A craft to inspire and encourage your students
SARA JONCKHEERE
This shield craft is designed to remind, inspire, and encourage the soon-to-be (or recently) confirmed of the gifts bestowed on them by the Holy Spirit. Help your students be prepared to spread and defend their faith thanks to the graces of the sacrament of Confirmation.
Supplies Needed
■ White cardstock
■ Glue
■ Scissors
■ Supplies for decorating (stickers, glitter, rhinestones, washi tape, paint, watercolors, magazines to cut up, scraps of paper, foil, foam)
■ Colored pencils/markers/crayons
■ 8” x 10” picture frame (optional)
■ Cardboard (optional)
■ Laminator (optional)
Create
1. Use a pencil or marker to draw a shield covering the full piece of cardstock.
2. Have students plan out what they want to write on their shield. Ultimately, this should be a reminder to them that they can display in their homes or bedrooms. Students should write about the gifts given to them by the Holy Spirit or the graces given and deepened in the sacrament of Confirmation. It should motivate them to “spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross” (CCC, 1303).
3. Once students have written their quotes, phrases, words, and ideas, have them decorate their shield in a way that is creative and representative of their personality and of the topic they wrote about on their shield. This could be painting, creating a collage, drawing, hand-lettering, doodling, coloring, and so on.
4. After the shields are complete, have students either frame them using inexpensive picture frames, laminate them for durability, or trace and back them with cardboard. The idea here is to make it durable so it’s something that can be displayed and referenced. This would make a great display for a Confirmation Mass; after the ceremony, the students can take their shield home.
IDEAS FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS:
■■For the youngest of learners who are just being introduced to the sacraments or the Holy Spirit, have them focus their shields on the gifts or fruits of the Holy Spirit.
■■Have students draw pictures to represent the gifts or fruits of the Holy Spirit.
IDEAS FOR OLDER STUDENTS:
■■Have students search for Scripture passages they can use on their shield, such as Isaiah 11:2-5 that is about the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
■■Allow students to search the Catechism of the Catholic Church for relevant quotes and phrases about the Holy Spirit or Confirmation that they could use on their shield, such as paragraph 1303 about the graces given and deepened.
■■Research quotes from saints about Confirmation or the Holy Spirit, such as the quote from St. Ambrose included in paragraph 1303 of the Catechism.
■■Allow students to be creative in how they design their shields so they will proudly display them and refer to them often.
Let us pray
Come, Holy Spirit! We thank you for deepening and increasing our baptismal graces. With your gifts, help us to spread and defend the faith in all that we say and do, so that we may carry out Christ’s mission. Amen.
Sara Jonckheere, MA, is an elementary school teacher turned work-at-home mom. Creating digital curriculum and resources, she shares teaching ideas at SaraJCreations.com.
This article was originally published in Catechist magazine, October 2019.
PHOTOS: SARA JONCKHEERE
