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Catholic Social Teaching 101: Videos from USCCB and CRS

It’s not always easy to find good resources on the topic of Catholic Social Teaching. Thanks to Catholic Relief Services and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, however, we now have a free video resource with which to engage those we teach with the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching. CST 101 is a collaborative seven-part video series presented by the USCCB and CRS. The videos bring the themes of Catholic social teaching to life and […]

Living the Liturgical Seasons at Home - Advent - children at Advent wreath

Six Ways to Celebrate Advent at Home

Joyce Donahue

Advent offers unique and beautiful opportunities to make family memories in the home. The traditions of this season allow Catholics to practice our faith more deeply and with greater attention and intent. Here are some simple ideas to celebrate a faith-filled Advent. 1. Savor the darkness. During Advent, the days are short and the nights are long. Just as we long for the warm and sunny days of summer, we long for the light of […]

Three-Dimensional Formation of Catechists

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

The Wai’anae and Ko’olau volcanic mountain ranges flank the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Miles of scenic hiking trails wind through their ancient forests and majestic peaks. Some trails are easy and child-friendly, others steep and strenuous. One trail in particular requires great stamina to conquer: the Koko Head Crater Steps. The stairs (pictured above) are remnants of railroad ties from the World War II era, built to haul munitions to the crater’s 1,200-foot summit. It’s […]

The Key to Effective Family Catechesis: Adult Faith Formation

Joe Paprocki

Recently, I shared information about our exciting new Family Catechesis programs from Loyola Press. I can’t emphasize enough that the key to an effective family catechesis program is the formation of the parents and that, if you are taking the time to form parents well as part of a family catechesis approach, you have “killed two birds with one stone”—you have not only introduced a new model for children’s faith formation, you have successfully implemented […]

The Real Life of Catechetical Leaders

Joe Paprocki

When I was a parish catechetical leader, I used to joke with my fellow DREs that we should create the real curriculum needed to earn a degree in pastoral ministry—one that would include courses in how to make coffee and serve refreshments; how to rearrange, set up, and take down tables and chairs and other furniture; how to clean bathrooms and unplug toilets; how to fix jammed printers; how to organize fundraisers; and so on. While we […]

Biblical Literacy for Catechists: Moses, Deliverer of His People

Joyce Donahue

This is the third article in a series about figures in Salvation history and their relevance for catechists. Moses’s name might conjure up images of Charlton Heston in The Ten Commandments or the 1998 animated film The Prince of Egypt. Moses’s life was so dramatic that it still inspires us today. His story is also part of our Salvation History. Through Moses, God saved his people. This tale is so important that it is retold […]

Being a Catechist in Two Parishes

Cindy Coleman

I first volunteered to be a catechist 14 years ago at my home parish of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer when my son was preparing for his First Holy Communion; a few years later, a friend mentioned that our neighboring parish, St. Jude, was in need of additional catechists. I volunteered to be a substitute catechist, but soon became a regular catechist there, where I also prepared children to celebrate First Holy Communion, which has […]

Maintaining Hope and Talking to Young People in the Face of Tragedies and Disasters

Joe Paprocki

It is no secret that we have been bombarded recently with bad news of natural disasters and horrific tragedies. As catechists, it can be difficult to maintain a spirit of hope. We must also be aware of the effect these events are having on the young people we teach. We need to be ready to respond to some of the questions and comments they may have while at the same time keeping in mind that […]

Praying with Families in the Classroom

Kathleen Butler

Prayer is essential for a relationship with Jesus Christ. One of the most important responsibilities we have as catechists is to help our students develop a life of prayer. I encourage my students to find ways to pray with their families, and to facilitate that I invite parents and younger siblings to be part of our prayer circle at the end of each class. While children haven’t yet learned to be self-conscious about prayer, parents […]

Grandparent/Grandchild Camp - photo by Staci Stroud

Grandparents and Grandchildren Go to Faith Camp

Sophie Lorenzo

Grandparents can play a unique and important role in family faith formation. The General Directory of Catechesis describes the family as the primary place where catechesis takes place: “In this family catechesis, the role of grandparents is of growing importance. Their wisdom and sense of the religious is often times decisive in creating a true Christian climate.” (236) Pope Francis echoed a similar message in a tweet about grandparents: How important grandparents are for family life, […]