The Liturgical Year

Q&A for Lent and Easter

Author(s): 
Theresa K. Driscoll
Kelley L. Renz
Number of pages: 
98 pages
Copyright: 
2006
Publisher: 
Our Sunday Visitor
Binding: 
Other
Subject(s): 
Lent
Grade / Age level: 
All ages
Review: 
This is a rather unique resource for Lent. It's a quiz book written at three levels of difficulty with all sorts of questions and answers about the Catholic Church's celebration of Lent and Easter. It primarily focuses on Church liturgy, with a very significant focus on the process of Christian initiation, culminating with the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. These aren't the kind of questions and answers that you would expect your children to memorize in every particular. It's more of an informal format to discuss topics and potential questions relating to Lent and Easter. Here's a sample page focused on Good Friday:
Level 1: As at Mass, what prayer begins the Communion Rite on Good Friday? (a) The Nicene Creed (b) The Our Father (c) The closing prayer Answer (on back): (b) The Our Father Level 2: How can we have Holy Communion without having had a consecration in a Mass of the bread and wine? Answer (on back): Consecrated hosts from the Holy Thursday celebration are reserved for this Communion service. Level 3: This is the only day of the year that Mass is not celebrated. Why, then, does the Church invite us to receive Holy Communion? Answer (on back): The Church's invitation reminds us of the importance of the Eucharist and of our sharing in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ through our reception of His Body and Blood. This reception of Holy Communion provides a tremendous oppoortunity to express our love and gratitude to Jesus for all that He suffered for us during His passion and death.
This seems especially good as a conversation starter for families to use who are preparing to enter the Church, but could certainly be used for families or CCD classes to simply discuss and familiarize themselves with these Church practices.
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
2-11-2008

Advent-Related Links

"Best Advent Ever" from Dynamic Catholic. Sign up to get daily emails with brief spiritual reflections, videos, etc. Only takes a few minutes a day, but really helps get into the spirit of Advent preparation.

Professor Carol's Advent Calendar. Music, poetry, art, and historical reflections. Sign up for delivery by email or read online at her blog. Carol often has great insights into the traditions associated with Advent.

The Pray More Advent Retreat from PrayMoreNovenas.com. Changes seasonally, so it's also the link for their Lenten retreat.

Advent: Around the Year with the Trapp Family

Did you know that the real Von Trapp family (made famous in the movie Sound of Music) were particularly fond of celebrating the Liturgical Year and in fact wrote a book about it? This is the Advent portion.

Advent Reading List from 4 Real Learning

Christmas Carol Unit Study with Picture Books

In finding out more about the carols I looked for resources that told the history of the carols as well as ones that brought the carol’s lyrics to life for my children in picture books. I am looking for a local copy of the out of print book, Christ and the Carols by William Reynolds in hopes of supplementing information from the Collins books and the internet.

To share this fun topic with my family, particularly the younger children, we have embarked on a study of carols. We are hoping to not only enjoy the joyous music during these 12 days of Christmas, but to learn more about the songs and their history and the musicians behind them while enjoying some lovely picture books each day.

Family Advent Customs by Helen McLoughlin

Marian Songs for Advent

O Night Divine: A Blog Dedicated to the Celebration of Christmas

 

Lent-Related Links

Some simple ideas to bring Lenten practices home for your children, take a look here: Simple Lenten Practices for Children Stations of the Cross Ideas for Kids

"Best Lent Ever" from Dynamic Catholic. Sign up to get daily emails with brief spiritual reflections, videos, etc. Only takes a few minutes a day, but really helps get into the Lenten spirit and prepare for the coming of Easter.

"Pray More Lenten Retreat" is an online retreat from Pray More Novenas. Note that the content at the link changes seasonally, so as we reach the end of a liturgical year, it will switch over to Best Advent Ever.

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