Stories from the Field Archives - Page 31 of 61

wedding couple walking out of church - djedzura/iStock/Getty Images

Moments of Return for Young Adults in the Catholic Church

Talking with other faith formation ministers about young adults (defined by the bishops as ages 18–39), I often hear these comments: They are just not at our parish. I never see young adults. They never show up. But I know young adults are showing up in our parishes. The question is: Are we aware of the moments of return for young adults in the Catholic Church? What do I mean by a “moment of return?” […]

What Parishes Are Doing to Equip People with Knowledge of the Faith

Joe Paprocki

Thanks to so many of you for responding to my request to send in descriptions of what your parish is doing to help people grow in the first of the Six Tasks of Catechesis: Knowledge of the Faith. Here is a brief summary of what some folks are doing: Ladies’ faith-sharing group (meets three times monthly to discuss Scripture) Weekly Scripture study (some on the Sunday Scripture readings; some on books of the Bible; some Lectio […]

Christmas Project Day

Denise Gorss

We take the week of Christmas and the following week off from faith formation classes. That means we might have one or two classes during the Christmas season—and those after the world has already moved on past trees and tinsel. How do we teach children the importance of the Christian understanding of Christmas when the timing seems a bit awkward? I try to do so by using the last class before Christmas as a project […]

Local Pilgrimage as a Form of Adult Faith Formation

Joe Paprocki

All too often, adult faith formation is approached as “CCD for Grownups” with settings that are little or no different than academic classroom settings for children. In reality, adult faith formation can and should take many forms. One opportunity that is often overlooked is that of the local pilgrimage. As Catholics, we learn not only from Scripture but also from our Tradition. One of the great ways of learning from our Catholic Tradition is to visit […]

Hosting Small Faith Groups: A Summary of Links

Joe Paprocki

Over the past six weeks, I’ve shared a series of posts on how to host small faith groups in the parish, with an eye toward Lent. Special thanks once again to St. Barnabas Parish in Chicago for sharing the inner workings of their successful experience, Companions on the Journey, for our benefit. Here, in one convenient space, is everything you need to implement small faith groups in your parish! How to Host Parish Small Faith Groups […]

Facilitating Small Faith Groups for Lent

Hosting Parish Small Faith Groups—Free Discussion Materials for Lent

Joe Paprocki

Jesus was often surrounded by large crowds, clamoring to hear the Teacher speak. But Jesus first was only known to a small group, the Apostles. After the Resurrection, the Disciples continued spreading Jesus’ message to other small groups—the Philippians, the Ephesians, the Corinthians—and the tradition of small groups of devoted followers continues to this day. That’s what we’ve been focusing on with the series on how to host parish small faith groups. The series strengthens […]

Called to Be Saints

Lisa Jones

We are all called by God to be saints. Every year, I strive to teach the children in my parish third grade religious education class that they are included in that call. I explain that the saints were not perfect; they were regular people who sometimes messed up. The difference is that saints changed their lives to live as disciples of Jesus. The saints are examples for us in how to follow Christ. That’s a tall […]

How to Host Parish Small Faith Groups, Part 6

Joe Paprocki

This is the last post in our series on how to host small faith groups in your parish. I have been drawing on the successful experience of St. Barnabas Parish in Chicago, which gathered over 200 parishioners to participate in small faith groups last Lent. Today we look at what must be done throughout the season of Lent to sustain the small groups and suggest some post-Lent follow-up ideas. Week Before the First Sunday of […]

I Need Your Input

Joe Paprocki

In my work in adult catechesis this year, I am assisting the pastoral staff of St. Barnabas Parish in Chicago with articulating a vision for adult faith formation for the parish. We are using the Six Tasks of Catechesis to guide our efforts and we are presently working on the first task, which is Knowledge of the Faith. Here is where I could use your help: Please describe one initiative in your parish that is […]

The Advent Prayer Grab Bag

Denise Gorss

Traditional Advent activities include Advent wreaths, calendars, and Jesse trees. While these are all great ways to help children celebrate the season, I like using something different: the Advent prayer grab bag. The prayer grab bag takes its inspiration from the popular party game of grab bags. I ask my group if anyone has ever participated in a grab bag and invite someone who has to explain the tradition of bringing one gift to a […]