Catechetics Archives - Amazing Catechists

Printable Personality Differences Worksheet #freebie #4KEYS

This printable personality differences worksheet is one of the most popular in the series from my Catholic marriage advice book The Four Keys to Everlasting Love. Please feel free to download, print, and share it widely. FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION, CLICK HERE.

The worksheets are ideal for marriage prep or marriage enrichment, either in small groups or break-out sessions. They can also be used at home, of course, or together with the 4 Keys Online Book Club, which is covering Chapter One this week.

Chapter 1 Worksheet

Turning Two into One:

How to Overcome the Differences that Divide You

Whether you’re newly engaged or long married, congratulations on embarking on the experience of a lifetime! Marriage is quite an adventure, and somehow never exactly what we expect. Our God, after all, is a God of surprises, as Pope Francis is fond of saying.

The first bump in the road that many couples encounter is overcoming personality differences. Opposites really do attract, and that adds to the excitement but can also create conflict. Manny and Karee were very different, as they explain in Chapter One of The Four Keys. When they met, Manny was a “first-generation Spanish American, longtime New Yorker, Catholic, Republican, extrovert, and optimist.” In contrast, Karee was “a Virginian born and bred Episcopalian, Southern Democrat, and introvert with a slight tendency toward gloom.” They overcame their differences through respectful debate and reliance on God who loved them both equally.

In Chapter One, Manny and Karee describe their courtship, the early years of their marriage, and their dramatic struggle through Manny’s four brain surgeries to remove recurring tumors. Along the way, they will show you how to:

Appreciate your personality differences
Find common cultural and religious ground
View disagreements as opportunities for growth
Stand by each other in troubled times
Overcome fear through faith

Conversation Starters

You can use the following conversation starters to get a discussion going among yourselves or in a small group. If it helps, think it over on your own time, take it to prayer, and jot down your answers before talking about them.

What personality, cultural, or religious differences do the two of you have? How have you handled them so far?

How often do you discuss important and difficult topics? How often do you apologize if what you say hurts or angers the other person?

Think of the biggest crisis that has hit your relationship. What character strengths or weaknesses were revealed in each of you?

Which friends and family members can you rely on to support your marriage?

Faith on Facebook: 4 Keys Online Book Club

By Karee Santos Leave a Comment

This Saturday, September 10, more than 170 Facebook members will dive into an online discussion of The Four Keys to Everlasting Love: How Your Catholic Marriage Can Bring You Joy for a Lifetime. The group will discuss the book chapter-by-chapter each Saturday and share prayer intentions on Sunday. They’ll also receive daily inspirational memes based on Scripture, the Catechism, and recent popes, especially Pope St. John Paul II.

The book itself is intended mainly for engaged and married couples. But it’s especially helpful for mentor couples teaching pre-Cana for a refresher of what the Church teaches on a dozen marriage-related topics including, sacramentality, sexuality, and family prayer. Click here to join the online book club now or read on for more details from Michele Faehnle, co-author of Divine Mercy for Moms, who is the group’s administrator.

This past summer, more than 130 Catholic moms enjoyed spiritual fellowship on Facebook in the online book club for Divine Mercy for Moms. The group was such a terrific success that we decided to extend the fun. So I’m teaming with up with co-admins Amanda Torres and Aida Alaniz to delve into The Four Keys to Everlasting Love: How Your Catholic Marriage Can Bring You Joy for a Lifetime by CatholicMom marriage advice columnists Dr. Manny & Karee Santos. The discussions will begin on September 10 and end on December 3. We would love for you to jump on this opportunity to make your marriage and your faith stronger than ever!

The Four Keys to Everlasting Love is practical, easy to read, and full of personal stories to help you develop a stronger relationship with your spouse. As it says in the book’s description on Amazon: “No marriage — even a sacramental one — is free from conflicts about sex, money, child-rearing, in-laws, and work/life balance. Marriage columnist Karee Santos and her husband, Manuel, a psychiatrist who has been counseling couples for more than fifteen years, explore how applying the wisdom of the Catholic faith to marriage can free us to experience deep, lasting, and soul-satisfying love.”

Read on for more.

Zacchaeus: The Long and Short of Our Faith

By Gabe Garnica Leave a Comment

We have all read and heard the story of Zacchaeus, the short tax collector who climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus when Our Lord passed through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem ( Luke 19: 2-4). As the story goes, Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed the tree knowing that this was the only way he would be able to see Our Lord. When Jesus passed by the tree, He called out to Zacchaeus by name and called him down, for He intended to visit his house. As would be expected, the crowd was shocked once again that Jesus, a Jew, would supposedly stain Himself by being the guest of a tax collector.

