safe environment Archives - Catechist's Journey

Growing with GOD: Safe and Sacred™ - child safety and family life program

St. Barnabas Family Catechesis: Safe Environment Session

The January session for family catechesis at St. Barnabas will be a children-only session on safe environment. Since my role is to facilitate the parent sessions, I’ll actually have the day off! As part of the implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the Archdiocese of Chicago requires its parishes and schools to provide valuable training to children and youth annually. This important training is designed to educate children and […]

Growing with God Coronavirus Response Lesson

A Coronavirus Response Lesson

Joe Paprocki

Any experience in life—whether good or bad—is an opportunity to learn. That holds true for this Coronavirus threat that we are experiencing and enduring. We are all learning how to adapt to the unique situations that we find ourselves in. As always, it is up to us adults to make sure that children are learning the right lessons from the experiences that affect them. With that in mind, Loyola Press has created a special lesson […]

Establishing a Climate of Trust: Growing with GOD

Joe Paprocki

Many experts in leadership emphasize that one of the first priorities of an effective leader is to establish a climate of trust. In other words, people need to know that they are safe in this environment that they are being invited into. This is especially crucial in a faith formation/spiritual environment where people are being invited to entrust their entire being to the Person of Jesus Christ and his Church. Doing the work of establishing […]

Forming Good Digital Citizens: Kindness on the Internet

Barb Gilman

Students use digital devices so frequently that the Internet has become a part of their everyday life, both at school and at home. With students spending more of their free time on these devices, more questions come up in my class about the Internet. While we cover the topic of Internet safety as part of our Safe Environment Training at fourth grade, this should be an ongoing topic with our students. I adapted an idea from my […]

Safety Programs in the Classroom

Shannon Chisholm

I began my position as the director of faith formation at my parish with dreams of renewing my students’ and their families’ relationships with Christ. I imagined how I was going to be the best catechist to my students. I would create engaging lesson plans, I would lead reflective retreats, and I would assist at Masses that inspired people’s faith. What I didn’t imagine were other important—but not as romantic—elements of a faith formation program […]