“SO WHAT” FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS?

1. “SO WHAT” FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS? A three-stage process for educating in ritual in the school community: • Develop a climate of ritual in the classroom and school • Critically analyse existing rituals • Create rituals for celebration with the class and school community. Harris (1992, p.5)

2. Develop a climate of ritual in the classroom and school • Be aware of the diversity of opportunities to ritualise – “Anything can be ritualised. Any value the educator wishes to pass on can be expressed in ritual” (Harris, 1992, p.11) • Be on the look out for chances to use ritual – but whatever occasion, it must have significance for the learners

3. 2. Critically analyse existing rituals • Analyse and question the values expressed in rituals

4. 3.Create rituals for celebration with the class and school community • Make ‘self-generated’ ritual a planned part of religious education in a Catholic school • Avoid ritual MANIPULATING students

5. ONCE THE FOCUS / OCCASION FOR RITUAL HAS BEEN CHOSEN: Start with the meaning – value Then consider specific details Don’t let the tail wag the dog!

6. STRUCTURE FOR NON-EUCHARISTIC RITUALS • Come! (Gather and Prepare) • Listen! (Listen and Respond) • Do! (Share and Give Thanks) • Go! (Go and Tell)

7. PREPARING A CLASS RITUAL • Useful to develop a simple checklist • Can guide discussions about rituals

8. IN REGARD TO SYMBOL / ACTION: • Keep it simple - choose one dominant symbol that will stand out in the ritual • Keep it sensory – choose a symbol that has a strong appeal to the senses • Keep it straightforward – choose a symbol that has meaning for all participants • The action with the symbol should involve all of the participants

9. WHAT IF IT’S A MASS? Sacrament of Eucharist • “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Vatican II, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 1, 10) • gathers the whole community • language is aimed primarily at an adult level

10. WHAT IF IT’S A MASS? Directory of Masses With Children (DMC) – 1973 • We may cause ‘spiritual harm’ to children “if they repeatedly experience in the church things that are scarcely comprehensible to them” (DMC, 2) • DMC provides guidance for the adaptation of the liturgy to engage young people • DMC recognises that liturgy must be supported by explicit teaching on the Mass within the Religion program

11. THE RITUAL STRUCTURE OF EUCHARIST • Helpful to think of Eucharist as a whole movement with a series of rituals or rites within • Four main parts: • Gathering • Liturgy of the Word • Liturgy of the Eucharist • Dismissal

12. RESOURCES FOR CELEBRATING EUCHARIST IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL • Lectionary for Masses with Children – 1993 • Directory for Masses with Children – 1973 • The Liturgy Documents – A Parish Resource http://www.litcom.net.au/documents/childrensliturgy/index.php www.adoremus.org/ChurchDocs.html

13. THEOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING SACRAMENTS AND OTHER RELIGIOUS RITUALS • Religious rituals are celebrations of lived experience. • Religious rituals are communal. • Religious rituals tell a shared story. • Religious rituals are symbolic actions. • Religious rituals have an effect.

14. RESOURCES FOR CELEBRATING EUCHARIST IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL • Healy, H., Hyde, B. & Rymarz, R. (2004). Making Our Way Through Primary R.E.: A handbook for religious educators. Tuggerah, NSW: Social Science Press. (Appendix B Preparing the Eucharistic Liturgy for Children, p. 197) • Modules: Barry, G., Elliot, M., Lavercombe, P., Rush, K., Sunter, G. & Wedge, E. (2005). Sacramental celebrations: Origins and practices (pp. 18-26). Brisbane: Catholic Education Archdiocese of Brisbane. Rush, K., Lavercombe, P. & Wintour, R. (2004). Making meaning through prayer and ritual (pp. 8 – 13). Brisbane: Catholic Education Archdiocese of Brisbane.