Lent Resources: Forget-me-not SVP Lenten Reconciliation Service

This Lent we want to turn our concern into action and campaign for the rights of refugees and people seeking asylum. Our Forget-me-not campaign encourages our Young Vincentians to reflect and learn about the experiences of people seeking sanctuary in our country. It is more important than ever to raise our voices and put our faith into action. Our resources will help you to do just this.

Sacramental and Non-Sacramental Reconciliation Service booklets, leader's guide, and PowerPoint

Our resources for your Lenten Reconciliation Service take into consideration whether or not the sacrament will be available for the children. Both are available to download below, along with the leader's guide. There is also a PowerPoint for use when the children are waiting to go to confession.

Forget-me-not (Sacramental) plus pg 2 insert

Forget-me-not (Non-Sacramental)

Leader's Guide

Forget-me-not Lenten PowerPoint

This is a photo of a group of Mini Vinnies completing the booklet during the service.

Forget-me-not activity

As part of the Lenten Reconciliation Service, the children are invited to take action by writing a prayer for those who have had to flee their homes and countries. These petals can then be stuck around the flower centre to create your forget-me-not. Take a photo of your finished flower (and a few close-ups of petals) and email to [email protected] so we can add the digital image to our field of forget-me-nots.

Forget-me-not petals & flowers

This is a photo of the finished forget-me-not flower with handwritten prayers by the children.

Action and activity ideas

At the end of the leader's guide, you will find a number of ways that you can support your children and young people to turn their concern into action. Currently, politicians are discussing making changes to the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in this country. We want our politicians to know that we are welcoming refugees into our communities and into our schools. To turn your concern into action, become a social justice champion and use your voice to speak up for refugees.

Please check back regularly on this page as we will be updating it throughout Lent with further resources around letter writing, the facts and figures and small group discussion sessions that would be suitable for an interested group of children or young people (perhaps the Mini Vinnies, Chaplaincy, Faith in Action or another service group within school) to support refugees and asylum seekers.

Forget-me-not SVP further discussion

Here are the links for our further discussion activity. If you would like the presentation as a PowerPoint, please email Katy at [email protected] and it will be emailed over to you.

Forget-me-not SVP further discussion: Presentation

Forget-me-not SVP further discussion: Leader's guide

Forget-me-not SVP further discussion: Appendix 1

This is a photo of a group of Minis sitting around their finished forget-me-not with their hands touching their prayer on the petal.

Further useful resources for children and schools on refugees

To assist you in further conversations with children and young people around refugees and asylum seekers, follow the links below.

Books for change:

The boy at the back of the class

Freedom, we sing

Home is a place called nowhere

My name is not refugee

On the move, poems about migration