During the Hofinger Catechetical Conference in New Orleans last weekend, I had the pleasure of sitting in on a couple of excellent presentations given by my friend and colleague Tom McGrath, whose specialty is family faith. Tom distributed and made reference to a handout that he has developed called Forty Ways to Foster Prayer in Your Home which is drawn from his book Raising Faith-Filled Kids. Although I have seen this handout before, I was […]
As one of my “catechist-at-large” responsibilities, I did an introduction to the Bible last evening with the 6th graders at Most Holy Redeemer parish in Evergreen Park, IL. It was a very enjoyable experience. Here are the details: There were about 30-35 kids present along with their 3 catechists and 3 aides. Each child had a New American Bible (although there were 2 different editions which precluded me from relying on page numbers. I don’t mind, […]
By now, I’m sure you have heard about Fr. Bob Barron’s Catholicism series which has been airing on PBS around the country and is available as a DVD series. This epic series tells our story with great depth and beauty and will serve as a valuable resource for evangelization and catechesis for years to come. I invited Fr. Barron to share some thoughts on how Catholicism can be used in catechesis and he was kind […]
While in Green Bay, WI, last week, I met an artist, Connie Greany, who offers a unique way to reach people and allow them to express themselves through ceramic mural creation. The workshops she offers result in a beautiful mosaic created by the participants. She has a brochure (no Web site) that describes the workshops and provides information on scheduling and costs. You can contact Connie at 920-257-8597 or at cgreany@sbcglobal.net. Here are some pics she […]
This is a MUST SEE for catechists! Fr. Robert Barron’s CATHOLICISM series premiers (in the Chicago area) on PBS this evening. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I believe this epic series will be the greatest contribution to the Catholic faith of our generation. It tells the story of the Catholic faith from the inside with depth and intellect and beauty. Catechists will find much to inspire them in their own ministry and […]
Here’s a little something from the Dogma Dogs which provides songs of Catholicism for kids. Whattaya think? I have their CD but have never used it in class yet.
Be sure to take a look at The Liturgical Catechist, a new Web site put together by my friend, Joyce Donahue, Catechetical Associate in the Religious Education Office in the Diocese of Joliet, IL. Joyce is one of the most talented people I know in the fields of catechesis and liturgy and she does such a wonderful job of bringing these 2 aspects of Catholic life together (where they belong!). She’s a great resource and now […]
Tonight, at the NCCL conference, I attended a preview of Fr. Bob Barron’s exciting new Catholicism Project. Fr. Bob was a teacher of mine in my Doctor of Ministry program and is one of the most brilliant minds in Catholic thought today. His Catholicism Project is a multi-textured introduction and explanation of the depths of the Catholic faith. What sets Fr. Bob apart from other Catholic “personas” is his ability to speak intelligently about the […]
Alison writes: Hi Joe , could you please give me an explanation on why and when Catechetical Sunday was started and the role of catechists and the community as with regard to catechetical sunday? Here’s some good background on what Catechetical Sunday is all about and how it came about (I found this on the Web site for the Diocese of Fargo) – The third Sunday of September in the United States is celebrated as […]
I received my copies of two new and important catechetical resources: the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) and YOUCAT, the new Catechism for Youth. The NABRE includes a newly revised translation of the entire Old Testament (including the Book of Psalms) along with the 1986 edition of the New Testament. YOUCAT is a catechism especially designed for young people, offering a contemporary explanation of the Catholic faith, with a foreward by Pope Benedict XVI. […]
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