Children's Liturgy of the Word

Children’s Liturgy of the Word takes place at Sunday morning Masses in school term time.

On each Sunday the Church comes together to celebrate in Word and Eucharist the mystery of our Lord’s death and resurrection, the paschal mystery. The gathered assembly of the baptised is one of the ways Christ is present:
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:20)

 Children gather with their families in the church for the introductory rites of the Mass. After the opening hymn and the greeting the children, together with their leaders, are called forward. A book of the scriptures is presented to a child and all process to the church hall. Children and the leaders return to the main body of the church for the procession of the presentation of the gifts and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

 The Children’s Liturgy of the Word is liturgy and not catechesis or child minding.
Secondly, it is a Liturgy of the Word so it is ritual centred on the proclamation and breaking open of the scriptures. The children do what the rest of the community is doing at this point of the Mass. They listen to the scriptures proclaimed and applied to contemporary life and respond in various ways. It is an experience of prayer, of dialogue with God.