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While this week’s Gospel Weeklies lessons are the last of our regular program year, we offer a Summer Solemnities unit (English only at this time), three Late Close Lessons in the Activity Books, and several Late Close lessons that can take your lessons well into summer. You can learn more about these additional resources here.
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
Kids Talk About Loving Others
Love One Another
Love One Another
Seeds
Lesson Theme: Jesus’ followers love one another.
For this lesson you will need a rosary for each child (optional), an image or statue of Mary, crayons or colored pencils, scissors, copies of the story coloring page, and a Church Year calendar.
To make folding the cover image easier, you may wish to separate pages 1–2 from 3–4.
Find an end-of-year certificate to give to the children here. Note that a parent may sign the certificate if a teacher or catechist is unable to do so.
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
Joyful Mysteries: Rosary for Kids
Promise
Lesson Theme: Jesus’ rule is love.
For this lesson, gather pencils, crayons, and a Church Year calendar. Find an end-of-year certificate to give to the children here.
As you discuss the picture of on page 3, ask the children how this is like—or unlike—the chores and tasks they do at home.
Even if this is not your last class of the year, you can still follow the suggestion in the Teaching Guide about reminding the children to keep coming to Mass this summer. Encourage them to pray to the Holy Spirit whenever they need help. Send home the Catechism handbooks if this is your last class session. Encourage the children to keep their handbooks, practice the prayers, and refer to them for information.
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
Good News
Lesson Theme: Jesus calls us to love.
For this lesson, gather crayons, pencils, scissors, and a Church Year calendar. Find an end-of-the year certificate to give to the children here.
For the “Who Can Play?” story images on pages 3–4, make sure the children understand what to do before you distribute scissors. They will be making the cuts before you read the story and following your instructions for folding on the dotted lines as you read. The story that accompanies this activity and directions for making the folds are in the Teaching Guide on page TG4-34.
Even if this is not your last class of the year, you can still follow the suggestion in the Teaching Guide about reminding the children to keep coming to Mass this summer. Encourage them to pray to the Holy Spirit whenever they need help. Send home the Catechism handbooks if this is your last class session. Encourage the children to keep their handbooks, practice the prayers, and refer to them for information.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Video
Sacraments of Initiation song
Venture
Lesson Theme: Jesus gives us life to the full.
Even if this is not your last class of the year, we suggest you pray the Summer Prayer for the Spirit together on page 5. You will need a lighted candle, small pieces of paper, and holy water. (Use a suitable container for the holy water, with an opening that’s wide enough to allow the children to reach in and bless themselves. A shallow, clear bowl would work just fine.)
This is a good time to share Marian hymns with the children. Search the internet or use a streaming service, if you have one, to find some of your favorites to share.
You may wish to invite your parish Confirmation coordinator and/or youth minister to speak to the children about all they can look forward to in Confirmation preparation in the coming years.
Find end-of-year certificates to give to the children here.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Mary, the Blessed Virgin Mother
Why Do You Pray the Rosary?
How to Pray the Rosary
Joyful Mysteries: Rosary for Kids
Why We Should Love the Virgin Mary: Pope Francis Minute
St. Theodore Guerin | Obscure Saint
Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
Visions
Lesson Theme: Jesus commands us to love one another.
As students work on the cover activity about class prophecies, we suggest you monitor the process to ensure that comments and responses—whether silly or serious—remain positive, loving, and kind. Encourage the groups to share their prophecies with the class.
If you need a Fruits of the Holy Spirit refresher for the Sunday Gospel and Talk questions on page 4, you will find them listed on page 50 in the What the Church Believes and Teaches handbook.
To prepare for the prayer service (page 8), you will need holy water and a Bible. Use a suitable container for the holy water, with an opening that’s wide enough to allow the young people to reach in and bless themselves. A shallow, clear bowl should work just fine.
If possible, invite your parish Confirmation coordinator and/or youth minister to speak to the students about all the exciting opportunities ahead in Confirmation preparation.
Find end-of-year certificates to give to the young people here.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Pope Francis on the Seven Gifts
Pentecost and the Seven Gifts
Fruits of the Holy Spirit with Bishop Barron
Image credit: InsideCreativeHouse/stock.adobe.com
