First of all, thanks to those folks who were concerned because they thought I actually flew home from Italy to teach my class and then fly back! I guess a few folks missed my emphasis on the word VIRTUAL in reference to the pilgrimage to Italy! I’m not on the actual pilgrimage but am conducting a VIRTUAL pilgrimage so that we can, in some small way, share in the experience of those pilgrims who actually […]
Hope you’re ready for another full day of traveling as we continue our VIRTUAL pilgrimage of Italy! This morning, we journey north through the Italian countryside arriving in the magnificent city of Siena, which invites us to stroll through its Gothic streets. After we celebrate Mass (if available) at the Dominican Church commemorating St. Catherine, we take the escalator down to the famous Piazza del Campo, the public palace, which dates back to 1250. We […]
Wow! I had to rush home from my VIRTUAL Pilgrimage to Italy to get ready for my class tonight! Thankfully, cyberspace was pretty clear so I made good time! This evening will be my 2nd class with the 6th graders at St. Cajetan. One new feature that the parish is trying this year is to bring the young people to church once per month for Mass. This is a wonderful way to initiate young people […]
I can tell that some of you are dealing either with jet lag from the long flight yesterday or with a hangover from too much vino last night! Rise and shine! Today, as we continue our VIRTUAL pilgrimage to Italy, we arrive in Rome where we tour her sites, including the following for which I have provided brief video clips: The Roman Fora (3:20) httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfW551dxpVU&list=PL1YibWnqVd1wUbRAIfYr52GyZxcJ_DbjZ&index=18 The Coliseum (3:30) httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnUG09CjfWQ The Arch of Constantine (3:19) httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joR1LfQlduQ The […]
Arrivederci! We’re off to Italy today as we begin our VIRTUAL Pilgrimage to join in the celebration of the “Day for Catechists” during the Year of Faith in Rome. The nice thing about a virtual pilgrimage is: NO CONNECTING FLIGHTS! Sit back and enjoy the beautiful view of the ocean (I think our plane could use a little altitude!) What’s your choice of in-flight meal? Linguine con Cozze (Fresh mussels steamed to perfection and […]
Recently, my stereo just didn’t sound right: I was playing good music but it wasn’t coming across well. Then I realized some of the settings needed adjustment: the tone and balance were off kilter. Once they were re-set, the sound came through beautifully. In much the same way, Pope Francis’ recent remarkable interview is not calling for a change in doctrine but for a change in tone and balance. When the Holy Father said, ““We […]
I hope you have your virtual bags packed and your virtual tickets in hand as we get ready to embark on a VIRTUAL Pilgrimage to Italy, beginning Monday, September 23! As part of the Year of Faith, Pope Francis is hosting a Day for Catechists at the Vatican during the last week of September, 2013, culminating in the International Conference of Catechesis. A delegation of religious educators will be attending via a pilgrimage sponsored by […]
When it comes to playing music in class, I am always torn between my desire for children to hear and learn hymns they will hear in church and songs that have more “pop” to them: a more contemporary sound. I like some Christian rock, but I feel that if I rely only on that, the kids are not being catechized for the liturgy, which is an important part of our role. With that in mind, […]
I couldn’t be happier with how my first session went last evening, thanks to a great group of kids, a highly organized DRE, and a wonderful aide (my wife!) I ended up with 9 students having lost one boy and gaining one girl, so now, I have 6 girls and 3 boys. They come from 5 different schools but have “traveled” together through religious education at St. Cajetan for 6 years and have a great […]
I’m all set for my first session tonight with the 6th graders at St. Cajetan Parish! I have 9 students so far, 5 girls and 4 boys. I’m blessed this year to have my wife Joanne working as my aide! As always, meet me back here tomorrow to get the summary – the good, the bad, and the ugly – of my teaching experiences! Here’s my lesson in a box! How did your first lesson […]
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