CELEBRATE SAINTS AND SOLEMNITIES OF THE Easter Season

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1 CELEBRATE SAINTS AND SOLEMNITIES OF THE 2018 Easter Season Invite your students to learn more about the saints and solemnities of the Easter season. Encourage them to grow as disciples by honoring these saints through the example of their lives and through their prayers. The grey boxes show where you can find their stories in RCL Benziger parish and school textbooks. For even more information on the lives of many of the saints listed here, go to SaintsResource.com. APRIL 1: SUNDAY OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD There are excellent lessons on the Easter season found in the liturgical year section of your textbook which can be incorporated into your classroom sessions. Two Easter classroom celebrations can be found by clicking on the resource Preparing the Easter Prayer Table and Welcoming the Alleluia and Prayer Collages. Make the fifty days of the Easter season a time of joyful prayer and celebration! Christ is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Grade 1: Chapter 9, WCCY Grade 2: WCCY Grade 3: Chapter 10, WCCY Grade 4: Chapter 10, WCCY Grade 5: Chapter 9, WCCY Grade 6: Chapter 9, WCCY Additional Activities and LIturgical Lessons (Be My Disciples Junior High) Triduum: Easter Sunday; Ascension of the Lord; Pentecost Sunday

2 OF THE 2018 SEASON Kindergarten: We Celebrate Grade 1: Feasts and Seasons Grade 2: Feasts and Seasons Grade 3: Feasts and Seasons Grade 4: Feasts and Seasons Grade 5: Feasts and Seasons Grade 6: Feasts and Seasons The Story of Jesus: Feasts and Seasons The Story of Our Church: Chapter 2, Feasts and Seasons /Faith First Kindergarten Kindergarten: We Celebrate Special Days Grade 1: Chapter 10, We Celebrate Grade 2: We Celebrate APRIL 9: SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD This solemnity is normally celebrated on March 25, but because March 25 was Palm Sunday, the celebration of the Annunciation of the Lord has been transferred to today. Take time today to proclaim all or part of Luke 1:26-38, the Gospel reading assigned to this solemnity. In addition, consider praying the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary (which include the Annunciation), the Angelus, the Litany of Loreto (Litany of Mary) or the Hail Mary. Begin and/or end your classroom prayer with a hymn of praise to Mary. Holy Mary, Mother of God s Son, pray for us! Be My Disciples Grade 1: Chapter 5 Grade 3: Chapter 3 Grade 5: Chapter 3 Grade 6: Chapter 5 Christ Reveals God s Mystery: Chapter 12 Sean mis Discípulos Grado 1: Capítulo 5 Grado 3: Capítulo 3 Grado 5: Capítulo 3

3 OF THE 2018 SEASON Grade 1: Chapter 4, page 353 (school) Grade 3: Chapter 3 and 11, pages (school) Grade 4: Chapter 6, page 355 (school), pages (parish) Grade 5: Chapter 3 and 6 Grade 6: pages (parish) APRIL 11: SAINT STANISLAUS, BISHOP, MARTYR Saint Stanislaus is the patron Saint of Poland. As the bishop of Kraków, he spoke out against the unjust wars and evil acts of the king. The king ordered his soldiers to kill Stanislaus, and when they refused, the king killed him with his own hands. Saint Stanislaus is remembered for his courage in denouncing corruption in high places. Today, pray for all those who openly speak out against violence, corruption, and evil in the world. Saint Stanislaus, pray for us! Alleluia! Grade 6: pages (parish) The Story of Our Church: Chapter 6 APRIL 25: SAINT MARK, EVANGELIST Saint Mark himself was not an Apostle, but was a friend of Peter. He also accompanied Paul on one of his missionary journeys. The Gospel of Mark is both the oldest Gospel and the shortest Gospel. It focuses on the life and ministry of Jesus, and is filled with details that help us come to know Jesus as man. Saint Mark s symbol is a winged lion. In his life, Saint Mark did what every Christian is called to do. He proclaimed the Good News to others. Today, in honor of Saint Mark the Evangelist, read the story of the Call of the First Disciples (Mark 1:16-20). Saint Mark, pray for us! Alleluia!

4 OF THE 2018 SEASON Grade 2: Chapter 9 Christ in the New Testament: Chapter 2 and 3 Grade 1: Chapter 12 The Story of Jesus: Chapter 1, Jesus and His Times Grade 2: Chapter 11 Grade 6: Chapter 10 Jesus in the New Testament: Chapters 2 and 3 Morality: Life in Christ: Chapter 2 MAY 1: SAINT JOSPEH THE WORKER On March 19 the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today s memorial is fairly new to the Church calendar, added in 1955 by Pope Pius XII. It is customary today to celebrate the Blessing of Tools or Other Equipment for Work (see Book of Blessings, copyright 1989 by The Order of St. Benedict, Inc., or Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, copyright 2007 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). The following suggestion is an alternative activity and prayer for use in the classroom. 1. If possible, bring to class a small tool kit. Display the various tools and invite students to name the tools and what they are used for. (For the safety of the students, please have adults only display and handle the tools.) 2. Ask the students what tools their parents use in their work at home or at jobs outside of the home. 3. Invite the students to display on their desks the tools they use in their work the work of studying.

