Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Parent Newsletter — February/March, 2015 The Cenacle CatechesisHewlett-Packard Company of the Good ˈ ə cen●a●cle \ se-ni-k l\ n. 1. The room where the Last Supper took place Shepherd, Mt. Bethel The word “Cenacle” comes from “cena” which means “to eat” or “dinner.” The Latin UMC, Marietta, Georgia word Ceneclum was used in the Vulgate Bible for the “upper room” where the Last Volume 1, Issue 2 Supper was held. Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with twelve apostles. The Last Supper was cele- February/March, 2015 brated in the “cenacle” or upper room of a house. Each year in the atrium, typically in the season of Lent, the children are presented the Cenacle. SpecialThis month points in theof in- terest:atrium: The Presentation of the Cenacle Briefly highlight your point of interest here. We changed the para- Briefly highlight your point of interest here. ment on the prayer table Briefly highlight your point of interest here. As we well know, the Last in the Cenacle? We intro- nacle, a long wooden table Brieflyto purplehighlight your point for of interest Lent. here. Supper is foundational to duce the reading of the covered by a white cloth, Level 1: We will be bury- the Paschal Mystery, to the text by acknowledging the three-dimensional figures ing the “Alleluias,” we will mystery of Christ Himself, liturgical time of Lent that of Jesus and 12 apostles, a be talking about the City as well as to the mystery of we are in, preparing to cele- small paten holding a clay of Jerusalem, the Ce- the Eucharistic presence. brate the greatest feast model of bread, and a small nacle, and Eucharistic Therefore, because it is when Jesus died but was chalice. Each item is put in Presence of the Good among the greatest mys- risen. Just before that place slowly at the right Shepherd. teries of our faith, it happened, Jesus had come time in the narrative. Level II: Biblical Geog- Caption describing should be offered to young once again to Jerusalem. It Great emphasis is placed on raphy, City of Jerusalem, picture or graphic. children. Yet, the question was the Jewish feast of Jesus’ simple words: “The Paschal and Resurrection is how? How do we remain Passover, which included a body of Christ, given for Narratives, Mystery of at the level of essentiality special meal with one’s fam- you.” “The blood of the Faith. Secondarywith children Story as Headline young as ily. Jesus wanted to cele- Christ, given for you.” Level III: Virtues, Max- three? Again, we follow brate that feast with those The children listen and ims, Moral Parables, the rule of beginning with most like family to him: his meditate on these words start on Moses Typology. only the most essential an- disciples, and so he chose a starting at age three. nouncement and allowing special place and sent two Their artwork shows that Inside this Issue: Thisthe truth story to can expand fit 75 as-125 the ofdraw his readersdisciples into there the to get uctthey Can are Save internalizing You Time!, this words.child grows. thingsstory. readyDevelop for the the headline Pass- Membershipconcept of God’s Drive greatest Exceeds The Cenacle P.1 overbefore meal.” you write- Sofia the Caval- story. Goals,gift to and us. NewAs they Office grow Your“Initially, headline our focusis an impor- is sim- P.2 letti, The Good Shepherd older, they can talk about Mystery of the tantply on part this of particular the newsletter mo- This way, the headline will Opens Near You. and the Child: A Joyful what this means to them. Faith andment should in Jesus’ be consideredlife, just help you keep the story Journey, p. 81. God loves us so much that carefully.before he died and rose. focused. What did he do? What did The materials are a wooden He gave us His Son. In a few words, it should Examples of possible head- he say in the upstairs room boxlines representing include Product the WinsCe- See materials on p. 2. accurately represent the contents of the story and Industry Award, New Prod- The Mystery of Our Faith How many of us have spoken the labels, Christ has died, Christ is risen, to understand life and death. We words during Communion: Christ has Christ will come again. meditate on the meaning of Christ’s died, Christ has risen, Christ will resurrection and what that means to come again? That is what we call the our faith. Mystery of our Faith. We contem- In one atrium discussion, the subject plate this mystery starting in Level II of Satan came up while discussing the (from first grade on). Mystery of our Faith (children’s We lay out a round, lace tablecloth on minds do take us in many different a table and put three pictures depict- directions!). And one answer stood ing Christ on the cross, the risen out. From a first grader we heard: Christ, and Christ at Parousia. We “Jesus is in all of our hearts—even put the chalice and the paten above Satan’s. He is there hoping Satan will the pictures and the statue of our turn and know that God is the only Good Shepherd. We also put the We read Scripture pertaining to true king.” heading: The Mystery of Our Faith, these words and meditate on them. and under the pictures we put the Children are capable from a young age Out of the mouths of babes…… The Cenacle Materials Continued from p. 1 Quiz: Ask you child why I chose to use purple for the headings. (hint: purple for the season of Lent) “The mystery of life is inseparably tied to the mystery of death; death is but a moment of life. This is a fundamental reality of our world. Just as with all other basic realities, the child awaits our answer to this unarticulated question regarding death. In the Christian message, death and life are tightly bound to the announcement of resurrection: Life is stronger than death. How many times we have seen the children burst into spontaneous and unexpected applause when the resurrection has been proclaimed.” Sofia Cavalletti, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 years old, p 4 Page 2 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd .