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Next week, we begin the last unit of our Faith Formation program. If your program or school year extends beyond the Gospel Weeklies program year, which ends with Sunday May 10, consider planning to use our Summer Solemnities Unit. Now available in both English and Spanish! Note that Spanish lessons are available as digital only.
If you’re involved with OCIA or OCIA Adapted for Children in your parish, you know that this Sunday is the First Scrutiny. Visit gospelweeklies.com/ocia to explore the resources we’ve created to support those who use the Gospel Weeklies with children preparing for the Easter sacraments. We offer catechist formation videos in both English and Spanish for the four periods of the process. We also offer reflections and questions—for adults and children—for all the Sundays of the Gospel Weeklies program year. Find videos for the Scrutiny lessons here.
If your class meets on Sunday mornings, make sure to note that Daylight Savings Time begins this weekend! It’s time to “spring ahead,” which we all know is a tough adjustment to make.
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 online resources.
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:
• Gospel Reading and Reflection for Kids
• Holy Heroes
• The Woman at the Well
• Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
• Sunday Setup—Weekly Video and Post (courtesy of the Diocese of Bridgeport)
Lent
• Ash Wednesday & Lent in 60 Seconds. With LEGO!
• Lent: Catholic Central
• Lent in 3 Minutes
• Cardinal Timothy Dolan: What Is Lent?
• What Is Lent?
• The Stations of the Cross with Bishop Barron (You may wish to show this in segments to your group or select one or two stations at a time.)
• The Catholic VR Experience: The Stations of the Cross (Virtual Reality)
• 10 Fun Things You Might Not Know About Lent
• Faith, Fun, and Celebration: Lent Episode (featuring John Burland)
• Songs to Journey with Jesus During Lent, Featuring Miss Heidi and John Burland
Other Resources
• Pope Leo XIV and the Papacy
• Special Message from Pope Leo to Young People (NCYC | November 21, 2025)
For Catholic Schools
• Albert’s Expeditions Join Albert, a fierce yet friendly Peregrine Falcon, named after Saint Albert the Great (who even gave the Peregrine Falcon its name 800 years ago!) on scientific expeditions all around the globe. From under the soil to the sky full of stars, discover the stunning natural world full of life that God has created. Meant for children ages 5–10 and all families who want to learn more about their beautiful world around them and the Divine Creator who formed it all.
Seeds
Lesson Theme: Jesus brings Good News to everyone.
For this lesson you will need: napkins, paper cups, paper plates, water, colored pencils or crayons, puppet, hand sanitizer, small amounts of salt and sugar, and a Church Year calendar.
For the “A Tasting Experience” activity, the children will recognize the difference that water makes after tasting salt and sugar. Make sure that everyone disinfects their hands beforehand and that the children only dip a fingertip into the salt and sugar.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Extending Activities
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 Gospel Lesson with Mrs. Cole
Promise
Lesson Theme: We share the Good News.
For this lesson, gather a map of the Holy Land in Jesus’ time, drawing paper, crayons, scissors, tape, and a Church Year calendar. We suggest that you separate pages 1–2 from 3–4 in advance.
For the “Jesus’ Spirit is within us” well-making activity, catechists and teachers will need an aide to assist the children with cutting, folding, and taping. If time is limited, you may wish to make the cuts on pages 3–4 in advance. Save the assembly of the well for the children to complete. They will enjoy being involved in creating a container (well) from a flat piece of paper.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
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 Gospel Lesson with Mrs. Cole
Good News
Lesson Theme: We share the Good News.
For this lesson, gather a large Bible, a bookmark, drawing paper, pencils, crayons, scissors, tape, a Church Year calendar, Bibles (one per small group), and a “well” made from a can or small box. The “well” will need to be large enough for the children’s “buckets” to fit into.
This lesson includes a Bible passage look-up activity (page 1). The children will be locating Sunday’s Gospel in the Bible, helping them to connect the Gospel they hear proclaimed at Mass and help proclaim in your classroom with the Bible. We discourage you from skipping this activity since this is an important skill for the children to learn now and build on as they grow in familiarity with the Bible. Saint Jerome said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Video
• St. Katharine Drexel
Venture
Lesson Theme: We share the Good News.
For this lesson, gather pens or pencils, coloring tools, a dish or container of holy water, and a Liturgical Year calendar.
Plan ahead to have a recording of “Come to the Water” cued up before class. You will find several options on YouTube. Choose one that you think will appeal to your class. Invite the children to listen to its words and match them to the events of this Sunday’s Gospel Reading.
This Sunday’s Gospel Reading likely will be familiar to the children. It is the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman or “the woman at the well.” Make sure to spend time with the Our Catholic Faith feature (page 5). It will help the children better understand the unlikely conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
• SVDP Next Gen
• Kat Brissette: What is it like being a youth member of the Society?
• We Are Vincentians
• The History of Saint Patrick: A Short Story (Note: His year of birth was A.D. 386 or 387, not A.D. 35.)
Visions
Lesson Theme: Who has been a disciple to you?
For this lesson, gather pens or pencils, coloring tools, scissors, drawing paper, a water pitcher or jar, and Bibles (one per student).
This Sunday’s Gospel Reading likely will be familiar to the young people. It is the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman or “the woman at the well.” You may wish to invite the young people to act out this Gospel. It does not require elaborate costumes or staging. Make sure to spend time with the Our Catholic Faith feature (page 5) since it will help the young people more fully understand the unlikely conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
• Sainthood Cause for Dorothy Day (Preview to judge if it’s appropriate for your class.)
• Staten Island Ferry Named for Dorothy Day Sets Sail
Image credit: edra11/stock.adobe.com
