The Church in the United States

The young people will come to a deeper appreciation of how the Church in this country has grown and developed.

The young people should be able to identify examples of challenges the Church has responded to since the Middle Ages.

• Poster board
• Magazines and newspapers
• Art supplies (scissors, glue, markers)

• Review with the young people how pioneers and missionaries practiced and spread the Catholic faith in the early days of this country. Include some of the Church's struggles and its milestones.
• Lead the young people in a discussion of how those events may have prepared the way for how Catholics express their faith today.
• Distribute art materials and have the young people create posters that reflect how the Church has grown and developed in the U.S.
• Suggest that they might want to focus on one aspect, such as how immigrants share their faith traditions, or to create a collage depicting more than one aspect.
• When finished, invite volunteers to share their work.
• Display the posters in the room.

Art/Space Smart, Word Smart