As is often the case, there is a powerful lesson to be learned in this story which transcends the simplicity of the narrative. To begin with, tax collectors were despised as corrupt traitors who stole from their own to serve themselves and the oppressive Romans. Our Lord, however, sees what is in the heart of the person, and He knew Zacchaeus was a good investment. As was always the case, Jesus did not measure by the standards of this world but by the insight of God. We are certainly not God, but we can emulate Our Lord by refusing to judge a book by its cover.

Secondly, Zacchaeus refused to let the obstacle of his short stature get in the way of his desire to see this Jesus with his own eyes. Others might have used their height as an excuse to give up, or let others describe Our Lord to them. They might have let their circumstances dictate their response to Our Lord’s call. How often do we let circumstances become obstacles and obstacles become excuses?

Third, Zacchaeus ran ahead of the crowd in order to find the most effective and favorable place to overcome his obstacle. Sometimes, our greatest obstacle is failing to anticipate the very obstacles and issues that will befall us. Many people suffer from obsession with the past, which they cannot change, and the regrets that bubble from such obsession. Others are chained to the present, only focused on the here and now and what they can gain in the immediate present. Zacchaeus reminds us that following Our Lord often means that we have to think long-term, anticipate, and plan ahead. Serving God and others is often a question of proactively looking for opportunities to love, not waiting passively for such chances to arise. Great saints like Mother Teresa did not sit back and wait; they reached out in love and stepped outside of their comfort zones.

Fourth, Zacchaeus was willing to climb a tree to see Jesus. He was willing to elevate himself away from the everyday perspective of others. He knew that staying grounded, while seemingly safer, was far more risky to his ultimate goal of seeing Christ himself. Do we prefer to stay too grounded, and too safe? Are we willing to climb out of our usual perspectives to get closer to Jesus?

Finally, when Jesus called out to Zacchaeus, and expressed His intent to visit with him, Zacchaeus quickly came down from the tree, eager to obey and follow Our Lord. Do we cultivate an ability to transcend and rise above the world yet likewise become grounded in Christ? Do we realize that getting closer to Christ often means being able to both rise above obstacles and ground ourselves in His example?

As we walk through our journey on this temporary stop toward salvation, let us harness our inner Zacchaeus and be willing to identify, overcome, and transcend our shortcomings in order to answer Christ’s call to love and service !!

2016, Gabriel Garnica

Golden Catechists

By Gabe Garnica Leave a Comment

The 2016 Rio Summer Olympics is currently the center of the world’s attention, and its many outstanding athletes are great examples of what dedication, hard work, and faith can accomplish. While these great performers have all demonstrated faith in themselves, four outstanding athletes at these Olympic Games have openly and proudly gone a step further by openly and publicly proclaiming their faith in Christ.

American divers David Boudia and Steele Johnson, who earned Silver medals, have openly spoken of their Christian faith and belief that Christ is the center and purpose of all that they have accomplished. In fact, both men insist that they wish to be defined much more by their faith and dedication to serving Christ than for their athletic accomplishments.

Speaking of accomplishments, openly professing Catholics Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky are behind only swimming legend Michael Phelps as the stars of this event.

Biles entered the games in the conversation as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, and her domination so far has only strengthened the argument in her favor. Biles earned four gold medals and one silver, matching the most gold medals ever won by an Olympic gymnast at a single Olympic Games.

Like Simone Biles, swimmer Katie Ledecky entered these games with great aspirations and pressure, being called the world’s greatest athlete by numerous experts and, like Biles, has dominated her events. Expected to earn numerous gold medals, Ledecky has more than met those expectations, winning four gold and one silver.

Both Biles and Ledecky have cemented themselves as record-breaking, historic athletes, but that is not their greatest accomplishment. These two incredible athletes are very vocal and openly practicing Catholics. Biles has revealed that she always carries a rosary in her bag, and Ledecky has publicly stated that she prays a Hail Mary or two before each event.

Biles has revealed that she is devoted to Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of athletes, and that she is a regular churchgoer, lighting a candle beneath the statue of her favorite saint before big events. Ledecky says that her Catholic faith is very important to her and is part of her identity. She feels that her faith keeps her grounded and that faith and prayer help her manage and excel in her athletic life. Ledecky is grateful to the sisters of the convent school where she studied, who she credits with forming the person that she has become.

