Catechist Training Archives - Amazing Catechists

The Baby Catechist’s Guide—A Crash Course to Sharing Your Faith with Confidence

There is a running joke that newly ordained priests are “baby priests.” In this same vein of humor, new catechists are “baby catechists.” This can be an apt comparison. Are you struggling to find your footing and learn to walk? Do you sometimes want to sit down and throw a tantrum? G. K. Chesterton said, “What was wonderful about childhood is that anything in it was a wonder.

It was not merely a world full of miracles—it was a miraculous world.” Teaching catechism is a miraculous world. As a baby catechist, you don’t need to feel anxious or overwhelmed. Instead, you should be aware of the wonderful, miraculous world of sharing your Faith and be able to do so confidently.

The goal of this crash course is to save you from crashing and burning so you can spread your wings and fly. Here are 10 tips that will help you be the best teacher you can be.

Communicate

G. K. Chesterton said, “The only people who seem to have nothing to do with the education of the children are the parents.” If it was true in his time, it is certainly true now. One of the most important things you can do as a teacher is interact with the parents. It is what we see at home that guides who we become, and this is especially true of our Faith. Ensure the parents are aware of this. Without their cooperation, you can only do so much. Gather the parents on orientation day or after the first day of class and explain to them in person the significance of the role they play. Communication with the students is important as well. Ask them how their week was and show them you care. We are children of God, not names on a roster. Ensure the children know you are looking out for their wellbeing and want them to succeed. Sometimes what they need most is a mere word of encouragement or sign that someone cares.

Make Expectations Clear

Make your expectations clear from the start. Tell the parents you expect them to take their children to Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation. Explain how they will receive updates and can communicate with you. Make it clear that their children will have homework
and be expected to memorize prayers, that there will be a midterm, final exam, and individualprayer assessments.

Establish Classroom Routines

Begin with a routine so the students know what to do. Implement the schedule from day one. When they walk in the door, have them turn in their homework books at the same desk, find their assigned seat, and begin every day with a prayer. Routine is important. It shows you are serious and helps strengthen the students’ memory, experience, and focus. When I teach, we begin each class with a quiz from the previous week’s reading, read the current week’s chapter, and then I discuss the chapter using my lecture notes and take questions. Every week we follow the same schedule, yet each week is new.

Set Your Expectations

Set expectations and do not relax them. If upon reevaluation you see room for improvement, make changes, but do not allow excuses to lower your standards. “He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently” (Proverbs 13:24).

Plan

While it may seem obvious, make sure you take the time to plan ahead. It helps you tie the weeks together and provides breathing room if you get sick or unexpected things eat into your preparation time. This prevents scrambling to get material ready, helping you avoid stress and mediocre teaching. Make sure you have wiggle room in case class activities take longer than you expect and have extra material prepared in case everything is accomplished sooner. Know what activity sheets you will need, which weeks have heavier workloads, whether you will need supplies, and when the students need to know certain prayers so you can prepare them. This will give you time to research as well. If you know you are learning about the Eucharist in the coming weeks, look up some Eucharistic miracles to share. If a class day will align with a favorite saint’s feast day, put aside time to talk about that saint and how they carried out the
values you are teaching that day.

Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

Stand on the shoulders of giants. There are many great resources out there. Don’t reinvent the wheel. See what others have done and reuse it with your own spin. Read books, listen to podcasts, and talk to other teachers. They can give you valuable advice that might otherwise take years to unlock yourself. I recommend reading 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator by Jared Dees. I also highly recommend taking trainings such as VIRTUS, as well participating in fire and lockdown drills. These trainings will help you protect the children under your care. You cannot teach your Faith if you do not know it. Keep learning! J. R. R. Tolkien said, “True
education is a kind of never-ending story—a matter of continual beginnings, of habitual fresh starts, of persistent newness.” A great student makes a great teacher.

