Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

Getting Ready For Lent

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Lent is around the corner.  It is the perfect catechetical season. A catechist as well as a parent can find a plethora of ideas about how to practice and live out Lent. I would like to share ideas in 3 categories (be aware that some ideas will overlap): Family Ideas, Classroom Ideas and Personal Ideas. I hope the following links will help assist you as a parent or a catechist in assisting your students to grow closer to Christ this Lent.

Family Ideas:

Prayer

~ Pray the Rosary and/or Divine Mercy Chaplet regularly as a family – on the way to/from school, or right after dinner.

~ Read the Bible/pray with your kids before bedtime during Lent.

~ Pray the Station of the Cross at 7:00pm each Friday at your parish or at home: Stations Version 1 or Stations Version 2

~ Pray the Rosary more often during Lent.

Fasting

~ Have a day where the TV Stays off (Maybe Fridays during Lent)
~ Fast from cell phone use, internet, video games from after dinner onward.
~ Fast from going out to eat. Give the extra money to the poor.
~ Fast from gossip or negative thoughts.
~ Fast from eating between meals.
~ Fast from dessert a few times a week.
~ Fast from being lazy (that attitude that says: someone else will do it).
~Listen to Catholic and/or Christian Radio in the car during Lent.

 

Almsgiving

~Sign up for Holy Hero’s daily Lenten email

~ Print and Practice things you put on your Lenten Calendar 

~ Give money as a family to the poor: Operation Rice Bowl.

~ Spend more quality time with family.

~ Be positive (maybe charge .25 cents for every negative comment at home and then give the money to a charity).

~ Family Chart

~ Lenten Sacrifice Beans

Classroom Ideas

~ Prayer Service 

~Puppet Show Scripts

~ Ideas from Our Sunday Visitor 

~ Some Lenten Lesson Plans

~ Stations of the Cross Bingo 

~ Lent Lapbooks

~ Printable Lenten Calendar 

~ NOW Cross

Personal Ideas:

~ 7 Great Book Recommendations

~ Take time to pray at lunchtime instead of going out with friends or surfing the internet.
~ Read a Psalm each day during Lent.
~ At 3:00pm each day pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet or take a moment to pause in prayer remember the hour that Christ died.
~ Pray the Seven Penitential Psalms – maybe one each day of the week throughout Lent (Psalm 6, 31, 50, 101, 129 and 142).

~ Go out of your way to do one kind deed each day.

~ Do things for people each week without them knowing.

~ Be positive and reflect joy during Lent.

About William O'Leary

I've been sharing the faith since I was in high school and I have been a catechist in one form or another since 1991. I received my BA and MA in Theology from Franciscan University and am currently working on my PhD in Catechetics. I have a passion for passing on the Catholic Faith. I am currently the Director of Religious Formation for a parish of approximately 3400 households. Catechist Formation is a joy and passion of mine because I love the opportunity to share with others what I know and what I've learned. I pray that together we catechize the next generation of students so they may come to know and love Jesus Christ and His Church more and more! Check out my blog @ http://relevantcatechesis.com.