Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW)

Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) is an opportunity for our young parishioners to hear the Word of God proclaimed on their level, in a style that is engaging and interactive. Jesus recognized that children have a pure spirituality and he made them the primary spiritual model for all believers!

The Word of God has a message that is as relevant and fitting for children as it is for adults. CLOW offers an experience for the children to hear Scripture in words they understand, to share their own understanding, and to become comfortable with hearing and discussing God’s word, while gaining an understanding of and appreciation for their Catholic heritage.

In simpler terms, CLOW follows the Order of the Mass (Readings, Psalms, Alleluia, Gospel & Homily), but is specifically geared toward our Kinder to 4th/5th Grade students.

The hope is that when children “outgrow” CLOW that they will be better prepared to participate in the Mass and listen intently to the readings & Gospel while staying with their parents and other family members. Or that our older children will want to come back and be an Edge or Teen helper for our little ones! We also hope that by encouraging their participation as Lectors, Psalmists and Alleluia singers during CLOW that this will help them to want to become Liturgical ministers as they get older.

What does the CLOW Leader actually do? Do I need to be a teacher?

After the Collect, the CLOW Leader will enter the chapel with a Helper and guide the children through their own readings, psalms, Alleluia and Gospel, followed by a short, interactive homily.

The children enter the chapel, are seated and the Leader will welcome them, introduce oneself (and the helper) to the children, remind them they are in church and give them a brief intro on the day’s “lesson”.

Then, the Leader will ask for volunteers (up to 3 or 4) to proclaim the first reading (Lector) and the Psalm (Psalmist). The children are always excited to volunteer for these roles. The children come forward, bow toward the tabernacle (just as our Lectors and Psalmists do during Mass), complete the reading & Psalm to the other children, bow again, and return to their seats.

The Leader calls up any (and all!) children that wish to be Alleluia singers and they come forward to lead their peers in the Alleluia. 

The Leader, then sends the children back to their spots, asks everyone to remain standing and proclaims the Gospel. Once complete, the children are seated and a short, interactive homily takes place between the leader and the children. 

If there is additional time, we will do our own Prayers of the Faithful before everyone returns to the congregation. 

All in all, the Leader has about 20 minutes with the children, and maybe 5-10 minutes of speaking in front of them.

You do NOT need to be a teacher or an “expert” on Theology and the Bible. You do need to have a love for children and a love of our Lord to share with them during this time.

Do I need to prepare my own lessons?

No! We have a leader guide available for you to use that takes you through the weekly lesson plan, step by step. 

That said, you can modify it as needed, add a fun activity or game or prepare an alternate homily, if you prefer. But the groundwork is there for you. All you need to do is follow it!

Why is CLOW Important?

CLOW is a partnership with your children’s existing Religious Education program. Religious Education and CLOW are important for a child’s spiritual development, just as continuing faith formation and growth in spirituality are important for adults.

The hope is that families that attend religious education at St. Mark, as well as families that attend Mass within our community, will see CLOW as an opportunity to further grow their children’s faith. It can be hard for younger children to focus on the readings, Gospel and homily during Mass. This gives them an opportunity to experience these important parts of the Mass at their own level and understanding, while also making them active participants if they choose to do so.

Why do you need me? What is the commitment?

We are in need of those willing to help at the 10:00AM Sunday Mass to be CLOW Leaders. This ministry is volunteer led and the only way we can keep it running is with the help of fellow parishioners.

If you are a parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt, uncle, friend or simply and adult that likes children, you are perfectly made for this volunteer role!

We are looking for your commitment of ONE SUNDAY PER MONTH. If we can get up to 4 individuals that are willing to lead each Sunday, your commitment is minimal. We do not hold CLOW on holidays, so sometimes the commitment may be only once every 4-6 weeks.

If you think you are up to the task, please consider coming to one of our “Sunday Shadowing Sessions” so that you can see what CLOW is and what a leader is responsible for.