Third Sunday after Easter

I. Background Reading

• Today's Epistle reading has the following important lesson: " Honor all men: love the brotherhood: fear God: honor the king. " 
• This verse points out the importance of obedience, one of the three evangelical counsels (poverty, chastity, and obedience). The evangelical counsels are like guideposts: they remind us of the things that we can give up for God, earthly goods, physical pleasure, and finally our own will. In a special way, religious live out the evangelical counsels to show us that all we really need is God; the rest is all "extra." 
• The evangelical counsels are not commandments. There are certainly times that we should own property, for example, to provide for ourselves and our family. Husbands and wives should cherish the love that they have for one another. There are even times that we cannot obey the law, if the law is trying to command us to do something sinful against God. Nonetheless, we know that if we keep those counsels in mind, we will not be afraid to put aside earthly things to stay close to God. 
• Due obedience, however, is a commandment. This means that we should be subject to all of those who have legitimate authority over us. 
• As children, we should obey our parents and show them respect. 
• As church members, we should obey our clergy when they interpret for us the Holy Scriptures or make decisions for the Church. 
• As citizens, we should follow the law unless the law is commanding us to do something sinful. 

II. Epistle Reading, 1 Peter 2, 11-19

• How should we show non-believers that we believe in Jesus Christ? 
• Are we bound to obey the law? 
• If you had a job, would you be bound to obey your boss? 

III. Gospel Reading, John 16, 16-22

• In this passage, Jesus points out that he is "going to the Father". To what is he referring here? 
• Jesus says, "Your sorrow shall be turned into joy." What event is Jesus predicting? 
• When shall we see Jesus? So does this passage hold true for us as well? 

IV. Catechism Lesson: 

Penny Catechism, no. 196-204

  196. What is the fourth Commandment?

 

 

The fourth Commandment is, 'Honor thy father and thy mother'.

 

  197. What are we commanded by the fourth Commandment?

 

 

By the fourth Commandment we are commanded to love, reverence, and obey our parents in all that is not sin..

 

  198. Are we commanded to obey our parents only?

 

 

We are commanded to obey, not only our parents, but also our bishops and pastors, the civil authorities, and our lawful superiors.

 

  199. Are we bound to assist our parents in their wants?

 

 

We are bound to assist our parents in their wants, both spiritual and temporal.

 

  200. Are we bound in justice to contribute to the support of our pastors?

 

 

We are bound in justice to contribute to the support of our pastors; for St. Paul says; ' The Lord ordained that they who preach the Gospel should live by the Gospel'. Cor.9:14

 

  201. What is the duty of parents towards their children?

 

 

The duty of parents towards their children is to provide for them, to instruct and correct them, and to give them a good Catholic education.

 

  202. What is the duty of masters, mistresses, and other superiors?

 

 

The duty of masters, mistresses, and other superiors is to take proper care of those under their charge, and to enable them to practice their religious duties.

 

  203. What does the fourth Commandment forbid?

 

 

The fourth Commandment forbids all contempt, stubbornness, and disobedience to our parents and lawful superiors.

 

  204. Is it sinful to belong to a Secret Society?

 

 

It is sinful to belong to any Secret Society that plots against the Church or State, or to any Society that by reason of its secrecy is condemned by the Church; for St. Paul says: 'Let every soul be subject to the higher powers; he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist purchase to themselves damnation'. Rom. 13:1,2

V. Catechism Review Questions: 

1. What is the fourth commandment? 
2. Whom does the fourth commandment require us to obey? 
3. Do those who have authority have responsibilities towards the people under them? 
4. If our parents ask us to do chores and help them around the house, should we obey them? 
5. Is it wrong to become a Freemason or a member of another Secret Society? 

VI. Classroom Activities

1. Review the Catechism Questions from last week. 
2. Discuss the Background Reading. 
3. Recite the Catechism Lesson chorally. You may need to make sure that students understand some of the terminology. 
4. Go over the Mass readings and questions that follow. 
5. Ask students to respond to the following hypothetical situations. Are the individuals bound to obey or not? 
• You were speeding and received a ticket. Must you pay the fine? 
• A teacher requires you to write an essay titled, "Why God Does Not Exist." Do you have to write the essay? 
• A teacher gives you a long set of word problems in Math. Are you required to complete the assignment? 
• Your parents ask you to wake up early and clean your room. Must you obey them? 
• A priest gives you a penance of saying four complete Rosaries. Must you say all four? 
• You catch an older person stealing from the Church, and your pastor says that you don't need to report it to the police or bishop. Should you keep silent? 

