Catechist's Journey

I remember as a kid being thrilled with the Feast of St. Blaise because it meant that I wouldn’t get any more sore throats during the remaining weeks of the cruel Chicago winter. So much of my piety back then was bordering (if not totally over the edge!) on superstition. Why? I was never really [...]

July 31 is the Feast of St. Ignatius! This date has personal significance for me since I attended St. Ignatius College Prep and Loyola University of Chicago (undergrad and graduate degrees) and work for Loyola Press! That’s a lot of Ignatian influence! Of course, we are all blessed to have been influenced in some way, [...]

Linda is a 3rd grade catechist at the same parish where I teach, and she recently put together some picture sheets on the Mysteries of the Rosary. She says, “I have given the kids separate sheets of the Mysteries before but, now I have taken the sheets from the site you sent me and put [...]

To begin Monday’s session, we did an All Saints Day procession. I talked a little bit about what a procession is, comparing it to a parade and how parades usually celebrate victory and the hoisting of a trophy – such as the Stanley Cup here in Chicago! We talked about how the Cross of Jesus [...]

We catechists are always thinking and planning ahead, right? I recently received a comment from Joyce asking for ideas for a children’s liturgy for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. I’m wondering if some of you have some suggestions! Hi Joe… do you have any ideas for celebrating a Mass with children on the Feast [...]

With All Saints Day just around the corner, now is a good opportunity to look at ideas for additional resources for teaching about the saints. Loyola Press has just put together four Saints Retreats for children, done in the style of the well-known and much loved 3-Minute Retreats. Each brief saints retreat is an opportunity [...]