1. “SO WHAT” FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS?
A three-stage process for educating in ritual in the school community:
Develop a climate of ritual in the classroom and school
Critically analyse existing rituals
Create rituals for celebration with the class and school community.
Harris (1992, p.5)
Ritual has the potential to “capture and express the ideals, goals and values that are central to the mission of the Catholic school” (Ryan, 2006, p.202).
Harris (1992, p.5) has proposed a three-stage process for educating in ritual in the school community:
Develop a climate of ritual in the classroom and school
Critically analyse existing rituals
Create rituals for celebration with the class and school community.

2. Develop a climate of ritual in the classroom and school
Be aware of the diversity of opportunities to ritualise – “Anything can be ritualised. Any value the educator wishes to pass on can be expressed in ritual” (Harris, 1992, p.11)
Be on the look out for chances to use ritual – but whatever occasion, it must have significance for the learners
Develop a climate of ritual in the classroom and school
Students already experience a range of rituals in their family lives such as meal times, birthdays and bedtime rituals.
As a religious educator in a Catholic school, be aware of the diversity of opportunities to ritualise. Be on the look out for chances to use ritual, but whatever occasion, it MUST have significance for the students.
“Anything can be ritualised. Any value the educator wishes to pass on can be expressed in ritual” (Harris, 1992, p.11).
These opportunities for ritualising might include welcoming / farewelling class members; morning/afternoon greetings, special occasions/days.

3. 2. Critically analyse existing rituals
Analyse and question the values expressed in rituals
2. Critically analyse existing rituals
Assist children to analyse and question the values expressed in rituals.
Ryan (2006) offers an example of this type of analysis.
“Choose a common public ritual such as ANZAC Day. … you may choose to videotape segments … to supplement the personal experiences of teacher and students. … students could be asked to comment on the significance of the time of day, the wait for the first light to begin the ceremony, the place where the ritual is held … the use of rosemary … the playing of the Last Post.” (p.202)

4. 3. Create rituals for celebration with the class and school community
Make ‘self-generated’ ritual a planned part of religious education in a Catholic school
Avoid ritual MANIPULATING students
3. Create rituals for celebration with the class and school community
Teachers are also involved in helping students to generate and design their own rituals. These created rituals should allow students to express grief, congratulations, thanks or other significant feelings, and respond to events of significance to the group such as:
Arrival / departure of class members
Birthdays
Reconciliations after conflict
Sharing of news
Celebration of special events
To avoid ritual manipulating students, Ryan (2006) suggests three questions to be posed when creating rituals with children: “Do you want to do anything about …? What do you want to do? How do you want to do it?” (p.203)
Self-generated ritual should be a planned part of religious education in a Catholic school as it allows students to share perspectives and provides a means for students to communicate their thoughts and feelings.

5. ONCE THE FOCUS / OCCASION FOR RITUAL HAS BEEN CHOSEN:
Don’t let the tail wag the dog!
Once an opportunity for ritual has been identified by the teacher and students, there are a number of considerations to take into account when planning the ritual.
Firstly, start with the meaning of the ritual. The value being expressed in ritual must be appreciated by the students. Attention should be given to one value that will be the focus of the ritual. Only then, consider the specific details of the ritual. Check with the students that all details express the intended meaning of the ritual.
REMEMBER: Don’t let the tail wag the dog! This means avoid over-emphasising specific details before considering the value and meaning that the ritual is to express.
Start with the meaning – value
Then consider specific details

6. STRUCTURE FOR NON- EUCHARISTIC RITUALS
Come! (Gather and Prepare)
Listen! (Listen and Respond)
Do! (Share and Give Thanks)
Go! (Go and Tell)
“It has been found that the overall structure of the Eucharistic celebration offers an appropriate model for other rituals, providing a suitable starting point for planners.” (Musso & Rowan, 2003)
Any religious ritual can be planned using this model:
Come! (Gather and Prepare)
Listen! (Listen and Respond)
Do! (Share and Give Thanks)
Go! (Go and Tell)
A helpful planning template, using this fourfold structure, can be found on page 46 of Making meaning through prayer and ritual (Rush, K. Lavercombe, P. & Wintour, R. 2004).

7. PREPARING A CLASS RITUAL
Useful to develop a simple checklist
Can guide discussions about rituals
When developing a ritual with a class group, a simple checklist can be helpful.
There are a number of helpful checklists available, including the following:
Ryan & Malone (1996) Exploring the Religion Classroom (page 83)
Healy, Hyde & Rymarz (2004) Making our way through primary R.E. A handbook for religious educators (pages 168 – 178)
Rush, K. Lavercombe, P. & Wintour, R. (2004). Making meaning through prayer and ritual (page 45)
(Each of these is available from Course Resources Online.)
You may wish to add other dimensions that arise in the course of your planning.

8. IN REGARD TO SYMBOL / ACTION:
Keep it simple - choose one dominant symbol that will stand out in the ritual
Keep it sensory – choose a symbol that has a strong appeal to the senses
Keep it straightforward – choose a symbol that has meaning for all participants
The action with the symbol should involve all of the participants
Symbols are an integral part of creating rituals.
When considering the symbol/s to use, follow these guidelines:
Keep it simple - choose one dominant symbol that will stand out in the ritual
Keep it sensory – choose a symbol that has a strong appeal to the senses
Keep it straightforward – choose a symbol that has meaning for all participants
The action with the symbol should involve all of the participants

9. Religious rituals are celebrations of lived experience.
THEOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING SACRAMENTS AND OTHER RELIGIOUS RITUALS
Religious rituals are celebrations of lived experience.
Religious rituals are communal.
Religious rituals tell a shared story.
Religious rituals are symbolic actions.
Religious rituals have an effect.