On Friday, September 9, 2016, the Church in the United States will observe a special day of prayer dedicated to peace and justice in our communities and in our nation. My friend Jonathan Sullivan has put together a list of suggestions and resources for his home diocese of Lafayette, IN, and he is graciously sharing these with the rest of us. Thanks, Jonathan! Resources for Day of Prayer for Peace in Our Communities
This Christmas, my wish for you is that you proclaim the birth of Jesus with renewed spirit, fire, and enthusiasm! The great Christmas song, “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” inspires us to proclaim the birth of Jesus “on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere!” That’s what catechists do. We tell the world that Jesus is in our midst and invite others to make him the center of their lives. I know that readers of Catechist’s […]
Beginning this Sunday, October 18, 2015 (8 p.m. ET/PT), a worldwide phenomena of sorts will take place as Oprah Winfrey launches a seven-night event, Belief, on the OWN network. This series will explore humankind’s ongoing search for connecting with something greater than ourselves. It is part of Oprah’s ongoing quest to have a conversation on the topic of spirituality. No doubt, Oprah’s Belief series will be the topic of water-cooler conversations in the week to […]
I was thrilled to receive an invitation from Kerry Weber, Managing Editor of America Magazine and author of Mercy in the City, to write an article for America’s religious education issue on the progress of religious education. Their idea was to reprint an article from 1974 titled, “Where is Religious Education Going?” (written by Rev. Francis D. Kelly, then-director of the Office for Religious Education for the Diocese of Worcester, MA) and to have me […]
In just a few short weeks (September 22–27, 2015), our Holy Father, Pope Francis, will visit the United States for the first time! This is an exciting time for the Church in the United States as the “Francis Effect” continues to shape the lives of individuals and the Church as a whole. Here is his full itinerary. Among the highlights of the Holy Father’s visit are: Mass of Canonization of Junipero Serra Address to the […]
As if we haven’t had enough of the Left Behind series, now a “major” motion picture starring Nicolas Cage is set to be released. Unfortunately, this means that once again, people will succumb to the false notion that there is going to be a Rapture at which time the saved will be whisked away to heaven and the rest will be “left behind.” Thank goodness we have someone like my friend Joyce Donahue to provide […]
Here’s an idea for your parish Adult Faith Formation program: it’s called One Book, One Parish (affectionately referred to as OBOP here at Loyola Press). One Book, One Parish provides spiritual works that explain our Catholic culture and history; books that illuminate, inspire, provoke, and entertain; books that have a unique perspective and compelling authority. We seek to help you establish communities of conversation around our faith and get people to re-engage with the parish […]
The tragic death of Robin Williams is a painful reminder of the insidious nature of depression, an often misunderstood condition/disease. Too often, depression is thought of as a weakness that can be overcome with an attitude adjustment. In reality, however, depression is not something you can just lift yourself out of. It is not a slump, a period of sadness, or a rut. Nor is it to be confused with a “dark night of the […]
Whether you are doing child catechesis or adult catechesis, it is crucial to establish a climate of prayer and one of the most effective ways of doing this is by setting up a prayer table. People ask me where they can get the objects they need for a prayer table and I thought I had posted on that sometime ago but I guess I was dreaming! So here are some suggestions for purchasing objects for […]
This Sunday, May 11, is World Day of Prayer for Vocations which coincides with the 4th Sunday of Easter or Good Shepherd Sunday. Here is a link to the Web site for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations: http://www.worlddayofprayerforvocations.com/ Likewise, here is a link to the USCCB Web site with further links to resources such as prayers for vocations and the message of the Holy Father. http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/world-day-of-prayer-for-vocations.cfm Let us pray that God will call […]
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