Reaching Parents Virtually

Catechists and catechetical leaders are always searching for ways of connecting with parents of the children in their religious education programs. We all know that parents are pulled in a million different directions, which means that connecting with them in person is not always feasible. One of the lessons we learned from the pandemic (hopefully!) is how to connect with people virtually. There are many simple ways we can connect with parents online to share […]

A Video Game That Slows Children Down and Brings the Family Together?

Two of the common gripes parents have about video games are that they often get children too riled up and they interfere with family time, since most games are played individually or with just one other player. Even when parents or grandparents volunteer to be the other player, we often find the game to be too fast for us to keep up with! Now, there is a video game that can actually help children to […]

The Medium Is (Part of) the Message: Digital Resources for Faith Formation

Back in the 1960s, communications theorist Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase, “The medium is the message,” suggesting that the primary focus of communication is not the message but the medium itself. While I have personally concluded that McLuhan’s statement is hyperbole, I acknowledge that it contains an essential truth: the medium we use to communicate affects how people receive the content. As a child, I became a Chicago Cubs fan even though I lived on the […]

Six Keys to a More Evangelizing Catechesis: Entering Through Their Door

Welcome to our final installment of Six Keys to a More Evangelizing Catechesis, as we look at the notion of “entering through their door” and focus on using technology in faith formation. St. Ignatius of Loyola said that, when teaching or speaking to a group, it is always best to “enter through their door, but be sure to leave through your door.” His advice is that we need to meet learners where they are and […]

A Prayer for Catechists: Using Technology

This prayer originally appeared in my book, The Catechist’s Toolbox: How to Thrive as a Religious Education Teacher. Download a PDF version of the prayer here. This year asks many of us to try new technologies in spreading the Word of God. What has been your experience with technology in faith formation?

eLearning: What Have We Learned? What Do We Need to Learn?

Here we are in January, 2021, halfway through a teaching year unlike any other! Because of the pandemic, many Catholic school teachers and catechists needed to jump into the world of eLearning and still face the possibility of several more months in the eLearning world. We here at Catechist’s Journey would like to help by offering the following: First, we’d like to host a conversation right here about what you have learned about eLearning and […]

Prayer and Storytelling with a Digital Twist

In my book, Preparing Hearts and Minds: 9 Simple Ways for Catechists to Cultivate a Living Faith, I emphasize the need for meaningful experiences of prayer and effective storytelling as crucial elements for a more evangelizing catechesis. As a Church, we have been praying and storytelling for more than 2,000 years, so these are nothing new. What is new, however, is the digital world of which we are all now citizens! The digital world has opened up […]

Tips for Catechists Doing Faith Formation Remotely (Video)

As a catechist, it’s possible you’re being asked to teach faith formation lessons online this fall due to the ongoing pandemic or as a new approach to doing faith formation in your parish or diocese. Either way, if you’re new to this concept of facilitating remote lessons, I am pleased to share the following free video with you. It offers some basic tips to get you started proclaiming the Good News of Jesus in the […]

Finding God in the Digital World: Introducing Wanderlight!

St. Ignatius taught that a life of faith leads us to find God in all things, whether it be nature, experiences, relationships, or even technology. It is no surprise, then, that Ignatius did not hesitate to use cutting-edge technology—the printing press—to proclaim the Gospel to the world in the 16th century. In that same spirit, Loyola Press is proud and excited to introduce Wanderlight: A Pilgrim’s Adventure™ —an immersive digital game to help young people learn […]

Connecting with Middle Schoolers on Zoom

In the past few months, I learned that middle-school students know what is going on in the world and are deeply affected by it. I learned that they understand the power of prayer, especially in interceding for others. I learned that they turn to God when they are scared. I learned that they love their families intensely. How did I learn this? I learned it during our weekly Zoom calls, during which I offered them […]

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