What are you guys doing this Holy Week?

When I was younger,  my parents together with my 2 brothers would do the Visita Iglesia (visiting 7 churches) and do the Stations of the Cross.  It was a good Lenten experience and a good bonding experience for the whole brood.  My brothers and I of course looked forward to the lunch and snacks along the way.  It was sort of a spiritual field trip that I have so much fond memories of.

Sometimes, we would head to the province of either my mom in Pampanga or my dad in Laguna and have a grand reunion "espesyal" with the entire clan in the ancestral house.  We would play, exchange stories, scarily watch the penitents flagellate themselves and look forward to my lola's (grandma's) menudo for lunch and sopas for merienda.

Lull times would be spent watching the TV showing the Passion and Death of Christ.

Today with a family of my own,  I don't do the 7 churches anymore.  My husband, kids and I just visit one church and do one round of the Stations of the Cross.  We read through the Stations of the Cross leaflet, pray silently on the pews for a short while and then leave.

I'm not sure if that is enough observance of the Lenten season but for now it would do.

Last year, while doing the Stations of the Cross with the family, I told myself I'm going to write a Stations of the Cross for children.  I would make it more real to them, more personal.  As I was trying to write it,  I got stuck in the middle because I realized what I was writing is another prayer again of myself/kids in relation to the sufferings of Jesus.  And I told myself,  "Why does it have to be about me/kids again?"

I came across this wonderful Stations of the Cross leaflet published by the Missionary of St. Paul in 1936 and newly designed in 1988 by Jennifer Gregory Miller from her website familyfeastanderia.wordpress.com.

The material paints the image of Jesus' sufferings in words that are easy to understand for kids.  The personal prayer is short and sweet and is focused on Jesus.  Click this to download Jennifer's printable version - Stations of the Cross for Children.

Have a Blessed Holy Week!