Reaching Parents Virtually

Catechists and catechetical leaders are always searching for ways of connecting with parents of the children in their religious education programs. We all know that parents are pulled in a million different directions, which means that connecting with them in person is not always feasible. One of the lessons we learned from the pandemic (hopefully!) is how to connect with people virtually. There are many simple ways we can connect with parents online to share […]

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week: The Profession of Faith

As we journey through the National Eucharistic Revival, we are reflecting on the parts of the Mass and what each part is calling us to do and be the other six days of the week. In this episode, we look at the Profession of Faith and how proclaiming the Creed is an exercise in trust. The Profession of Faith calls us to deepen our trust in God’s saving grace. How do you strive to put this […]

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week: The Liturgy of the Word

As we journey through the National Eucharistic Revival, we are reflecting on the parts of the Mass and what each part is calling us to do and be the other six days of the week. In this episode, we look at the Liturgy of the Word and how the Scripture readings invite us to reshape the narrative of our lives and of the world from one of loss, brokenness, and fear to one of rescue, restoration, […]

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week: The Penitential Act

During the National Eucharistic Revival, let’s look at the parts of the Mass to reflect on what each part is calling us to do and be the other six days of the week. In this episode, we look at the Penitential Act, through which we acknowledge that we are sinners and ask for God’s forgiveness. We consider how the Penitential Act of the Mass calls us to embrace our brokenness and open ourselves up to […]

Living the Mass the Other Six Days of the Week: The Introductory Rites

As we journey through the National Eucharistic Revival, let’s look at the parts of the Mass to reflect on what each part of the Mass is calling us to do and be the other six days of the week. In this episode, we look at the Introductory Rites, which include the opening procession, the greeting by the priest, and the Penitential Act. We consider how these elements of the Mass call us to move from […]

Advent: A Season of Anticipation

Years ago, a TV commercial effectively used Carly Simon’s song, “Anticipation” to accompany images of thick, rich ketchup slowly making its way to the opening of the bottle before being generously slathered on mouthwatering burgers and crispy French fries while a voice says, “Think of how good it’s gonna taste when it finally gets there!” The commercials ended with the claim that this ketchup has “the taste worth waiting for.” I can’t help but think […]

Eucharistic Revival Begins Soon!

In just a few weeks, the Catholic Church in the United States will embark upon a three-year Eucharistic Revival in hopes of rekindling within Catholics “a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.” The revival will officially start with diocesan celebrations on the Feast of Corpus Christi (The Body and Blood of Christ), June 19, 2022. In 2023, the focus will be on parishes and resources that will deepen Catholics’ understanding […]

Doing Arts and Crafts Projects in Short Class Times

Most catechists experience the crunch of time when teaching, knowing that they have a great deal of content to convey to their participants in a very short time. Sometimes, the notion of incorporating an arts and crafts project in a lesson just seems impossible given the time constraints! Thankfully, over the years, I’ve heard of a number of suggestions from catechists about how to accomplish this. Here are a few of their ideas: Provide children […]

Lent as a Thin Place: In Death You Will See New Life

Without a doubt, births and deaths are some of the most profound moments of our lives. They are most certainly “thin places”—those moments or places where the veil that normally prevents us from recognizing God’s presence seems to be quite thin. As we approach Holy Week, we prepare to come face to face with death and new life; Good Friday and Easter are a continuum. In our catechetical settings, Holy Week provides us with an […]

Curating Advent Resources to Fit the Needs of Those You Teach

As the role of the catechist continues to grow and evolve to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world, one of the models that is becoming more apt is that of the catechist as curator. Typically, we think of a curator as that person in a museum or gallery who is responsible for acquiring, caring for, and developing a collection of artifacts that will be displayed for the edification, education, and inspiration of those […]

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