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How to Include Parents in Faith Formation Through Community-Building Family Nights

How do we involve parents in faith formation? This age-old question seems to be getting harder and harder to answer. We seem to live in a “drag, drive, and drop off” culture when it comes to parental involvement in our faith formation programs. We use phrases like “create a culture of expectation,” “invite, welcome, and include,” and “mandate, require, and coerce” when talking about our efforts to include busy parents. But how do we effectively […]

Getting Families Involved in the Classroom with Show-and-Tell

Kathy MacKenzie

One day last spring, I was hanging out in the lobby of our parish center, as I often do when classes end for the day. It was 5:00 P.M., and some of the parents had spent the entire hour waiting for their children by relaxing in one of our chairs, reading a book to pass the time. Others had just arrived, having run a quick errand since dropping off their children an hour earlier. This […]

A Plan for the First Session of Seventh Grade

Denise Gorss

I’m never sure what to expect on the first day of religious education. How many students will show up? What will they be like? How long will the opening prayer service and send-off to classrooms take? A catechist always needs to be flexible, but the first day of sessions makes that quality even more important. This year I had 14 young people on my roster, 13 of whom attended the first session. I expect the […]

Christ the King Adult Faith Formation Team

Meet the Adult Faith Formation Team

Joe Paprocki

After laying the groundwork over the past year, we are blessed to have an adult faith formation team in place at my parish, Christ the King in Chicago. Presently, the team consists of eight people (Seven are pictured and one was behind the camera!) including our Associate Pastor, Fr. Matt Litak. At our first meeting, we shared our hopes and dreams for adult faith formation at the parish and began discussing ideas for addressing the […]

Ways for Children to Engage in Works of Mercy

Joe Paprocki

I don’t think we can ever get enough ideas for how to engage children in Works of Mercy. This is something I have blogged about before and have provided resources to assist catechists in this endeavor. Now, the Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) has put together a very nice PDF of ideas to engage children in Works of Mercy. Go here and select the Works of Mercy for Kids option. Founded in 1843, the Missionary Childhood Association (formerly Holy Childhood […]

Creative Ways to Pray the Rosary

Darcy Osby

Teaching children to pray the Rosary does not have to be monotonous and painful. Since every child interacts with the world around him or her differently, Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences can help catechists make praying the Rosary a positive experience. Here are some creative ways to engage the eight “signs” of intelligence proposed by Gardner. Try praying the Rosary using a different technique each month, or offer several choices for the class as […]

Taste and See - what I'm reading is in my backpack

Experiencing God with Our Senses Online Retreat

Joe Paprocki

Quite often, for my train ride to and from home and Loyola Press, I bring along a book to read. Currently, I am reading and enjoying Ginny Kubitz Moyer’s Taste and See: Experiencing the Goodness of God with Our Five Senses. What I love about this book is that it captures the sensuality of the Catholic faith and especially Ignatian spirituality. Don’t be misled by that word sensuality, which we too often equate with sexuality. To be […]

Five Ways to Pray with Jesus During Ordinary Time

Joyce Donahue

Most catechists can easily help students visualize and pray with particular images of Jesus during the “big seasons” of the liturgical year. During Advent, Jesus is in Mary’s womb; at Christmas, he’s Baby Jesus. During Lent, Jesus is beside us in the desert; at Passiontide (the last two weeks of Lent), he’s the Suffering Servant; and at Easter, he is the Risen Christ. But what is our image of Jesus during Ordinary Time? Finding a […]

What’s Inside My Catechist’s Bag

Denise Gorss

I teach in a classroom that is in a school that closed a few years ago. While this means I can leave some things at the school, the room is still shared space among two sessions of religious education and a few other groups that use the building during the week. I also like to have my textbook, worksheets, and other learning materials with me when I plan sessions, so aside from the prayer table […]

Called to Serve One Another

Kathy Henry

Many who serve in catechetical ministry believe they are answering God’s call. While introducing myself to parents and students on the first day of religious education classes at my former ministry site, I mentioned that I drove an hour one way to get there. One very confused dad asked, “But why are you here?” Without hesitation I responded, “Because I am called to be here.” I genuinely believe God asked me to serve this community. With […]