LiViNG FAITH Kids

What I See in
CHURCH
 LIGHT FOR THE WORLD
8

Candles make everything more festive, and that’s why we see

them on birthday cakes and in Catholic churches. The biggest,
heaviest candle in church is the Paschal, or Easter, candle. It’s lit
on the night before Easter Sunday (the Easter Vigil) from a big fire
to show us that Jesus is the true light of the world. It’s lit at every
Mass throughout the Easter season. The Paschal candle is also lit
for baptisms and may be used at funerals as well.

Candles show us where the action is happening at Mass. You may

see altar servers carrying candles at the entrance procession.
You’ll see lit candles at the place where the readings are
proclaimed. And you’ll see candles on the altar during Mass.

Many churches
have small
vigil
candles
you can
light as you
offer a prayer
to God.
Those candles keep burning even after you leave
as a reminder that God always hears our prayers.

When we light vigil candles, we usually make a

small offering to help support the church. Can you
think of other ways you can support your parish
church?

At your baptism, your godparents lit a

baptismal candle from the flame of the
Easter candle to show that you are part of
God’s family.
 9

SIGNS OF CELEBRATION
Do you ever have to get dressed up for special
occasions? The priest wears special clothes called
vestments at Mass because this is a very special
occasion. Vestments show us that the priest is doing
an important and sacred job: He is acting in the
person of Jesus himself. So vestments aren’t
meant to make the priest look good. They’re for
honoring Jesus, who is present with us at Mass.

The most colorful part of a priest’s vestments

is usually the outer robe, called a chasuble
(CHAS-oo-bull). He might also wear a sort of
sash over his shoulders called a stole. The colors
of the vestments and the altar cloths can tell you
what season or feast we’re celebrating. There’s violet for Lent, green for the
season called Ordinary Time that comes after Christmas and Pentecost, white
or gold for Christmas and Easter, and red for Pentecost.

The priest also has a chair to sit in, called the presider’s
chair. It’s there to show us that Jesus—who is there in
the person of the priest—is leading or presiding
over the celebration of the Mass.

What’s the name of your pastor?

Are there other priests in your
parish? Remember to pray
for them—they pray for
you too!

Most priests don’t own those chasubles.

They belong to the parish—that’s you and
me.
 HEARING GOD’S WORD
10

Have you heard of the Sermon on the

Mount? That’s when
Jesus told his friends
about God’s kingdom
and how to find true
happiness. Jesus climbed a
mountain to share this most important
message. At Mass, we hear God’s message
from a kind of mountain, although it
probably doesn’t look like one to us. But it’s the
idea behind the high table called the ambo or
lectern, where lectors and the priest stand as
they proclaim God’s Word in the readings.

The priest doesn’t choose the readings for Mass; they’re already decided
on and printed in a big book called the Lectionary. On most Sundays we
hear a reading from the Old Testament, followed by a Psalm (that’s the one
where we sing or speak a response). We also hear a letter, usually written by
St. Paul or one of the apostles. Then we hear
the gospel, which is always about Jesus,
followed by a homily, which can help
us see how we can live the gospel
message. We know that Jesus
is present through the Mass
readings in a special way. As St.
Paul says, “Faith comes from
what is heard” (Romans 10:17).

What types of stories do you like to read?

The prayers we hear at church every Sunday

are the same ones heard in all Catholic
churches around the world. They may be in
different languages, but we all pray in the same way.
CALLED TO HIS SUPPER 11

At the Last Supper, Jesus gathered with his

friends at a table to share a meal. In a church,
the altar is a special, holy table where the
priest will celebrate the Eucharist. It reminds
us that the Eucharist is a special meal.

The Mass is also a sacrifice. When Jesus gave bread and wine to his friends,
he said, “This is my body…This is my blood.” And when Jesus said, “Do this
in memory of me,” he wanted this action to be carried on
forever. At the altar at Mass, the priest repeats Jesus’ words
and does what Jesus did at the Last Supper. This is called
the consecration. The bread and wine on the altar
become Jesus’ Body and Blood.

We’re reminded of this sacrifice when

we look at the crucifix on the altar.
We see Jesus’ suffering and we’re
reminded that he died because
he loves us so much.
And because Jesus has
risen from the dead, he’s saved all
of us from sin and death. That’s something to celebrate!

Think of a fun meal you’ve shared with your family recently. Who was
there? What did you eat?

In many Catholic churches, altars contain

relics—small bone fragments or pieces of
clothing—of saints. That tradition goes back
to when the first churches were built over
the tombs of people who had died for the
faith. Relics remind us that Jesus in the Eucharist unites everyone—
those who are living and those who have died.
12

SACRED VESSELS
When your family gathers for dinner, someone usually
sets the table. Maybe that’s your job. You probably put
out silverware, plates and napkins. During Mass, you’ll
see lots of things on the altar table. A paten is a kind
of dish or flat bowl that contains the hosts that will
become Jesus’ body. Glass cruets contain water and
wine. The priest pours the wine and a little bit of water
into a chalice, which is a special cup for the wine,
which will become Jesus’ blood.

During the consecration of the bread and wine, the

priest prays the Eucharistic Prayer from a book called
the sacramentary. That tells the story of the Last
Supper. Listen for it. You can even follow along in
your missal.

In some churches,
altar servers ring
bells at certain
times during the
consecration. Are bells
rung at your church? If so, look carefully
at what the priest is doing when
the bells are rung. It’s pretty
important!

When we receive Jesus in Holy Communion,

we’re not receiving part of Jesus or a symbol
of Jesus. We receive Jesus—body, blood,
soul and divinity—the same Jesus who was
born in the stable, cured the sick, died on the cross for you and me
and rose from the dead. Kinda makes you want to kneel down and
pray, doesn’t it?
What I See in
CHURCH A Catholic church is
filled with objects, some of them
familiar to you, some of them
unusual or even strange. When you learn that all these things have names and
help us worship God, you will begin to see that your church—and any Catholic
church anywhere in the world—is a home for your faith. Apply colorful stickers
as you discover the names and uses of the things you see in church.

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LiViNG FAITH Kids

What I See in Church was written by Connie Clark
for Creative Communications for the Parish, 1564
Fencorp Drive, Fenton, MO 63026. 800-325-9414.
www.creativecommunications.com. © 2015. Illustra-
tions by Jim Burrows. All rights reserved. Printed in
the USA.  SCM