Good Shepherd Sunday - Second Sunday After Easter

I. Background Reading -
Read the following Psalm.

Psalm 23 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;
    he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
    he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I fear no evil;
for thou art with me;
    thy rod and thy staff,
    they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil,
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    for ever. 

• This psalm compares God to a shepherd. We can identify a few key features of what it means for God to be our Shepherd. 

1. He provides for us. 
2. He gives us peace and comfort when we are frightened. 
3. He protects us from danger and evil. 
4. He shows us the way we should go. 

• In the last half of the psalm there is what literary critics call a "turn." A turn is where the author slightly changes subjects. He begins to apply each of the four characteristics that he had earlier used to describe God as a shepherd to his everyday life. 

II. The Epistle Reading, 1 Peter 2, 21-25

• If God is like a shepherd, then perhaps we are rather like sheep. How does St. Peter, the first pope, compare us to sheep in this reading? 
• And yet, St. Peter also compares Jesus to a lamb in this passage. Read this passage from Isaiah.

Isaiah 53: 1-11 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

• Who has believed what we have heard?
      And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
  For he grew up before him like a young plant,
      and like a root out of dry ground;
  he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him,
      and no beauty that we should desire him.
  He was despised and rejected by men;
      a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
  and as one from whom men hide their faces
      he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
  Surely he has borne our griefs
      and carried our sorrows;
  yet we esteemed him stricken,
      smitten by God, and afflicted.
  But he was wounded for our transgressions,
      he was bruised for our iniquities;
  upon him was the chastisement that made us whole,
      and with his stripes we are healed.
  All we like sheep have gone astray;
      we have turned every one to his own way;
  and the Lord has laid on him
      the iniquity of us all.
  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
      yet he opened not his mouth;
  like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
      and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb,
      so he opened not his mouth.
  By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
      and as for his generation, who considered
  that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
      stricken for the transgression of my people?
  And they made his grave with the wicked
      and with a rich man in his death,
  although he had done no violence,
      and there was no deceit in his mouth.
  Yet it was the will of the Lord to bruise him;
      he has put him to grief;
  when he makes himself an offering for sin,
      he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days;
  the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand;
      he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied;
  by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
      make many to be accounted righteous;
      and he shall bear their iniquities.
• Can you spot the similarities and the Epistle from St. Peter? In what way does St. Peter compare Jesus to a lamb? How does this relate to what we learned two weeks ago about the "Passover"?

III. Gospel Reading, John 10, 11-16

• In this passage, Jesus compares himself to a shepherd. Can you identify the ways that Jesus fits the description of the Good Shepherd from Psalm 22(23)? 

IV. Catechism Lesson
Penny Catechism, no. 141-146; 

141. What is prayer?

   

Prayer is the raising up of the mind and heart to God.

 

142. How do we raise up our mind and heart to God?

   

We raise up our mind and heart to God by thinking of God; by adoring, praising, and thanking him; and by begging of him all blessings for soul and body.

 

143. Do those pray well who, at their prayers, think neither of God nor of what they say?

   

Those who, at their prayers, think neither of God nor of what they say, do not pray well; but they offend God, if their distractions are willful.

144. Which is the best of all prayers?

   

The best of all prayers is the 'Our Father', or the Lord's Prayer.

 

145. Who made the Lord's Prayer?

   

Jesus Christ himself made the Lord's Prayer.

 

 146. Say the Lord's Prayer.

 

   

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; 

thy kingdom come; 

thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; 

give us this day our daily bread; 

and forgive us our trespasses, 

as we forgive those who trespass against us; 

and lead us not into temptation; 

but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

PATER NOSTER, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. 

Adveniat regnum tuum. 

Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. 

Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, 

et dimitte nobis debita nostra 

sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. 

Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, 

sed libera nos a malo. Amen.

V. Catechism Review Questions (for next week) 

1. What is prayer? 
2. How should we recite our prayers? 
3. What is the best prayer? Who wrote it? 
4. Say the "Our Father" in English. 
5. Say the first line of the "Our Father" in Latin. 

