As we continue to mourn Pope Francis as a Church and prepare for the election of his successor, here are some activities to help kids pray and learn before, during, and after the Conclave!
Before the Conclave:
- Pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis
- Learn more about the life and legacy of Pope Francis
- Prepare and learn what to expect during the conclave
- Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit
Activities: (click on images or links below to access each activity/post)
Pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis:
Read my book We Have a Pope.
We Have a Pope is a picture book that shares with kids the legacy of the Papacy beginning with St. Peter, the central role of the Holy Spirit in guiding the Church, and step-by-step of what happens during a Conclave. It's the perfect resource for this time!
You can learn more about it, see some inside views, and read reviews in this post:
How does the Pope guide the Church? Read more about the Barque of St. Peter with this coloring & info page: (Art by Kortnee Senn)
During the Conclave:
- Pray for the election of the new Pope and guidance of the Holy Spirit
- Learn about the process of a Papal Election
- Pray for all Cardinals during the Conclave
- Learn more about the history of the papacy and the popes of the past 2000 years
- Read about the papacy in the Bible
Activities:
We believe that the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church and leads the Papal Conclave. The Cardinals will invoke the Holy Spirit throughout the process, and we can pray along with them!
Click here for a Prayer to the Holy Spirit prayer card (2 per page) (Art by Kortnee Senn)
(Art by Kortnee Senn)
Display this "Come Holy Spirit" art print as a reminder to pray for the conclave:
Try this "Any News?" Activity Page, matching some of the languages spoken by people waiting to hear the news of the new Pope:
(Art by Kortnee Senn)
Who are the Swiss Guard, and what do they do? Click here for these coloring and info pages:
After the Conclave:
- Celebrate the election of our new Pope!
- Learn about the new Pope, his history, and his new coat of arms
- Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit over the Church and the new Pope's leadership
Activities:
You'll be seeing the Papal Insignia and Vatican City Flag everywhere- what do the symbols on this image mean? Learn more from this info page and then color one yourself to decorate with:
(Art by Kortnee Senn)
Make a Papal Miter (video & directions) You can make small ones like this, or use wrapping/butcher paper and create one big enough to wear on your head!
Make a Habemus Papam mini poster or hang up these Papal banners:
Print, color, and frequently pray this kid friendly Prayer for the Pope:
(Art by Kortnee Senn)
(Art by Kortnee Senn)
After the election, I'll update this post with more resources about our new Pope!
If you still need a copy of We Have a Pope, you can order it at the following links. Depending on when you are reading this, we are out of stock in some places, but more copies are on their way! Books will be shipping out asap.
Katie, you are amazing! I've been looking for resources to teach my youth group about conclaves, and you got this ready to go just in time! I love your site so much it's bookmarked on my work computer! :)
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