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This Sunday is Respect Life Sunday. It is celebrated yearly on the first Sunday of October, which is Respect Life Month. We take time this month to focus on respecting human life at every stage, ability, and condition. We must also consider ways to support and respect life every day of every month of every year.
Make use of leaders’ kits for Faith Formation, Catholic Education, and Youth Ministry from the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities of the USCCB. Also check out these Action Guides (English and Spanish), which will help you take advantage of natural opportunities to integrate Respect Life themes in our ministry.
May God grant us the wisdom and courage to lovingly protect his gift of human life at every stage, in sickness and in health. 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 online resources.
Video of Sunday’s Gospel (Mark 10:2–16)
Use these videos as you discuss today’s Gospel. Please preview to make sure the videos are appropriate for your group:
Holy Heroes
Sunday Gospel Cartoon Reading and Lesson
Jubilee 2025 activities, handouts, resources, and more
Seeds
Lesson Theme: Jesus is our friend.
For this lesson, you will need crayons, glue, and a Church Year Calendar.
At the beginning of every Seeds lesson, we encourage you to invite a child to point to the current Sunday on a Church Year calendar. If you don’t have a calendar for 2025, you can order one here.
You may bring big yellow envelopes to send home the family prayer activity on page 3. You could send along a note for parents encouraging them to pray this prayer everyday as a family.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Gospel Reflection and Saint of the Week with Miss Heidi
Kid-Sized Lessons on the Sunday Gospel with Mrs. Cole (Bible Bag)
Promise
Lesson Theme: Jesus loves children and families.
Materials you’ll need are scissors, glue or tape, crayons, a crucifix, name strip chain from 9/29 class, extra paper strips, Church Year calendar, and copies of the story coloring page (one per child). It will be helpful to have pages 1–2 separated from pages 3–4 before this class.
As you gather and prepare to share the story, take roll call by reading names from the chain you made in last week’s Promise class. Make sure to have some extra paper strips handy so you can add links for any new children. You might invite a child to place the chain on your prayer table.
As the children leave at the end of class, you may wish to make the Sign of the Cross on each of their foreheads to reinforce that they belong to Jesus’ family.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Extending Activities
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Gospel Reflection and Saint of the Week with Miss Heidi
Kid-Sized Lessons on the Sunday Gospel with Mrs. Cole (Bible Bag)
The Sign of the Cross
Good News
Lesson Theme: The Church is the People of God.
This lesson begins with activities that reinforce the value of welcoming, including, and making time for others. Make a special effort to welcome each child by name as they enter the classroom. Make a positive comment or tell them you’re glad they came and are a part of your Good News class. You might wish to stand at the door to do so.
The Sacrament of Baptism is covered in this lesson. Encourage the children to find out more about their own Baptism and to bring that information to share with the class. Mark the children’s baptismal days on a class calendar and recognize them as their Baptism anniversaries occur. You’ll explore the Sacrament of Baptism in more depth in the lesson for the Baptism of the Lord on January 12, 2025.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
The 10 Commandments
Object Lesson on the Kingdom of God – Gumball Machine
Venture
Lesson Theme: God made us to live in community.
For this lesson, gather pencils or pens, notebook paper, Bibles (one per child), and a Liturgical Year calendar.
This week, Venture delves into the power of love in families and explores the Sacrament of Matrimony. We suggest bringing a copy of a marriage certificate and wedding photos to share with the children. As you share the Catholic Faith Word, fidelity, it might be a good time to explain adultery to the children in a simple but direct way. Be mindful that students come from all kinds of family situations. Emphasize that faithful love is Jesus’ way of life and every Christian’s hardest work.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
St. Thomas More
Marriage: Sacraments of the Catholic Church
Sacrament of Matrimony
Visions
Lesson Theme: Jesus calls us to live in community.
For this lesson, you will need pencils or pens, drawing paper, newsprint, and Bibles (one per student).
In this Sunday’s Gospel, emphasize how Jesus welcomes young people. Remind them how loved and valuable they are! This lesson features the first Attitudes question of the year. You may wish to first pose the question and then direct the young people to read their peers’ responses.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Marriage: Sacraments of the Catholic Church
Sacrament of Matrimony
Bishop Barron on the Sacrament of Marriage
Sacrament of Matrimony
Pope Marries Two Flight Attendants Aboard Flight
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