Liturgy of the Word for Children
At each Mass children ages 4-8 gather after the Opening Prayer to hear and discuss the scriptures proclaimed at their level. They rejoin their parents at the Preparation of Gifts. Leaders are required to attend three training sessions each year.

Does your young child have questions about what is happening during Mass – sometimes asking at an inopportune time? Well, we have answers!

To help your children learn more about participating in the Mass, we are planning to re-introduce Children’s Liturgy of the Word during each weekend Liturgy at St. Clare of Assisi Church. We invite your children, from age 4 until when they receive First Communion, to join us for this. However, before we can start restart this program, we need you to consider volunteering as one of our leaders of this ministry.
For Children’s Word,

• Father Jim calls children forward during Mass, right before the first reading, to follow a leader and youth helpers to the choir room.
• The Children’s Word leaders and helpers teach about various elements of the Liturgy, read that day’s Gospel and talk about it on the children’s level.
• Then the children return to your side at the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer for the rest of Mass.
• There is no registration for the children to attend, and they are welcome to take part in Children’s Word during whatever Mass their family attends.

What a wonderful opportunity for children to grow into fuller participation in the Mass as they learn new things each week!
Plus, we have a terrific way for you parents to grow in your own faith, while serving God and our parish’s children – sign up to join our team of Children’s Word leaders. Our leaders all agree that this has been a great benefit to their faith life!
If you enjoy working with this age group of children and want to help them learn about the center of our Catholic faith, then you would be a wonderful addition to our team of Children’s Word leaders. We need more leaders so that we can provide this ministry at every Mass, allow for an assignment of just once a month for each leader and have enough substitutes to cover leader slots that open.
After a brief training, the format and teachers’ guide for each session are provided for you. The only preparation needed is to read the Gospel and session guide in advance. We do not do crafts during Children’s Word. So, no additional materials are needed. Please note: All volunteers 18 and over must do a free, online Child Protection Policy training and background checks before working with the children.
Thank you for considering how you and your child(ren) can participate in Children’s Word. To volunteer or for more information, contact Alicia Luechtefeld, Children’s Liturgy of the Word Ministry Leader, at 618-531-0220 (text) or alicialuechtefeld@yahoo.com or call the parish office at 618-632-3562.