Liturgy Cards

Okay, I'm going to totally wimp out this month and cut and paste from a brochure I made about Liturgy Cards, describing their use at Mass and for catechesis. It's summer. I'm still getting the routine down.

I seem to have managed to insert a picture. Good for me! Now, to copy and paste the description of the above. :-)

The “source and summit” of our Roman Catholic faith is the celebration of Mass. However, for some children, and therefore their parents, Mass can be a challenging experience. This is especially true for young children and children with special needs. However, with adequate visual supports and catechesis, the children can participate more fully in the Mass.

Liturgy Cards are an attractive, simple, portable and adaptable tool designed to aid children, parents and CCD teachers in meeting this need.

What are Liturgy Cards?

Liturgy Cards are a set of twenty-two 1½-inch square laminated cards, each with a simple picture and heading for the corresponding part of the Mass. These cards are similar to the kinds of cards many children with disabilities use at home or school to communicate, keep schedules and calendars, and follow tasks. Cards are either kept on a 1-inch binder ring, or on Velcro or magnet strips in a folder. The child either flips through the cards or, with the Velcro or magnet style, removes the card as each part of the Mass is completed. Cards are easily removed or reordered as the liturgical season requires. A second version of the cards include 2 1/2-inch square laminated cards which can be mounted on an accompanying poster, for classroom display or games.

What need do they meet?

Liturgy Cards provide any child a simple means to follow Mass, like a miniature missalette. They help reduce anxiety and increase comprehension of the Mass for a child and reinforce aural cues. They help children organize their thoughts and learn the rhythm of the liturgy.

In religious education, the cards provide a way to increase learning and understanding by providing visual support needed to follow lessons about Mass They allow for increased participation and expression at CCD, especially for children with verbal communication challenges. And they allow for easier testing of comprehension of the liturgy for children who are non-verbal or who have challenges related to reading and writing.

Who will be served by this product?

Children with disabilities, such as autism, cerebral palsy, visual or auditory processing challenges, AD/HD and Down Syndrome are among the people who benefit from the use of picture cards. Based on statistics from Easter Seals, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and “The Official Catholic Directory 2005” (Pub P.J. Kenedy &

Sons), there are likely more than 7,000 newly baptized Catholics each year with autism, cerebral palsy, or Down Syndrome alone.

Pre-school age children also benefit from the simple, colorful, non-verbal prompts at Mass which are given by Liturgy Cards. Based on statistics from the above sources, there should be nearly 3 million Catholic children ages 3-5 who could benefit from these cards.

Children in the early grades, particularly those preparing for First Communion, can use the cards during school or CCD Masses. And the poster version of Liturgy Cards provides a solid visual teaching tool in the classroom, as well as a fun catechetical game.

What makes this product unique?

Liturgy Cards are easy to use. They are simple, visually uncluttered, and small enough to fit in a purse or pocket.

Liturgy Cards are multipurpose. They can be used at religious education class, daily or weekly Mass, and for all liturgical seasons. You can add or remove cards according to the person’s level of comprehension.

Liturgy Cards are picture-based. No reading required.

Liturgy Cards save you time. They are pre-assembled and ready to use. No hunting on the Internet for appropriate graphics, and no purchasing of expensive picture card software.

Comments from the test group:

• “Your visual cards are exactly how I have been able to reach several families at my own parish. I have approached these families in the past but they didn’t seem interested. I told them about your cards and they wanted to set up a meeting.” (Regional DRE)

• “It’s a more modern version of children’s missals, but much more kid friendly.” (mother of pre-schooler)

• “My son makes the sign of the cross every time he sees the cross and folds his hands when he sees praying hands.” (mother of 8 year old with Down Syndrome)

Interested? I do not have a publisher/manufacturer and am not in the position to mass produce them myself. But if you want to produce them, if you have comments or questions, or if you are at wits end and are desperate for the support of these cards, please do g-mail me at the above address! I am listening for God's will on this one.

You can make these cards yourself. My son has a binder of hand-made cards, using clip art and photos, for catechesis and for RECONCILIATION.

For more general information about the use of picture cards, see the web sites for the secular manufacturers of these kinds of products: PECS (great source of information) and Boardmaker.

Well, have a wonderful day. (And GO TO MASS) :-)

Blessed be God.