It’s helpful to take some time after a celebration of Confirmation to reflect on the actions of the Rite and to help the newly confirmed recognize the graces experienced in the sacrament. At a gathering sometime soon after the Confirmation Mass, lead young people in a guided reflection to process their experience of the sacrament. Prepare to share the reflection by reading it through ahead of time. During the session you may wish to use […]
St. Jerome famously said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Unfortunately, for many Catholics, the Bible still remains a bit of a stranger and becomes an untapped source for deepening our relationship with Jesus. Too many of us still feel ill-equipped when it comes to navigating the Bible and interpreting what we read. With that in mind, I have put together a video introduction to the Bible that catechists can use with adults and young […]
As I’ve shared previously, Pope Francis has announced a Jubilee Year for 2025 with the theme of “Pilgrims of Hope.” In preparation for the Jubilee Year, Pope Francis asked Catholics to prepare by dedicating time in 2023 to studying the documents of the Second Vatican Council. Pope Francis has called for 2024 to be a Year of Prayer. The Jubilee website suggests the following: In preparation for the Jubilee, dioceses are invited to promote initiatives […]
In a previous episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we looked at virtues as good habits that we practice in order to walk the path of holiness. Traditionally, the virtues have been identified as the Theological Virtues (faith, hope, and love) and the Cardinal Virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance). In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore the third of the Theological Virtues: charity (aka, love). For more information about virtues and charity, check out the following links: The […]
In a previous episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we looked at virtues as good habits that we practice in order to walk the path of holiness. Traditionally, the virtues have been identified as the Theological Virtues (faith, hope, and love) and the Cardinal Virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance). In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore the second of the Theological Virtues: hope. For more information about the virtues and, in particular, the virtue of hope, check out […]
In a previous episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we looked at virtues as good habits that we practice to walk the path of holiness. Traditionally, the virtues have been identified as the Theological Virtues (faith, hope, and love) and the Cardinal Virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance). In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore the first of the Theological Virtues, faith, and talk about what it means to practice faith. For more information about […]
Create a saints mobile with children to explore the lives of holy men and women of God. From Our Lady, Mother of Africa to Saint Joan of Arc and Saint Sebastian, the saints represented in this downloadable activity are all featured in Loyola Kids Book of Seasons, Feasts, and Celebrations by Amy Welborn. Each medallion for the mobile includes a picture of a saint on one side and room for facts about the saint or […]
From time to time, we Catholics find ourselves having to explain our relationship with the saints to those who are non-Catholic, especially our Protestant brothers and sisters. While all Christians honor the saints to some degree, we Catholics can be really “over-the-top” in our devotion to the saints. (And I mean that in a good way!) Our devotion to the saints is revealed in our love for icons, statues, relics, medals, litanies, prayers, novenas, and […]
Catholics believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. However, that word “inerrancy” means different things to different people. To some, the inerrancy of the Bible means that every word in the Bible is to be taken literally. This is known as fundamentalism, and folks who abide by this approach are known as fundamentalists. For Catholics, the inerrancy of the Bible refers to the truth that Scripture is conveying. In other words, Catholics believe that everything […]
One night as I was tucking my youngest son into bed, he sat right up as if he had just connected something in his mind and was having an “aha!” moment. “Mom, Mom, is it true?” he said excitedly. “Is what true?” I asked. “You know how at Mass, Father says to us that if we eat this bread, we will live forever?” With an expectant expression on his small face, he held his chubby […]
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