As we approach Holy Week, it is not unusual to see Catholic parishes, often the religious education programs, hosting a Seder Meal – the ritual meal that Jews celebrate to mark Passover. The intention, it would seem, is to show the connection between Eucharist and Passover. It is true that there is an intimate connection between the Eucharist and the Passover. I would venture to say that one cannot fully grasp the Catholic understanding of […]
I had a list of topics that I’ve wanted to blog about and couldn’t decide which one to pick so I thought I’d address them all! Here goes: They came back! Kudos, once again to my DRE, Arlene, for making it clear that Confirmation is not the end. All of my students (save for one absentee) returned last night for their first class after Confirmation! Their biggest comment about Confirmation? “The bishop put SO much […]
Here’s something you might be interested in. The Archdiocese of Chicago Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry sells “Know Your Catholic Faith” folders. Here’s the description: Pocket folders custom designed with Catholic prayers and the parts of the Mass printed inside and on the back. Buy them for your catechists, students, or persons in a special program. Available in English, Spanish, and Polish. The folders (2 pockets, no clips, 9 x 12) are available for […]
I am proud to announce the availability of my (previously out-of-print) video, Welcome to God’s Library, on DVD! In the year 2000, I filmed a video titled Welcome to God’s Library which provided a basic introduction to the Bible for Catholics (intermediate/junior high through adult). The video summarizes the thrust of my book God’s Library. Several years ago, this video and the original edition of the book went out of print. Since then, I’ve been receiving inquiries […]
I had the pleasure of sharing lunch with Connie Rakitan, the coordinator of a program called Faith and Fellowship – a ministry of faith formation for people who suffer from mental illness. Statistics reveal that one in four American families are affected by mental illness. As catechists, we need to realize that 25% of those we teach are affected my mental illness, meaning that they or someone they know suffers from a mental illness such […]
The New Year often brings with it a bevy of Top Ten lists that look back over the previous year (e.g. ten best/worst movies, etc.). With that in mind, I thought I would put together a list of the Top Ten posts from my blog in 2007, based on the number of comments they received. Enjoy! 10. Feed the Catechists! 9. The Law of Love – It’s No Secret 8. First Guided Reflection 7. How […]
Rather than post something new, I’d like to direct your attention to the lively conversation that is going on over my December 7 post on Intergenerational Catechesis (inspired by an intergenerational event I recently attended). Several of the folks from the coordinating team of the host parish left some insightful and challenging comments and questions and we’ve engaged in a very productive conversation over the last couple of days. I’m most impressed by the passion […]
A colleague of mine sent me the following interesting bit of information just a short while ago and I’m happy to pass it along to you: The Congregation for Clergy has just started an email service for priests, deacons and catechists through which you can sign in to receive via email all documents issue by the congregation. To sign up go to: http://www.clerus.org/pls/clerus/cn_clerus.h_start_consult_ext?dicastero=2&tema=-1&argomento=-1&sottoargomento=-1&lingua=2&Classe=1&operazione=ges_email&rif=&rif1=&vers=2 They also have a new page http://www.clerus.org/bibliaclerus/index_eng.html which contains the Bible in many […]
How appropriate that our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, released his newest encyclical – Spe Salvi (Saved by Hope) – just in time for Advent, our season of hope! I’m printing out a copy of the encyclical this morning and will read it on the train today and tomorrow and share some thoughts.
Last night, I prepared the young people to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation by leading them in a meditative examination of conscience. First, we talked about the practical steps involved in going to confession. I was pleased to find that in general, they were very familiar with how to go to confession and very relaxed about it. This can be credited to the program offering the sacrament twice a year: Advent and Lent. For […]
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