Highlights of CCD
At the end of September, our CCD year begins as we gather around the baptismal font for our opening blessing. We joyfully welcome all of our young disciples who are eager to learn about how much God loves them.
In October, we celebrate a living rosary. We pray the rosary together, while children act out the mysteries.
We have All Saints Day celebrations at the beginning of November . We celebrate with a procession of saints as we learn about saints. Then we learn more about saints through games. Children receive halos to remind them that we are all part of the communion of saints.
We also collect cans of food for the poor. These are donated to the FISH food pantry.
We have a CCD Thanksgiving Mass celebrated in November, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
Children from all sessions and their families attend this special Mass. The CCD students are the lectors and participate in other ministries.
First Reconciliation is celebrated in December.
Children and their parents celebrate this sacrament during a retreat which includes prayer, song, adding their sheep to the Good Shepherd mural, and decorating a candle in memory of their baptism.
In December, we celebrate "Festival of Customs and Carols. Children act out the Nativity story with narration and Christmas carols.
Our annual Advent project is collecting coins and baby items for the TLC Pregnancy Center in Elgin to show our gratitude for the gifts God has given us.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is available during Wednesday sessions. During January we concentrate on teaching the children the beauty and importance of this devotion. Parents are welcome and encouraged to pray in the chapel during all CCD class sessions.
In February, in celebration of St. Blaise, the children often have their throats blessed to protect them "from every disease of the throat and all other illnesses."
During February and March, we begin our Lenten journey towards Easter. We have prayer services with distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday.
The prayers and sacrifices offered by our CCD kids benefit a different Lenten project each year. Locally we help FISH food pantry, Habitat for Humanity, or PADS. On a broader scale we send our alms to HCA (Holy Childhood Association), Heifer Project, or to specific mission projects in India, Cambodia, or others in need of our help and prayers. This enables us to play an active part in the mission we have all been given at Baptism to tell the whole world the "Good News" of Jesus. Children count their blessings as they put quarters and dimes in their "banks".
