October 21st Lesson Grade 4
**Remember to pray for your seminarian**
Their picture should be located by the
crucifix/door in your classroom. Feel free to send
cards and letters throughout the year
Prayer for Holy Vocations
Heavenly Father, make us more holy
each day, we pray.
Help us to embrace the way of life
You planned for us, our call;
And as priests, deacons, religious sisters or brothers,
married couples or chaste singles, help us to find joy
in giving You our most, our best, our all!
This we ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Oct. 17 St. Ignatius of Antioch: Brought
about the right teaching and practices of the
faith
Oct. 18 St. Luke: Luke's unique perspective
on Jesus can be seen in the six miracles and
eighteen parables not found in the other
gospels. Luke's is the gospel of the poor, of
mercy, and of social justice.
Oct. 22 St. John Paul II: This Pope was so
filled with the love of God it was contagious. A
talented and gifted "man of letters", a
playwright, a philosopher, an intellectual giant,
a poet, but more importantly, a genuine human
being with a heart that embraced the whole
world, like the Heart of the One whom he
represents on earth. He truly has been the
"Vicar of Christ", representing the Lord, the
King of Kings, for so many millions throughout
the world. He began The Luminous Mysteries
*St. John XXIII: Remembrance of beginning
Vatican II on October 11th
Welcome:
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Play gathering music softly.
Prayer:
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Have students quiet themselves to talk God.
Ask: Which groups do you belong to? Allow responses What do people do in these groups
together? Allow responses
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Say: Each of us belongs to God’s family. It is called the Church. Write these words (The Church)
on the board and draw a large circle under it. Ask: Who is the leader of the Church? (Pope
Francis) Write his name underneath the large circle. Inside the large circle draw another circle.
Ask: Who is the leader of the Archdiocese of Omaha? (label the circle)(Archbishop George
Lucas) Draw another smaller circle inside the others and label St. Wenceslaus. Ask: Who is the
pastor of St. W.? (Fr. Tom)
Say: The Church has many names like People of God, Body of Christ and Communion of Saints.
Each of these names helps us understand the mystery of the Church
Let us Pray: Begin the Sign of the Cross
Dear Jesus, Bless your Church as we work to build a better world
Ask for any special intentions
Be with us in these prayers and in our hearts
Amen
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Finish with the Sign of the Cross
Discovering:
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Write People of God on the board. Explain: The People of God are called together in Jesus
Christ. The People are together to know, love and serve God. God created us to live in
happiness with him forever
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Write Body of Christ on the board. Explain: Baptism joins us to Jesus. Jesus is human and
divine and the Church, as his body, is human (us) and divine (in Jesus). Christ is the head of his
Body, the Church. The head leads and guides the Body, just as Jesus leads and guides us. With
the help of the Holy Spirit, the rest of the body works together. The baptized people are the
body parts. Since Jesus is in Heaven, he needs our hands to do his work of caring and taking
care of creation and each other. He needs our feet to take us places to help those in need. He
needs our voices to tell others about him and about the goodness and love of God. Maybe
draw a stick figure next to Body of Christ and label the parts. Have children think of things their
hands, feet, voices and hearts can do showing they are being led by Jesus and their actions are
what we all do as the Church. The hierarchy is Pope Francis and Archbishop Lucas. The
religious is Fr. Tom, Fr. Andy and Fr. Francis. We are the laypeople, but all of us are Baptized,
joined to Jesus as the Body of Christ.
Write Communion of the Saints on the board. In the Apostles’ Creed, we pray that we believe
in the Communion of the Saints. The Communion of Saints is a communion (group) of holy
people that connect us to God. The Communion of Saints includes all faithful followers of
Jesus. It includes the faithful on Earth, in Heaven and Purgatory.
On Nov. 1, we honor all the saints. It is called the Solemnity of All Saints.
This part of the lesson is optional to teach: Sometimes people who believe in God die, but
they are not ready to be in Heaven yet. They go to Purgatory. In Purgatory they work on
growing in their love for God. On Nov. 2 we celebrate All Souls’ Day and pray for the souls in
Purgatory.
Ask: Who is your favorite saint? Allow responses. Share your own favorites or read about
saints from a saint book.
Saints are heroes of faith. Their lives demonstrate holiness, prayer and action. We pray for
their intercessions with God.
To become a saint our Church looks for:
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What was the person like when they lived here on Earth?
The Church looks for good things the person did and whether they are a good example of Jesus
among us
The Church looks for a sign that the person is in Heaven
The Church looks for 2 miracles connected to that person
The pope will name them as a saint or canonization
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Besides All Saints Day, the Church remembers saints on special days that honor their lives.
These are called feast days.
The Catholic Church goes back to Jesus and the Apostles. The Church today continues the work
that Jesus and the Apostles began. Jesus said to Peter the Apostle, “You are Peter, and upon
this rock I will build my church.” –Matthew 16:18
Jesus gave Peter and the other Apostles the authority and responsibility to baptize people,
make them disciples, and teach what he taught them. Jesus still leads the Church today
through Pope Francis and the other bishops.
All the baptized are called to work with the Holy Spirit and continue the work of Christ on
Earth. The words priest, prophet and king are used at our baptism and describe the work we
are called to do.
Write Priest on the board. Priestly work is to live a holy life.
Write Prophet on the board. Prophets tell. We are to tell others about Jesus and God.
Write King on the board. Good kings take care of their people. Kingly work is to serve God, but
also serving the people, especially the poor and suffering.
On a sheet of paper have students create this chart and label. Ask them to demonstrate/draw
ways they can be priests, prophets and kings.
Priest
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Prophet
King
Jesus spoke of his work as building the Kingdom of God. It is something that we pray for every
time we say, “Thy Kingdom come” in the Our Father.
Together and with the Holy Spirit, the Church works to prepare for the coming of God’s
Kingdom. We build the Church with love and peace. We continue acts of mercy and justice.
With the Year of Mercy coming (Dec. 8th) maybe touch on the Corporal works of Mercy.
Performing the works of mercy can also help us live as saints in the Body of Christ. Corporal
means body. Corporal Works of Mercy take care of the needs of the body: Feed the hungry,
Drink to the thirsty, Visit the sick, Clothe the naked, Visit the imprisoned (shut ins/nursing
homes), Shelter the homeless and Bury the Dead.
Sending/close:
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Play music while children clean up and gather the things. As music gets softer they should join
you in prayer space.
Allow children to center themselves.
Explain that it was a wonderful time to be with friends and teachers. Tell children that today’s
prayer will pray for the coming Kingdom of God. They should respond: Thy Kingdom come
Make the Sign of the Cross
We work to bring about God’s Kingdom. We shelter the homeless
Thy Kingdom Come
When we give food, drink and clothing
Thy Kingdom come
When we help those that are sick or imprisoned
Thy Kingdom come
Let us all pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom on Earth as it is in
Heaven
(Pray the Our Father)
Amen
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Complete with the Sign of the Cross.
Pass out any information/ materials/projects needed for families
7:30 Dismiss students at school’s main doors