Virtual Class Info – Holy Week & Easter

For our April 3rd & 5th class dates, here are a variety of activities that will help you to learn and experience Holy Week & Easter. All of these activities can be done as a family.

Select 2-3 or more activities from the list below to do between Palm Sunday and Easter:

Watch Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and/or Easter Sunday mass as a family. You can find all of the masses on the home screen of our webpage or on our Facebook page. The masses for these special holy days will be taken from our archives so that you can experience the fullness of each celebration with music and décor. For some tips on how to celebrate mass at home, see our suggestions below.
Watch our Holy Week and/or Easter Sunday Break Open the Word at Home videos and do any of the accompanying activities (see below).
Read an Easter book that you have at home or listen to one of these books listed below.
Pray the Stations of the Cross as a family. You can do this using either of the versions included here: Stations of the Cross with Kids activities Stations of the Cross with Traditional Artwork
Read the Passion from the Bible (Matthew 26:14-27:66) with your family. You might take turns reading parts of the story, as it is quite long. If you don’t have a family Bible at home, you can find the Passion (Gospel reading for April 5) online at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/040520.cfm
The cross is a symbol of our faith; it is a reminder of Jesus’ life, death & resurrection. Make one of the cross crafts included here as a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice. http://www.thatartistwoman.org/2010/03/bead-and-clay-crosses.html https://www.momontimeout.com/stained-glass-cross-easter-craft/ http://www.housingaforest.com/colorful-light-ray-cross/
Since we will not have real palms this year, use this printable palm to make a palm cross. Printable Palms
Before he died, Jesus shared one special last meal with his disciples. Make this Last Supper egg carton craft and talk about how the Last Supper is connected to us receiving Eucharist at mass. https://www.catholicicing.com/holy-thursday-last-supper-craft/
Jesus’ died & rose again so that we might all have new life. Take a walk outside with your family and look for signs of new life… green grass, buds on trees, flowers starting to bloom, …
On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. This was an act of great humility and love for him to do. To celebrate Holy Thursday, wash feet together as a family. One member of the family will gently and carefully wash the feet of another member, then a third member will wash their feet, and so on until everyone’s feet have been washed. For this activity you will want a large bowl or dish pan and a towel.
Here are a variety of Easter themed worksheets, coloring pages and puzzles , with something for kids of every age. Print out a few and do them together with your child. Holy Week worksheets
Print out and color some beautiful Easter bookmarks. Printable Easter Bookmarks
Play a game of Easter Jeopardy as a family. You can print this set out to make your own game, or just open it and use the questions in a trivia format. https://www.hiphomeschoolmoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Easter-Story-Trivia-revised.pdf
Go on a Resurrection Scavenger Hunt. Most everything on the list can be found in or outside your home, and it will encourage your children to think creatively. Resurrection Scavenger Hunt

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Break Open the Word At Home

Each week, check here for the Sunday readings from the Children’s Lectionary, some background on the readings, questions to discuss with your family and activities to help your children connect to the readings.

Palm Sunday

Palm branches & Life of Jesus craft

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Click Here to Watch March 29th’s Break Open the Word Video

Readings for Fifth Sunday of Lent

Story of Lazarus coloring page

Step by Step Flyer (for 4k-2nd grades)

Footprints flyer (for 3rd – 5th grades)

Raise Lazarus from the Dead activity

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How to Celebrate Mass from Home

You can watch the weekly mass here on our website each week until the Archbishop reinstates public masses. Visit the home page for the mass video. Here are a few tips to help you reverently watch mass from your home…

Create a “home altar” in front of your TV or the device where you will watch mass. This might be on your TV cabinet, a coffee table, a card table, TV tray or even a large box. Lay out a nice cloth or table runner and a crucifix or cross if you have one.
Open your family bible to the Gospel of the day and place it on your “home altar” to remind you that God’s word is among you.
Light a candle to symbolize the light of Christ that shines in the darkness and to help your home resemble our church.
Set up chairs like a pew to help you engage in the mass and to keep you from passively watching from the couch.
Get dressed as you normally would to attend mass. Keeping this routine is especially helpful for children.
If you have Holy Water at home, use it to bless yourselves before you begin the mass.
Take a few moments of silence to transition from the normal busyness of your home to the sacredness of the mass.
Fully participate in the mass as if you were there. Stand, kneel and sit at the appropriate times. Sing along with the music. Join in saying the prayers and responses out loud.
Enjoy a little fellowship after mass is done. Have coffee and breakfast as a family, or maybe take some time to call friends from the parish to connect and see how they are doing!

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Mark your calendars for Vacation Bible School!

Rocky Railway VBS will take place August 3rd-7th from 9am-noon daily.

VBS is open to children entering 3k – 5th grade in the fall of 2020. Cost is $30 per child.

Registration info coming soon!

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Sacramental Preparation: First Eucharist

Due to the most recent updates regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Archbishop made the difficult decision that we need to put a hold on the sacrament of First Eucharist for the time being, making it seem unlikely that we will be able to celebrate the sacrament of First Eucharist on our planned dates in early May. We also know that parents like to invite extended family to come and celebrate with their child who is receiving the sacrament. It may be difficult for families to travel to be with us for these celebrations in the next few months due to the ever-changing guidelines on safety. For those reasons, we have decided to reschedule the celebrations of First Eucharist to the following dates and times:

Saturday, July 11th at the 4:30pm mass (Rehearsal on July 9th at 5:30pm)

Sunday, July 12th at the 9am mass (Rehearsal on July 9th at 6:30pm)

Saturday, July 18th at the 4:30pm mass (Rehearsal on July 16th at 6:30pm)

Details for the rescheduled First Eucharist mass selections have been sent via email to parents.

During this time at home, Second graders can be decorating their stoles for First Eucharist. Here are some examples from previous years:

Stoles & service project cards should be turned in at your child’s Eucharist rehearsal.

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