teaching children to pray before the eucharist

Teaching children to pray before the Eucharist

Invitation for catechists and teachers, chaplains, youth workers to guide children to pray before the Eucharist.

Invitation for schools and parishes to explore how they may encourage praying before the Eucharist and to send the messages and love in their homes and communities.

Invitation for ourselves here today to reflect and consider how we pray before the Eucharist.

Practical support.

Guidance booklet.

Aims…

Why… should we bring children to pray before the Eucharist?

The Eucharist is at the centre of Catholic life.

The Holy Eucharist contains the entire treasure of the Church, Jesus Christ himself.

In the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus is truly with us. Though in the form of bread, Jesus is present as God and Man.

Children have the opportunity to thank Jesus for their gifts.They experience the life and love of Jesus.

They are energised to live their own mission as a witness to Jesus. Living the Eucharist!

Why… should we bring children to pray before the Eucharist?

Children, spreading the Good News of the Eucharist to their families, may have an impact of leading children and their families back to Mass.

The Eucharistic is the “source and summit of Christian life.”

CCC 1324

Experience unity, a bond, togetherness Increase faith, hope and love Become closer to JesusRespond gratefully to the gifts of JesusRespond with heartfelt prayer for themselves and others close to themPray for peace in the worldHelp to heal Give some comfortGive them strengthRenewed and invigorated

Praying before the Eucharist …

‘Extends the grace of the sacrifice.’

How… can praying before the Eucharist help children?

Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass.

Time to reflect…It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to his Church in this unique way. Since Christ was about to take his departure from his own in his visible form, he wanted to give us his sacramental presence; since he was about to offer himself on the cross to save us, he wanted us to have the memorial of the love with which he loved us "to the end,’’ even to the giving of his life. In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us, and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love:

The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love.

Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world.

Let our adoration never cease.

CCC 1380

Space - Eucharistic adoration is effective where all of the children and adults

are gathered as a worshipping community. This may support the celebration of

other liturgical services, especially the Mass.

Timing – age and stage appropriate. From Primary to Secondary.

The Eucharist should be prominently displayed, whether in church or in school.

Link to the liturgical seasons.

Include readings of the Word of God, songs, prayers and time for silent prayer

and reflection.

Talk and share with the children what will happen before and after they are

invited to enter the main body of the church or school hall etc.

They will then be able to gather reverently with an open heart.

They will then also know that they can Go Forth, Living the Eucharist.

What… do we need to prepare for children to pray before the Eucharist?

Awe and Wonder

Visual aids

Light

Music

Silence

Scripture – how will the Word of God be revealed?

Meditation

Creating an environment of prayer… for children to pray before the Eucharist

Visual aids

Seasonal tone

Paintings and posters

Projecting meaningful slides

Slides may detract from children’s silent adoration

Use slides as an accompaniment to a reading or music

God said, “Take care of my world!”

A New Rule


Light

The correct lighting can produce an

atmosphere of awe and wonder for children.

Traditionally we may light four to six candles.

Change the lighting for reading or music!

Be careful if changing lighting that the

atmosphere you have created is not lost.


MusicUncomplicated! Do not to attempt to teach anything new.

Background music, recorded or played, may be used as an aid to prayer. Take care not to spoil the environment of prayer.

Music may be used as lighting is changed for the readings.

An opening hymn may be sung, as exposition of the Eucharist takes place in a church or sung as children gather with the exposed Eucharist in school.

- Although, beginning with silence may set a reverent tone.

Acclamation may be sung.

In a church the Acclamation may be sung as the Eucharist is placed back in the tabernacle.

Appropriate hymns for Adoration, for example may be Taize Chants, Be Still, Jesus we adore you.


Silence

Children may at first find silence difficult!

It will allow children time with their own thoughts.

Children react well with silence if they are given something to be silent for.

In the silence, children may be invited to pray to… or to pray for… or to think about… etc…

Children in silent prayer and reflection can create an atmosphere which is palpable.

Gently break the silence for the Word of God, with prayers or music so that the atmosphere of

prayer is not broken.


Time to reflect…In prayer before the Blessed Sacrament we slowly discover that there we find a home for every heart. For this reason we pray with our hearts, full of love and heartfelt praise. We come into the presence of our Blessed Lord with our anxieties and troubles. But there all restless yearnings cease and sorrows all depart. There, in the peace of his presence, we can speak freely, telling our tale of sorrow and distress, whispering as it were into his ear. This is a Sacrament of shelter and a shoreline of safety. Cardinal Vincent Nichols

Sweet Sacrament of peace,dear home for every heart,where restless yearnings ceaseand sorrows all depart…

…Jesus, to thee our voice we raise,in songs of love and heartfelt praise.