A catechist is defined as one who teaches the principles of Christian faith by word and action, and Catholic catechists are living examples of the mission of spreading Catholic teaching and doctrine by what they say and do. The above four outstanding athletes are proof positive that one can be a role model of the faith while soaring and spinning in the air as well as by soaring and spinning with enthusiasm for Christ. They are a shining example that serving Our Lord is a greater accomplishment than any medal can ever be.

2016 Gabriel Garnica

The Lily of the Mohawks…..Divine Diversity

By Gabe Garnica Leave a Comment

Tomorrow, July14th, the Church celebrates the feast day of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. She was born in 1656, in the Mohawk village of Ossernenon, near present Auriesville, New York. Her mother was an Algonquin, who was captured by the Mohawks and who took a Mohawk chief as her husband.

Kateri contracted smallpox as a young child which scarred her skin and caused much humiliation in her youth in addition to killing her entire family. She was thus raised by her uncle, who was the chief of a Mohawk clan . Kateri was known as a skilled, diligent, and patient worker but, when she refused to marry a suitor chosen for her, she was punished by her parents by giving her more work to do. Kateri did not complain but merely did as asked. Eventually, her family gave up trying to force her to marry.

When Kateri converted to Catholicism at age 19, taking a vow of charity and pledging herself to Jesus Christ, she was persecuted by her village, forcing her to move to a Christian native community south of Montreal. Kateri had a strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the cross of Jesus, offered regular sacrifices, and practiced great self-denial and mortification. In her last years, Kateri was known for speaking to and touching the hearts of the young with her example and words. Upon her death, witnesses noticed that her scars had disappeared. Kateri is the patroness of ecology and the environment, people in exile and Native Americans.

This wonderful young woman’s story is enough reason to consider her a role model for Catholics, especially young girls. She was bravely devoted to her faith, practiced great humility and self-sacrifice, and was willing to undergo difficulties and suffering to practice her Catholic religion. She certainly did not take the easy route, nor did she crumble before great public and social pressure to either abandon or greatly dilute her Catholic devotion and practice. However, I wish to add a more personal reason for my fascination with this great saint.

Many years ago, I was given a relic of a “very holy Native American girl” whose name I could never remember, much less pronounce. I kept this relic stored away, figuring that it would become a quaint curiosity someday. At some point, my youngest daughter became fascinated with Kateri, and it was then that I realized that the relic I had been given at least a decade earlier, before my daughter’s birth, was, in fact, one of Kateri Tekakwitha. Already seeing this coincidence as perhaps something more, however, I was about to get one more nudge from above.

My family visits the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island, in Long Island, New York, every Good Friday. Three years ago, my daughter and I saw a beautiful statue of Kateri on sale, but the price was a bit high for our means so, sadly, I had to pass, much to my daughter’s sadness. The following year, my daughter excitedly asked for what seemed like the same exact statue, but I did not believe that to be the case, since the statue was priced at half the price we had seen just one year earlier. I could not believe that such a beautiful statue would ever be sold at half its previous price, and imagined that the present statue must have been a cheaper copy or smaller in some way.

Upon coming forward to pay for what seemed like an incredible bargain, we were told that a mistake had been made in pricing the statue and that it was, in fact, the original price which had scared me away just one year earlier. Again, I seemingly had no choice but to back away from the purchase, as the original price was much to high for my means. Seeing my daughter so sad, the saleslady offered us the statue for the mistaken price, enabling us to purchase the item for our daughter. It is my belief to this day that Tekakwitha wanted to go home with my daughter one way or another that afternoon, and she did. The photo above is of the relic and statue in question. Sometimes, what we view here on earth as a mistake is simply part of Heaven’s plan.

My daughter’s love and devotion for St. Tekakwitha has not diminished in the few years since, as she shares Takakwitha’s love of nature and likes Native Americans very much. God willing, she plans to take the Name Takakwitha as her confirmation name in 15 months.

I am sure many parents have similarly cute, yet powerful stories of simple devotion and manifestation of Heaven’s gentle touch in the lives of their children. A simple relic given many years ago, honoring a holy girl who would one day become my daughter’s favorite saint was followed by a minor miracle allowing a good deal purchase of that same saint’s statue. In the quiet forests of upstate New York and Long Island, hundreds of years apart, a beautiful, young saint reached out to a young heart willing to listen, and that young heart’s response and smile melted the years, and distance, away, leaving a message of love, service, and sacrifice all too obvious to ignore. I can almost imagine my daughter having a silent conversation with her Native American friend amid the rustling of the trees and the gentle silence of nature. I can just as easily recall my daughter’s smile after doing a presentation on Kateri at her school. God Willing, my daughter will flash that same smile the first time someone asks her how to pronounce Kateri’s full name at her confirmation.

