An ordinary deck of playing cards and dice can be fun and useful ways to reinforce catechism lessons and concepts. Here are a few games to try...
Seven Capital Sins
Needed: Deck of Cards; two players with black and white for three with different suits (spades, etc.)
Object: get rid of all seven of the ‘sins’ first
Play: give each player Ace-7 in RED (sin card). Shuffle the rest of the deck. Each player takes a turn drawing a card
~ When a BLACK (virtue) matching card is drawn, those two cards many be laid down.
~ Drawing a JACK (devil) forces the player to pick up cards laying down (if any) and discard the BLACK card of the pair picked up
~ Drawing a QUEEN (Mary) allows the player to lay down any RED (sin card) he/she chooses
MORAL: there is an opposite virtue to counter every sin. The devil comes along and often forces us to loose our virtue, but it can be regained. The Virgin Mary stands ready to intercede to help us destroy the sin within us through the Grace she gives.
Games of 'Threes'
Needed: deck of cards
Object: simple matching game using any number of turned over cards
Play: take turns turning over two cards...if they match you keep hem. Player with the most cards at the end wins
~ Use the Father (KING), Son (JACK) and Holy Spirit (ACE); or, faith (KING), hope (JACK) and charity (ACE). As a variation, add the QUEEN to represent the Virgin Mary
MORAL: theological virtues come from God, the Trinity, both symbolized by ‘three’ the number of completeness. Mary is our mediatrix (intercessor) to bring us closer to God and to enable the theological virtues to function in us more fully.
Fruit of the Spirit
Needed: Deck of Cards
Object: try to get 1 (Ace) through 12 (King) to match the Fruits. Mixed cards (hearts, clubs, etc) are fine
Play: deal 12 cards to each player.
~ Rotate by drawing a card from the deck or picking the one just discarded
~ The JACK represents the devil. When drawn and discarded, it causes the next player to loose his/her turn
~ The winner is the first to get all of the cards in order AND recite the 12 fruits correctly. Incorrect recitation means one card is put back and the game continues
MORAL: The Fruit of the Holy Spirit enables us to lead a good Christian life. To have a complete life, we need all of the fruit. The devil constantly appears unexpectedly to rob us of that fruit, but we can regain it through perservance.
Seven Sacraments
Needed: two dice; pad of paper and pen; unlimited players
Object: to score the highest number of points until one player receives all seven Sacraments
Play: each Sacrament corresponds to a number:
Baptism 1 ... Confession 2 ... Eucharist/Communion 3 ... Confirmation 4 ... Marriage 5 ... Holy Orders 6 ... Extreme Unction 7
~ The two dice are rolled with individual or combined (2+3=5) number being used to obtain the number needed
~ Sacraments must be ‘received’ in order (1-7)
~ Confession (2) and Communion (3) may be ‘received’ multiple times (i.e. if player needs a ‘5' and doesn’t get it, but gets a ‘2,’ he/she can get the extra points for taking Confession)
~ The game ends when the first player has all of the Sacraments. Points are totaled with the highest total the winner
MORAL: grace is given through the Sacraments, with Confession and Communion being the source of continual grace throughout life. A successful Christian life will have obtained as much grace as possible, and the Sacraments are the most certain way of obtaining the grace of God.