Prepare a Proper Workload

Make sure you assign homework. Assigning homework shows the students and parents that you are serious and reinforces what the students learned in class. It also helps you identify who is struggling and with what. This enables you to tailor your teaching to your students’ needs and narrows down which topics you may need to explain further in future classes. C. S. Lewis accurately said, “The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.” The problem is not that children have too much material to work with; the real issue is they are not supported in learning more. Often, we assume they cannot take as much as we have to offer, or we are afraid of failure. Never trying means you will never fail, but it also means you will never succeed. When we remove the restrictions that fear places in the way of learning, we are often surprised by how much children accomplish.

Assign Prayers and Assess Periodically

Assign prayers they should know and have prayer assessments periodically. Prayer is talking to God; it is a relationship with God. This is extremely important. In the world of technology, we are so surrounded by noise that we rarely take the time to unplug and sit in silence. Give the students that chance. Maybe you could have the class spend five minutes in contemplative silence, allowing the children speak to God in their hearts and hear His voice. If you could accomplish only one thing, it should be prayer. Help the children understand that prayer is talking to God and teach them how to pray. We are human and will inevitably fail. With a strong connection to God in prayer, the children will be led by Him on roads we never could have navigated ourselves.

Make Time

Be patient and kind but firm. This can be easy to forget when stress sinks in or issues arise. Maybe you run out of class time, there’s a misbehaved child, or homework is submitted incomplete. It is important to address these issues but remember also that your example is more powerful than your words. If you rush through the material just to get it all done and do not answer questions, you are exhibiting a lack of care for the Faith and the students. If you snap at the students, they will not trust you.

Addressing Behavior Issues

It is important to address issues with misbehaved children. Keep in mind as you do so that we do not know what their home environment is like. Sometimes what a child needs most is a listening ear and kind support. Be patient and kind, but not flaky. Laxity will help no one. Often the child who is out of hand has not learned that “no” means “no” and that instructions are not for negotiating. Do not give in where you are right. Be patient and kind but firm.

Leave Time for Questions

Leave room for questions. Children want to know more. Questions show engagement and a desire to learn. Do not quell that. Questions help clear up misconceptions, clarify the lesson, and provide insight into your students and their grasp on the material. I have heard some very insightful questions from second graders that I didn’t always know the answer to. Don’t be afraid to admit if you don’t know! Tell them you’ll find out and make sure you do it.

Do Not Underestimate Your Value

Unfortunately, for many students you will be the only example of a practicing Catholic that theyhave. Be one they will remember as a ray of joy in the darkness. Be a shining light and example. G. K. Chesterton said, “The dignity of the artist lies in his duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world.” This is the same for teachers. Children in our world today are faced with many difficult issues from divorce to abuse to harmful ideologies in school. Be a haven of hope, goodness, truth, and beauty. Be someone they feel they can turn to if they need help.

Ask God for Guidance

Remember to pray. Apart from God, we can do nothing. Don’t stress. Don’t worry about convincing people. All you need to do is plant the seed and God will take care of the rest. Remember the words of St. Padre Pio: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.” St. Vincent Ferrer was known for moving many people with his preaching. One day, he knew an important man was coming to hear him preach. He worked so hard on his sermon, that he didn’t have time to pray.

The nobleman left unimpressed. Sometime later, the nobleman came back to hear him speak. This time, St. Vincent didn’t know and prayed before preaching as usual. After hearing the sermon, the nobleman was greatly touched. When St. Vincent heard this, he said that in the first sermon it was Vincent who spoke—in the second, it was Jesus Christ. The moral of the story? Apart from God we can do nothing. Remember to pray.

Teaching CCD is an extraordinary gift. While it can be difficult, it is also very rewarding and is one of the spiritual works of mercy. I will be praying for you and so will your fellow catechists. You are on the front lines now, soldier. Stand strong! Do not be afraid—you were born to do this.

Classroom Management and Teaching Effectiveness for Catechists

By Mark Trolio Leave a Comment

“Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into public places, like the first Apostles who preached Christ and the Good News of salvation…”

Hello fellow Catechists! These powerful words were spoken by Saint Pope John Paul II to an estimated 1,000,000 worshippers during his closing Mass for the World Youth Day in Denver on the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, 1993!

