Q: I appreciate your responses the connections you make with good resourcing from our liturgical documents.
I’ve a question about the age limit for children leaving for the Liturgy of the Word and returning at the Creed. Our Director of Faith Formation wants up to 4 th graders. My experience has been up to 2nd graders.
Can you please offer guidance.
Thank you in advance.
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A: Thanks for your comments on my blog. I contributed to How to Lead Children’s Liturgy of the Word, which includes this on p. 50: “The Liturgy of the Word with children tends to be most effective for children who are about five to nine years of age.” The book cites the Directory for Masses with Children #6, recommending it for children who are not yet adolescents, and the Introduction to the Lectionary for Masses with Children #15, that recommends children of elementary grades.
The liturgical books deliberately keep the age vague because children are so different.