Advent (with seasonal Confessions)

Session Overview for Catechists
Slides * Catechist Summary

Track A (Religious Ed / catecismo): Monday 12/1/2025, 6:45-8:30 p.m. in Mission Hall at the Parish Center
The middle of the session with the actual Advent Confessions (7:30-8:15) will take place at Queen of Angels Church.
Track B (Catholic schools): Wednesday 12/3/2025 and/or Thursday 12/4/2025 in 8th Grade Religion class
Preparation for Confessions and group prayer will take place during Religion class time, but the actual Advent Confessions for Track B will be during the following week:
- Queen of Angels School (with 6th-8th Gr.): TBA, maybe on a Wednesday morning in Queen of Angels Church
- St. Matthias School (with 3rd-8th Gr.): TBA, maybe on a Friday afternoon in St. Matthias Church

Gathering Icebreaker (10 min.)

Catechists should check in with students about their their family’s Advent & Christmas traditions.

Opening Prayer (5 min.) for Advent

We pause to reflect briefly on the meaning of the Advent candles and choose a student to “light” the wreath (normally with paper flames). The wreath is a ring of evergreens, a symbol of eternity (a circle has no ending) and a sign of life for us in the depths of winter. The 4 candles stand for the 4 Sundays or weeks of Advent, with themes (sometimes called virtues) related to the Sunday readings:

1st week: Prophecy / Hope [violet]
2nd week: Bethlehem / Peace [violet]
3rd week: Shepherd / Joy [rose]
4th week: Angel / Love [violet]

Blessing of the Advent Wreath

Lord our God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ: he is Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples, he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us, he is the Savior of every nation. Lord God, let your blessing come upon us as we light the candles of this wreath. May the wreath and its light be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring us salvation. May he come quickly and not delay. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Advent Hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ley1aOPDHCE&t=19s)

Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas (20 min.)

There are 3 dimensions of Christ’s “coming” as we sing this ancient song to invite Jesus “Emmanuel” (“God with us”) and ask him to come and free us:

past Incarnation (born in Bethlehem 2000+ years ago)
now (in our hearts)
future return (Second Coming, “…until you come again”).

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ coming, especially of his birth, yes, but all 3 dimensions should be celebrated. We might set up a Nativity scene in our homes or yards, to remind us of his humble birth in a stable in Bethlehem. We heard Jesus’ own words about his future return in the Gospel for the First Sunday of Advent this past weekend. But what do we do to prepare for Jesus to come into our hearts?

We prepare our homes and our lives for celebrating Jesus’ birth at Christmas (gather ideas from students based on icebreaker): cleaning, decorating, cooking, baking, shopping. Let’s also take some time to prepare our hearts since that is where we want Jesus to come now!

The best way to prepare our hearts is to go to confession, so our hearts can be free from the burden of sin that weighs us down. It may have been a while since our previous time going to confession, or we may go and receive this sacrament frequently. Reconciliation is not just something we do once before our First Communion, it is something we should do often, at least once or twice a year. And Advent, as a season of preparation, of hope, peace, joy, and love, is a great opportunity for that! We will also need to go to confession a little closer to Confirmation day, so we are prepared for the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in the sacrament.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvpiu-AE5n8)

Advent Confessions Guide handout with wreath-based graphic organizer and steps to confession

Pray for Guidance from Jesus and the Holy Spirit
Make an Examination of Conscience
- to find the sins you have committed that you are sorry for – not accidents!
- reflection questions themed around failing to live with Hope, Peace, Joy and Love
Be prepared with the Act of Contrition – “contrition” means being sorry
Review the steps to Confession – knowing what to say, do and expect in each step of Confession will help you not to be so nervous!

Transfer to church (10 min)

Confessions (45 min)

Track A: After going to Confession and praying quietly in the church, students who need a different activity can come to the gathering space for a worksheet about Advent saints. Catechists will help direct students so that we maintain a prayerful atmosphere in the worship space, out of respect for Jesus in the tabernacle, the penitents in confession, and those quietly praying before or after their own Confession.

Track B: Students will have the opportunity to go to Confession next week with their schoolmates. The worksheet about Advent saints could, at the discretion of the Religion teacher, become an in-class activity during the second half of the designated Confirmation Prep time in Religion class this week.

Transfer from church (10 min)

Homework & Reminders

HOMEWORK (due next week)

Textbook pp. 66-69
Journal pp. 55-56

REMINDERS

Next class session is next week – this is when your book/journal homework will be due!
- Track A (Religious Ed): BRING YOUR FAMILY on Monday 12/8!
  - Holy Day of Obligation (go to Mass!) for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, honoring Mary as the Mother of Jesus conceived without original sin and asking for her prayers as the patron saint of the U.S.A.
  - Come earlier than usual for 6:30 p.m. Mass at Queen of Angels Church in English and Spanish
  - Students and families stay until 8:30 p.m. downstairs in Holy Family Hall, discussion and activities related to Mary and Mass
- Track B (Catholic schools):
  - All-school Mass on Monday morning 12/8 for Immaculate Conception
  - Shortened class session (1 day instead of 2) on Wednesday 12/10 OR Thursday 12/11 in 8th Grade Religion class

Closing Prayer

“People, Look East” (Eleanor Farjeon)

This is Ms. Hohner’s favorite carol – an Advent carol rather than a Christmas carol. It has a bounce and a joy to it, but this song is definitely for the Advent season when we prepare because Jesus is still “on the way”. If time permits, a litany of the Advent saints from the worksheet may be included.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkG1Zls71KM)

Saint Andrew the Apostle, pray for us!
Saint Francis Xavier, pray for us!
Saint Nicholas of Myra, pray for us!
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!
Saint Lucy of Syracuse, pray for us!
Saint Mary di Rosa, pray for us!
Saint John Cantius, pray for us!

Note for later on:

Service Hours can be done and turned in now; due finally in early February.
Letter to the Pastor due in early January, to be assigned as classwork in December during the Anointed lesson.