IT'S LENT! PRAY FAST GIVE
Events & Resources for Lent to Easter

PALM CROSS VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiOXGxaGbUA

As catechists and parents, we are keenly aware that there are a lot of ideas competing for our attention during Lent. When deciding on a focused Lenten practice, there are three questions to ask:

• Is this practice focused on God, others, or myself?
• Does this practice help me fast from something that I truly struggle with?
• Do I give, pray, and serve out of love or out of my own selfishness?

After speaking with parents across the country, I share here some of the most meaningful ideas for experiencing Lent with our children.

The Jelly Bean Jar
Set aside two jars at the beginning of Lent. Fill one with jelly beans. Leave the other empty. Paste a jelly bean prayer on the jar, such as this one widely available online:

Red is for the blood he gave. Green is for the grass he made. Yellow is for the sun so bright. Orange is for the edge of night. Black is for the sins we made. White is for the grace he gave. Purple is for his hour of sorrow. Pink is for a new tomorrow. A bag full of jelly beans, colorful and sweet, is a prayer, is a promise, is an Easter treat!

When someone in the family completes an act of love or a sacrifice for another family member, that person can put a jelly bean in the empty jar. Hopefully by the time Easter comes, the whole family will have filled the empty jar and can enjoy a sweet treat together.

Practical Ways to Observe Lent at Home with Children - Catechists Journey

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GAMES

HOW DOES YOUR FAITH GROW?
HOW DOES YOUR FAITH SHOW?

Fruits of the Holy Spirit Bean Bag Toss
https://tinyurl.com/y79r3bbd
Try to toss them onto the fruit on the floor in the order they appear in Scripture, or name a way to show that fruit when you land on it (or near it). Make up your own rules for the game!

TRIDUUM COLORING PAGE
The Last Supper
The Crucifixion
The Resurrection
Do you know who everyone is? Can you tell these stories?
Scroll down for an activity packet.

Many thanks to our amazing 2025 cast!

Narrator - Doris Bikenmeyer
Pontius Pilate - Ron Carasella
Centurion - Tom Gilligan
Soldiers - Colton Abner and Leo, Luke & Eli Groleau
Crowd Member - Easton Algrim
Mary, Jesus' Mom - Clary Gilligan
Simon of Cyrene - Steve Szymanski
Veronica - Sharon Diamond
John - Jackson Algrim
Mary Magdalene - Cheryl Szymanski
Barabbas - Meghan Abner (for Russell)
Salome - Jesse Gilligan
Isaiah - Donna Doherty
Jesus - Tommy Gilligan
Joseph of Arimethea - Thomas Abner
Peter - Ron Carasella

STATIONS OF THE CROSS -
Fridays at 6:00PM

SOUP AND STATIONS
APRIL 11 at 6:30pm
for the whole parish!
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SERVICE OPPORTUNITY!
MAKE FASTING BREAD - APRIL 11 AT 5:00PM
Learn to make bread rolls to eat and share this Lent!
RECIPE

BLESSING OF EASTER BASKETS
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​Holy Saturday at 10am

What is this devotion about? Where did it come from?
http://tinyurl.com/25e787vw

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For more information, contact Donna Doherty at [email protected].

VIDEOS TO WATCH!

Videos to spark conversation and learn more about these events! Compare them to your Bible. Are there differences? Do they help you understand the story better?

First Communion students watched the two Last Supper videos and compared the videos with what happens during the Liturgy of the Eucharist at Mass. God's Story helps us understand how we are supposed to live now. Did you know we are connected to Jesus? We are supposed show the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. Receiving Jesus and trying to follow Him changes us. We are transformed. Jesus is really there in the Eucharist!

The Donkey That No One Could Ride

Donkey Book & Craft Discussion Questions

Donkey Craft Template

Read this inspiring story about a young donkey that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem. The donkey thinks he can’t do anything big or important, until he meets Jesus!

Use the book & craft template of the donkey to make your own! Use green construction paper or color a paper. Then cut the leaves to make your palms.
 
