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Save the Date
| Children's Participation Mass: Sun, Feb 1st, at 9AM. Please email Kate Lynch with how your child can help: greeter, usher for collection, gift bearer.
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| Dear CGS Parent, | 
In January and early February, children in Level I and II are receiving presentations that help them to connect with the mass. More experienced or older children will receive presentations on two very important gestures related to the consecration of the Eucharist in mass. (A gesture is an action which conveys meaning.) Ideally, before being presented with these gestures, the child will receive two foundational presentations related to preparing the chalice.
Typically, the preparation presentations are given in Level I only. However, since we do find that some of our Level II children for various reasons did not start their catechesis in Level I at St. Teresa's, we provided the preparation presentations in early January to some Level II children. The information below, thus, would typically just be written to Level I parents, but I am circulating it to both Levels in case it is of interest, especially those whose children are preparing for First Communion this year. Next week's newsletter will describe the two gestures that older children are receiving this week and next.
The best way for children to continue to think about these simple components of the mass is for them to actually see them or be reminded of them within their regular mass attendance. This is why we have committed to celebrating special, monthly Children's Participation Masses (9AM first Sunday of the month during the school year). Our next Children's Mass is this Sunday, February 1st at 9AM. We encourage all, and especially those preparing for First Communion, to sign up for a job at mass in order to continue to feel more connected to the mass and the St. Teresa community. A job which particularly enforces the preparation presentations described below is helping to bring up the gifts (bread, wine, and water) to the altar. Please read the last article on jobs and email Kate Lynch (by this Friday) with how your child wants to help.
Peace,
Lina Hilko (editor)
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Setting the Stage
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One important aim in Level I is to begin to connect the child with the mass. We can read from Chapter 4 of The Religious Potential of the Child by Sofia Cavalletti, the founder of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd:
"There are various ways in which Christ is present in the midst of mankind, yet the Eucharistic presence has a unique character. ... Therefore, the child who comes to know the Good Shepherd should be initiated into the greatest action in which we meet Him: the Mass." (pg. 79)
[The richest content] "is preceded by a number of exercises involving nomenclature and movement that, although poor in meaning, are nevertheless quite useful to the children and prepare the way for more complex work. The character of this work is sensorial and therefore responds to the child's needs." (pg. 90)
Already this year, Level I children have received nomenclature presentations, simply providing the names of the various articles used in mass, such as the chalice and paten. As a parent reads about presentations on very simple gestures, such as pouring a drop of water into a chalice of wine, an initial thought might be "so what?" However, this very simple gesture can be full of meaning and can continue to grow in meaning throughout our lives. One gift of being a parent is to notice anew the little things and actions that we had stopped noticing. We notice them anew as our child notices them in awe for the first time.
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Preparation of the Cruets
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This is a very simple, quiet presentation given in Level I. Before mass, two cruets are prepared by pouring wine into one and water into another. The catechist demonstrates the careful, slow, controlled pouring of wine from a pitcher into a cruet, using a funnel. The catechist similarly demonstrates the pouring of water into another cruet. "Now the cruets are ready for mass."
The catechist demonstrates how to restore this work so it is ready for the next child's use. The catechist also demonstrates care and cleaning if the child spills during the work.
After receiving the presentation, a child is welcome to perform this work in order to learn this skill.
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Preparation of the Chalice
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The preparation of the Chalice is a presentation that progresses from an earlier presentation: preparation of the cruets. The catechist begins by reminding children of the preparation of cruets. Then, the catechist will demonstrate a gesture the priest does at mass. A gesture is an action that conveys meaning.
The catechist will pour the wine from the wine cruet into a chalice. Then the catechist will very carefully pour just one tiny drop of water from the water cruet into the wine that is in the chalice. The catechist says the words of the prayer that the priest says when he adds the drop of water to the wine:
"By the mystery of this water and wine
may we come to share in the divinity of Christ,
who humbled himself to share in our humanity."
The catechist considers with the children what this action and these words could mean. The water represents us, humanity. The wine represents Jesus, divinity. What could this gesture mean? Once the drop goes into the wine, can we take it back out? Is the water changed? Is the wine changed?
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Children's Mass This Sunday, February 1st
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One of the most important ways we grow in relationship with God is through the celebration of mass. This coming Sunday, February 1st at 9AM, St. Teresa holds its Children's Participation Mass. We invite all families to celebrate mass together as a community and within the greater community of St. Teresa of Avila. We invite the children to help in a variety of ways at the mass (greeters, ushers to pass the collection baskets, bringing up the gifts).
No jobs are full yet! If your child can help, please email to Kate Lynch (kolynchdre@gmail.com) by Friday, January 30th.
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Please provide comments about this newsletter to Lina Hilko, the editor, at LHilko@aol.com, and/or Kate Lynch, St. Teresa's Director of Religious Education, at kolynchdre@gmail.com.
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