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Friday, February 11 is the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes. This day is also designated as the World Day of the Sick. This year’s theme is “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). As the challenges of this pandemic continue, our awareness of sickness and suffering of all kinds is naturally enhanced. May this heightened awareness continue long after the pandemic is past. And may we become people who show mercy to the sick and all who suffer.
Join us in praying this adaptation of Pope Francis’s prayer with which he concludes his message for this 30th World Day of the Sick:
To the intercession of Mary, Health of the Infirm, we entrust all the sick and their families. United with Christ, who bears the pain of the world, may they find meaning, consolation, and trust. We pray for healthcare workers everywhere, that, rich in mercy, they may offer patients, together with suitable care, their fraternal closeness. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Every week in the GROW newsletter, you will find helpful tips for teaching your Gospel Weeklies lesson, a reflection on the Sunday Gospel, and links to many online resources.
Videos of the Sunday Gospel (Luke 5:1–11)
Use these videos as you discuss the Sunday Gospel. Please preview all videos you plan to share with your class:
Holy Heroes
Jesus Calls His First Disciples (with Legos): Luke 5
Luke 5:1–11
Seeds
Lesson Theme: Jesus wants us to follow him.
For this lesson, you will need pencils, crayons, stapler or tape, scissors, an image of Pope Francis, and a Church Year calendar. To take the lesson beyond the classroom and into the home, we suggest you send a note to families inviting them to draw pictures of one another on small pieces of paper. Then, instruct them to tell the good news about how each family member follows Jesus’ way as they put the drawings one by one in the boat full of fish that their child has brought home.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Extending Activities
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Weekly Gospel Videos and Coloring Pages
Bible Bag Gospel Lesson with Mrs. Cole
All That God Wants You to Be
Promise
Lesson Theme: Jesus calls us to follow him.
Materials you will need for this class include a Church Year calendar; drawing paper; crayons; scissors; tape; hole punch; yarn or string (three lengths per child); and coat hangers, pencils, or paint stirrers (one per child). You may also wish to enlist the help of an aide for the mobile activity. Note that hardware stores that carry paint are generally willing to provide wooden paint stirrers, which can be used for mobiles. If the mobile activity will take too much time to complete within your class session, you may wish to have the children complete it at home with their families.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Extending Activities
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Weekly Gospel Videos and Coloring Pages
Bible Bag Gospel Lesson with Mrs. Cole
All That God Wants You to Be
Good News
Lesson Theme: The Church shares the mission of Jesus.
Plan ahead for this lesson by preparing and gathering these materials: drawing of a net on large paper or poster board; pushpins, tape, or glue sticks, scissors, crayons, pencils, drawing paper, old parish bulletins, missionary information, globe or world map, and Church Year calendar.
You may wish to invite a member of your parish who has served as a missionary to share about their experience with your class.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Video
All That God Wants You to Be
Venture
Lesson Theme: Jesus calls his followers.
God calls each one of us to a special purpose, a vocation. Our vocation may be clear from childhood, or it may take longer to find. Disciples, saints, and other holy people give us examples of how to seek our vocations and live them well. Make sure to take time to assemble a sample of the detailed Church history timeline before class. Emphasize this week’s Catholic Faith Word—Sacred Tradition—so that the children may begin to understand that the Gospel is meant for them today as it has been for Christians since the Apostles received it two millennia ago.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Building Your Faith
Vocations
Robert de Nobili
Vocation 101
Visions
Lesson Theme: Jesus calls his followers.
God calls each one of us to a special purpose, a vocation. Our vocation may be clear from childhood, or it may take longer to find. Connecting our talents with a vocation can be a challenge—for example, how can being a good friend or a good listener translate into a vocation? In your discussion after completing the cover activity, be certain to emphasize that everyone has gifts, and everyone has a vocation. Every person is a valuable and necessary member of the Body of Christ!
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Vocation 101
Sister Jean Dolores
Image credit: M.MIGLIORATO/CPP/CIRIC
