The Liturgy with Children Ministry strives to support parish families in bringing children closer to God by facilitating the monthly "Liturgy with Children" Masses and by organizing faith-building activities targeted for families with children. Children wishing to participate in the Mass may email us for more information:
 
Children's Choir alexa.agourides@gmail.com
Altar Servers joem331@optonline.net
Junior Ushers caitlin.ellingson@gmail.com
Junior Lectors text Kathy Tharp at: 609-439-2357
Junior Greeters denisekoval61@gmail.com
For more information, contact Caitlin.Ellingson@gmail.com

All St. Gregory the Great Families are invited to the Liturgy with Children Masses. Please join us on the second Sunday of every month at 9 am.
September 11, October 9, November 13, December 11, January 8, February 12, March 5, May 14, May 28
 

1) Show your child how the sanctuary will look by visiting the church outside of Mass times.  Talk about appropriate behavior in God's house.  Let them know there will be lots of adults and kids there.  It may be comforting to let your child know if a particular friend will be there.

2) Tell the child that they are there to pray and be thankful for what they already have.  Explain that this is serious, but can also be fun. When they pray, they sometimes whisper to themselves their own personal prayers. Invite your child to think about what kinds of things she would like to pray for in her life and what makes her thankful.

3) Explain the expectation. It is expected that most people do not talk to each other during the service. But, if they DO need to talk, using a whisper voice is a better choice because it won’t disturb others who are trying to pray.

4) Show empathy by letting your child know that you understand it could be hard for him to stay in his seat and use a quiet voice. Let your child know that you can bring some special books and toys to help him.

5) Bring quiet objects to help young children pass the time. If you have more than one child, bring similar kinds of items, so children don’t want the toy their siblings have. Books, putty, candy, and fidgets can help.

6) Allow yourself to focus on the child and the service by sitting in an inconspicuous location (near the back or an aisle) where you won’t be constantly thinking about how your child might be disturbing others. Chances are, your fellow service-goers have children of their own and are not nearly as disturbed by your children’s negative behavior as you are.

7) Prepare to take your child out for breaks and prepare the child for when these may occur. Knowing that the child will only need to sit for 5 more minutes can also help him manage himself during the service. Try to be proactive and take the child out of the service before he becomes disruptive to ensure that you are not inadvertently rewarding the negative behavior.

8) Talk about or draw a picture of the experience with your child when you return home. This will help your child prepare for the next time he joins you.