ABSTRACT
Children live in a very symbolic world where all kinds of things are possible. Rituals often have great meaning to them, and my experience is that children often get more out of symbolic words and actions than adults do. It can also be true that children get more out of such rituals than their pastoral caregivers do. Some pastoral caregivers are reluctant to suggest any sacrament or ritual simply because it is not a valued piece of their own experience. However, a pastoral conversation with a child or youth is an opportunity to reach into and use the riches of the child's religious tradition to celebrate God's presence and love and, when necessary, to remind the youth of God's standards, mercy, and forgiveness.