VI. Classroom Activities: 

1. Begin by reciting the Lord's Prayer with the students. If the children have already learned how to sing the Pater Noster, sing it with them. 
2. Go over the Catechism Review Questions from last week. 
3. Read Psalm 22(23) with the children. Explain that today is called "Good Shepherd Sunday" because each of the Bible Lessons mention God as our "Shepherd." Make sure that the children know what a shepherd is. 
4. Discuss the psalm using the prompts provided in the Background reading. 
5. Read each of the lessons from Mass and discuss the questions that follow. 
6. Recite the catechism lesson chorally. Remind students to prepare for next week by studying their catechism questions and answering the review questions that follow in their own words. 

Dominica in Albis - Divine Mercy Sunday

I. Background Reading -

• Dominica in Albîs - In the Early Church, people who became Christians would wear their white baptismal garments for seven days after their baptism to symbolize new life in Christ. This Sunday would be the last day that they would wear their white garments before putting on their normal earthly clothes In a similar way, we continue the celebration of Easter for Eight Days (called the Octave of Easter). After eight days, we must put aside some of our celebration and get back to work, living the life that Jesus called us to live. 
• Divine Mercy Sunday - This Sunday is also called Divine Mercy Sunday. In 1931, Jesus appeared to a young nun named Faustina, now St. Faustina, and asked her to spread devotion to Divine Mercy. This devotion consisted of works of mercy towards others, the veneration of an image of Divine Mercy which he instructed her to have painted, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and a Novena which would last from Good Friday until today, which our Lord designated as the Feast of Divine Mercy. Pope St. John Paul II confirmed this feast in 2000. On this day, it is traditional to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and spend some time meditating on the image of the Divine Mercy of Jesus which He revealed to St. Faustina. 

II. Read 1 John 5, 4-10

• How do we overcome the world? What does St. John mean when he says "the world"? 
• What three things testify that Jesus told us the truth about God? 
• For more advanced students: How does God prove his power over sin by these three things? 
• Who sends us the Holy Spirit? 
• Who offered the Most Precious Blood for our sins? 
• Who gives us grace at baptism? 
• Should we believe people more than we believe God?

III. Read John 20, 19-31

• After Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to the Apostles, what power did he place in their hands?
• Who forgives sins in place of the Apostles today? 
• Who wasn't with the Apostles when he first appeared to them? 
• When Jesus visited the Apostles again, what was miraculous about how he entered the room? 
• Are all of Jesus's miracles written down in the Gospels? 
• What is the purpose of recording the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels? 

IV. Catechism Lesson
Penny Catechism, no. 135-140

135. Will Faith alone save us?

 

Faith alone will not save us without good works; we must also have Hope and Charity.

 

136. What is Hope?

   

Hope is a supernatural gift of God, by which we firmly trust that God will give us eternal life and all means necessary to obtain it, if we do what he requires of us.

 

 137.Why must we hope in God?

 

   

We must hope in God because he is infinitely good, infinitely powerful, and faithful to his promises.

 

 138. Can we do any good work of ourselves towards our salvation?

    

We can do no good work of ourselves towards our salvation; we need the help of God's grace.

 

139. What is Grace?

   

Grace is a supernatural gift of God, freely bestowed upon us for our sanctification and salvation.

 

140. How must we obtain God's grace?

   

We must obtain God's grace chiefly by prayer and the holy Sacraments.

V. Catechism Review Questions (for next week)

1. What do we need besides faith to go to heaven? 
2. What is "hope"? 
3. How do we know that we can hope in God? 
4. What is grace? 
5. Can we go to heaven without grace? 
6. What are the two main ways that we receive grace? 

VI. Classroom Activities: 

• Go over the Catechism Review Questions from last week. 
• Explain the two names for this Sunday: Dominica in Albis and Divine Mercy Sunday
• Show the students a picture of Divine Mercy. Point out the text at the bottom, "Jesus, I Trust in You." Explain to them that devotion to Divine Mercy is about hope and that we hope in God because we know that he loves us and wants to forgive us our sins. 
• Explain that one of the devotions Our Lord taught St. Faustina was the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Teach children how to recite the chaplet. 
• Read the Scripture lessons from Mass and discuss the questions that follow. 
• Recite the Catechism lesson chorally. Remind students to study the lesson for next week.

