SACRAMENTS – CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY

Sacraments pertains to the way God, Our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ His Son by the power of the Holy Spirit continues to make Himself and His Plan for our salvation and sanctification present today. In the sacraments, God touches us and we touch Him – a touch that wholly changes us – we are freed from sin and become His children, members of the Church, His Family. In the sacraments God acts first – He has given all – for no other reason than He loves us. The reception of the sacraments is one way we say “yes” to God.

At the end of Kindergarten, students will demonstrate the following:

1. We become members of God’s Family through Baptism -- His Children, His Daughter or His Son. (CCC 804, 1213, 1267)

2. God wants His Family, the Church to gather each Sunday. (CCC 1066-1075)

3. During the Mass, Jesus is with us in a special way. (CCC 1373)

4. In the Mass, we remember that Jesus gave His life for our happiness; we take part in His sacrifice whenever we attend Mass. (CCC 1364-1365)

5 The Mass is a special meal that Jesus celebrates with His Family. (CCC 1329)

6. Be introduced to liturgical gestures (genuflection, kneeling, sign of the cross, handshake of peace, folding hands for prayer).

7. Be introduced to the liturgical calendar through the liturgical colours and celebrating in the classroom.

8. Christmas is when we celebrate Jesus’ birthday and Easter is when we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.

9. Students should know the name(s) of the parish priest(s), the bishop and the Pope.

10. Liturgical gestures are signs in which we show our love and respect for God: genuflection, kneeling, bowing, Sign of the Cross, folding hands for prayer. These are signs in which we show our love and respect for God. We genuflect before entering a pew in a Catholic Church as a sign of adoration because Jesus is truly present in the tabernacle. It is proper to genuflect before a tabernacle and to make a profound bow before the altar of sacrifice if the tabernacle is not directly behind the altar.