About CLOW
- What is CLOW? Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) is a special time during Sunday Mass when young children step out briefly to hear the Scripture readings explained in a way that’s just right for their age. Children ages 5–11 are the primary participants in CLOW. Children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult.
- When do children leave? Children are dismissed shortly after Mass begins — approximately 10:05 AM, right after the Opening Rites (the opening song, the Sign of the Cross, and the Greeting).
- When do they return? Children return to the main church at approximately 10:35 AM, before the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins (the part of Mass that includes the Offertory, Consecration, and Communion).
- How long is CLOW? CLOW lasts approximately 30 minutes total.
- What do parents need to know? Parents are responsible for reuniting with their child when the CLOW group returns to the church. Please watch for your child at approximately 10:40 AM.
Want to serve our littlest parishioners?
Contact: Erika Abao
Email: [email protected]
mission
CLOW at La Purísima Catholic Church is a joyful, reverent expression of the parish’s commitment to forming young disciples. It honors the truth that the parish is the Eucharistic community and the heart of the liturgical life of Christian families and is a privileged place for the catechesis of children and parents.
objectives
– Proclaim the Word of God
– Bridge Liturgy and Life
– Form Young Disciples
– Support the Family
– Cultivate a Love for the Mass
history
Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) is a practice in many U.S. parishes in which, after the opening rites of Sunday Mass, young children leave to a separate space to celebrate their own age-appropriate Liturgy of the Word, then return to the main assembly before the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins.
This practice is fully legitimate and is foreseen in the liturgical norms, specifically the Directory for Masses with Children, published by the Holy See in 1973.
“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
Mark 10:14