5 OF THE 2018 SEASON 4. Invite the students to stand at their desks as you offer the following prayer: Loving God, Saint Joseph the Worker used many tools in his work as a carpenter. Our parents use many tools in their work at home and outside of the home. Bless us as we use the many tools here before us to study and to grow in knowledge. Help us to use the tools of our faith your Word in the Bible, the prayers of the Church, and the teachings in our religion books to grow as disciples of Jesus. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Grade 3: Chapter 3 The Story of Jesus: Chapter 6 /Faith First Kindergarten Kindergarten: We Celebrate Special Days Grade 3: Chapter 5

6 OF THE 2018 SEASON MAY 2: SAINT ATHANASIUS, BISHOP, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH Saint Athanasius wrote many scholarly works on faith and doctrine, and defended the belief that Jesus was fully human and fully divine. He remained true to this belief in the Incarnation, despite being exiled for it five times. In celebration of the feast day of Saint Athanasius, pray together the Nicene Creed, the prayer of our faith that states what we believe. Saint Athanasius, pray for us! Alleluia! Mystery of God: Chapter 5 MAY 3: SAINTS PHILIP AND JAMES, APOSTLES Saint James, the son of Alphaeus, is also known as Saint James the Lesser, so as not to confuse him with Saint James, the son of Zebedee. Nothing is known about him, except that Jesus chose him to be one of his twelve disciples. Saint Philip was also one of the twelve disciples called by Jesus. The stories in the Gospel tell us that Philip grew in his realization of who Jesus was. As a Greek, Saint Philip was able to lead Gentiles to Jesus. Today, we pray for all the leaders in the Church who lead us to know Jesus. We remember especially those local and everyday people who may not be famous, who work in the Church. Saint Philip and Saint James, pray for us! Alleluia! Be My Disciples Grade 1: Chapter 1 Grade 2: Chapter 2 Grade 2: Chapter 1

7 OF THE 2018 SEASON MAY 10: SAINT DAMIEN DE VEUSTER, PRIEST (USA) Saint Damien de Veuster, also known as Damien of Molokai, was sent to Hawaii and was ordained there in Once there, he learned of a large colony of lepers who were living on the island of Molokai. He asked permission to live with and to care for the lepers. Damien helped the people of Molokai build homes, and he used his limited resources to provide medical care to the lepers. Eventually, Damien himself contracted leprosy. But he ministered to the other lepers until he was physically unable to do so. Today, pray for the nearly quarter of a million people who have been diagnosed with leprosy, and for those who care for them. Saint Damien de Veuster, pray for us! Alleluia! Grade 2: Chapter 16 Grade 5: Chapter 20 Grade 5: Unit 1 The Story of Jesus: Unit 2 THURSDAY, MAY 10 OR SUNDAY, MAY 13: THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD Refer to the liturgical year lessons in your textbook for resources on the Ascension of the Lord Thursday, May 10, is also the beginning of the nine-day novena of prayer in preparation for the celebration of Pentecost Sunday. As a class, pray together the Prayer to the Holy Spirit found in many of the Catholic Prayers and Practices or prayer sections of your textbooks. Continue to pray the prayer on each of the nine days leading up to Pentecost Sunday. (An alternative would be to sing a Pentecost hymn or refrain each day of the novena.) Grade 1: Chapter 6, WCCY Grade 2: Chapter 7, WCCY Grade 4: Chapter 6, WCCY

8 OF THE 2018 SEASON Additional Activities and Liturgical Lessons (Be My Disciples Junior High) Ascension of the Lord Grade 3: Feasts and Seasons Grade 4: Chapter 5, Feasts and Seasons Grade 6: Feasts and Seasons The Story of Jesus: Chapter 15, Feasts and Seasons The Story of Our Church: Feasts and Seasons Grade 1: Chapter 5, We Celebrate Grade 2: Chapter 9, We Celebrate Grade 3: Chapter 6 Grade 6: Chapter 5, We Celebrate Mystery of God: Chapters 7 and 10 MAY 14: SAINT MATTHIAS, APOSTLE Read aloud or invite the students to read the story of Saint Matthias (see Acts 1:15-17, 20-26). Saint Matthias was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. Matthias was both a disciple of Jesus and a witness to Jesus Resurrection. Again today, in honor of Saint Matthias and all Apostles, pray together the Apostles Creed. Saint Matthias, pray for us! Alleluia! Grade 2: Chapter 22 Grade 5: Chapter 15 Grade 5: Chapter 18 Mystery of God: Chapter 10

9 OF THE 2018 SEASON MAY 20: PENTECOST SUNDAY Pentecost Sunday celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. On this day, the disciples boldly were sent out on the mission to proclaim the Good News to all. Take time to read the dramatic story of the first Pentecost found in Acts of the Apostles 2: Refer to the liturgical year section of your textbook for resources to highlight this solemnity. Sing a Pentecost hymn or refrain, and pray together the Prayer to the Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful! And kindle in them the fire of your love! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Grade 1: WCCY Grade 2: Chapter 7, WCCY Grade 3: Chapter 6, WCCY Grade 4: Chapter 7, WCCY Grade 5: WCCY Grade 6: Chapters 7 and 11, WCCY Additional Activities and Liturgical Lessons (Be My Disciples Junior High) Pentecost Sunday Grade 2: Feasts and Seasons Grade 3: Chapter 12, Feasts and Seasons Grade 4: Chapter 9, Feasts and Seasons The Story of Jesus: Chapters 16 and 18, Feasts and Seasons The Story of Our Church: Chapter 4 Grade 1: Chapter 10, We Celebrate Grade 2: Chapter 9, We Celebrate Grade 3: Chapters 7 and 11, We Celebrate Grade 4: Chapter 8, We Celebrate Grade 5: Chapter 13, We Celebrate Grade 6: Chapters 7 and 10, We Celebrate Mystery of God: Chapter 12