KUCHING — The Blessed Sacrament Church parish recently celebrated the first anniversary of the introduction of the English Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) to the Saturday sunset Mass and Sunday morning English Mass.
The occasion was celebrated on 20 January 2019, with a fellowship lunch among the volunteer teachers and helpers, as well as several faith formators who have been assisting with CLOW. Also invited to the lunch were BSC’s rector, Fr Felix Au, and Br Mark.
What is Children’s Liturgy of the Word? CLOW is a liturgical platform to introduce children to the deeper understanding of the Gospel through simple yet relatable explanations. The activity is carried out in a simplified sequence of the Liturgy of the Word during Mass, with prayer recitals, sing-alongs, Gospel readings, and a homily.
During this time, children are also taught basic etiquette at Mass such as making the sign of the cross, and putting their hands together during prayers.
They are also given the opportunity to ask questions and discuss about the readings so they may easily relate to the teachings of the Gospel with their everyday lives. Further to that, CLOW also introduces sing-and-dance music as well as class activities for the children.
While the core mission is to help younger children understand the Gospel better, CLOW also helps build a young community of Catholics within the church through the classroom and communal settings. Through simple bonds of friendship developed during CLOW, there has been an increase in enthusiasm from participating children in attending Mass and CLOW.
The Children’s Liturgy of the Word was spearheaded by Fr Felix Au and is led by a small group of volunteers who have dedicated their time and expenses in preparing the weekly lessons and activities for the children.
However, while the number of children participating increases, the number of teachers and helpers have not. Thus the English CLOW are looking for more parishioners who are interested in serving God and the church for this noble cause.
Melvin Lim
For more photos, visit: Blessed Sacrament Church