Fr Francis Stanfield,Sweet Sacrament Divine, hymn to the Blessed Sacrament.

The Word of God.

God reaches out in love to share with us.

We bring our lives to God’s Word.

It helps to shape us.

Scripture throws light on our experiences.

God waits below the surface of the text.He meets us where we are in our lives.

Scripture Readings

Appropriate for the age, stage, personal, social and spiritual and religious development of the children.

The readings from scripture should be chosen to help children understand more about the Eucharist.

We are helping children to hear about and respond to…

We, who are many, are

one body in Christ,

and we are members

one of another.


• Unity • Faith, hope and love • Being closer to Jesus• Gifts of Jesus• Themselves and others

• Peace in the world• Healing • Comfort• Strength• Being renewed and

invigorated

MeditationIncreasingly popular in schools, in and outside of Collective Worship.


Open our hearts to praise you. (long pause)Open our minds in love. (long pause)Help us to know we are one, united together. (long pause)Show us how to be close to you. (long pause)Amen

Teach us to share. (long pause)Teach us to make good use of our gifts and talents. (long pause)Bring us closer to you. (long pause)Amen

"In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host. Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it to the faithful. It is a source of comfort and light, particularly to those who are suffering.

Pope Benedict XVI

Response:

God our Father, we bless you.

For your gift of the Eucharist.

For your gift of the Eucharist, which gives us strength.

For your gift of the Eucharist, that brings us together in love as a school/parish family.

Response:

Alleluia!

You are the Bread of life.

You are the source of our joy.

You are the Bread that feeds us.

You are the Bread that comforts us.

You are the Bread that gives us strength.

You are the Bread that heals us.

Short Litanies


Blessed be God.Blessed be the Name of Jesus.Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.Blessed be the Holy Spirit.Blessed be Mary.Blessed be St. Joseph.Blessed be God in His angels and in His Saints. Amen

In Praise of God - St. Francis of Assisi

You are holy, Lord, the only God,

and Your deeds are wonderful.

You are strong.

You are great.

You are the Most High.

You are Almighty.

Divine PraisesIs the prayer structure suitable for the age and stage of the children?

Will the praises need some adaptation?


Acclamations

•Sing praise to God!

•This is the Body of Christ!

•Thanks be to God for his gift of life!

•We praise you, we bless you, we give you thanks

and glory!


Song or reflective silence when gathering

Exposition

The Eucharist may already have been placed by

the priest, deacon or lay person on the

altar/focus area prior to the children’s arrival.

It is important to note that once the Blessed

Sacrament has been exposed, the Sacrament

should not be left alone.

The Eucharist may also be taken from the

tabernacle, if in church, when the children have

gathered.

A single genuflection is made in the presence of

the Blessed Sacrament, whether reserved in the

tabernacle or exposed for public adoration.

Incense may also be used when the Blessed

Sacrament is exposed. However, take care in

schools with fire alarms and allergies!

Adoration

Readings, homily (priest or deacon),

prayers, songs and silence in

response.

Benediction – (the blessing given

by a priest or deacon)

Eucharistic Song

Prayer

Reposition

Reposition (to the tabernacle)

Acclamation

Planning… for children to pray before the Eucharist

Praying before the EucharistPreparationWhat will the focus be? Unity, Faith, Hope, Love, Peace, Healing, Comfort, Strength

Awe and Wonder?

Where will the prayer space be?

Who will expose the Blessed Sacrament? Who will stay with the Sacrament until the children gather?

Timing?

What will you talk and share with children before gathering?

Lighting?

When will there be an opportunity for silence?

Music?

Visual Aids?

How will they become closer to Jesus?

What gifts of Jesus will be shared? Scripture

Opportunity to pray for themselves and others?

How will children be renewed and invigorated and live out the Eucharist?

Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours.Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world,Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good;Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are his body.Christ has no body now on earth but yoursTeresa of Avila (1515–1582)

Living the Eucharist…Going Forth…

I am the eyes,I am the feet,

I am the hands,I am the body,

of Jesus.

Holding Hearts

Holding Hearts

• Unity • Faith • Hope • Love• Peace • Healing• Comfort• Strength

Being renewed and invigorated…

Loving Hearts

PeacefulHearts

Mission

Healing Hearts

I am the eyes,I am the feet,

I am the hands,I am the body,

of Jesus.

Praying before the Eucharist HealingGather Reflective silence when gathering. Genuflection before Jesus

Adoration Who do you want to pray for today?Tell Jesus what is in your heart and how you need Him to help you and know that He will always hear you.

Listen Reading - Gospel of St. Luke

Respond Silent reflection – time with Jesus

What do we learn from this Gospel story?

What do you want to thank Jesus for today?

How do you need Jesus to help you?

