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October is Respect Life Month. Respect Life Month is a yearly reminder to help Catholics understand, value, and become engaged in building a culture that cherishes every human life. This year’s theme for Respect Life Month is “Mary, Mother of Life.” The Church invites us to reflect “on Our Lady’s distinguished role as mother of all the living. The life of the Blessed Mother teaches us to respect each human life in every stage and circumstance. We ask her intercession in helping us to recognize the gift of human life, even when that gift is unexpected or calls us to make sacrifices” (respectlife.org/respect-life-month). We pray that every person will be respected, valued, and protected as is God’s desire. Mary, Mother of Life, pray for us!
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 – Matthew 22:1–10
• Holy Heroes
• The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
• Sunday Setup—Weekly Video and Post (courtesy of the Diocese of Bridgeport)
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.
Seeds
Lesson Theme: Jesus invites us to his table.
For this lesson, you will need crayons or colored pencils, juice, crackers, cups, plates, napkins, a story coloring page (one per child), and a Church Year calendar.
During this lesson, we suggest that you set up a small party so children can share a snack and pray a Blessing Before Meals. Make sure you check with parents if there are any food allergies.
This lesson talks about belonging to God’s family, the Church. Children who form meaningful connections with their parish, catechists, and other families are more likely to continue practicing their faith as they grow older. Belonging often comes before believing deeply.
Teaching Guide
Family Companion & Weekly Parent Resources
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
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: Kid-Sized Lessons on the Sunday Gospel with Mrs. Cole
Promise
Lesson Theme: Jesus invites us to a holy meal.
For this lesson, you will need pencils, crayons, envelopes, juice cookies, cups, plates, napkins, a story coloring page (one per child), and a Church Year calendar.
This lesson talks about belonging to God’s family, the Church. Children who form meaningful connections with their parish, catechists, and other families are more likely to continue practicing their faith as they grow older. Belonging often comes before believing deeply.
This lesson also focuses on celebrations of food and friends, the most special celebration being the Mass. We suggest that you end this class session with a snack if possible.
Teaching Guide
Family Companion & Weekly Parent Resources
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
Extending Activities
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Assessments
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
• Kids Explain the Holy Eucharist
Good News
Lesson Theme: God’s holy feast is for all.
For this lesson, gather pencils, coloring tools, scissors, a Church Year calendar, and your classroom Bible.
This lesson uses the Parable of the Wedding Feast as it relates to the earthly feast of the Eucharist. Since the Eucharist, particularly Sunday Mass, is central to Catholic life and practice, we also use this lesson to introduce the Third Commandment, the significance of Sunday for Christians, and the celebration of the Mass-Eucharist.
The children will make a booklet about the Mass. This is a good review for those children who celebrated their First Holy Communion this past spring. It is also good proximate preparation for those children who will celebrate First Communion in the coming year.
Teaching Guide
Family Companion & Weekly Parent Resources
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Assessments
Seasonal Resources
Video
• Kids Explain the Holy Eucharist
Venture
Lesson Theme: God’s holy feast is for all.
This lesson uses the Parable of the Wedding Feast to present the Liturgy of the Eucharist as a foretaste of sharing in the heavenly banquet. This lesson also explores the problem of hunger and food insecurity locally and throughout the world. We share a story about young people who support a program that supplies meals to hungry children in Liberia. Note that World Food Day is October 16.
Note that the answers to the cover quiz and the Celebration Puzzle on page 8 are in the Teaching Guide. Encourage the children to watch Child 31 (via the QR code link on page 3 in the student lessons) at home; run time is about thirty minutes. Remind the children that this is the story that inspired Carlin to raise money for Mary’s Meals.
Teaching Guide
Family Companion & Weekly Parent Resources
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Assessments
Seasonal Resources
Videos
• Mary’s Meals – Saving Grace
• Child 31 – The Story of Mary’s Meals
• Parts of the Mass
Visions
Lesson Theme: God sets a table for all people.
For this lesson, gather pens or pencils, markers or colored pencils, and 100 plastic beads.
The Gospel message for this Sunday is an invitation—not to a wedding, but to the table of the Lord. The lesson also connects the Parable of the Wedding Feast with the problem of hunger and food insecurity locally and globally. The Living the Gospel activity (pages 6–7) stresses the importance of inviting everyone to the table as a place where people meet to make decisions, come together for food, and gather to celebrate the Eucharist. Point out the QR code on page 8 that links to a video about World Central Kitchen. Video runtime is 2:45, so plan to view it together in class if possible. Throughout Visions lessons, QR codes link to websites of featured organizations, prayers, song lyrics, short videos, or detailed assembly instructions for projects.
Teaching Guide
Family Companion & Weekly Parent Resources
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Assessments
Seasonal Resources
Videos
• What Is the Eucharist?
• What Is the Eucharist?
• José Andrés visits Gaza as WCK expands efforts
Image credit: respectlife.org/respect-life-month
