Submitted by
S. Daly

Age Group
5-11

Aim
To celebrate Ascension Day

Faith Group
Catholic
Christian

Resources
Hosts, wine, water, candles, Paschal candle, Bible, pair of shoes, rosary beads, chalice, ciborium, cloths, altar frontal showing a scene from the Gospel (possibly a paint and cloth collage showing a hill with Jesus at the top and the backviews of the eleven apostles below), large sheets of paper showing the responses for the Psalm and Prayers of the Faithful

Time of Year
A Thursday in May forty days after Easter, in the Easter season (Date depends on the date of Easter Sunday)

Other Details
This is a Mass for a Catholic school but can be adapted and used as another type of service/assembly

Script
HYMN - Rejoice in the Lord (Celebration Hymnal for Everyone number 617) or Come, my Brothers (Hymns Old and New number 105)

PRIEST - First Prayer
Almighty God, fill our hearts with love and gratitude for the victory which you gave to your Son, Jesus. May we share with him that joy which he shares with you and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

CHILD - First Reading (Rom 15: 17-19)
A reading from St Paul's letter to the Romans.

I'm proud of what I've been able to do to make God's way known throughout the world.
But through Jesus have I been able to do what I have done.
There is one thing - and one thing only - I care to talk about: how Jesus has used me to help people of many lands to live in God's way.
From Jerusalem to Palestine, all around the world I have made the good news of Jesus sound like the good news it is - good news for everybody.
For I have had one ambition: to tell the story of Jesus where his name had never been heard.
This is the word of the Lord.

CHILD - Psalm
If we are going to follow Jesus we must really try to be good.
The response is: We will follow our God

1. We will not do wrong.
We will do what is right. Response...

2. We will tell the truth.
We will not tell lies. Response...

3. We will be good to our brother.
We will not hurt our neighbour. Response...

HYMN - Alleluia VII (Taize) (Celebration Hymnal for Everyone number 413)

PRIEST - Gospel
A reading from the Good News given to us by Matthew and Mark.
Glory to you, Lord.

Jesus had arranged to meet his eleven friends on a mountain in Galilee. Jesus came up and said to them:
"Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. Make all people children of God, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to do all the things I have told you. Know that I am with you always, yes even to the end of time."
After Jesus had spoken to them he was taken up into heaven.

This is the Gospel of the Lord...
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

CHILDREN - Prayers of the Faithful
HYMN - 0 Lord Hear My Prayer (Taize) (Celebration Hymnal for Everyone number 542)

1. We pray for priests who spread the good news around the world.
May they have good health and strength.
Lord in your mercy... Hear our prayer.

2. We pray for sisters and brothers who spend their lives teaching children about the good news.
May they have patience and wisdom.
Lord in your mercy... Hear our prayer.

3. We pray for people who have not yet heard the good news that God sent his Son Jesus to save mankind.
May they soon be enlightened.
Lord in your mercy... Hear our prayer.

4. We pray for the people here who have already heard the good news.
May they show by their behaviour that they follow God.
Lord in your mercy... Hear our prayer.

5. Let us pray that Mary will help us to spread the good news. Hail Mary...

HYMN - 0 Lord Hear My Prayer (Taize) (Celebration Hymnal for Everyone number 542)

CHILDREN - Offertory
1. We bring candles
To show the light of Jesus.

2. We bring a Bible.
The Bible tells us about Jesus, our leader.

3. We bring a pair of shoes.
We follow Jesus, our leader.

4. We bring rosary beads.
We follow Jesus when we pray.

5. We bring our love with the bread, the wine and the water.

PRIEST - Second Prayer
Lord, as we offer these gifts, we offer our hearts.
May they belong to you for ever, just as Jesus belongs to you, and shares your life in the unity of the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

PRIEST - Eucharist Prayer for Children

HYMN - Caribbean Our Father (Celebration Hymnal for Everyone number 584)

COMMUNION HYMN - Eat this Bread (Taize) (Celebration Hymnal for Everyone number 151)

PRIEST - Third Prayer
Father, though your Son is with you in glory, he is also with us in this Communion. We wish to remain faithful to him always, so that we may come to give you glory for ever and ever. Amen.

HYMN - Walk in the Light by D. Lundy (Hymns Old and New number 547)