2016, Gabriel Garnica

Catechesis or Apologetics; Do You Know the Difference?

By Mary Lou Rosien Leave a Comment

Evangelistic Catholics who use the terms catechesis and apologetics, may be assuming people know what they are talking about. There are important differences, not only in the terms and what they mean, but in when they should be used.

Catechesis refers to the handing on of the Catholic faith, often through the use of a catechism. If you look at the index of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, you will find a large volume of information on the teachings of the Catholic Church, on virtually every subject imaginable. From Abortion to the Death Penalty, Eucharist to Anointing of the Sick, and Mass attendance to Holy Days of Obligation, much of what we believe is explained within.

Apologetics is a system of well-reasoned arguments in defense of Catholic teachings; using history, practical knowledge, experience, Scripture and even science, apologetics demonstrates how the Church arrives at the conclusions it does.* The Church is believed to be led by the Holy Spirit and to possess the “Full Deposit of Faith,” through its understanding of Sacred Scripture and Tradition. The Catholic Faith does not change in the sense of dogma; however, the Church does develop a deeper understanding of that deposit of faith, as it is revealed by the Holy Spirit.

So when should a catechist use straight catechesis and when is apologetics more appropriate? This is a complicated question. I believe we should be aware of both and ready to use them as needed. Scripture tells us that we need to “be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:15) To decide which is most appropriate, we need to ask ourselves a few questions.

What is the purpose of your discussion? If a student (or anyone else) has challenged you on a particular tenet of faith, backing up the teaching with apologetics (in a loving way) can assist your student in understanding why the Church teaches what it does. If, however, you are just providing information on Church teaching, then straightforward catechesis is a good place to start.

Do they need head knowledge or heart knowledge? Sometimes students grasp a concept easily but cannot advance that knowledge without a deeper understanding. This can work either way. Some people can understand that 1 + 1=2 without additional information, while others need to see physical evidence of the concept to internalize it. I find that catechesis provides the initial information, whereas, apologetics provides the concrete evidence that some need.

How old is the student? Younger students (in my experience) are very accepting of information and need little else. Consider how a First Communion class responds to finding out that the Eucharist is truly Jesus. The little ones will often say, “Hi, Jesus,” and wave. They just accept what you have taught them. Their parents, on the other hand, have often long since forgotten that innocence, and they want additional information. Apologetics can come in very handy at that point.

We cannot have too much knowledge, and the study of the Catechism and Catholic apologetics go hand in hand. The two are complementary, as both the head and heart journey to a deeper understanding of the Catholic Faith–and an appreciation for how blessed we are to practice it.

*Some free resources for apologetics online:

Catholic Answers

New Evangelizers

Year In Review

By William O'Leary 3 Comments

Each year I send out evaluations to both my catechists and parents to get their feedback about the catechetical year. I praise God for the many blessings from the year: how God worked in families, the creativity of catechists and their desire to share Christ with their students are just a few blessings. Christ desires to draw us closer to Himself and I am grateful for the opportunity to reflect on the many gifts and blessings (seen and unseen) that occurred this year.

Reflecting and evaluating upon what can be improved in the future is also important. The landscape of Religious Education is rapidly changing in many respects and if we don’t consider what we need to do to continually help our families and students grow in a way where they will come to know the Gospel more fully in order that their lives can be transformed. Reaching out to parents and children who are over-scheduled, consumed with noise and distractions can contribute to their ability to seek and find God in their daily lives.

Here are some things I’ve been reflecting upon:

1) How can catechists be trained so that they can seize the opportunities they have to draw students out of their busy world and give them the one thing that satisfies – Jesus Christ? What things are we doing that contribute to children and parents encountering Jesus?

2) Are the resources we are providing catechists (and parents) helping them to pass on the faith and engage kids?

3) What tools and resources can be provided so as to help engage children more fully.

4) How can we involve parents more and help them be the primary educators of their children’s faith? We don’t want to be a program where parents essentially “outsource” faith formation to us (the parish). We want to be a bridge and collaborate with them in order that they may be more empowered to pass on the faith to their children.

How about you?

What have you been reflecting at the end of your religious education year?

