Holy Rosary Children’s Liturgy

Seniors

Prep

  • The Sacristan should open the backdoor and upstairs before the Mass, but if you find it is closed, go up to the Sacristy (room on the RHS of the Altar) and ask the Priest or Sacristan for the keys. If they give you the keys, don’t forget to return them at the end of Mass.
  • Make sure that 2 people are present for the Children’s Liturgy before you bring the kids upstairs.

If your partner doesn’t show up, you could look in the congregation for other members of the Children’s Liturgy who might be able to help you. If you can’t find anyone, just tell the kids that the Liturgy isn’t on and to go back to their seats. Under no circumstances should you run the Children’s Liturgy on your own.

  • Bring about 25 copies of the Order of Service with you upstairs so that you can hand them out to the children.
  • Take the pens etc, candle, mat and matches out of the cupboard and bring them upto the room.
  • Use a table to layout the candle and mat and light the candle before the children arrive. Sometimes tables are laid out in a rectangle – you can either use these for the entire session or just for the Activity.

Settling Down

  • Settle the children down and remind them that they are in a place of worship, just the same as being in the chapel.
  • Ask everyone to make the Sign of the Cross.
  • Ask the children to recite the Morning Prayer together.

Father in heaven, you love me, you’re with me night and day.

I want to love you always in all I do and say.

I’ll try to please you, Father

Bless me through the day. Amen.

  • You can at this stage ask the children to reflect for a minute on things they have done that God would be happy with, or not so happy with.
  • Ask for 4 volunteers to carry up the Offertory. Mary will come up at about 10:50 for the 4 volunteers.

Gospel reading

  • Give out the Order of Service to everyone. You can either ask everyone to read a sentence or ask for volunteers to read the Gospel and split it up.
  • Ask the children questions about the Gospel when they have read it – use the handout for the day as a starter.
  • Don’t forget to ask the children if they have any questions

Try if you can to relate the Gospel to everyday life, or if you know anything about around the time of Jesus the kids love to hear about it.

Activity

  • Lay out the pens etc.
  • Give out the Activity in your pack.
  • As an alternative, you could also ask the children to make up a song, or poem and ask them to perform it in small groups. You could also ask them to draw a picture related to the Gospel.
  • Aim to finish by 10:55 if you can.

Finishing up

  • Get the kids to help you tidy up and ask them to line up quietly.
  • 1 leader should lead them down the stairs, asking them to be quiet.
  • Tidy up the room, returning everything to the cupboard and leave it as you found it.

Accidents

  • If a child has an accident, it’s important that it is recorded in the Incident Book.
  • If it happens upstairs, finish the session immediately and line the children up and bring them downstairs.
  • Go to the child’s guardian and inform them of the incident. Ask that they stay after Mass to sign the Incident Book.
  • Go and get the Incident Book from the room in the Sacristy after Mass.
  • Write up what happened and ask the guardian to sign the Incident Book.