As a Catechist, you have answered this great Saint’s call to make God visible to those around you by volunteering to be a Catechist!! You no doubt noticed that he said “…like the first Apostles…”. As a Catechist, you are – through your service to our young Catholics – walking in the footsteps of the Apostles!!

Those “first Apostles”, inspired and driven by the Holy Spirit…
1) taught about the Good News of Jesus Christ;
2) were driven to save souls;
3) faced “students” who ranged from motivated, to somewhat interested, to (at times) recalcitrant; 4) persevered, and courageously so, in spite of the culture of their times.

They are certainly worthy of emulation…and, as Catechists, we all are blessed with the opportunities to do just that!!

Classroom Management Tips for New and Veteran Catechists

You may be a new Catechist very much looking forward to greeting your students for the first time…yet wondering what awaits you when you begin teaching young Catholics about Jesus and His Church. You may, on the other hand, be a “veteran” Catechist of the past few years, simply looking for helpful hints to enhance your effectiveness in both teaching your students and managing your class and your classroom.

I can say from personal experience – and hopefully you veterans will agree – that being a Catechist is remarkably motivating, illuminating, and rewarding! Yes, being a Catechist can be difficult and challenging at times, but isn’t meeting and surmounting those difficulties and challenges in itself rewarding…especially when, as a Catechist, you are bringing your students – through your words, actions, and very presence – to a knowledge and understanding of, and a relationship, with Jesus Christ?!

Simply yet profoundly stated: Being a Catechist is a remarkably important and powerful vocation, that can and, hopefully, will have a life-changing impact on both you and your students!!

Advice from an Experienced Catechist…and the Power of Networking!

I gladly share that belief with you from personal experience during my 38 years as a Catechist. That said, my growth and development as a Catechist over the years – especially in classroom management and teaching techniques – was driven by experiential knowledge (i.e. trial and error!), accumulated learning (thanks to mentors and remarkable Directors of Religious Education!), and some good old-fashioned (said with all humility…) common sense.

I would like to share those classroom management and teaching techniques with you.

After reviewing them as a new Catechist, I very much look forward to your own comments and questions. If you are a “veteran” Catechist, please also feel free to share your own experiences and “best practices”…that is, what worked for you and, yes, even what did not.

Networking among Catechists can and should be an integral and supportive part of both our vocation and our weekly or bi-weekly efforts in support of our students as young Catholics!

We are all in this together…yes, just “like the first Apostles”!!

Suggested Techniques for Effective Classroom Management and Catechist’s Teaching Effectiveness

Be Firm, Friendly, and Supportive!

1) At ALL times when working with your students…be FIRM, but FRIENDLY and SUPPORTIVE – but please remember that you are NOT their peer. That said, do not hesitate to tell them intermittently- especially during your first class – that you are there to teach them about
Jesus and his Church. In addition, share with them – again, especially during your first class – that your ultimate goal in doing what you are doing is to help them build and strengthen their relationship with God and help them achieve eternal salvation. In other words, you want them to get to Heaven (and, yes, tell them that…)!!

Assign Seats on the First Day of Classes…

2) I highly recommend that you give your students assigned seats from day one (whether you are in a classroom or at a table in a large room!), preferably in alphabetical order (front to back OR side by side), and I always avoid changing these seats throughout the year – except in cases of bad conduct. This is your unspoken yet effective indication to your students that YOU are in control of YOUR class and that YOU are the teacher in the room! Even more importantly, you’ll get to learn their names quicker and, in doing so, you’ll build a positive and fruitful working relationship by showing your respect for them!

It sure beats just pointing!

Have Fun While Staying in Control…and The Importance of Mutual Respect!

3) A minor yet important note: Smiling or laughing at something funny they say or do in relation to the material in class is always acceptable and good (in a way, this shows you are respecting them) BUT you must “switch that off” quickly or you will lose both the attention of your students and the control of your class.

