The Children’s Initiatives Team has put together this Resource Library for your continued success in working with our children. Please contact us with any questions on how to use these resources, or to request additional resources.
Collaborators
The United States Association of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
We believe God and the child have a unique relationship with one another. Children need their own place to foster the growth of that relationship. The growth of this relationship is assisted by the adult, but is directed by the Spirit of God within the child.
Learn more by visiting the CGS website at https://www.cgsusa.org or CBP en Español | CGSUSA at https://www.cgsusa.org/discover/cbp-en-espanol/ .
National Catholic Partnership on Disability
Promoting the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in Church and Society.
Learn more by visiting the NCPD website at https://ncpd.org .
Video Resources
Encuentro 2025 – Children as Agents of Evangelization
Hail Mary, Gentle Woman by Carey Landry, Catholic Hymn, Choir (SATB) with Lyric
En Cada Comunión
“Gethsemane” performed by Reese Oliveira, arranged by Masa Fukuda of One Voice Children’s Choir
Mi Niño Especial presented by Martín Valverde
Mass of Simplicity – Children’s Mass
A simple mass for children called the Mass of Simplicity. Written by Julie Hoy. Published by Oregon Catholic Press.
Yes Lord I Believe – Move Pray Celebrate
Hail Mary Song | Hail Mary Prayer | Hail Mary | Hail mary full of grace|Hail mary prayer for kids
“Here Am I” | Luke 1:38 | Catholic Songs for Kids | Bible Memory Verses | Advent Song | Mary’s Fiat
“Laid Him In a Manger” | Luke 2:7 | Catholic Songs for Kids | Bible Memory Verses | Christmas Song
San Francisco y el Primer Nacimiento Navideño: Un Regalo de Paz y Amor
Audio Resources
Como Niños: Betsaida 5
NET
Tools and Strategies
If you want to receive the training and materials to put these strategies into practice, please email the Children’s Initiatives Team!
Magisterium AI
Magisterium AI’s core objective is to make Catholic insight and Church teaching available to anyone in the world, on any device, in their native language. It is a growing dataset of Church documents and algorithms that aims to make the Church’s teaching more accessible than ever. Magisterium AI is aimed primarily at formators and teachers of the faith, helping priests to enrich their homilies, facilitate catechism classes and to assist parents in catechizing their children.
Among its services, Magisterium AI’s creators say it can answer “any questions” on Church teaching, practices or other topics, helping to “explain complex theological, philosophical, and historical concepts in simple, understandable language.”
It can also “provide contextual information” on the Church’s history, “helping users understand why the Church teaches what it does,” as well as generate theological reflections, summarize Church documents, and be used to create educational resources.
Online Catechesis Resources
Here are a few apps that are good teaching and learning resources for catechesis. They all have YouTube tutorials:
- Flippity Flippity.net: Flashcards and Other Resources for Educators and Learners
- Educaplay Educaplay: Free educational games generator
- Kahoot Kahoot! | Learning games | Make learning awesome!
- Quizziz Quizizz | Free Online Quizzes, Lessons, Activities and Homework
- Little Rose Shop (Children’s Coloring Pages) coloringpages – The Little Rose Shop
Vatican Documents:
- “Christus vivit”: Post-Synodal Exhortation to Young People and to the entire People of God (25 March 2019) | Francis
- Post-synodal apostolic exhortation – Christus Vivit of the Holy Father Francis to young people and to the entire people of God
- Christus vivit: Exhortación apostólica postsinodal a los jóvenes y a todo el Pueblo de Dios (25 de marzo de 2019) | Francisco
- Exhortación apostólica postsinodal – Christus Vivit del Santo Padre Francisco a los jóvenes y a todo el pueblo de Dios
- Dilexit nos (24 October 2024) | Francis – Vatican
- Encyclical letter – Dilexit Nos of the Holy Father Francis on the human and divine love of the heart of Jesus Christ
- Dilexit nos (24 de octubre de 2024) | Francisco
- Carta encíclica – Dilexit Nos del Santo Padre Francisco sobre el amor humano y divino del corazón de Jesucristo
Ideas for Celebrating Holy Mass with Children
David and Goliath Homily
David and Goliath spontaneously represented by the children, with questions involving all the children of the congregation.
Penitential Act for Children
The prayers include gestures that help the children to understand them better and engage in meaningful participation.
Homily Song for Children with Gestures
During the homily they include songs that the children sing and follow with bodily movements.
Corporal Gestures with Children’s Mass Example 1
Children respond and actively participate not only in words but also with corporal gestures.
Corporal Gestures with Children’s Mass Example 2
Children respond and actively participate not only in words but also with corporal gestures.
Children Singing the Lord’s Prayer
Children involved in singing the Lord’s Prayer
Children waving at the end of Holy Mass
Children waving at the end of the Holy Mass
Example of a Christmas Play
A Christmas Play
Example of a Christmas play – an activity that reinforces children’s Catholic identity, evangelization, and community bonding. We thank Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Joslyn Campbell, Rich Behrens, and all the children and families who made it possible!
Here is the script for the Christmas play written by Rich Behrens.
