But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLW) gives first through sixth graders the opportunity to listen and respond to Sunday scripture readings and the Gospel in an environment that fosters sharing, understanding, community and fun. After opening rites, Father invites the children to gather at the foot of the altar, in front of the congregation, to receive a blessing before the CLW catechist leads the children from the church to a nearby classroom (weather permitting).
At CLW the children begin with prayer and the CLW catechist proclaims scripture – the same scripture celebrated by the adults remaining in the church, except adapted for children and communicated “in their own language” and “at their own level.” The scripture proclamation is followed by facilitated discussion, where the children are encouraged to talk about how they may apply the Gospel to their daily lives. Once complete, the CLW catechist team returns the children to the church, where they join their families and the entire congregation for the Liturgy of the Eucharist to celebrate Communion around the table as one faith family.
SS. Peter & Paul offers CLW at all Sunday Masses (8:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM and 5:15 PM) September through May. Registration is not required and all children in the first through sixth grades are welcome to participate. CLW is not intended to take the place of regular attendance of Faith Formation classes; rather, CLW gives children an opportunity to celebrate and prayerfully reflect on the Word in an age-appropriate setting. Parents are encouraged to periodically accompany their child(ren).
Volunteer
CLW is a rewarding ministry opportunity for adult volunteers willing to shepherd our youngest parishioners in receiving and understanding the Word of God. If you are interested in joining the CLW catechist team, Contact Us or submit the following. Training and materials will be provided.