Easter Sunday

I. Background Reading

• Remember how Jesus died on Good Friday? What do you think the apostles and disciples felt after Jesus died? 
• Jesus's resurrection is important for several reasons:
• It shows us that Jesus is divine. 
• It shows us that Jesus conquered sin and death. 
• It shows that Jesus has power over death. 
• It shows us that He can raise us from the dead as He promised. 
• Meditate on this passage from St. Paul, 1 Cor. 15, 16-18. 
• "16 If the dead, I say, do not rise, then Christ has not risen either; 17 and if Christ has not risen, all your faith is a delusion; you are back in your sins. 18 It follows, too, that those who have gone to their rest in Christ have been lost."
• The resurrection of the dead is a key component in Christianity. 
• It was believed by one sect of the Jewish faith, called the Pharisees, while the other sect, the Sadducees, did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. 
• Resurrection, however, is the natural result of divine justice, for we know that not everyone suffers the results of their sins while in this life. 
• Just as God raised Jesus from the dead, he will raise us up as well, to one of two fates: 
• Eternal life with God on earth;
• Eternal punishment in Hell. 

II. Read 1 Cor. 5, 7-8

• Passover (called "Pasch" in Greek) was the celebration of when God saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. He did this by sending the angel of destruction into Egypt and killing all the firstborn within it. However, he told the People of Israel that if they would sacrifice an unblemished lamb and spread its blood on their lintels, the angel of death would "pass over" their house and leave them unharmed.  From that point on, God commanded the Israelites to commemorate that night by sacrificing an unblemished lamb and eating it with unleavened bread. 
• What do you think St. Paul means when he says that "Christ is our Pasch"? 
• We are no longer commanded to keep the Passover. What "leaven" are we told to keep out of our homes as we celebrate Christ, our Passover lamb? 

III. Read Mark 16, 1-7

• Why do you think that Mary Magdalene is called the "first evangelist"? 
• What is the "good news" of Easter? 

IV. Catechism Lesson: 

Penny Catechism, no. 62-67

62. What is the fifth article of the Creed?

The fifth article of the Creed is, 'he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead'.

 

63. What do you mean by the words, 'he descended into hell'?

   

By the words, 'he descended into hell', I mean that, as soon as Christ was dead, his blessed Soul went down into that part of hell called Limbo.

 

64. What do you mean by Limbo?

 

   

By Limbo I mean a place of rest, where the souls of the just who died before Christ were detained.

 

65. Why were the souls of the just detained in Limbo?

   

The souls of the just were detained in Limbo because they could not go up to the kingdom of heaven till Christ had opened it for them.

 

66. What do you mean by the words, 'the third day he rose again from the dead'?

   

By the words, 'the third day he rose again from the dead,' I mean that, after Christ had been dead and buried part of three days, he raised his blessed Body to life again on the third day.

 

67. On what day did Christ rise again from the dead?

   

Christ rose again from the dead on Easter Sunday.

V. Catechism Review Questions (for next week) 

1.  To what part of Hell did Jesus descend? 
2. Whom did he rescue from there? 
3. Could anyone under the Old Law go to Heaven? 
4. When did Jesus rise from the dead? 

VI. Class Activities

• Use the Catechism Review Questions from last week. Remember that you may have many guests this day, so be generous in prompting students to participate. 
• Watch the very end of The Passion of the Christ film, as Jesus is taken down from the cross, buried, rises again. 
• Write "Why did Jesus rise from the dead?" on the board and teach the points under it from the Background lesson. 
• Explain the meaning of "Passover". Tell students that Easter takes place close to the time of Passover each year. 
• Read the lessons from the Mass for today and discuss the questions underneath them as time allows. 
• After meditating on the Gospel, listen to the "Victimae Paschali Laudes" chant. Provide a translation for the students or have them look it up in their missals. What parts of the Gospel story are referenced in the chant? 
• Recite the Catechism Lesson chorally and remind students to study these questions for next week. 
• Hand out baskets with age-appropriate gifts to remind them of the Resurrection. 