Litany : Respond: Lord in your mercy, Hear Our Prayer. Respond

Traditional Prayer: Our Father Respond

Hymn: Be Still Respond

Go Forth Closing Prayer: Jesus, thank you for the great gift of Holy Communion. We honour you here with us today…

Reposition: Jesus is placed in the Tabernacle

Acclamation: Jesus, we adore you.

Go Forth: energised by the life and love of Jesus

“Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

“Rise and go your way;

your faith has made you well.”

How can we heal those around us?

How can our faith help to make others well?

We will… pray for those in our school and local community.

We will… include prayers each week in whole school worship, class worship and in school and parish masses.

We will… remember to pray for our families who may need healing prayers through our parish groups and Sacramental programmes.

HealingHearts

Go forth…Energised by the life and love of Jesus

Further practical support and guidance…

Guiding children before gathering...

Preparation

Healing – complete plan and full script

Holding Healing Hearts

Peace – complete plan

Holding Peaceful Hearts

Love - complete plan

Holding Loving Hearts

Pope Francis reminds us, ‘’this prayer of adoration is the least known among us;

it is the one we engage in the least.” The Prodigal Son in his sorrow returns his father. On his return he is truly reconciled and embraced in his father’s arms.

Following Reconciliation, do we take the next step and fully immerse ourselves in reconciling with Our Father?Do we allow ourselves to be embraced and loved so that just like the Prodigal Son, we are fully able to go on in our lives with love?

We bring to Him all of our lives, with guaranteed time, a listening ear, an open heart and a Father’s warm embrace.

Time to reflect…

“The Lord leads us to follow his path — that of service, sharing and giving; and that little that we have, the little that we are, if shared, becomes a treasure because the power of God, who is love, descends to our poverty and transforms it.”

Pope Francis, Feast of Corpus Christi

‘’If we let ourselves be engaged in this relationship of love and trust with Jesus, we will be capable of doing good works

that have the perfume of the Gospel for the good and the necessities of our

brothers and sisters.” Pope Francis

‘Of course, God will bless us if we just show up and sit passively before him, but there is so much more available to us than a general blessing from God.

So when you go to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, ask him to reveal himself to you. Listen for his still, small voice in your heart. After all, prayer is conversation with God—conversation with a God who loves to talk with us and to embrace us with his love.

Pope Francis

‘Moreover, I want to encourage everyone to visit – if possible, everyday – especially amid life’s difficulties,

the Blessed Sacrament of the infinite love of Christ and His mercy, preserved in our churches,

and often abandoned, to speak filially with Him, to listen to Him in silence and to

peacefully entrust yourself to Him’Pope Francis

"In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host.

Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it to the faithful. It is a source of comfort and light, particularly to those who are suffering.

I heartily recommend to the Church’s pastors and to the People of God the practice of Eucharistic Adoration, both individually and in community.’’

Pope Benedict XVI February 2007, Sacramentum Caritatis 66

It is not creativity, however pastoral it maybe, or meetings or planning that ensuresour fruitfulness, even if these are greatlyhelpful. But what ensures our fruitfulness isour being faithful to Jesus, who saysinsistently:

“Abide in me and I in you” (John 15:4).

And we know well what that means: tocontemplate him, to worship him, toembrace him, in our daily encounter withhim in the Eucharist, in our life of prayer, inour moments of adoration.

It means to recognise him present and toembrace him in those most in need. “Beingwith” Christ does not mean isolatingourselves from others.

Rather, it is a “being with” in order to goforth and encounter others.

Pope Francis

"The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship.

Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of Love.

May our adoration never cease.“St. Pope John Paul II

"The Blessed Eucharist is the Sacrament of Love:

It signifies love, It produces love." St. Thomas Aquinas

"The best, the surest and most effective way of establishing everlasting

peace on the face of the earth is through the power of Perpetual Adoration

of the Blessed Sacrament." St. Pope John Paul II

Questions?

Be compassionate, do good, bless the world in whatever way you can.

Urge you to experience praying before the Eucharist for yourself. If you pray with an open heart, children will do too!

Gifts! Holding heart and guidance book.

HoldingHearts

As we go forth…Thank you for taking part and listening The Christian Education Department,

Archdiocese of Liverpool.A team dedicated to assisting schools and colleges proclaim the Good News.

Fr. Des Seddon, Fr. Dave Melly, Dcn Paul Mannings, Pat Peel, Denise Hegarty, Louise Falshaw & Julie Rourke.

Planning and delivery for Helping Children to Pray before the Eucharist from Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass, available from: http://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/Adoremus/index.shtml

Music provided by John Burland. Come Into My Heart & Deep In My Heart. Available from: https://johnburland.net/

http://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/Adoremus/index.shtml

https://johnburland.net/

teaching children to pray before the eucharist

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