Last night, I spent the evening with about 50 catechists from the O’Hare cluster of parishes (northwest side of Chicago and northwest suburbs) and had a wonderful time talking about the Old Testament with them. In the course of the evening, I met 2 catechists who have been serving in this ministry for over 30 years each! One had been a catechist for 33 years and another for 38 years! What a wonderful witness they […]
My wife and I took our daughter to college today. Everything went well but needless to say my mind is not on catechesis at the moment. I’ll post tomorrow. God bless all of our children going back to school.
Here’s my quick review of a little booklet for new catechists titled Teaching the Faith: A Catechist’s Guide to Classroom Management by Kim Duty (Paulist Press). This is a handy little guide that gives new catechists an opportunity to become acquainted with the world of classroom management. What I like about it is its “You can do this!” approach to the task of catechesis. In the Introduction, “From Me To You,” Duty offers a heartfelt message […]
Take a look at the very nice review of The Catechist’s Toolbox by Dan Pierson who has a blog named eCatechist. Thanks, Dan, for giving my book such a nice plug! I look forward to visiting your blog! I hope that as people dig into The Catechist’s Toolbox, we can discuss a myriad of issues here on my blog. The book is a starting point for ongoing discussion of our ongoing ministry. Please share your insights, […]
The other day, I wrote about leading children in reflective prayer or meditation. People often ask just what this “looks like.” I thought it would be helpful to share an example. The following guided reflection is from Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts, Grade 5 (Loyola Press): Called to Holiness Time: approximately 10 minutes We all have imagination. Imagination allows us to go places and to do things that might otherwise be impossible. Today […]
We hear time and again that parents are the first catechists of their children…and rightly so. I try to remember this when I am teaching, reminding myself that I am an ally of parents. Of course some parents are more invested in their children’s religious formation than others. My job is to do all that I can to provide parents with opportunities to embrace their role as the primary catechists of their children. Having said […]
I came across an online advertisement for life coaches that emphasized in big letters, “It’s about time you had someone focus entirely on you!” The ad goes on to say that, “You will be the center of attention of your life coach because life coaching is all about you!” Talk about narcissism! We sometimes bring this approach to our spiritual lives. I’ve often reminded students and their parents, especially when preparing for the sacraments, that […]
I mentioned yesterday the comment from a catechist (Fran) encouraging folks who are in their “golden years” to consider serving as catechists. Here is the latest from Fran: Hi Joe, I am going on 61 in October. I have no formal training to work with youth, but have always found a love for them and believe in their future. I feel, if I can help in any way, that is what we are here for. I […]
A catechist named Fran sent this comment along to include in our discussion of reasons for becoming a catechist: One of the best reasons to be a catechist, for me, is that the children provide me with energy and hope. Sometimes people think they are too old to be a catechist, but young people need to have that experience we come with. I’m not sure just how old Fran is (I’m trying to find out!) […]
A DRE in the northern suburbs of Chicago, Matt Furjanic, published a nice article in his parish bulletin titled “Top 10 Ways to Help Your Child Get the Most of His/Her Religious Education Sessions.” Nice job, Matt! Take an active interest in your child’s work – review lessons together, look in your child’s folder each week when he/she brings it home. Help your child complete any homework assignments. Post papers/artwork on the refrigerator or bulletin […]
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