Chapter Faith Theme
Baptism makes us sharers in divine life and joins us to Christ and the church community.

Ritual
Blessing with Water
• Celebrate the ritual action of blessing ourselves with water.
• Reflect on how water is part of daily living.
• Discover and name ways that the ritual of blessing with water is part of our living and
    celebrating our faith.

Scripture
The Baptism of Jesus: Matthew 3:13-17
• Tell and discover the meaning of the story of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist
    in the Jordan River.
• Discover the connection between Jesus' baptism and our baptism.

Doctrine/Liturgy
Sacraments of Initiation
• We become full members of the Church by celebrating the three sacraments of Christian initiation.
    Baptism makes us sharers in the new life of Christ.
• Confirmation seals us with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• Eucharist joins us most fully with Christ and all the members of the Church and strengthens us
    to live as sons and daughters of God.

What Difference Does This Make in My Life?
• Discover and choose ways to live as a follower of Christ.

Together as a Family
• Recall and talk about your child's baptism.
• Identify and choose ways to live the faith of the Church as a family.
• Review the meaning of the Sign of the Cross and include its praying in family prayers.

Chapter Faith Theme
God calls our church family together to worship God. At Mass we give thanks to God, we listen to God's word, and we break bread as the first Christians did.

Ritual
Gathering at the Cross
• Celebrate the ritual action of gathering at the cross and processing.
• Reflect on how gathering with people is part of daily living.
• Discover and name ways that the cross is part of our living and celebrating our faith.

Scripture
The First Christians: Acts of the Apostles 2:41-47
• Tell the story of how the first Christians celebrated and lived their faith in Jesus.
• Discover the connection between what the first Christians did and what our church family
    does today.

Doctrine/Liturgy
Introductory Rites of the Mass
• The Church is the People of God, the Body of Christ. It is the community of baptized people
    who belong to Jesus Christ.
• Our church family gathers together for Mass each Saturday evening and on Sunday. At Mass
    we do what the first Christians did. We listen to God's word. We break bread and receive
    Holy Communion.
• We begin the celebration of Mass with the introductory rites.

What Difference Does This Make in My Life?
• Identify the people with whom we gather for the celebration of Mass.
• Choose ways to show that we belong to the Church.

Together as a Family
• Talk about the parish family.
• Identify and choose ways to live as active members of your parish family.
• Go through the ritual actions, prayers, and responses of the introductory rites of the Mass.

Chapter Faith Theme
The Bible, or Sacred Scripture, is God's word. God's word is proclaimed during the
Liturgy of the Word.

Ritual
Reverence for the Word of God
• Celebrate the ritual action of listening reverently to the word of God.
• Reflect on the ways listening or reading stories is part of daily living.
• Discover and name ways that listening attentively and reading the Bible is part of living
    and celebrating our faith.

Scripture
Samuel Listens to God: 1 Samuel 3:1-10
• Tell the story of Samuel listening and responding to God calling him to a life of service
    to the people of God.
• Discover the connection between Samuel's call and our call to live our baptism.

Doctrine/Liturgy
The Liturgy of the Word
• God is present with us, speaking to us through the Bible. The Bible is also called Sacred Scripture.
• The two main parts of the Bible are the Old Testament and the New Testament.
• During the Liturgy of the Word we listen and respond to readings from Sacred Scripture.

What Difference Does This Make in My Life?
• Share with others that the Bible is God's word.
• Read or listen to a Bible story and share how that story helps us live as followers of Jesus.

Together as a Family
• Share favorite Bible stories.
• Talk with one another about Jesus and God's love.
• Go through the ritual actions, prayers, and responses of the Liturgy of the Word.

Chapter Faith Theme
At Mass we worship God as the source of all goodness and blessings. God always loves and
cares for us.

Ritual
Sharing of Bread
• Celebrate the ritual action of sharing bread.
• Reflect on how sharing with other people is part of daily living.
• Discover and name ways that sharing our gifts is part of living and celebrating our faith.

Scripture
Jesus Feeds the People: Luke 9:10-17
• Tell the story of Jesus feeding five thousand people with two loaves of bread and five fish.
• Discover the connection between Jesus feeding the people and our showing people
    God’s love for them.

Doctrine/Liturgy
Liturgy of the Eucharist: Preparation of the Altar and Gifts and Preface.
• God created everyone and everything out of love.
• At Mass the Church thanks God for all his gifts and blessings.
• The preparation of the altar and gifts begins the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the second main part
    of the Mass.
• During the preface the priest invites us to give thanks and praise to God.

