It’s common today to hear Christians lament the fact that Jesus is too often overlooked or even left out in our modern secular celebration of the holiday. One example that people sometimes mistakenly point to is the use of the term Xmas which some see as a way of leaving Christ out of Christmas when actually, the complete opposite is occurring here. The X actually represents the name of Christ! In Greek, the first two […]
So this morning, we had our first date with the new Roman Missal and it was very much like a first date – filled with novelty, curiosity, and awkwardness. Thankfully, the parish I attend, St. Julie Billart in Tinly Park, IL, had done a wonderful job of preparing the assembly for the changes and provided a very helpful guide for the assembly to follow along. Even so, you could hear a number of “and also with […]
Here are some thoughts from 5th grade catechist Nick Yonto as he reflects back on his experience of being featured on Catechists in Action. Thanks Nick! When Joe first approached me about filming my RE class I wasn’t sure if I was ready to open myself up to any criticism or critique. While I have been trained as a teacher it has been several years since I was last in a classroom in front of […]
Many parish religious education programs host something called a “teaching Mass” which is a Mass during which the priest catechizes about the various parts and aspects of the Mass. Here’s an example. And another. I understand the thinking behind doing a teaching Mass and I applaud pastors and catechetical leaders who are doing all they can to teach about the Mass. We want children and families to have a better understanding of the liturgy which […]
In just a few short weeks, we will begin using the Third Edition of the Roman Missal. I do hope that you’ve taken advantage of the number of resources I’ve made available over these past few months! Here are a few more resources: A 4-page blessing/prayer service outside Mass done by LTP based on the Book of Blessings: Blessing of Missal. A blessing from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is for use on the First […]
As one of my “catechist-at-large” responsibilities, I did an introduction to the Bible last evening with the 6th graders at Most Holy Redeemer parish in Evergreen Park, IL. It was a very enjoyable experience. Here are the details: There were about 30-35 kids present along with their 3 catechists and 3 aides. Each child had a New American Bible (although there were 2 different editions which precluded me from relying on page numbers. I don’t mind, […]
By now, I’m sure you have heard about Fr. Bob Barron’s Catholicism series which has been airing on PBS around the country and is available as a DVD series. This epic series tells our story with great depth and beauty and will serve as a valuable resource for evangelization and catechesis for years to come. I invited Fr. Barron to share some thoughts on how Catholicism can be used in catechesis and he was kind […]
We’ve arrived at the end of 5th grade catechist Nick Yonto’s session – the last episode of our “Nick Yonto Series!” For a special treat, Nick will be a guest blogger next week, sharing his thoughts on what it was like for him to watch himself in action and what he learned from it. In this segment, watch for how Nick… cleans up and puts the room back in order confers with his aide about […]
In this segment of Catechists in Action, fifth-grade catechist Nick Yonto wraps up his lesson on the Eucharist. Watch for the following as Nick: invites the children to remember the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and prods them to re-construct the story. emphasizes how Jesus is recognized in the breaking of the bread and links the discussion to the BIG IDEA of his class: Eucharist. invites the children imagine they […]
Here it is, folks! After months and months of talking about it, my personal copy of the new Roman Missal arrived today! It’s like Christmas in November for a liturgical/catechetical dork like me! 🙂 Hopefully, you and your parish have been preparing for the implementation of the new translation of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal. Here are some resources that will be of help to you if you’re looking to do some last-minute […]
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