Who Ya Gonna Call?

We Catholics mark the first day of the secular calendar by celebrating the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. As Bishop Robert Barron often reminds us, Marian feast days are ultimately about Jesus. Today, of course, is no exception. While we celebrate the great honor bestowed upon Mary as the Mother of God, the ultimate message of this day is that her child—Jesus—is God. Not just like God, but “God from God, Light from […]

Using a Blog as a Catechetical Tool

You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem on your forehead. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. —Deuteronomy 11:18–20 In 2015, Moses […]

Finding God’s Love in Tragedies

In a recent lesson about the saints, my third-grade faith-formation class wanted to know how people become saints. They asked about the process of canonization by which the Church names someone a saint. While describing the process, we got sidetracked talking about miracles. The kids weren’t sure that miracles actually happen anymore; some thought a miracle was something like a magic trick. To help them see that miracles still happen in our world, I shared […]

A Journaling Novena in Anticipation of the Epiphany

It is a tradition to begin a novena in anticipation of the Feast of the Epiphany on this day, December 28. Like all sacramentals, a novena is an outward, tangible sign intended to remind us of God’s presence. The nine days of prayer represent the nine days between Jesus’ Ascension into heaven and Pentecost when the Apostles and Mary waited and prayed intensely for the coming of the Holy Spirit. An Epiphany novena is a […]

Over the Hills and Everywhere!

This Christmas, my wish for you is that you proclaim the birth of Jesus with renewed spirit, fire, and enthusiasm! The great Christmas song, “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” inspires us to proclaim the birth of Jesus “on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere!” That’s what catechists do. We tell the world that Jesus is in our midst and invite others to make him the center of their lives. I know that readers of Catechist’s […]

How to Use Twitter for Your Religious Education Program

What can be said in 140 characters or less? Enough to capture the attention of millions of people who are part of the fast-pasted, real-time information network known as Twitter. Twitter encourages people to design personalized news feeds by “following” what matters to them. No doubt the sources of that news are diverse. From international press to celebrities, from school systems to your neighbors, people are sharing and receiving information via Twitter. How might Twitter […]

Change in Plans

I walked into the building with a plan for the session, as usual, but as I was gathering supplies, the DRE introduced me to a woman from the parish evangelization team. She needed volunteers to make the ornaments for the parish prayer tree—that evening. We talked about the exact needs and the fact that she would also be asking the eighth grade class for help, so we could split the project time. We decided that […]

Apprenticeship: Giving Young People Adult Responsibilities

Anyone from a large family knows that the only way parents “survive” having so many kids is by pressing the older siblings into service to care for the younger ones! As the seventh of nine children, I recall my older sister Ramona taking care of us younger ones on many occasions when Mom and Dad were tending to other responsibilities and running errands. We need to employ this same approach in faith formation as part […]

What’s in the Heart That You’re Lifting Up to God?

I was reading an Advent devotional recently and one of the reflection questions asked, “What will you do this week to bring hope to others?” My immediate reaction was, “I don’t have time to do anything more than I’m already doing! I’m spending every free moment helping my son Mike and his wife Sarah get their new home ready to move into before the holidays.” Then it occurred to me that I didn’t have to think […]

When Christ Comes, Let Us Welcome Him

The Christmas season is one of immense opportunity for us to re-engage those who come to church only sporadically. During this time, we should be especially effusive and warm in our welcoming efforts. Unfortunately, hospitality has become synonymous with coffee and donuts after Mass in many parishes. We seem to have relegated welcoming to a particular committee such as the Stewardship Committee or the Hospitality Committee. Not only has this mindset absolved our parishioners of […]

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