Spiritual Growth Archives - Page 22 of 30

The Spiritual Life of Catechists, Part 7: Devotion to Mary and the Eucharist

This is the seventh and final article in a series about the spiritual life of catechists, inspired by the list of characteristics in the National Directory for Catechesis. Did you know that the Virgin Mary is known as “mother and model of catechists?” Catechists are called to a special devotion to her because “[t]hrough her own special vocation, Mary saw the Son of God ‛grow in wisdom, in age and in grace’ (Lk 2:52). She […]

Remembering the Larger Story in Catechesis

Eric Gurash

As we near the midpoint of our catechetical year, we can begin to feel dragged out and even a little intimidated as catechists. We’ve come so far since the fall, and there is so much left to do. We can get so caught up in parish life that we feel overwhelmed and lose our focus on what moves us and inspires our ministry. We can forget that all of the activities, planning, and preparing we […]

According to Your Word

Paul Gallagher

In the life of a parish, there are going to be good days and bad days. The good days include sacramental events such as First Communions and Confirmations. Bad days might force us to deal with troubled children, angry parents, or upset pastors. If we want to celebrate the good things and rise above the negative, the Virgin Mary might be an example for us to pattern ourselves after. Throughout her life, Mary no doubt […]

The Spiritual Life of Catechists, Part 6: Participation in the Community

Joyce Donahue

This is the sixth article in a series about the spiritual life of catechists, inspired by the list of characteristics in the National Directory for Catechesis. Catechists and catechetical leaders generally don’t sit in ivory towers reading theology in their spare time (thankfully!) Theirs is a lived faith, and nothing indicates that more than active involvement in the parish community. Their reputation and appearance as a regular part of parish life is proportional to the […]

Where Have You Been, Lord? Praying the Examen with Your Families

Eric Gurash

I always found our opening prayers for Confirmation and First Eucharist meetings to be challenging. Normally these involved something written down, something we would all read together, or maybe a pertinent piece of Scripture, or maybe both. It often felt dry and mechanical. What I wanted to do was engage our families, invite them to get to know the Jesus I knew—a Jesus who was active, interesting, and intensely interested in their lives. The question […]

The Spiritual Life of Catechists, Part 5: Missionary Zeal

Joyce Donahue

This is the fifth article in a series about the spiritual life of catechists, inspired by the list of characteristics in the National Directory for Catechesis. Have you ever met someone who was “on fire” for God? When you encounter someone who speaks about faith with contagious enthusiasm, that’s missionary zeal. It’s memorable—and contagious. Zeal is not a word we use much today. The dictionary defines zeal as “great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of […]

The Spiritual Life of Catechists, Part 4: Dedication to the Evangelizing Mission of the Church

Joyce Donahue

Editor’s Note: Several of our new Catechist’s Journey contributors will be familiar to those of you who read DRE Connect. Today, we share with you one article in a series by Joyce Donahue. This post originally appeared on DRE Connect. This is the fourth article in a series about the spiritual life of catechists, inspired by the list of characteristics in the National Directory for Catechesis. In the film The Blues Brothers, the main characters, […]

The Spiritual Life of Catechists, Part 3: Personal Prayer

Joyce Donahue

This is the third article in a series about the spiritual life of catechists, inspired by the list of characteristics in the National Directory for Catechesis. Catechists are called to a strong prayer life, having not only a habit of regular personal prayer but a living relationship with God. The Catechism describes prayer as God’s gift, a covenant relationship, and communion of life in Christ. Through it, we discover God, who dwells in each human […]

The Spiritual Life of Catechists, Part 2: Authenticity of Life

Joyce Donahue

This is the second article in a series about the spiritual life of catechists, inspired by the list of characteristics in the National Directory for Catechesis. Have you ever encountered truly genuine people, those about whom you can say, “With (name), what you see is what you get”? That’s essential for catechists. The NDC calls this, “a coherence and authenticity of life.” It is “characterized by [the catechist’s] faithful practice of the faith in a […]

The Spiritual Life of Catechists, Part 1: Finding and Sharing Love and Joy

Joyce Donahue

Editor’s Note: Several of our new Catechist’s Journey contributors will be familiar to those of you who read DRE Connect. Today, we share with you the first article in a series by Joyce Donahue. This post originally appeared on DRE Connect. This is the first article in a series about the spiritual life of catechists, inspired by the list of characteristics in the National Directory for Catechesis. One aspect of a catechetical leader’s responsibilities is […]