A Family of Faith Yr 4
FAMILY CATECHESIS
Families with children in Levels 1,2,4,5,6 participate in “ A Family of Faith, ” which provides parents/guardians with formation opportunities that build community while empowering parents/guardians to explore faith lessons with their children in the home setting. Families gather monthly on Sunday morning following the 8:15 am Mass from 9:20-10:20 am.
After prayer and family discussion in the Parish Center, students move to classrooms where adult mentors affirm the lessons. Adults remain in the Parish Center for an introduction to the monthly topic.
A Family of Faith Year IV: Christian Prayer
Praying in Families with Children
[copied from https://www.intergenerationalfaith.com/prayer.html]
Prayer needs to be modeled and taught in very simple ways at home. All of the prayer activities can be used in a family over the course of a year with increasing intensity and depth. For example, one family joins hands every night before the evening meal. Their prayers are simple, acknowledging God’s presence during that day, giving gratitude for good grades, good weather, good food, good playtime; offering intercessions for those who are in need; and asking to recognize God’s will for each family member. Sometimes this prayer is preceded by a short reading from the Bible or other book of prayers and is usually followed by a simple song.
Although prayer time takes only a few minutes, its daily repetition acknowledging God’s presence within the family is important and nurtures everyone. At bedtime one family member can lead a short prayer with each child and give a nighttime blessing. Sometimes children like to talk about their problems and concerns; the family can also ask for God’s assistance and for the strength to live as God wants us to.
Prayer is a way of connecting our lives with God’s life and God’s will for us. Here are several help suggestions for guiding your children in their prayer life:
- Pray as you can in the midst of your busy day.
- Call the child’s name in prayer so they know they are important to you and to God.
- Establish patterns of prayer in family life that nurture the practices of prayer in your child from the earliest ages.
- Help children learn to pray by imitation—by watching you pray and imitating you.
- Remember that the repetition of prayers nurtures familiarity and security in children.
- Teach children to use their own words in prayer.
- Encourage children to pray anytime, anywhere, under any circumstance, and to say anything to God they want to say.
- Guide children in experiencing a variety of prayer forms—praise, thanksgiving, spontaneous, petition, and contrition.
- Create a Prayer Package for someone who is experiencing loss, grief, trauma, or illness.
Prayer Journal (Found in Activity Book pages 177-184)
VIDEO CATALOG (Enhance the
A Family of Faith
activities by using any of the following videos.)
September
Create a Family Prayer Corner Catholic Family Prayer Time Hail Mary
Our Father Glory Be Sign of the Cross
Teach Kids to Pray
October
Your Catholic Home: Guardian Angel Prayer (young children) All About Guardian Angels (older children/adults)
LESSON 1--What is Prayer?
Activity 1: The Samaritan Women
Activity 2: God Calls Samuel
Marian Activity: Our Lady of Fatima
LESSON 2--Prayer in Salvation History
Activity 1: God Calls Abraham Moses and the Burning Bush
Activity 2: Abraham & Isaac
Saint Activity: St. Teresa of Avila (younger children) How to Draw St. Teresa of Avila St. Theresa of Avila (older children/adults)
November
LESSON 3--Jesus Teaches us How to Pray
Marian Activity: National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (children)
LESSON 4--Our Father
Activity 1: The Lord's Prayer Song (young children) Matt Maher-The Lord's Prayer A Rabbi's Insights (older children and adults)
Activity 2: Penguins Baby Penguins Hatch
Saint Activity: St. Leo the Great (older children and adults)
December
Your Catholic Home: Memorare Song (younger children)
LESSON 5: Our Father--The First 3 Petitons
Activities 1-7: The 7 Petitions of the Lord's Prayer (adults)
Marian Activity: The Lady of Guadalupe
Saint Activity: St. Francis Xavier
January
Your Catholic Home: Prayer for the Unborn
LESSON 6: Our Father--The Last 4 Petitons
Activity 1: Drawing the Name of Jesus
Activity 2: Joseph: King of Dreams (Rent or Buy)
Activity 4:
Family Consecration to the Divine Mercy
Prayer for Family Protection
Marian Activity: Mary, Mother of God (older children and adults)
LESSON 7: The Holy Spirit & Prayer
Activity 1:
Jesus and Nicodemus
Baptism (older children and adults)
Baptism (younger children)
Saint Activity: St. John Bosco (younger children) St. John Bosco (older children and adults)
February
Your Catholic Home: Month of the Holy Family
LESSON 8: Praying to the Virgin Mary
Things to Do This Month: Feast of the Chair of St. Peter
Activity 3: The Chosen: Jesus Turns Water to Wine Water into Wine (younger children)
Activity 4:
Rosary: Joyful Mysteries
Rosary: Luminous Mysteries
Rosary: Sorrowful Mysteries
Rosary: Glorious Mysteries
Marian Activity: Our Lady of Lourdes: St. Bernadette
LESSON 9: Expressions of Prayer
Activity 4: St. Jean Vianney
Activity 7:
Vocal, Meditative and Contemplative Prayer (older children and adults)
Praise Ye the Lord (children's song)
Praying in Color (Doodle Prayer)
Saint Activity: St. Josephine Bakhita
March
Your Catholic Home: The Angelus Prayer (older children and adults) The Angelus Prayer (younger children)
LESSON 10: Praying With Scripture
Activity 6: Praying the Liturgy of the Hours (older children and adults)
Saint Activity: Sts. Felicity and Perpetua (older children and adults) Sts. Felicity and Perpetua (younger children)
LESSON 11: Forms of Prayer
Activity 6: Praying with C.A.T.S.
Marian Activity: The Annunciation (children) Fr. Mike Schmitz: The Virgin Mary's Struggles (adults)
April
Your Catholic Home: St. Faustina (Divine Mercy)
LESSON 12: The Battle of Prayer
Activity 1: Don't Get Distracted (children) Do You Get DIstracted During Prayer (adults)
Activity 5: Spiritual Combat: The Armor of God (adults)
Activity 6:
Gregorian Chant: Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
St. Michael the Archangel (chant)
Marian Activity: Our Lady of Pontmain
LESSON 13: Prayer and the Communion of Saints
Activity 3: Litany of Saints (sung) When the Saints Go Marching In
Activity 4: Sacramentals
Saint Activity: St. Vincent Ferrer
