The Year 1 sessions are available for now free of charge thanks to the kind permission of the Editions du Jubilé. Please consider helping us as we are making this possible.
The sessions are available in PDF format. To download the sessions, you need the free Adobe Reader software.
Download and print the 2 pages for each session and fold it into an 8 pages booklet (print them with the setting LANDSCAPE on your printer).
scroll down and find out how to use the downloaded session.
Beginning of the school year: welcoming celebration in the parish church
SESSIONS 1 TO 7: GOD’S REVELATION – MAN’S VOCATION
Ordinary Time
Session 1*: God creator of the universe
Session 2: The Angels – Praising God (may be combined with session 5)
Session 3*: The responsible person
Session 4*: Prayer – the act of faith
Session 5*: Sin – disobedience (Session 2 may be combined with this session)
Session 6*: Conscience – choosing the good
All Saints: Celebration with all the saints
Session 7: Happiness – To act with prudence, following the saints
SESSIONS 8 TO 11: THE HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
Session 8*: Abraham – the call
Session 9: Moses saved from the waters (may be combined with session 10)
Session 10*: Moses- the burning bush (Session 9 may be combined with this session)
Session 11: The prophets – Samuel’s vocation
SESSIONS 12 TO 16: ADVENT – CHRISTMAS – CHILDHOOD OF JESUS
Session 12*: Advent – the Angel’s greeting to Mary
Session 13*: Advent – the Angel’s greeting to Mary
Session 14*: The Birth of Jesus (Session 15 may be combined with this session)
Christmas: Celebration of the birth of Jesus
Session 15: The Childhood – the name of Jesus (may be combined with session 14)
Session 16*: The Childhood – life in Nazareth
SESSIONS 17 TO 21: ORDINARY TIME – PUBLIC LIFE OF JESUS
Session 17*: The call – the first four disciples
Session 18: Hope – healing of the leper
Session 19*: Faith – the paralytic
Session 20: Faith – the widow of Naim’s son
Session 21: Faith – the woman who had sinned
SESSIONS 22 TO 27: LENT – EASTERTIDE – THE MYSTERY OF SALVATION
Session 22*: Prayer – the Our Father
Session 23*: The gratuitousness of love – the poor widow’s offering
Session 24*: The Passion according to St Luke
Easter: Celebration of the Passion and proclamation of the Resurrection
Session 25*: The Resurrection – proclamation to the women
Session 26*: The Resurrection – appearance of the risen Jesus (session 27 may be combined with this session)
Session 27: The Church – Proclamation of the Gospel entrusted to the apostles (may be combined with session 26)
SESSIONS 28 TO 33: THE TIME OF THE CHURCH
Session 28*: Ascension
Session 29*: Pentecost
Session 30*: The call to holiness – Peter’s speech
Session 31*: Life in the Church – the first conversions (Session 32 may be combined with this session)
Session 32: Sacramental life – Reconciliation (may be combined with session 31)
Session 33*: Life in the Spirit – healing of the crippled man
Session 34*: Eternal life – persevering in service
Session 35: Being sent on mission – thanksgiving with Mary
End of year: Celebration with Our Lady
For each session, you will find:
- The first two pages provide the essential material you need to prepare for the session: the text from the Word of God, the references from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the theme of the session. This material is for the catechist only. The biblical text will not be read in its entirety at the beginning of the session. It will be introduced verse by verse.
- A suggested outline of the session follows, starting with the Word of God. This outline is detailed enough to help the catechists in the beginning. It really is only a suggestion. The catechist is to shape the session according to the children’s level of participation. All the material presented in the session outline need not necessarily be used. The catechist is to discern the essential points according to the session’s focus and aim. The catechist needs to bear in mind:
- The maturity of the children in the group
- The level of the children’s knowledge
- The children’s ability to focus
- The time needed to answer the questions raised by the children during the session.
For each session you will also find:
- Teaching suggestions to help carry out the session. These suggestions are written in italics.
- Pictures and other visual aids.
- From session 8 onwards, a new section is introduced: Your word is a light for my life today – The purpose of this is to enable the child to interiorise the Word, so that it may “take hold of the heart and pass on into life” (John Paul II, 4th October 1990)
- Suggestions for the prayer time and celebrations
- Tips for the practical activities taking place at the end of the session
Within each session booklet, the catechist will find guidelines and tools that will help prepare each session. These are destined for the catechist only, and they are not to be read directly to the children:
- The session is placed within the whole catechetical journey in the top square box.
- The title explains the interior disposition to be developped in the child during this particular session
- The Word of God used in the session is given in its entirety, to help the catechists prepare for the session.
- References from the Catechism of the Catholic Church are given to deepen the catechist’s understanding of the Word of God.
- The theme of the session is there to help the catechist focus on one aspect of the Word of God during the session.
- The oval box at the top offers ways in which the child can live out the Word of God from the session.
Then the session is outlined as a suggestion for the catechist to use with the children.