As I work through my third-grade religion curriculum each year, I always try to add something extra to help make class memorable for my students. For the past two years, during Vocation Awareness Week, I’ve added a Skype session to our class time. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has chosen the first full week of November as Vocation Awareness Week. This year it falls on November 2–8. I found that introducing my students […]
For some time, I have struggled with the reality that many catechists do not have access to AV equipment to show videos or PowerPoint presentations in their classes. Often, the RE program does not have equipment of its own and is not welcome to use the school’s AV equipment. While I show videos and PPT presentations all the time, the fact is, I purchased my own LCD projector some years ago because of the volume […]
The New Evangelization calls for presenting the Gospel with a new “ardor, methods, and expression.” I propose a new “expression” that would meet a pressing need in our faith formation programs: the “SHEEN SQUAD” to assist catechists with I.T. needs. It would be composed of teens/young adults who volunteer as aides for religious education programs to help catechists integrate technology into their sessions. The name, of course, mimicks the well-known “Geek Squad” which offers computer-related services […]
The General Directory for Catechesis states clearly that NO resource, no matter how well-tested or glitzy, “can dispense with the person of the catechist in every phase of the catechetical process.” (156) Some faith formation programs would have you believe that their resources, whether a textbook or a series of DVDs, will do all the work and that all a catechist needs to do is to facilitate the turning of pages in a book or […]
One of the techniques that I’ve used with young people to lead them in song, either in a catechetical setting or at a liturgy, is to project a YouTube video with the music and lyrics provided. This works especially well because young people are very visual and are more comfortable with this than with a hymnal or song sheet. Likewise, it is very effective when you don’t have a music minister present to lead song […]
Here’s some information about some great new Apps on the Liturgy! The first is the My Picture Missal App from Loyola Press. This App, available in the iTunes store at this link: My Picture Missal App, was developed for children with special needs and for young children. The intent of this interactive app is to help children learn, understand, and fully experience the Mass. Children with special needs have spiritual lives and, with communication assistance, can […]
Recently, my very talented friend Adrián Alberto Herrerra, Associate Director for Spanish Language Catechesis for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, did a presentation in Spanish for the Archdiocese of Hartford, CT, on Discipleship and Digital Media (Discípulos en la Edad Digital). In his presentation, Adrián offered a substantial list of links to Online resources for Hispanic Catholics. He was very generous to share those with me and, with his blessing, I am sharing them with you. ¡Gracias, Adrián! […]
The current TV mini-series The Bible is drawing large audiences and mixed reviews from critics. I haven’t watched it yet but plan to tune in especially for the New Testament segments. As always, watch with a critical eye and take note of discrepancies with Scripture (Hollywood likes to embellish!) to point out to those you teach. In the meantime, a film that has withstood the test of time is Franco Zeffirelli’s Jesus of Nazareth. An […]
Things turned out very nicely with the use of video at our Lenten Reconciliation Prayer Service last evening. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post (Tonight, I’m the Tech Guy!), I coordinated the use of video for 5 different moments of our Lenten Reconciliation Prayer Service last evening, including images of “Stories of Hope” from Operation Rice Bowl, opening and closing songs, a video examination of conscience and a Powerpoint reflection of images of Jesus while children […]
Believe it or not, tonight I play the role of the “tech guy” for the Lenten Reconciliation prayer service taking place in church! I will be on hand for both the early and the late sessions, manning the laptop and LCD projector for the following video elements included in the prayer experience: showing images of people being served by Operation Rice Bowl as their stories are read aloud opening song (video): Hosea – Come Back […]
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