Second Sunday of Passiontide - Palm Sunday

I. Background Reading -

• Palm Sunday consists of two parts: 
• The Procession with Palms 
• This celebrates the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem one week before his crucifixion. 
• Many of the same people who were there to rejoice at his entry would have also called for him to be crucified. 
• The Passion of Jesus Christ
• The Passion of Jesus Christ is the full story of Jesus's suffering from the Gospel according to St. Matthew. 
• The other Gospels all contain the same story, told in different ways. 
• The Passion from the other three Gospels is read throughout Holy Week. 

II. Read Matt. 21, 1-9.

• Why did Jesus ride on a donkey? 
• How did the crowd react to Jesus's entry into Jerusalem? 
• What Old Testament King did the crowd reference as Jesus entered? 

III. Read Philippians 2, 5-11.

• Is Jesus God? 
• Even though Jesus was God, how did he "humble Himself"? 
• The cross was the method of execution that the Romans used against slaves who rebelled. What words or phrases from this Epistle seem to reference slavery? 
• In what ways has God exalted (honored) the name of Jesus? 
• In what sense were we once slaves? How has God exalted us? 

IV. Read Matt. 27, 36-54. 

• During the triumphal entry, Jesus was called the "Son of David." How does Pilate confirm this? How do the people, scribes, and elders respond to the title? 
• What happened when Jesus died on the cross? 
• The veil separated the inner Holy of Holies from the outer temple. Inside the Holy of Holies, previously, there had been the Ark of the Covenant, but it was lost centuries earlier. The Ark of the Covenant was a golden box containing the stone tablets onto which the Commandments had been inscribed, along with Moses's staff and the manna that God gave them in the desert. What do you think the ripping of the veil symbolized? 

V. Catechism Lesson
Penny Catechism, no. 57-61

57. On what day did our Saviour die?

 

Our Saviour died on Good Friday.

 

58. Where did our Saviour die?

 

Our Saviour died on Mount Calvary.

 

59. Why do we make the sign of the cross?

 

We make the sign of the cross - first, to put us in mind of the Blessed Trinity: and secondly, to remind us that God the Son died for us on the Cross.

 

60. In making the sign of the cross how are we reminded of the Blessed Trinity?

 

In making the sign of the cross we are reminded of the Blessed Trinity by the words, 'In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'.

 

61. In making the sign of the cross how are we reminded that Christ died for us on the Cross?

 

In making the sign of the cross we are reminded that Christ died for us on the Cross by the very form of the cross which we make upon ourselves

VI. Catechism Review Questions (for next week) 

1. On what day did Jesus die? 

2. With what prayer do we remind ourselves of the Cross? 

3. What other doctrine do we profess while we say this prayer? 

VII. Class Activities

1. Begin with the Catechism Review Questions from last week. 
2. Show the students a palm (either blessed or unblessed). Demonstrate how to turn the palm into a cross. Explain that this symbolizes the two parts of today's liturgy. 
3. Divide the class into three groups of mixed ages. Each group should take a lesson from Holy Scripture and discuss the questions under it. 
4. Have a member from each group read the Bible lesson. Then ask them about the discussion questions. After each question, allow members of other groups to ask questions about the discussion. 
5. Read the catechism lesson chorally. Answer any questions that students may have about the Catechism reading. Remind the students to study their Catechism lesson for next week.

First Sunday of Passiontide

I. Background Reading -

• Scripture is divided into two parts, the Old and the New Testament. A testament (or covenant) is an agreement between two people. In the case of Holy Scripture, a testament is an agreement between God and Man. 
• The Old Testament is much longer than the New Testament, because it covers a longer period of time and it talks about more agreements than the New Testament: 
• The Covenant between God and the first man, Adam. 
• The Covenant between God and Noah during the flood. 
• The Covenant between God and Abraham, who followed God's call to establish His people in the land of Canaan. 
• The Covenant between God and Moses. This covenant consisted of three parts: 
• Laws that were meant to teach people about the life that God expected them to live, e.g., the Ten Commandments. 
• Laws that were designed to set the people of Israel apart from other nations, e.g., prohibitions against certain types of food, work, etc. 
• Laws that were designed to govern sacred worship in the Temple. 
• Christians believe that all people are bound to follow the moral law taught in the Old Testament but that we are free from the other two parts of the law. 
• The last category of the law required many different types of sacrifice in the temple. 
• A sacrifice is where one offers something to God. 
• In the Old Testament, the sacrifices included animals, which were killed on the altar and eaten by the priests and people. 
• Read Ps. 50, 18-19 (Douay). The point of sacrifices was to show God sorrow for sins and to praise him. 
• The Old Testament sacrifices could never give one the grace to go to heaven, because they were always offered by imperfect human beings. 
• The New Testament is the Covenant God made with the whole world by sending his Son, Jesus Christ. 
• In the New Testament, Jesus is the sacrifice that makes us just before God. 
• We still must follow the moral law, but if we sin, we know that we can always receive forgiveness through the blood of Jesus. 
• We receive this forgiveness by repentance and baptism, or if we have committed a sin after baptism, by Confession to a priest. 

