I’m sure you can think of an experience in which you felt that someone you thought you knew showed their “true colors.” To show your true colors means to reveal yourself as you really are, for better or for worse. The Feast of the Transfiguration tells us the story of when Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the mountaintop and showed them his “true colors.” He revealed himself as he really is: the Son […]
Before heading out to enjoy fun activities in nature this summer, pause to thank God for the gifts of the season. Our summer prayer placemat invites children to compose a prayer of thanks in a fun fill-in style. Pull out the big box of crayons, because even adults will want to spend time coloring the cute images and completing the activities on the sheet. Encourage families to pray the prayer together before enjoying breakfast, lunch, […]
Coaches often encourage their players to give 110%, which simply means to always strive for more. This idea of wanting to do more, or magis (MAH-jiss) in Latin, was at the heart of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s spirituality: we should always strive to do more “for the greater glory of God.” In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we prepare for the Feast of St. Ignatius on July 31 by exploring the concept of magis. For more […]
For too long, infant Baptism preparation has been little more than a “hoop” to jump through in order for parents to have their baby baptized. That’s why I am so excited to share the news about a wonderful new program from Loyola Press: Springs of Faith. I’m proud to be associated with this program as I contributed to the writing of a number of its components and did catechetical reviews of most aspects of the […]
Except for when we may be engaged in contemplative prayer or Adoration, we Catholics rarely sit still. Even when we worship at Mass, we sit, stand, kneel, genuflect, bow, cross ourselves, and walk in procession. We are a people “on the move“—pilgrim people. One of the most profound examples of this embodiment of our faith is the concept of a pilgrimage, and the “gold standard” of pilgrimages is, of course, the Camino de Santiago (Way […]
With the advent of social media, each of us now has the opportunity to be the herald of news, good or bad. And with that, of course, comes the desire to “break the story” and scoop everyone else. If there were a patron saint for this it would be St. Mary Magdalene, the first to announce the Resurrection of Jesus to others! In today’s Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene (July […]
Now that summer is here, it feels so good to get outside, especially given all of the restrictions we have been living under in recent months due to the pandemic. The beauty of nature reminds us that all of creation is a wonderful gift from God that we need to take care of. In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore the Feast of St. Kateri Tekakwitha (July 14), patroness of the environment and ecology. […]
Rivalries can be harmful, but they can also be productive as rivals seek to “up their game” to keep up with and perhaps outdo the other. In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at the rivalry between Saints Peter and Paul, whose feast we celebrate on June 29, and how the two were able to set aside their rivalry to work toward the same goal: spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends […]
During this pandemic, we’ve had to restrict our presence to virtual for occasions that we normally and preferably would be really and truly present. In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at the concept of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist as we prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). For more information about the Real Presence and the celebration of the […]
We have learned many things during this pandemic, one of which is just how much we value relationships. For Catholics, that should come as no surprise, since we believe we are made in the image and likeness of a relational God—a community of Persons whose relationship is so intimate that they are One! In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at the notion of celebrating relationships in anticipation of Trinity Sunday (June 7, 2020). […]
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