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Parish or Diocesan Leaders, please read this!

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Preparation

• We recommend glancing through the whole service before you start. Adapt the service for your family, especially so it will be age-appropriate.
• You could make the setting special by using a WHITE table cloth and setting some candles out. Get the whole family involved in the preparations.
• Place your family Bible on the table, if you have one, opened up to the Gospel of the day.
• The script has leader and various reader parts. Anyone old enough to read well can perform these roles.
• An iPad/tablet computer or large phone could work well for reading the script. It would would be helpful to have two devices for multiple people to read.
• Don't worry, you don't have to do this perfectly. Have some fun with it. Let's pray!

Just Before You Begin

• Silence and set aside all phones or other devices that may interrupt you.

TEASER

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Opening Song

Greeting

Leader: ┼ In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Leader: Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be God forever.
(The response is: Blessed be God forever.)

All: Blessed be God forever.

Leader: We gather together as a family
to learn how to better love those around us.
One with all of our sisters and brothers throughout the world,
let us now listen to God's Word and join in prayer.

All: Amen.

Litany of Saints

Leader: On this special day
when we remember and honor all those who have gone before us in faith,
we ask the saints to pray for us and our world.

Opening Prayer

Leader: Let us pray

Leader: God of Love,
in your wisdom you gathered a church
so that we as members can strengthen each other. Help us to learn from the examples
of all the holy people in our lives
as well as the lives of all the holy people who went before us. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

Alleluia

Gospel

Reader 1: In today’s reading, Jesus tells us how we are blessed in this reading that we call the Beatitudes (part of the Sermon on the Mount). We now do this action prayer together: May the Lord be on my mind, ┼
on my lips, ┼
and in my heart ┼
as we hear the Gospel today. A reading from the holy Gospel of Matthew.

• Child Version
• NAB

Reader 1: The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel Video Reflections

We have a couple video options for you this week. Watch whatever is helpful. First, here's a pretty fun kid's rap for learning the Beatitudes:

Here's a seven minute video for kids that connects this Gospel reading to... Groundhog's Day?!

Reflections on the Readings

1. Did you know that Halloween is the “Eve” of All Saints Day, just like Christmas Eve is the Eve of Christmas? It is. In fact, the word Halloween comes from the phrase “All Hallows Eve” meaning “All Saints Eve.” So today is All Saints Day, a day when we remember all the Saints who have died. Who are some Saints you have heard of before and what do you know about them? (Examples: St. Francis, St. Patrick, St. Mother Theresa, etc.)
2. There are Saints with a capital “S” like the official Saints that the Church has recognized (for example, St. Peter and St. Paul), but there are plenty of saints with a small “s” who you know or might have known before they died. Maybe your teacher is a saint with a small “s” because of how kind and helpful she is. Maybe your grandpa was a saint because of how much he loved and cared for you and your family before he died. Maybe the cashier at the grocery store is a saint because of how patient she is no matter how busy the store is or how crabby the customers are. Who are some people you know or have known who are saints in some way? Why?
3. In the Gospel reading today Jesus teaches the Beatitudes. He tells us that many people are special and blessed by God, even though some people in the world might not think of them as special. Re-read the Beatitudes now and say which of them fits you best this week. Why?

General Intercessions

Leader: Now let’s pray together to God for what we need.

Reader 2: We pray for all those who are lonely during this time,
that they may be able to still feel a sense of community and God's embrace,
let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.

Reader 2: We pray for those without enough money for food, shelter, or medical care,
that the community can ensure that everyone in need is cared for,
let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.

Reader 2: We pray for the Church, that we may continue to be God's love and presence in the world,
even when we are unable to gather physically in our parishes,
let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, hear our prayer.

Reader 2: For what else and for who else shall we pray?

Lord's Prayer

Leader: Jesus taught us to call God our Father, and so we have the courage to say:

All: Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread;
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Sign of Peace

Leader: Let us now offer each other a sign of peace.

A Litany for Spiritual Communion

Leader: The response is: Lord, bring us closer to you!

All: Lord, bring us closer to you!

Leader: Lord our God,
we wish we could gather today with our parish community,
but we gather here out of love and concern for others.
You teach us that when two or three are gathered in your name,
you are there.
Together, we pray:

All: Lord, bring us closer to you!

Leader: Christ Jesus, you are present in a special way
when bread and wine are turned into your Body and Blood.
Since we cannot receive you in this way today,
We ask that you enter our hearts
so that we may receive you spiritually.
Together, we pray:

All: Lord, bring us closer to you!

Leader: Lord our God,
watch over your family
and keep us safe in your care,
for all our hope is in you.

All: Lord, bring us closer to you!

Concluding Rite

Blessing & Dismissal

Leader: Go in the peace of Christ.

All: Thanks be to God.

Closing Song

After the Service

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