The effect of Holy Orders is that the recipient becomes a member of the "ordained" clergy, the church's official leadership, with the power to celebrate Mass and forgive sins. Holy Matrimony: As soon as two people get married, they become pilgrims together in a special way. They make a covenant of their own. Their life s work is to help each other Page 5
and their children to follow Christ on earth and to get to heaven. Through this sacrament, Jesus helps married people be good husbands and wives, mothers and fathers. Who has a card that explains the effects of Holy Matrimony? (Invite child to bring up Slide 32 Effect of Holy Matrimony read and place it below the other cards) The effect of Matrimony that the recipients are united as "one flesh" in God's eyes and become a publicly and legally recognized couple. They receive the on-going strength and wisdom needed to be good spouses and parents. Let s look at all these wonderful gifts that Jesus has given us! The Sacraments of Initiation Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist The Sacraments of Healing Reconciliation & Anointing of the Sick And the Sacraments of Service Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony I wonder why we need all these Sacraments? (Response) What do I have to do to receive these gifts? (be open, allow God to work through us) How do you feel knowing that God has given you and continues to give you these gifts through the Sacraments? (response) I wonder how these Sacraments can help us to build God s Kingdom on earth? (response) Let us sing this song to ask god to help us make use of the gifts He has given us to build His Kingdom. Sing: Take my hands (Slide 33 Song) Wonder Questions I wonder who is giving us the gifts of the Sacraments? I wonder why Jesus wants to give us the sacraments? Song I wonder how is grace given in each sacrament? I wonder why we need the Sacraments? What do I have to do to receive these gifts? How do you feel knowing that God has given you and continues to give you these gifts through the Sacraments? I wonder how these Sacraments can help us to build God s Kingdom on earth? Take my hands Take my hands and make them as your own, And use them for your kingdom here on earth, Consecrate them to your care, Anoint them for your service where, You may need your Gospel to be sown. Take my hands they speak now for my heart, And by their actions they will show their love, Guard them on their daily course, Page 6
Be their strength and guiding force, To over serve the Trinity above. Primary Curriculum Version 1.1 May 2012 Activity Closing Observations/Reflections Take my hands I give them to you Lord, Prepare them for the service of your name, Open them to human need, And by their love they'll sow your seed, So all may know the love and hope you give, Take my hands, take my hands O Lord. Invite the children to draw and colour the symbols of the 7 Sacraments or to draw any of the Sacraments that he or she wants to. Choose one of the symbols or sacraments and identify times or ways in which the symbol or sacrament has been meaningful to you. You may take time to think about this & journal this in your book. Page 7