4) If your students ask questions that are “off-topic”, answer ONLY the first one and then return to topic. Gently cut off the other off-topic questions – and tell them you would be happy to answer their similar questions after class (if this is possible given your dismissal protocols)! I have always enjoyed doing that when and if my students follow-up on my offer!

5) Emphasize from your very first class that mutual RESPECT (student to teacher / student to student / and teacher to student) governs ALL behavior in class at all times. Always be consistent in enforcing this rule! This builds a positive and affirming sense of community among the students and yourself! (More on this principle of “community’ later…)

Rules for Your Students!

6) Given #5 above, the following key rules apply in your class at all times – and these rules should be conveyed on day one…and re-emphasized whenever necessary:

a) ONLY one person speaks in class at all times. This is a sign or mutual respect among everyone in the class! Correct them as needed, and always be consistent in gently but firmly enforcing this rule!

b) The students MUST raise their hand and NOT shout out if they have an answer to your question OR if they have a question themselves. Correct them as needed, and always be consistent in gently but firmly enforcing this rule!

c) If two students sitting next to each other are exhibiting poor conduct, correct them with a warning that their assigned seats will be changed if their actions continue – while also emphasizing that it is NOT your desire to do that AND that you are confident they will correct their behavior in the future. If, after two warnings, their misconduct continues, you MUST then move one of the students to the other side of the room – without hesitation. Your definitive and authoritative action – especially while emphasizing that your actions are for their best interests in helping them learn without distractions – will be noticed by your students!

Rules for the Catechist…

7) The three rules for success in real estate? Location…location…location!

The three rules for success in teaching? Preparation…preparation…preparation!!

8) Fully preparing for your lesson is an integral component of a successful class!! When preparing for each upcoming class (and it is recommended you start doing so at least 2-3 days before your class date – if not sooner), plan as if your class is at least 15-30 minutes longer than it actually is! Doing that will ensure that you will never run short of material to teach for that class! ALSO, writing down an outline of your lesson plan for you to use and refer to during class will help you immensely!

9) When planning your lesson as you plan for your class, always be fully cognizant of the main theme (or topic) for that particular class*. By identifying the main theme/topic for yourself (during lesson planning) AND for your students (during class) you are essentially
establishing your goal & objective for that class (i.e. what you want them to learn and understand).

*Note: Your Director or Coordinator will almost always present you with the theme/topic listing (a syllabus) for each class at the start of each academic year, as either driven by the contents of a related grade-level textbook or a curriculum formulated by the Director or Coordinator of Religious Education or Faith Formation.

Writing the main theme/topic up on your blackboard or whiteboard (or on handouts if you have neither available) at the start of class will help your students – as visual learners – to focus on the subject matter being presented…providing you “stay on track” to your theme/topic.

An In-Class Tool to Help You…

10) Here’s a tool to help you “stay on track” with your theme/topic…

BELOW the main theme/topic you’ve written on the blackboard or whiteboard (or handouts) at the start of class for your students – again, since they are visual learners – I highly recommend you write a sub-heading entitled “KEY WORDS”. You would then list your actual key words below that sub-heading which will essentially be your talking points that you’ll be presenting throughout that particular class to illustrate the overall message of your theme/topic for that class.

For example, if the theme/topic is the Holy Eucharist, these could be your “key words” you would list below your sub-heading…

Bread
Wine
Last Supper
Jesus
Priest
Mass
Consecration
In memory of…
Real Presence

I have found the use of key words to be a highly effective teaching tool…not to mention a great resource to review – at the start of the next week’s class – the theme/topic I had presented during the prior class!!

11) Each time you do your “class prep”, always prepare for how the main theme/topic should and can connect to, support, and enhance your students’ spiritual lives as Catholics! Be prepared to offer the students ‘real life’ examples – BOTH hypothetical AND including those
experiences from your own life…as long as they are not too personal! Always listen to the students if they have their own RELATED experiences as well – within time limits.

Encouraging Class Participation!

