CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD AT HOLY FAMILY: Drawing Our Youngest Parishioners Closer to Jesus

Learning about the faith is important for those of all ages — and at Holy Family, Children’s Liturgy of the Word provides children in our parish with the opportunity to do exactly that. The children meet during 10 a.m. Mass, starting just before the first reading until after the homily.

The program includes teaching, songs, and crafts, all providing the children with interactive opportunities to learn about the faith.

“The curriculum follows the teachings of the church and is simplified and summarized in easy and fun ways for young children to grasp,” says Angie Petersen. “Weekly teachings and the Gospel readings follow the liturgical calendar year, so what we learn during our time together is similar to what the rest of the congregation hears upstairs.”

The target age for the curriculum is children ages 3 years old through kindergarten, although older siblings of the children are welcome to attend and help with reading as well as with the craft materials.

“This is a fun way for families to communicate after Mass and compare the two teachings and further the understanding,” Angie says.

While the program takes the children out of the Mass setting, it seeks to involve the children in learning about the Mass firsthand and presents them with the concepts in an accessible way.

“We hope to accomplish a fostering and love of Mass, and educate on the teaching of the Catholic faith early on to have a familiar foundation to build upon in the future,” Angie says.

The Children’s Liturgy program has been a joy for the Salber children, who look forward to it each week. Michelle Salber says her children were sad when the COVID-19 pandemic halted the activities, but they are thrilled now that the program has returned to the parish.

“As parents, it’s fun to see what they learn about and to see their excitement when they come back with their projects,” Michelle says. “On the way home, it opens up conversations that help broaden their knowledge about God and Jesus. Sometimes those conversations come up several times throughout the week until their next lesson.”

If you would like more information about Children’s Liturgy of the Word, please contact Angie Petersen at angie.petersen@kw.com or 320-232-9156.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word provides the children of our parish with an opportunity to grow in the faith and learn more about the Mass through activities and interactive learning.