One of my favorite quotes is attributed to the great Mahatma Gandhi, who said, “When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator.” I like to ask myself if what I have done or am doing presently serves to expand my soul or if it is diminishing it. I think that there are many things we do in life for recreation […]
Getting up early is my least-favorite thing to do. Yet on Sunday mornings, I spring into action, because I truly can’t wait to see my class. Staying fresh and motivated is important, and I work to make sure that I’m tending to my own development as well as my students’. Here are some ways I keep myself spiritually refreshed. Build in quiet time. Some days, it feels like I’m on the run from the time […]
If you’re a regular visitor to my blog, you know that I have previously talked about the concept of a language of mystery. What is a language of mystery? It is a language that transcends words and relies on sign, symbol, ritual, song and music, silence, gesture, and movement. It is the language that God uses to communicate with his people. Think of how, in Scripture, God’s presence is manifested through a burning bush, a mighty […]
This is the second of two articles about hosting a retreat for children preparing for their First Holy Communion and their parents. This article provides the outline and schedule for the retreat. The preparations, planning, and materials needed for the retreat were described in the first article. Registration and Gathering The retreat begins with snacks and registration. At registration, hand out a welcome kit to each family. Ask each family member to write their names […]
This is the first of two articles about hosting a retreat for children preparing for their First Holy Communion and their parents. This article covers the preparations, planning, and materials needed for the retreat. An outline for the retreat will be provided in the second article. One of my favorite activities to do with the children is Come to the Table, our First Communion Retreat. This retreat has become an opportunity for family catechesis, when […]
March 25 is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, when we recall and celebrate the day that the angel announced to Mary that she had been chosen to be the Mother of our Lord (Luke 1:26–38). As I’ve mentioned here before, Marian feasts are ultimately about Jesus, since Mary seeks to draw attention, not to herself, but to her Son, Jesus, who brings us the Good News of rescue, restoration, and reassurance. Mary participates in […]
Teaching about angels is something that I weave throughout the catechetical year. There are so many ways that angels pop up in different contexts. My overall learning goals in teaching about angels are for the children to know: (1) Angels are unique and special beings created by God; (2) angels serve as God’s messengers and servants; and (3) everyone has a guardian angel. I want my students to recognize angels as special beings created by […]
This is the second of four articles that explore Encountering Christ in Harmony: A Pastoral Response to Our Asian and Pacific Island Brothers and Sisters (ECH:API), which was approved by the USCCB on June 14, 2018. Encountering Christ in Harmony outlines four concerns—Identity, Generations, Leadership, and Culture of Encounter and Dialogue—and examines each one through two lenses: our faith expressed and our faith engaged. The first lens, our faith expressed, views the stories of Asian […]
After a successful session with Advent Bingo, a catechist asked me whether Lent Bingo existed. While I don’t have a formal game board for that, there’s no reason we catechists can’t play Lent Bingo and other Lenten-themed games with our groups. While Lent is seen as a more solemn season than others in the liturgical year, and rightly so, there’s no reason we can’t lighten the mood in our classrooms with a game, even as […]
Ground your students’ observance of Lent in Scripture and prayer with the help of our Lent Activities Pack. The sheets in the pack include: Personal Prayer Survey Bookmarks for Lent Jesus in the Desert Observing Lent—a perfect take-home sheet to do with family By combining these activity sheets with the seasonal lessons found in Christ Our Life or Finding God, your faith formation group can better understand what Catholics do and pray during Lent.
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