An easy way to teach children about Eastern Catholicism

[Thomas48]

Hey Guys,

I’m a CCE or Catechism teacher at my parish and I really wanted the children to know about the other Catholic Churches. I teach young children as in the range from 1-5th grade and most of them don’t even know what the Syro Malabar Church is. All they think is that the Syro Malabar Church is a Catholic Church for Indian people.

Our Catechism text book deployed by the Syro Malabar Church explains Christ and Church but nothing about the other rites and traditions of the Church besides a little about the Syro Malabar Church. Anyone have any suggestions for an easy way to explain Rites, Particular Sui Juris, and traditions? Haha I know the way my parents taught me wont really work, they basically said “Thomas, at Latin Churches they say Amen, at Knanaya Church we say Aaaaaameenn, and at Syro Malankara Church they say Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaameeeeeyyynnnnn” .

 

[malphono]

I’m a CCE or Catechism teacher at my parish and I really wanted the children to know about the other Catholic Churches. I teach young children as in the range from 1-5th grade and most of them don’t even know what the Syro Malabar Church is. All they think is that the Syro Malabar Church is a Catholic Church for Indian people.

Our Catechism text book deployed by the Syro Malabar Church explains Christ and Church but nothing about the other rites and traditions of the Church besides a little about the Syro Malabar Church. Anyone have any suggestions for an easy way to explain Rites, Particular Sui Juris, and traditions?

The only thing I can suggest is to have a look at this overview of what the Maronites use. While the specifics obviously won’t work for you, perhaps you could put something together based on the general layout.

Haha I know the way my parents taught me wont really work, they basically said “Thomas, at Latin Churches they say Amen, at Knanaya Church we say Aaaaaameenn, and at Syro Malankara Church they say Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaameeeeeyyynnnnn” .

Now that’s cute. Thanks for making me laugh. I needed that today.

 

[Peter_J]

You could introduce them to this website. I find that even when I try much to spend much time here, I do anyhow.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Bring them to Liturgy. That is what the Byzantine Faith is all about, “Come and See”.

 

[Domnall]

Bring them to Liturgy. That is what the Byzantine Faith is all about, “Come and See”.

I think that Thomas’ church is a Knanaya church, but he wants to explain the concept of the Eastern v. Western Catholic Churches to his students.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I think that Thomas’ church is a Knanaya church, but he wants to explain the concept of the Eastern v. Western Catholic Churches to his students.

But it is the same concept. Come and see. Scholasticism only developed in the West.

 

[Peter_J]

You could introduce them to this website. I find that even when I try much to spend much time here, I do anyhow.

Oops. I meant to say “even when I try not much to spend much time here, I do anyhow”

 

[babochka]

Bring them to Liturgy. That is what the Byzantine Faith is all about, “Come and See”.

You beat me to it. That’s what I was going to suggest. We have had several groups of students come to the Divine Liturgy, though none quite as young as you are talking about. Mostly, it has been 6th-8th graders. I actually think it would work even better for younger children to just experience it without trying to intellectualize it.

If a field trip isn’t an option, perhaps you could just find videos of the various liturgies to show them, with maybe a special focus on the consecration to show them that the same even occurs in each liturgy, no matter what form it takes.

 

[Thomas48]

Thanks for the great suggestions guys! Our CCE school year is coming to a close so I’ll make a lesson plan that includes these topics next year.

 

[SyroMalankara]

You are very blessed to be in Houston - you have many Catholic Traditions present. There are Malabar, Maronite, Chaldeans, Melkites, Malankara, and more - even the Anglican Use Catholics! Take them each Sunday!