During this ongoing COVID-19 crisis, as families continue to find themselves hunkered down in their homes and unable to gather with others—including for church or faith formation—we at Catechist’s Journey thought it would be a good idea to provide some Pop-Up Catechesis. This is a new series of one-minute videos with bite-size suggestions for how to make faith alive in the home. These will appear here on Catechist’s Journey every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for the foreseeable future.
Let us know your thoughts about these videos and, by all means, share these freely with families in your faith formation program! Likewise, if you have suggestions for a topic for us to address, please do send it along.
On to our first episode! Today, we look at how to set up a prayer space in your home. Enjoy!
Thanks Joe,
We send a weekly email with resources and parish information to our Faith Formation families. These links will now be included!
Be well and stay well!
That’s awesome, Margaret Ann! Thanks for sharing them!
What a great idea, Joe – I’m sure there are children (and parents) who would welcome a designated space in their homes to talk to God. It would help signal to others when someone is sitting there that this is time needed alone. It would also serve as a visual reminder simply of God’s enduring presence in our lives. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks, Mary! So true that even this visual reminder of the nearness of God is an important statement to make in our homes!
Love the idea of an at home prayer space! I have a prayer table for my class, but never thought to encourage families to do something like that. What a great idea during these hard times.
Thanks, Phyllis…this is a great opportunity for us to teach about the domestic church and to equip parents to share faith at home!
Great Idea! If you are looking for ideas, I think one on activities First Communion families can do while waiting for their first communion might be a good topic
Thanks so much, Kristin! Great minds think alike: I am planning an episode on doing an at-home First Communion “retreat” for later this month!
My daughter and I teach 2nd grade CCD at our parish. A couple weeks ago we asked our students/parents to create their own at-home prayer table (like the one in our classroom) with a bible or other religious book, candle(s), cross, rosary beads and a prayer box, bag or jar (that they made at home) to place the closing prayer we prepared for them. They texted or emailed their creations! It was a big hit!
That’s awesome, Michele! I’d love to see some of their creations if you are able to share…you can email pics to paprocki@loyolapress.com. Thanks!
For our 2nd grade at-home CCD lesson this week, we sent a text video message and asked them to create an altar table for the lesson (Liturgy of the Eucharist). We suggested a cloth, bible or other religious book, candle and small dish or bowl (with small pieces of bread or crackers) and a glass or cup of juice or fruit punch.
That’s a wonderful way to reinforce the notion of the domestic church, Michele! Keep up the great work!
Hi Joe,
I am a PREP 3 Teacher in our Parish(St. Monica Richmond BC Canada). After our Spring Break in March, schools and PREP session were cancelled. I decided to have ZOOM session with my kids. I have a 98% response and kids were very excited, this was last night. We discuss why we can’t be together and how can we attend Mass. Kids respond very well. Is there any other activities I can provide to my kids other than working on their textbook and answer the chapter review. I need some help.
Gwen
Hi Gwen and thanks for sharing your experience and great success! Keep up the great work…it’s so wonderful to hear that the kids were excited! For starters, be sure to look at the 3-Minute Retreat and the Sunday Connection on the Loyola Press Website. Also, be sure to check out the Finding God Activity Finder. Finally, you may want to try some “distance crafting!” Take a look at the excellent book Crafting Faith for ideas. If you use a Loyola Press curriculum such as Finding God and Christ Our Life, there are more online activities and resources you can take advantage of. Let me know if this is a possibility for you.
It is indeed a great idea to create a prayer space at home! I am definitely sharing this with my two children. Thank you.
Thanks, Lin!