 Click on the picture of the book for the EWTN Read Aloud video by the author is on YouTube! The book is in the Parish Library, too!

THE LAST SUPPER
HOLY THURSDAY MASS

During the Holy Thursday Mass, you might see someone washing the feet of parishioners! You can learn more about the important example Jesus gave us. He washed the feet of the disciples and told them to do what He did! We are called to 'wash' the feet of others, too. How will you serve your family, friends and community?

Saddleback Kids 'The Last Supper' video:  https://youtu.be/SigoALSS1R8?si=60DJtKRDilLAp312

Click on picture to register for Formed for free from St. Gall!

New daily 2-3 minute meditations this year!

click on picture to see the video on Formed!

FOR OLDER KIDS

  Learn about Jesus and the Early Church.
EPISODE 1:    ...the dramatic retelling of the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of the last surviving apostle, John. Journey with Jesus and encounter His miracles, His astonishing teaching and His unsurpassed bravery. Discover the power and love of Jesus Christ and see why His followers risked all to carry His message to the ends of the earth. Children and adults alike will be captivated by this account of Jesus' life, featuring vivid storytelling and high impact animation.

Watch the video from Donna Doherty! Click on the picture. This video includes how to design and color your story about the Passion of Jesus with a free coloring page to get you started!
THREE CROSSES Coloring Page

VALENTINE'S DAY BOOKMARK

Students received a Lent Prayer Card to pray at home:  Lent Morning Prayer

LENT ACTIVITY PACKET FOR KIDS
click on picture

Can you tell the story of Christ's Passion? What is the Triduum?

​These activities can help you talk about what happened on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. There is a triptych template for you to design your Triduum artwork. The coloring page adds Jesus appearing after the Resurrection. The triptych coloring page is a simple design, too!

Color the pages, create art or write poems and share them with me at [email protected]!

The Eucharist and Art:
Read this article to find out more about how the artist tells the story of the Last Supper in this painting. Juan de Juanes beautifully captures the moment when Jesus says, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." Do you see the jug and basin that Jesus used to wash the disciples feet? How do you know which person is Judas?

Can you do something extra to grow your faith this Lent? 
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Here are some suggestions:

1. Go to a daily Mass in addition to Sunday's Mass
2. Pray the rosary or even a decade a day
3. Pray the Stations of the Cross at St. Gall on Fridays
4. Receive the grace of Reconciliation
5. Spend an hour at Eucharistic Adoration or stop in to say HI to Jesus as long as you can
6. Spiritual reading and prayer each day increases grace
7. Did you choose to practice Lent giving up something or adding a prayer to your daily routine?

TO DO DURING LENT

• Mass EVERY WEEK!
  
• Eucharistic Adoration (for 15 minutes? either Thursday or when Church is open with Jesus in the Tabernacle!)
  
• Devotions - Rosary, Prayer Before Meals, Morning & Night prayers
  
• Reconciliation - Take your family! Students will have the opportunity during class, too.
  

Lent Virtue Calendar:  Growing in Virtue During Lent

The Biblical Roots of ASH WEDNESDAY with Brant Pitre
https://youtu.be/2vnGEJHg05E

Do you follow Jesus ‘on the way’? Can we trust the Gospels? Do we really know who wrote them? Do the Gospels communicate truth – or fabricated fables? Who is Jesus? Who did Jesus claim to be? Join Dr. Brant Pitre as he draws evidence from both early Christian and non-Christian writings attesting to the authenticity, authorship, and dating of the Gospels, and as he gives an in-depth look at the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s Crucifixion, Resurrection, and the proclamation of Christ’s divinity.
Dr. Pitre’s powerful presentation will strengthen your faith so that you can not only stand firm and profess that Jesus truly is “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” but also confidently respond to any skeptics you encounter.

​This whole series is on the FORMED website (it's free from St. Gall!). 

Session 1 is on the Ascension Press YouTube Channel.