Darcy Osby, Author at Catechist's Journey

Celebrating the Saints: Four Ways to Be a Catholic Superhero

As a child I always thought of the saints as Catholic superheroes. While they may have started out as normal people like you and me, I imagined that they received their super powers of holiness after being bitten by a radioactive, grace-infused spider or by falling into a chemical pit of sacred ooze. The fact is, however, that we have all received super powers of holiness through our Baptism! Baptism transforms us from ordinary people […]

Celebrating Catechetical Sunday

Darcy Osby

The theme for this year’s Catechetical Sunday is essential to our ministry as catechists: Safeguarding the Dignity of Every Human Person. As catechists, we are charged with this task in different ways. First, we are charged with safeguarding the dignity of those in our classes. We do this by treating each child with loving respect and by ensuring that each child has an opportunity to share his or her unique gifts and perspectives. In this […]

Three Ways to Turn Your Faith Formation Class into a Mini-Retreat

Darcy Osby

We live in such a highly-stimulated world, and no one experiences this more than our children. Their TV shows, movies, commercials, and even their school days are packed with flashes of images, sounds, and movement. This may create a sense that quiet and stillness is the worst possible environment. We know, however, that it is precisely in quiet and stillness that we are able to hear God whispering to our hearts. Only in quiet and stillness […]

Ministry Is…

Darcy Osby

What is ministry? It seemed a simple question, posed to me by a pastoral ministry student who was interning at our parish. I began thinking of an eloquent response describing the beauty and joy of being the hands of Christ and building the kingdom of God, but later that day I found myself standing in a blizzard directing cars away from the church for an event that was canceled at the last minute. That is […]

Summer Planning for the DRE

Darcy Osby

As the weather gets warmer, the students are not the only ones who are restless! I love my ministry with passion, but the summer provides a wonderful opportunity to renew my programs as well as myself. During the year, in the midst of the hustle and bustle, I often cannot find time to discern what God is calling me to create in my ministry. I look forward to the summer for time and space to […]

Four Ideas for Celebrating Pentecost

Darcy Osby

Pentecost has long been one of my favorite feasts in the liturgical year. Who doesn’t love a story with fire, wind, speaking in tongues, and a bold proclamation of the Gospel? Unfortunately, though, by the time Pentecost rolls around in the calendar, many of our religious education programs have ended and our creative energy switches off into summer mode. Why not instead use this exciting feast as a way to end the faith formation year […]

Teaching Care for Creation

Darcy Osby

One of the first things we teach children about God is that God is the creator of everything around us. One of the most accessible examples we use to talk about God’s presence in our world is the beauty of creation: the splendor of a sunset, the repetitive motion of ocean waves, the diversity of animals and plant life, the intricacy of the human body. Creation is one of the most tangible ways that we […]

Sagrada Familia del pajarito (Holy Family) by Bartolome Esteban Murillo

Three Lessons Catechists Can Learn from St. Joseph

Darcy Osby

St. Francis of Assisi is often attributed as saying, “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” This quote is very fitting for the life of another saint whose actions spoke louder than his words: St. Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus. In fact, St. Joseph does not say one word in the Gospels. Yet he speaks volumes. What can catechists learn from the life of this holy man? 1. Silence We tend to […]

Promoting Catholic Identity, Part 5: An Attitude of Faith and Hope

Darcy Osby

This is the fifth and final article in a series on the five characteristics of Catholic identity and how we can nurture those in our children. In his apostolic exhortation “The Joy of the Gospel,” Pope Francis cautions Catholics of becoming “sourpusses” (EG 85). Pessimism and defeatism are not Catholic attitudes. We are people of Easter joy because of our confidence in the Resurrection. Our attitudes are rooted in our identity, so as we help […]

Feasting While Fasting

Darcy Osby

When I was little, my mother would give up all sweets during Lent and Advent. As a dutiful Catholic child, I did as well. This practice led to many school snack times and birthday parties during which I would humbly decline the offer of cookies, cupcakes, and candy—careful not to be like the hypocrites who look gloomy or boast while they are fasting. Whenever I was tempted by the sugary treats, I would pray fervently, […]