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Explaining the Holy Trinity

“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”—these are words we use every time we pray the Sign of the Cross. Even young children know them. The prayer expresses the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, that God reveals himself in Three Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is difficult for anyone to understand, especially young children. St. Patrick famously explained the Trinity by relating God in Three […]

Following in the Footsteps of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Joe Paprocki

As you read this, I am enjoying the privilege of being on a pilgrimage with a number of people from Loyola Press to Spain and Rome. We’ll follow in the footsteps of the founder of the Jesuits, St. Ignatius of Loyola! While on this sacred journey, I will be attempting to stay “off the grid” as much as possible. Thus, my posts for the next couple of weeks were pre-written before my trip, and I […]

Faith Formation for Parents: Bruce’s Story

Eric Gurash

As he sat down, he leaned to the mom next to him and whispered, “Don’t ask any questions; I want to get out of here before eight!” This was Bruce*, a 40-something professional man whose daughter Denise was enrolled in our Confirmation program. The setting was a parent session offered before the children’s sacramental preparation began. Bruce rarely went to church, had little to no spiritual life, and no real knowledge of his Catholic faith […]

Honoring Mary in the Classroom or Parish

Heather Felton

Each May, Catholics across the globe celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary, holy mother to us all. Through parish and classroom celebrations, we can show our love and respect for Mary and share her importance with those we teach. There are a variety of traditional activities that parishes use to celebrate Mary, such as the May Crowning or a special Rosary, novena, or prayer service. These are all good, but if you are looking for some […]

Learning about the Apostles

Denise Gorss

During the Easter season, I like to spend some time talking with the young people about what happened to the disciples after the Resurrection. We cover the post-Resurrection appearances of Christ, but I also use the time to introduce the stories of the Apostles and where they went after the Ascension and Pentecost. Christ Our Life, Grade 7, Chapter 7 provides a section called “Portraits of the Apostles,” which details this activity, but the information […]

Four Ways to Keep the Faith in Vacation Bible School

Kathy Henry

This is the third article in a four-part series about winning hearts and minds in the summer through Vacation Bible School. By this time, initial planning for this summer’s Vacation Bible School is underway, and the countdown has begun. We’ve selected a program, scheduled the date, and begun recruiting leaders for the many activities required for a successful program. An enthusiastic team of volunteers is busy brainstorming ideas for games, snacks, decorations, and skits. Whether […]

Ascension to Pentecost: The First Novena - free downloads

Ascension to Pentecost: The First Novena—Free Poster and Booklet

Joe Paprocki

During the Easter season, we look at the Gospel stories of Jesus Christ’s appearances after the Resurrection. At the end of 40 days, Jesus ascended into heaven, promising to send a helper to the disciples as they took on their mission of spreading the Good News. That helper—the Holy Spirit—came 10 days later on the day of Pentecost. Between the Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles and Mary waited in prayer […]

Ascension to Pentecost: The First Novena Poster and Book Giveaway Official Rules

Denise Gorss

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. 1. Sponsor. Ascension to Pentecost: The First Novena Poster and Book Giveaway (the “Promotion”) is sponsored by Loyola Press, 3441 N. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60657 (“Loyola Press” or “Sponsor”). 2. Eligibility. The Promotion is open to persons at least 18 years of age as of the start of the Entry Period (defined below), and who submit a valid […]

Speaking to the Heart

Julianne Stanz

Parishes report that Easter Sunday and Christmas Mass are the highest attended services of the year and our congregations are made up of people at many different places in their spiritual journeys. As ministers we have a whole litany of terms for people who do not attend Mass regularly: “Chreasters” and “Eastmasses” for those who attend Mass at Christmas and Easter and “PACErs” for those who attend services on Palm Sunday, Ash Wednesday, Christmas, and […]

Let’s Make a Deal…and Learn about Making Choices

Denise Gorss

Group games tend to be a hit with faith formation classes, but we cannot add a game to the lesson plan just to play a game—games should enhance the lesson in some way. That said, there are many great options for student games, many of which are inspired by television game shows. I recently decided to try a game inspired by Let’s Make a Deal with my seventh graders. As in the show, the students—the […]