Tour of the Church - Preparing for Sacraments

 

I was so excited to get a copy of Preparing to Receive Jesus to use as the spine for our Sacrament Preparation this year for our oldest son (they have a new edition that they are working on to come out hopefully soon).  We have been reading Little Acts of Grace and learning about the Church and Church Behaviors.  Our son Ryan participated in Catechesis of the Good Shepard last year and learned so much but it is really great for he and I to re-visit and discuss more in depth.  One assignment is to complete a church tour that is kind of a scavenger hunt to find different items and then discuss them (stained glass windows, sanctuary light, holy water font, altar, candles, tabernacle, crucifix, lectern and confessionals).  I know that he is pretty familiar with these at our home parish and also were we attend daily mass so I thought it would be fun to go to our cities Cathedral to search for all of them in a new environment.  To make it even a little bit more special I had time take pictures of all of the different things that he was finding on my I-Phone and then I will print out a photo book for him of all of the special places within the Church!  I adore that all of the pictures are taken from his point of view.

 

 

Making the time to visit the Cathedral was also a special activity for this year because we were able to walk through the Door of Mercy!

 

"In April 2015, Pope Francis announced an extraordinary Jubilee that is to have the mercy of God at its center. “It shall be a Holy Year of Mercy,” Pope Francis said:

 

  “We want to live this Year in the light of the Lord’s words:

‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (cf. Lk 6:36)’

Popes typically announce a jubilee every 25 years, although extraordinary Holy Years have been proclaimed for special anniversaries. The Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy includes the possibility of obtaining a plenary indulgence through performing works of corporal and spiritual works of mercy (feeding the hungry and visiting the sick, counseling the doubtful and comforting the afflicted), with a passing through a Holy Door, as well as the usual means and conditions for obtaining an indulgence.

Pope Francis has asked that in every diocese throughout the world a special door of mercy be designated and opened Dec.13, in the diocesan cathedral."

Site

 

Stained Glass Windows

 

Sanctuary Lamp and Tabernacle

 

Lectionary and Confessional

 

 

Candles and Altar

 

Crucifix and Holy Water Font

 

 

 

After we did the little scavenger hunt to find all of the different parts around the church we were able to spend some time looking at special things around the church and take some time to pray.

I want to always remember how he always take time to pray and how genuine and sweet his prayers are.

They always want to light a candle and pray to our Samuel.

 

 

 

Ryan thought this statue was really special as he is learning all of the 10 Commandments right now!

 

 

May God continue to bless and guide Ryan, and for all of those children as they continue to prepare for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion this year!