Take Out Leaders Guide Lent (Feb/Mar) 2009

Christ Our Light: Lenten Faith Sharing Nights

Take Out: Family Faith on the Go As a Catholic community, we are called to walk in faith together. Sharing our faith experiences and spiritual victories and struggles with other parents can bring us closer to one another and closer to Christ. Taking the time to talk with other parents about matters of faith creates a deep experience of Lent for all of us.

The February / Lent issue of Take Out is a great tool to help encourage conversation. Cathy Donovan’s article on “Chocolate or Your Sister, You Choose” is a great starting point for parents to talk about the realities of walking through Lent with kids.

Choose an evening this Lent and offer five small group discussion sessions (beginning after Ash Wednesday and concluding before Holy Week) at the same day and time each week. (i.e. Monday nights from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.) Gather parents at tables and ask them to discuss each night’s topic in small groups. Be sure to build in time for “getting to know you” introductions. This helps parents connect with other parishioners who may have kids the same age or find that it is fun to learn from parents with older kids who have already experienced the younger phases of adolescence.

Below is one way the parent night could be organized:

7:00 p.m. Opening Prayer and Introductions

A Lenten Prayer

Lord Our God, this Lent help us to:
Fast from judging others; feast on Christ in them.
Fast from wanting more; feast on being thankful.
Fast from anger; feast on patience.
Fast from worry; feast on trust.
Fast from complaining; feast on enjoyment.
Fast from negatives; feast on positives.
Fast from stress; feast on prayer.
Fast from anger; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.
Fast from fear; feast on truth.
Fast from discouragement; feast on hope.
Fast from gossip; feast on silence.
Fast from fighting; feast on peace.
Amen.

7:10 p.m. Offer some catechesis on the penitential season of Lent, why Catholics have traditionally “given things up” in the past, and we might practice Lent as a family today.

7:20 p.m. Ask small groups to discuss Cathy Donovan’s article using the following questions:

1) Cathy opens with a story of talking with her son about what he was giving up for Lent. Have you had a conversation with your child(ren) about Lenten choices? Share how that experience was for you.
2) How can we help our kids to put the focus on Christ this Lent?
3) How can we, as adults and parents, learn to walk more closely with Christ this Lent?
4) Is it important to “give something up” for Lent? Why or why not?
5) What about the idea of doing something for Lent instead of giving something up. Might that work for your family? What does this approach teach us?
6) What are some of the issues your family struggles with that might fit into a prayer like the one said at the opening of this session from Cathy’s article?

8:00 p.m. Break and Fellowship (Simple coffee and pretzels will suffice because it is Lent.)

8:10 p.m. Welcome parents back from break and ask them to share some of their thoughts about the season of Lent with the larger group (as they are comfortable). Have they gained any new insights? Any challenges that should be discussed?

8:25 p.m. Closing Prayer, "Our Father, who art in heaven…."

Issue extras

Click here for the February 2009 issue extras (Lenten Resources)»