Grace is such a packed topic for a blog post; I realized that I would have to narrow things a bit. So, I turned to the Catechism, and found my focus in Paragraph 2004: “Among the special graces ought to be mentioned the graces of state that accompany the exercise of the responsibilities of the Christian life and of the ministries within the Church: Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, […]
If you’ve been following Catechist’s Journey for a while, no doubt you’ve read my lament that one of the mistakes we make in adult faith formation is that we assign participants a passive role: we bring in a speaker to do a presentation, perhaps open it up for some Q & A, and call it a night. One way to ensure that there are more voices being heard than the guest speaker is to recruit several […]
More and more, I am finding that many parishes have numerous adults involved—under the radar, in many respects—in giving service to others. On a weekly basis, folks are visiting/staffing food pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and so on. They are preparing sandwiches, folding clothing donations, and delivering meals to people. All of this is wonderful. However, we are not doing enough to help people see their efforts through the lens of faith. There are numerous […]
The Church which “goes forth” is a community of missionary disciples who take the first step, who are involved and supportive, who bear fruit and rejoice. —Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 24 How can we tell if our evangelization efforts are working? We know that many times we are called to scatter the seeds of Good News without ever reaping the harvest. Part of the difficulty in assessing evangelization efforts is due to the highly […]
Adult faith formation leaders are always planning ahead. With that in mind, here is a suggestion for an effective strategy for Christmas. Many parishes are finding that the celebration of Christmas in the parish is a wonderful opportunity to focus on strengthening the faith of adults (many of whom do not regularly attend Mass) by doing a book giveaway at all of the Christmas Masses. Loyola Press is ready to assist you in such an effort […]
What was your favorite meal, favorite book, or favorite TV show when you were eight years old? How did you see the world? Fast forward to when you were in high school. How would your answers change? Now think about today; are your answers different? We’d be in deep trouble if we didn’t grow up and expand our tastes, knowledge, and skills. Unfortunately for many Catholics, when it comes to faith formation, we put on […]
As a mother of three young children, Mass can be a bit of an unpredictable experience at times. I remember one particular time when my pastor, Father Bill, called for a moment of silence during Mass and our two-year-old son Ian shouted at the top of his lungs, “Boo, boo, I scare me!” Needless to say, that moment of silence was shattered by a couple of giggles throughout the congregation. While I am always thankful […]
I have a confession to make. I am a soccer mom. This week we will have soccer matches every night for four nights in a row. I am also a DRE and a Ministry Consultant, treasurer for the soccer organization and Saturday concession coordinator, and mother and general problem-solver for five children ranging from middle school to post-college struggling adult. I wear many hats, often simultaneously. I find life out of balance on many occasions […]
At a recent Theology on Tap event, I met a young woman named Jennifer. As we talked, I learned that she was a catechist at one particular parish but that she frequently attended Eucharistic Adoration at another parish. I asked her which one she was a member of, and she replied, “Neither. I’m multiparishional. My idea of a parish community is something that is fluid and customizable to my needs and time. Besides, what are […]
As you prepare to begin a new catechetical year, take a few moments in prayer, reflecting on how the first day of classes might begin. Imagine Jesus visiting you in your office. Pause for a few moments to be still. Relax and turn your focus inward. Recognize that God is with you as you continue the journey of faith. It is September. It is also the first day of faith formation sessions. How are you […]
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