Sign of the Cross

Does your child know how to make the Sign of the Cross?
It is a simple and familiar gesture and prayer for Catholics, and we do it to remind ourselves:

• of our baptism, which was done in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• that in our baptism, we have been claimed entirely by Christ 
• that Jesus Christ saved us through his death on a cross, and his resurrection
• in whom and for whom we live

With the right hand, touch your forehead
     while saying "In the name of the Father"
then touch your chest while saying "and of the Son"
and then left shoulder "and of the Holy..."
and right shoulder "...Spirit. Amen"

The hardest part for smaller children seems to be getting the left and right in the correct order... maybe if you face the same direction they do, it'll be easier for them to catch on?

When you come into the gathering space at Church, you'll notice our holy water font, placed in front of a statue of St. Andrew. You can help your child to dip their right hand in the font and make the sign of the cross before you go in for Mass each week. They might need to learn the difference between a pool that's for splashing, and this font that is for making a prayerful, unhurried gesture, one that is both a reminder of our baptism, and in some sense a symbol of cleansing in order to prepare us for our prayer time together.