Atrium

Last year I posted about the gestures of the Preparation of the Chalice and the Epiclesis. Those entries continue with the following regarding the Offering… During the Mass, the Gesture of Offering (also referred to as the “Eucharistic Doxology”) comes after the Epiclesis and the words of the Last Supper. As we kneel in awe of the greatest […]

The fifth grade children have completed a lengthy study of Abraham which they began at the end of September. Through their reading of Scripture they have traced the family tree of Abraham from Terah to the Twelve Tribes of Israel. They have also pondered the importance of Abraham as our “Father in Faith” and the

The gesture of the Lavabo or the Washing of the Hands is one of the final gestures presented in the Level I Atrium. Why wait so long when this gesture follows the Preparation of the Chalice in the celebration of the Eucharist? We present this one gesture out of sequential order because the children have

In the Level I (Children’s House) Atrium, The Sign of Peace is the final gesture of the Mass when all are prayed in order. The children, as the priest does at Mass, prepare the cruets and the chalice, wash their hands through the Lavabo, pray the Epiclesis and Offering, and then, remembering that at this

One of the beautiful practices we have re-committed to as a school during this second half of the year is offering all of our children a monthly opportunity for adoration. Because we are split between two campuses this year it took a bit of time to work out the logistics for this liturgical opportunity, but it

Every year we set aside time for children to bring their parents into their learning environments so that they can show their family the work they have been doing at school. This year, because of our growing numbers, we had three different Parent Child Nights in order to ensure that everyone could find time and

The second grade children at The Way of the Shepherd this year hail from three local Catholic parishes and attend their home parish for all sacramental preparation formation. In the Atrium they are also moving forward on their journey toward receiving Reconciliation and Eucharist, and spend much of their year getting ready for these great

Earlier this year I posted on the Liturgical Calendar. I shared how the 1st-3rd grade children learn to label each prism of the calendar as one of the Sundays of the liturgical year, learning that each Sunday has a unique name. Then, in 4th-6th grade they might also look at the Feasts and Solemnities of the

Each year we end our preparation for Christmas as a school with an Advent Celebration. This year we had two smaller celebrations, one on each of our two campuses. The Adolescents planned and led the celebration on our North Campus while I had the gift of joining the celebration on our South Campus. As we

Changing the Prayer Table to Advent. Making a Map of Israel. Working with the Nativity materials and singing, “The People Who Walked in Darkness.” Copying an Advent Prophecy. Making Silence in order to listen for Jesus. Working with the Vestments of the Priest. Moving the Shepherds. Coloring the Land of Israel. Announcing the “Good News”