What Difference Does This Make in My Life?
• Identify and thank God for his gifts.
• Choose ways to show thanks to God.

Together as a Family
• Talk about family blessings. Share family blessings with other people.
• Go through the ritual actions, prayers, and responses of the preparation of the altar and gifts
    and the preface.

Chapter Faith Theme
Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist at the Last Supper.

Ritual
Remembering Jesus
•  Celebrate the ritual action of remembering what Jesus did by proclaiming the
    memorial acclamation.
•  Reflect on how remembering at meals is part of daily living.
•  Discover and name ways that remembering Jesus is part of living and celebrating our faith.

Scripture
The Last Supper: Luke 22:17-20
•  Tell the story of the Last Supper at which Jesus gave us the gift of his Body and Blood,
    which he freely gave out of love for his Father and for us.
•  Discover the connection between the Last Supper and the Church's celebration of the Eucharist.

Doctrine/Liturgy
Liturgy of the Eucharist: The Eucharistic Prayer
•  At Mass during the eucharistic prayer we do and say what Jesus did and said at the Last Supper.
•  At the Eucharist Jesus acts through the ministry of the priest.
•  The Eucharist is the Lord's Supper, a holy sacrifice, and a promise of eternal life.

What Difference Does This Make in My Life?
•  Remember that Jesus is with us in a special way at Mass.
•  Choose one way to do or say something this week that shows we believe that Jesus
    is always with us.

Together as a Family
•  Share stories about God's goodness.
•  Visit the Church and pray before the Blessed Sacrament, thanking God for the gift of Jesus.
•  Go through the ritual actions, prayers, and responses of the eucharistic prayer.

Chapter Faith Theme
Sharing the Eucharist in Holy Communion strengthens our union with Christ and
with the church community.

Ritual
Sharing the Presence of Christ
•  Celebrate the ritual action of sharing a sign of peace.
•  Reflect on the ways sharing peace is part of daily living.
•  Discover and name ways that sharing peace is part of living and celebrating our faith.

Scripture
The Road to Emmaus: Luke 24:13-35
•  Tell the story of the appearance of the Risen Jesus to the disciples on the road to Emmaus and
    how they recognized Jesus when he broke and shared bread with them.
•  Discover the connection between the appearance of the Risen Jesus to the disciples and our faith
    that he is always with us.

Doctrine/Liturgy
Communion Rite
•  The Risen and glorified Jesus is with us at Mass. The consecrated bread is the Body of Christ.
    The consecrated wine is the Blood of Christ. We receive the gift of the Body and Blood of Christ
    in Holy Communion.
•  We receive the strength to live as followers of Jesus and children of God. We receive the promise
    that we will live forever in heaven.

What Difference Does This Make in My Life?
•  Discover and choose ways to show Jesus is always with us.
•  Choose ways to live as a peacemaker.

Together as a Family
•  Share a sign of peace at family meals.
•  Show that our family is one with Jesus.
•  Go through the ritual actions, prayers, and responses of the communion rite.

Chapter Faith Theme
Sharing the Eucharist strengthens us to live as disciples of Christ and to share in the mission
of the Church.

Ritual
Anointing
•  Celebrate the ritual action of anointing with oil.
•  Reflect on ways using oil is part of daily living.
•  Discover and name ways that using oil is part of living and celebrating our faith.

Scripture
The First Pentecost: Acts of the Apostles 1:12; 2:1-42
•  Tell the story of Pentecost and that the Holy Spirit strengthened Peter to proclaim Jesus
    to other people.
•  Discover the connection between Pentecost and our receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Doctrine/Liturgy
Concluding Rite of the Mass
•  At the Eucharist Jesus shares his divine life with us. We receive the grace of the Holy Spirit
    to live as Jesus taught. The Holy Spirit guides the Church in proclaiming Jesus to others and
    in living as followers of Christ.
•  At the conclusion of Mass, we are sent forth to live as followers of Jesus. Filled with the
    Holy Spirit we bring the good news of God’s love to people.

What Difference Does This Make in My Life?
•  Cooperating with the Holy Spirit helps us live as followers of Christ.
•  Pray to the Holy Spirit.

Together as a Family
•  Welcome the Holy Spirit into our family.
•  Talk about ways the Holy Spirit helps us live as a Christian family.
•  Go through the ritual actions, prayers, and responses of the concluding rite of the Mass.