II. The Epistle Reading: Hebrews 9: 11-15

• Why do we not need to offer goats and bulls as sacrifices any more? 
• Who is the High Priest of the New Testament? Why do we call Him a priest? 
• The priests of the Old Testament participated in the sacrifice by eating the meat that was offered. How do we participate in the sacrifice offered by Jesus? 
• How did Jesus offer the sacrifice of the New Testament?

III. The Gospel Reading: John 8:46-59

• Why would Abraham have rejoiced to see Jesus? 
• Was Abraham a part of the Old Testament or the New Testament? 
• Jesus says, "I am." Read Exodus 3, 13-14 (Douay). What is Jesus telling the Jews about himself? 
• Given your answer, why would the New Testament sacrifice be more perfect than an Old Testament sacrifice? Who is offering the sacrifice? What is being offered? 

IV. Catechism Lesson:
Penny Catechism, 52-56

52. What is the fourth article of the Creed?

  

The fourth article of the Creed is, 'suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and buried'.

53. What were the chief sufferings of Christ?

 

The chief sufferings of Christ were: 

first, his agony, and his sweat of blood in the Garden; 

secondly, his being scourged at the pillar, and crowned with thorns; and thirdly, his carrying his cross, his crucifixion, and his death between two thieves.

54. What are the chief sufferings of our Lord called?

 

The chief sufferings of our Lord are called the Passion of Jesus Christ.

55. Why did our Saviour suffer?

 

Our Saviour suffered to atone for our sins, and to purchase for us eternal life.

 

56. Why is Jesus Christ called our Redeemer?

 

Jesus Christ is called our Redeemer because his precious blood is the price by which we were ransomed.

Review Questions for Next Week: 

1. Put these in order: (a) scourging at the pillar; (b) death between two thieves; (c) crowning with thorns; (d) agony in the Garden.

2. What do we call the sufferings of Jesus Christ? 

3. Why did Jesus suffer and die on the cross? 

4. Why do we call Jesus our Redeemer? 

V. Classroom Activities

1. Review the Catechism questions from the previous week. 
2. Teach the points from the Explanation at the beginning of the Lesson. Draw the following on the board. 
• Old Testament
• Adam
• Noah
• Abraham
• Moses
• The Moral Law
• The Laws of Israel
• The Ritual Law
• New Testament : Jesus
3. Hand out Bibles. Students should read the Epistle lesson to themselves. Then, discuss the questions that follow among the whole class. 
4. Repeat #3 with the Gospel lesson. 
5. Read the Catechism questions together. Remind students to study the catechism questions for next Sunday.

Introduction

Welcome to Sunday by Sunday: Liturgical Catechism Lessons!

This blog is my humble attempt to provide lesson plans for Sunday Schools and CCD programs in parishes that use the Extraordinary Form of the Holy Mass. They are not approved by any diocese or religious community of the Catholic Church, but they do use texts and translations approved in previous centuries by the Catholic Church. My own Questions and Commentary are merely meant to assist the catechist in presenting the approved material. The lessons are intended for children from the 4th Grade to the 9th Grade. Where required, additional questions are provided to differentiate different age groups. (Elementary, Middle, and Advanced)

Each Lesson may consist of the following components:

I. Background Explanation of the Epistle.

II. The Epistle Reading

III. Discussion Questions about the Epistle

IV. Background Explanation of the Gospel

V. The Gospel Reading

VI. Discussion Questions about the Gospel

VII. Catechism Questions to Study (From the Penny Catechism)

VIII. Catechism Review Questions

IX. A suggested Activity Guide for Catechism Class