Does the Catholic Church Do VBS?

Ever since Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, there has been a schism between those who stayed in the Catholic church, and those who left. Some of these distinct church cultures manifest in obvious ways, such as the style of the church buildings, the homilies, and the ritual of the services. There are other differences that one may not think of.

One such difference that may not be obvious or have a major impact is Vacation Bible School. For Protestants and Evangelicals, Vacation Bible School is an annual tradition, opening up their churches during the middle of the year for kids to have fun, make friends, and get to know more about Jesus.

But they probably don’t think about if their Catholic neighbors have a similar program. Historically, Catholic churches have not offered Vacation Bible School programming, emphasizing other activities for youth. But some have started to offer it, or their version of it. 

Do Catholic Churches Offer Vacation Bible School?

The Catholic church historically has not offered Vacation Bible School at most of their parishes, or not nearly at the same rate as their Protestant or Evangelical neighbors. While some do, there is usually a different emphasis on programming that teaches church doctrine and sacramental preparation. Because this programming is year-round, the need for a specific summer-oriented activity akin to VBS is not as necessary.

Because sanctification, repentance, and other core doctrine is more greatly tied in with membership in the church, there is a conscious effort to facilitate children going through their life as a member. They should receive the sacraments of the church and not lose their faith in God, and what – as they see it – is His church.

In recent years, some Catholic churches have found VBS works as a good outreach tool and can help kids connect with God in a new way; it has become a bit trendier for some parishes to offer it. Publicly available Catholic VBS curriculum shows an emphasis on teaching Catholic doctrine and on the church itself, whereas Protestant and Evangelical curriculum tends to be more about the Bible or even simply Jesus, as understood by Protestants and Evangelicals.

Typically, denominations have their own preferred publishing houses they will buy curriculum from, so it is in line with what they and other similar churches believe.

Vacation Bible School is rooted in a more evangelical approach, where the priority is to evangelize children and provide future avenues for discipleship as members of a local church if they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord as Savior. Protestant and Evangelical denominations believe in sanctification through the Holy Spirit, separate from church membership. They also believe in the priesthood of the believer, meaning the role of a reverend or pastor is different than the role of a Catholic priest as it relates to repentance and one’s relationship with God.

How Does the Catholic Church Prioritize Kids Programming?

The Catholic Church emphasizes a specific program for young members, called Confirmation. Babies are baptized in the Catholic church, and confirmation serves as a continuation of that baptism. It is a public commitment to their relationship with the Catholic church and with Christ. 

Depending on the parish – a small administrative district typically having its own church and a priest or pastor – children will sign up to go through confirmation classes. Often, this begins at seven years old, because that is considered the age of awareness. The classes are called catechesis, which teach the significance of confirmation from the perspective of the church. Each child will then pick a sponsor – an older practicing member who guides the child in their faith journey. They will choose a confirmation name, usually one connected with a saint. Then they renew their commitments to the faith that were made when they were baptized.

The actual process of confirmation is done in one day. The bishop of the parish will do a laying on of hands and pray for the ones getting confirmed. The chrism, anointing oil, is anointed on the person, and the bishop says, “be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The person responds, “amen,” and the bishop then extends the sign of peace.

While confirmation is not necessarily equivalent to Vacation Bible School, it is a high priority for Catholic churches. As children go through confirmation and attend church with their family, they will participate in other activities the church offers.

One activity that Catholic churches encourage is a liturgical mass tailored for children. When they first started, the idea was to have the mass in a way that was more accessible to kids, including doing it in their native language and not in Ecclesiological (church) Latin. The practice of Children’s Mass goes back to the 19th century, with the first one being held in English in 1851.

They had fallen out of fashion by the time of the Second Vatican Council, held from 1962-1965, after which they saw a resurgence in popularity. In 1973, the Vatican published, “Directory of Masses with Children” which encouraged the liturgy to be modified to continue to be accessible to children, particularly with the terms used. 

Should I Send My Kids to a Catholic VBS?

Many families send their children to multiple VBS activities, regardless of denomination. For example, sometimes Pentecostal families will send their kids to an evangelical one, or Methodists to a Baptist one. And kids will sometimes go to different kinds of churches over the course of the summer. Other parents will send their kids to VBS at only their denomination, while others choose to only send their kids to their church’s program.

It is important to remember the focus of Vacation Bible School, from a doctrinal standpoint, is usually just to teach children about Jesus, who He is, and the basics of getting saved. VBS is also only about a week long. Generally, if a local church offers VBS, they are not getting into heavy church doctrine as part of the curriculum or the activities. However, this is a general rule, and parents should probably familiarize themselves with a church’s programming and belief system if they are considering having their kids participate in any activities there.

If a non-Catholic is interested in sending their child to VBS at a Catholic church, perhaps because they were invited by friends or it is the only one close by, they should call ahead to make sure it is open to non-members. While most Protestant and Evangelical churches are open to kids from other denominations, the Catholic church may feel differently based on what the activities are. For example, if Communion is a part of the programming, a Catholic church may discourage a non-Catholic Christian from attending, since they would not be able to take communion according to the rules of the Catholic church.

Parents should feel free to ask questions about activities, and if any additional doctrine beside salvation is taught. The same goes for a Catholic family considering sending their children to a Protestant or Evangelical VBS. It is okay and appropriate for parents to ask questions and make decisions based on their comfort level, and how they feel led by the Lord to invest in their family’s summertime activities. 

All denominations have things that separate them from one another, but that doesn’t mean that Christians who attend different denominations cannot have joint activities and interact with one another. The differences between Catholic and non-Catholic churches is significant enough that it may require more serious discussion and prayer for families, particularly as it applies to Vacation Bible School.

While Catholic churches do sometimes offer VBS, they have a different view of church activities, placing the corporate church in a different place of prominence then most Protestant and Evangelicals would. Prayer, discussion, and a willingness to ask questions will help parents decide how much they want their children to participate in cross-denominational activities. 

Sources

Fassino, Nico. “The Surprising History of Children’s Mass.” The Pillar. October 25, 2024. https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/the-surprising-history-of-the-childrens

The Documents from the Second Vatican Council.

Laun F., The Chief Points of Difference Between Catholic and Protestant Themes. New York: Joseph F. Wagner, 1915. 

Lowrance, James. Historical and Doctrinal Differences Between Catholicism and Protestantism

Are Catholics and Evangelical Christians of Different Faiths? Create Space, 2011.

White, James. Brief Christian Histories Getting a Sense of our Long Story. Eugene: Wipf and Stock Publications, 2014.  

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Jonathan Kirn

Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer who uses her passion for God, reading, and writing to glorify God. She and her husband have lived all over the country serving their Lord and Savior in ministry. She has a blog on graceandgrowing.com.