After two years of not being able to gather together, it was a joy, this year, to attend a Lenten morning of recollection led by renowned artist Oblate of Saint Francis de Sales Brother Mickey McGrath. Brother Mickey took us through the Stations of the Cross, using his own inspired artwork, helping us connect the stations to our own experiences and what is happening in the world today.

He also shared his outreach to youth, providing them with occasions to join him in creating art as part of their spiritual journey, opportunities the youth acknowledge as powerful learning experiences in faith.

There are many ways in which children learn and come to faith. Among the most effective is engagement in the creative process, using their imaginations and their own experiences. This can be heightened by learning within a community, like the Catholic school classroom.

As we move through Lent and begin planning for Holy Week, there is a wealth of Catholic teaching, liturgies, devotions and celebrations that may be incorporated into a creative lesson that would lend itself to a mini-retreat in the classroom. Additional Activities and Enriching the Lesson sections from the Blest Are We teacher’s guides offer helpful ideas for engaging students, depending on their ages, in themes of forgiveness, charity, fasting and self-discipline, Stations of the Cross, Holy Thursday, especially as it relates to Mass, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.

A Mini-Retreat
Begin and end with prayer: Refer to religion textbooks for appropriate prayers, or choose a favorite Psalm or prayer with which children are familiar.

Prepare music: A background of inspirational music is helpful in lending a prayerful element to the experience while children are working.

As Inspiration: Prepare a black or white board with words or symbols denoting Lenten practices, like forgiveness or charity, and invite students to add related words to fill the board, or if time is very limited, add additional words yourself. Students may use these words to portray their own understanding of a theme or topic in a chosen art form:

• God Letters – Children often feel like they are not being heard. Writing a letter to God gives them an opportunity to be honest before God about their joys, reasons for gratitude and their fears.
• Stained Glass “Windows” – These windows have an important history in the Church as a means of religious education for those who were not literate. The images enabled all the faithful to have a better understanding of the Gospel and the life of Christ. Have children draw a religious symbol or word of their choice (hearts included) in the center of drawing paper, outlining it in black and coloring; divide the rest of the page into random sections also outlined in black; color sections in bright colors.
• My Own Vespers – Vespers, or evening prayer, are part of the Liturgy of the Hours. They have been prayed for centuries, often by monks who prayed the Psalms of the Old Testament. It is helpful if children are familiar with the Psalms, but even if they are not, children may be encouraged to create their own evening prayer to be said before the end of every day.
• Poems of Faith – Among the saints of the Church are a good number of poets, including St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Hildegard of Bingen. Most classrooms also include a budding poet or two. Children who write poems may also want to illustrate the poems as meaningful for them.

Plan to display the work of children, if they are agreeable.

For additional ideas and information, visit RCL Benziger’s free, downloadable Lenten resources and Saints Resource.

About the Author
Mary Clifford Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to ten, is a Catholic journalist, editor, and author who has served the Dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey; Burlington, Vermont, and RENEW International in the areas of religious education and communication.

 

 

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