http://www.catholicfamilyfaith.org/general1.html
Holy Week
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. For 40 days, Christians have observed the season of Lent, a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter. Holy Week recalls the story of Jesus’ last week on earth, his death and resurrection.
How do we share the powerful stories of Holy Week and Easter with elementary age kids? This isn’t Christmas, with a baby in a manger and animals and shepherds and angels all nicely wrapped in a story full of light and hope and promise. Holy Week tells a disturbing story of betrayal, suffering, pain, and loss. How do you explain a crucifixion to a child? Yes, the Easter message is one of hope and resurrection, but even Jesus’ victory over death is a challenging concept for kids. To be honest, it’s a tough one for adults too.
Adding to the challenge is that kids rarely get to hear all the Holy Week stories, so the build-up to Easter is often disjointed and incomplete. Attendees at Palm Sunday worship will hear about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, where he is greeted with crowds waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” (rough translation “Hurray!”). The next Sunday is Easter, and the church will be filled with flowers and light and crowds of worshipers proclaiming “Hallelujah!” (rough translation “Rejoice!”). What happened in between to make Easter so special?
Holy Week which recall the events of Jesus’ final days, thereby telling the whole story. Jesus’ last supper with his friends and followers is remembered on Holy Thursday. At Jesus’ last meal with his friends, he gave them a new commandment to “love one another as I have loved you.”
On Good Friday, we hear the story of Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion through readings, and music, ending with worshipers leaving the church in silence and darkness to await the resurrection.
Only by experiencing the passion of Jesus’ final days does the joy of the Easter message make sense. Easter celebrates Jesus’ victory over death and therefore ours too. Attending mid-week Holy Week services helps children hear the whole story with others, in the love and security of their families and faith communities. Carolyn Brown, who has written several books about children and worship, advocates for children attending Holy Week services, saying, “Not only do they hear the whole story, but they hear it with the whole congregation.
But is the story too hard for children? Jesus’ last days were filled with betrayal, loneliness, doubt, pain and violence. But, the story of Jesus' suffering and death is not as unfamiliar to children as we may like to believe. Children know pain. Some know death. They know what it's like to feel lonely, to feel afraid, to feel bullied, to feel hurt. We need to tell the story in an age-appropriate way, describing how people were mean to Jesus and eventually hurt him, and how Jesus could have run away but he didn't because he loved people too much to abandon them. This story connects with children’s own pain and lets them know that they need not experience it alone. It’s a story that also tells them it does get better, that there is hope beyond pain, and that God doesn't abandon them in the dark but leads them to the light. That's a story every child longs for. And I suspect, every adult too.
We recognize that the safety of your children is always uppermost in your mind. We have taken many additional steps in recent years to do our part in ensuring that your children will be in a safe place when they are participating in programs at Sacred Heart.
Our staff has received the required background checks and training. We have implemented curriculum to help your children recognize the steps they can take to keep themselves safe.
Our goal is to equip both you and your children with the knowledge that can help to keep them safe. This booklet is intended to present information to keep your children safe.
Sacred Heart follows the guidelines of the national Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People approved by the US Bishops and the policies of the Diocese of Worcester in screening those who work with children in our care and in helping victims of abuse find healing.
If you or someone you know has been sexually abused by a Church employee or volunteer in the past, please contact Frances Nugent, Victim Assistance Coordinator for our diocese at 508-929-4363 (direct line & confidential voicemail). If you are concerned about a current case of abuse, please contact the local civil authorities immediately.
The first step in helping a child that has been abused is learning to recognize the signs of child abuse. The presence of a single sign does not prove abuse is occurring, but a closer look at the situation may be warranted when these signs appear repeatedly or in combination.
The following signs may signal the presence of child abuse ….
Sudden changes in behavior such as:
Consider the possibility of sexual abuse when the child:
The Web continues to change daily, to be increasingly multimedia, social and mobile. Opportunities for social networking are seemingly limitless. According to recent studies, children aged 8-12 are increasing their online presence, but are still concerned about safety, whereas teens aged 13-18 are taking more and more risks. According to a Justice Department study, one in seven children using the Internet has been sexually solicited and one in three has been exposed to unwanted sexual material. One in eleven has been harassed. What can be done to keep children safe? Parents need to be aware of what children are doing online at all times.
According to Jon Gibs, senior director of media at Nielson/Net Ratings, “Social networking sites are the reality television of the Internet.” Anyone can search the site and contact a member based on the information in the profile. Information and pictures contained in the profile may not be an accurate representation of the member.
For example, members have been known to misrepresent age, physical characteristics, interests, etc. Parents must take an active role in protecting their children if these sites are used.