Gabriel Garnica

By Gabe Garnica

Gabriel Garnica is crazy enough to believe that we can all be saints, and he refuses to buy the lie that we cannot. He is a college professor with degrees in law and mental health counseling. He was born in Colombia and came to the U.S. as a young child. While Gabe continues to enjoy teaching law, his greatest fulfillment as an educator has come from his ten years as a catechist at two local parishes. Gabe is passionate about sharing his faith through writing and speaking; and he has enjoyed giving numerous talks to children on such topics as Divine Mercy, David and Goliath, The Ten Commandments, and prioritizing one’s faith. While he enjoys talking to children, it is in writing and speaking to adults that Gabe truly feels he has found his calling. His goal is to continue developing his Catholic speaking and write several books on his topics of interest, which include meditations on the Ten Commandments, Divine Mercy, the saints, parable stories, general Scripture, Pro-Life, and The Virgin Mary. He enjoys writing for his blog Deus solus https://wordpress.com/posts/deussolus9.wordpress.com and as a columnist at Catholic Stand ww.catholicstand.com/author/gabriel-garnica/

Gabe’s favorite saints are Tarcisius, Therese “The Little Flower”, and Alphonsus de Liguori, whom he describes as giving us a powerful glimpse of the loving challenge which God has given each of us. As mentioned above, Gabe believes that we are all called to be saints, but we spend more time convincing ourselves why we cannot become one than trying to fulfill our true purpose in becoming precisely that. Gabe also speaks about Catholic marriage as being the true “Love Triangle”, with each partner and God.

The Liturgical Year

By Deanna Bartalini Leave a Comment

A simple info-graphic with the Liturgical Year in a straight line instead of a round picture. The benefits: you don’t need to to try to read upside down, twist your neck into unnatural positions or move the picture as the year progresses.

Actually, for some reason I like the linear idea, though I am rarely a linear thinker.

“Go and Sin No More”

By Maureen Smith Leave a Comment

As I reflected on this Sunday’s Gospel, the words of Jesus to the woman caught in adultery struck me. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”

What must it have been like for this woman who was known for and identified by her sin? When Jesus forgives her she stands as a new creation, freed from her past.

Nevertheless, Jesus is aware that, while she is cleansed of her sin, she will encounter the same temptations, the same situations, and the same people and therefore cautions her and instructs her very clearly.

Jesus does not gloss over the fact that she has sinned. But he does look upon her with a gentle and merciful gaze because he wants to heal her from the harm wrought in her soul by sin. He desires to free her from the clutches of the evil one and give her the grace to follow the path God has for her.

We are given these same instructions every time we leave the confessional and after Mass to “go and sin no more.” In fact, they are of particular significance during our Lenten journey, a season of repentance and conversion of heart.

Jesus does not condemn us but he does take our sins seriously. He died for them, after all! He does not desire perfection for its own sake, but for our own freedom, that we might be restored to our original dignity and be drawn closer to His Sacred Heart.

But what if we don’t feel ready to change? What if we are not sorry? If you think you are the only person who struggles with these problems and questions, know that you have at least one other friend out there who finds herself in the midst of this struggle.

Fortunately, we don’t have to rely on ourselves to conquer our resistance to grace! The words of Jesus in today’s Gospel remind us that we are not bound by our past. Jesus’ redemptive and transformative grace is more powerful than if we had never sinned, because “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This kind of healing love is the answer to our feeble hearts.

Few people know that the Sacrament of Confession is a healing Sacrament. Only recently did I come to know this fact. So, sometimes when I approach the confessional, knowing that my heart is not “firmly resolved to sin no more” but willing it to be, I confess this state of my soul and ask for the healing necessary to be free from whatever is holding me back from doing the will of God and from letting go of my attachment to sin.

As we see in the image of the woman caught in adultery, the Lord comes to us, his children, as we are, knowing our sinfulness and our inability to choose the narrow path over what is easy. He not only forgives us but gives us a share in his power to resist temptation and choose life.

This invitation by Jesus to start anew reminded me of the following passage from the Old Testament that I encourage you to take to heart during your Lenten pilgrimage.

“I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him” (Deut 30: 19b, 20a).

The next time you enter the presence of the Blessed Sacrament or the Confessional, consider asking the Lord for this healing, to choose life.

When you leave Mass or exit the Confessional and hear those beautiful words of the priest, “go in peace,” remember the words of Jesus in the Gospel today and remember that his healing and grace is with you.