I know that it is better to give than to receive, but receiving is nice too! I was touched to receive Christmas gifts from several of my students (I’m sure it was their parents who put them up to it!). What a nice gesture to express appreciation for the partnership we catechists enter into with parents. I was also delighted to receive a beautiful leather bound New American Bible from my DRE, Arlene. It will […]
Today is my First Blogaversary! One year ago today, on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I posted for the first time on Catechist’s Journey. Since that time, I have posted 249 times and you good folks have posted 534 comments! It’s hard to believe that 1 year has already passed. I just want to take this moment to thank all of you for visiting and posting comments and I invite you to continue […]
Yesterday, I had the privilege of reuniting with one of my high school religion teachers, the great Fr. Mark Link, S.J. Fr. Mark is one of the most prolific Catholic writers around, having sold millions of books including These Stones Will Shout, The Seventh Trumpet, The Still Point of the Turning World, You, Vision 2000, Challenge, Path Through Scripture, and Path Through Catholicism, just to name a few (over 60 titles in all). During my years […]
Like many (most?) catechists, I share a learning space – a classroom – with a Catholic school teacher. I realize the tensions that can arise from one group using a room that “belongs” to another group. I was a Catholic school teacher for 9 years and recall my room being used by numerous groups for after-school activities, so I know this experience from both sides of the fence. I’d like to offer a few thoughts. […]
As a Eucharistic people, giving thanks is what we do best! Of course, the word eucharist means thanksgiving. So, for us Catholics, thanksgiving is not a once-a-year holiday…it is what we do each and every time we gather for the Sacred Liturgy. We recognize that all good gifts come for our good and gracious God and that “it is right to give him thanks and praise!” And so, as we approach this Thanksgiving holiday, we […]
Permit me a few days off from blogging as my wife and I celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary this weekend! Thank you, Lord God, for the blessings of these past 25 years! Thank you for the blessing on my wife and children. May the Spirit guide us into the next 25 years and beyond!
I look forward to a couple of opportunities to work as a team with the other 8th grade catechists. First, this Monday, we will show the Church History timeline Powerpoint to the other 3 classes that have not seen it. My class will be run by Kris, my aide, and the other 3 classes will gather together in one room for the presentation. We will divide up the periods of church history so that each […]
Last night was a night of ups and downs. We began by reviewing how to pray the Rosary and then we moved into our reflective prayer and prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, connecting this to our last class when we learned about the Cross of Jesus. A couple of the young people were pretty hyper and couldn’t sit still. I even had to pause at one point to ask one of them to […]
Over the last few days, a few comments about catechists have come from the Vatican. I have to admit to finding neither of them particularly inspiring. First, the Prefect for the Congregation for Clergy said that catechists are an “asset to parishes and a promising sign for the Church today.” He went on to express gratitude to catechists and to exhort them to a deeper relationship with God. That’s all well and good, but I […]
Last night’s session was excellent. We focused on the Cross of Jesus and how Catholics understand the role of suffering in our lives. Lots of good questions including one that stumped me momentarily. I had asked the young people what could possible transform the image of a crucified man into a symbol of victory. Eventually one of them responded correctly that Jesus’ Resurrection transformed the Cross into our symbol of victory over sin and death. […]
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