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This week, the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Blaise, who was Bishop of Sebaste (now Turkey) and is the patron saint of people with diseases of the throat. On or near his feast day, many parishes bless the throats of their parishioners in a special rite, holding two unlit candles next to the person’s throat as they pray a prayer to Saint Blaise. May God grant us the healing we need through the intercession of this great saint.
Every week in the GROW newsletter, you will find helpful tips for teaching your Gospel Weeklies lesson, a reflection on the Sunday Gospel, and information about our online resources and seasonal activities. Here are tips for teaching the Gospel Weeklies lessons this week:
Videos of Sunday’s Gospel
Use these videos as you discuss today’s Gospel. Please preview all videos you plan to share with your class:
Holy Heroes
Gospel Readings for Kids
Jesus Healing the Possessed Man (not for young children)
Seeds
Lesson Theme: Jesus has the power to heal us.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus freed a man from an unclean spirit. In Seeds, we focus on the fact that we can ask Jesus for help when we feel upset. The children will learn a prayer to the Holy Spirit asking for help.
We suggest that you have an aide to help the children with the “Peace Parade” activity and the Holy Spirit activity on page 4. It is a good idea to do the activity on page 4 in advance so you can use it as a model.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Gospel Reflection and Saint of the Week with Miss Heidi
Bible Bag: Kid-Sized Lessons on the Sunday Gospel with Mrs. Cole
Promise
Lesson Theme: Jesus teaches us.
For this lesson, gather scissors, crayons or pencils, and a Church Year calendar. We suggest that you separate pages 1–2 from 3–4 in advance. After the children cut apart the six story frames on page 3, make sure that they keep the “scrap” at bottom of the page to take home.
As you discuss the Sunday Gospel, help the children focus on why Jesus freed the man from the unclean spirit—to show us God’s love and God’s wish that we can all be free to love. Jesus’ healing miracles are signs of inner healing so that we can be fully God’s children and brothers and sisters of one another.
Some children may have difficulty drawing hearts for the Do What Jesus Says activity (page 23) in the What the Church Believes and Teaches handbook. You may wish to draw a large heart on the board as a help to them.
Find music for “This Little Light of Mine” here.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
Extending Activities
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Gospel Reflection and Saint of the Week with Miss Heidi
Bible Bag: Kid-Sized Lessons on the Sunday Gospel with Mrs. Cole
Sister Thea: Her Own Story
Good News
Lesson Theme: Jesus calls us to believe and act with love.
For this lesson, gather scissors, pencils, tape, crayons, and a Church Year calendar. You may wish to make one lantern in advance.
When you talk about power in this lesson, make sure the children don’t equate God’s power with human power (or their human power with God’s power!). Point out that we cannot perform miracles, but God does call us to allow his love to shine through us.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Venture
Lesson Theme: Jesus is driven by the power of God’s love.
Connect the observance of Black History Month with what the children are learning in class. Note the QR code at the bottom of page 1. Most of the videos linked in the lessons are less than five minutes long, so they could be incorporated into class. Encourage the young people to use these video links to share learning with their parents.
Last week, the young people did a map study. This week in Our Catholic Faith (page 5), they will identify people from the Bible who are from different areas in Africa. If possible, bring a map to show some of the modern-day countries of Africa.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Archbishop Gregory Blesses Icon of Fr. Augustus Tolton
St. Brigid of Ireland
Prayer to Overcome Racism
Visions
Lesson Theme: Jesus is driven by the power of God’s love.
We recommend that you organize the class into small groups to discuss the Talk questions related to the doctrine on page 4. This should help them feel more comfortable sharing.
For the activity “What Is the Spirit of Advertising?” on pages 6–7, we suggest that you conclude your discussion in class with Step 3 (Do You Buy What Companies Are Selling?) and assign the questions and viewing project as homework. If time permits, invite the students to share their work briefly next week.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Sea of Galilee – Israel Tour
Friends of Misericordia
Misericordia Heartzingers Perform National Anthem
Image credit: Eugenio Hansen, OFS, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons, cropped and lightened
