Should we do children’s liturgy of the word?
I’m not a big fan of dismissing children from the liturgy for a separate word service on Sunday. The fullest symbol of the body of Christ is the assembly gathered for worship. When we regularly send a significant part of the assembly off for their own liturgy of the word, we are symbolizing division more than unity.
Is it liturgy?
I have two primary objections. The first is that what often happens in the children’s liturgy isn’t very liturgical. There is often more focus on the verbal over the nonverbal. There is seldom any singing. There is usually no gospel procession. The proclamation of the readings is usually (not always) less compelling than in the adult liturgy. The room itself often resembles a classroom or a conference room more than a worship space. There is a tendency for the children’s liturgy to slip into either religious education or babysitting.
Is it formative?
My second objection is the liturgy in the primary worship space is formative. Even if the children don’t understand every word, the rhythm of the ritual forms them. By doing what the adults do, children grow up learning to do their faith. It is especially important that children remain in the assembly when the parish is celebrating special events at Mass. These would include all RCIA rituals, infant baptism, renewal of wedding vows, Advent, Christmas season, Lent, and Easter season.
The argument that is almost always offered for a separate word service is that the children don’t understand the adult readings and homily and that they are bored. Folks, I can guarantee you that if the children are bored, the adults are too. The solution is not to send the children away. The solution is to fix the boring liturgy.
Exception to the rule
Now having aired my objections, I also think there may be some occasions when dismissing children for their own word service might be appropriate. This is akin to adults asking children to leave the room when they have to discuss things that might not be appropriate for children to hear. For example, if the homily is going to focus on some of the more difficult teachings of the church, the children might be better served by a “kid’s version” of the teaching. Or if the parish is doing the annual diocesan fund raising appeal, the children might be excused. However, these occasions should be exceptions to the rule. And they should be planned out and scheduled ahead of time.
If you are celebrating children’s liturgy of the word—either occasionally or regularly—be sure you are using a resource that keeps the event focused on worship and not education. The one I recommend (and the one my mother uses in her parish!) is The Complete Children’s Liturgy Book: Liturgy of the Word for Years A, B, & C, by Katie Thompson (Twenty-Third Publications).
Katie recently published a second volume: The Liturgy of the Word with Children. What’s exciting about this edition is that it includes a CD with music children can sing, thus helping create a more liturgical atmosphere in the children’s event.
What’s your experience with children’s liturgy of the word? Take the poll below or share your thoughts in the comments section.
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Amen!!
NO! We should not do CLW. Children find this a time to play and want to talk about everything but Liturgy. They lose the meaning of “church”. Church is not the building – it is coming together of people to praise God. Nick is right there are too many distractions and classrooms are not a proper setting. I use the book he suggests and find that the children do participate pretty well. I’m all for fixing boring liturgy. And I won’t even go there regarding the music we use. The leaving and returning of the children is also a distraction to the “church”.
There was a big uproar when I became director of religious education and objected to the ‘Children’s Dismissal’ during Mass for the very reasons you mentioned above. it was glorified babysitting with everyone from babies to teens being dumped into the day chapel with one adult.
It’s too limiting, it’s too structured, it’s too orderly…and I refuse to let it turn into babysitting. No food, no drinks, no toys, no coloring. The kids are fine with it- it’s the parents who apparently want 20 minutes of a break from their kids during Mass instead of taking the opportunity to train them HOW to appreciate Mass! I have been critized for the same things in Religious Education- I don’t offer a ‘nursery’ program. I begin at age 4 and classes have structure, readings and actual faith formation . We pray as a community, with the parents, at the end of every RE session, in the Church. Last year, parents were amazed that the 4 and 5 year olds who could not yet read could easily recite the Liturgy of the Hours psalms and responses. They are now learning the Angelus; and they are learning to appreciate silence, attentive listening, participating in the singing and praying together. What a concept.
I decided to re-vamp it since I couldn’t get rid of it. We now only dismiss children ages 4-9 with two adult catechists who have had training and background checks. We use the above listed “The Liturgy of the Word with Children” and make sure we use the music. The children are called forward by the Priest after the Opening prayer and before the First Reading, and return to the congregation immediately following the Homily. We only offer CLOW from Oct-May, and not on holidays. So far this year, I don’t have sufficient volunteers to offer CLOW…darn
Sorry, Nick, I disagree, and you know I love you! When done correctly, CLOW is an excellent way for ongoing liturgical formation that is ON THE CHILD’S LEVEL. Again, when executed properly, CLOW is a beautiful expression of our faith for the children whom we mostly ignore when planning our liturgies. While I do not advocate “entertaining” them, I do feel we have a responsibility to form them and that is not exclusive to the RE or Catholic School setting.
We have had Liturgy of the Word with Children for several years. I recently bought the newer edition you posted for the curriculum and I am very pleased with it. Our volunteers have had background checks and recieve trianings as well as the lesson plan. We have a small table set with a candle (real!), a crucifix, and often a bowl of holy water. We follow the liturgical practices, but we do take time to point out that there is a Gospel procession and why it’s important and that the same thing is going on in the church. We have a recording of our choir singing the Alleluia so that we are singing the same one as the grown-ups.
The chance to make the readings apply to their lives is very valuable, and, I believe, it trains the children to find a message in the readings when we don’t have CLW. We offer it at all Mass times, except for Holidays. When we don’t have enough volunteers, we might miss a week in the month, but for the most part it’s a very positive ministry for us.