12) Class participation should always be an integral component of all your classes, whenever appropriate to your theme/topic and your “key words”, as you identified during your lesson planning and as presented in class!! From time to time, ask your students if they have any questions about what you just presented. This enhances their learning, helps to keep their attention, AND – at times – will help you expand on the subject matter you just taught them (which I always enjoy doing!).

ALSO, I highly recommend that you consistently remind them that “THE ONLY DUMB QUESTION IS THE ONE NOT ASKED!”. If a student raises his/her hand (AND, again, they must NEVER shout out in class!!), and you didn’t ask the class a question, call on them right
away! (Yes, it could be a bathroom trip, but I’m always optimistic that it’s not…and many times my students’ questions have been amazing!!)

The Teaching Guide – A Help in Lesson Planning!

13) In the event your parish program gives you a Teaching Guide related to the curriculum and the syllabus, use their suggestions that you are comfortable using…because if you use a suggestion with which you are NOT comfortable your students will recognize your
uneasiness immediately – especially with the older grades. Nevertheless, I have found many of the suggestions in Teaching Guides to be very helpful and creative!

Being Consistent…Especially When Beginning Your Class!

14) Consistency in how you start – and conduct yourself in each class – is important!! For example, since prayer should always be an integral component of your class, I highly recommend that you begin each class by asking the students if they have anyone to PRAY for…i.e. their prayer intention. (It is suggested you limit their prayer intentions to one each student for time management purposes, but if a student says he/she has a second intention that is absolutely OK!)

By doing this, you give yourself the opportunity to show the students that their faith is at work (if they had no faith, they would not pray!) AND you are showing the students your respect for them as fellow Catholics…for in their presenting their prayer intention you are
showing them that you and the rest of the class are praying for their intention also! This builds a sense of Christ-like fellowship in the class – which, in essence, becomes a community of faith (and not just a class!) thanks to this communal prayer!!

**********************************************************************************************************************************

A Final Thought…

Hello, again! I realize this is a substantial amount of information…but I wanted to share all this with you at this early date so you would have an opportunity to review it all over the next few weeks before your classes begin.

Again, I will look forward to your comments, questions, observations, and best practices… AND if you already have your curriculum and your schedule syllabus from your Director and Coordinator and you would like a suggestion for handling a particular theme/topic, please do not hesitate to let me know!

I’ll be back in touch with additional ideas that will hopefully help you throughout the year.

God bless!

Mark

This article originally appeard on Amazing Catechists on September 16, 2024.

The Five Arks of VBS

By Christian LeBlanc

It’s almost summer now, but it’s also the winter of VBS discontent: the cost, the programs, the relevance, the Catholicity, etc. I don’t do Vacation Bible School so I’m not an authority; I just see VBS angst kick in on the Net each June.

Homemade VBS

At a VBS thread today someone suggested that VBS could be homemade instead of following a packaged program. (Although as Jerry Seinfeld might say, there’s nothing wrong with that.) So I thought for several seconds about what sort of homemade VBS I might like to do, and came up with this:

Assuming there are five days of VBS, they might be tied together by the idea of Ark:

1. Noah’s Ark
2. Baby Moses’ Ark
3. The Ark of the Covenant
4. Mary as the New Ark
5. The tabernacle in church as Ark

Ideas for DIY VBS

Read Bible Stories, Draw, Color, and Craft

There will be good stories to tell, read, and act out; things to draw, color, and craft. Any of the stories could be expanded per time available, e.g., Baby Moses’ Ark could be preceded by Joseph and the famine that brought his family to Egypt, and/or followed by the story of the first Passover.

Then the kids could choose to make or draw: the pyramids; a sphinx; Joseph in his coat; Pharaoh; Moses in his Ark; the Burning Bush; one of the plagues; the Angel of Death passing over a house marked with lamb’s blood; parting the Red Sea, etc.

Having Kids Retell the Whole Story

Then they could assemble what they’d done in chronological order and as a group retell the whole story by referring to their artwork. Maybe each day’s artwork would append to the previous days’ such that on the last day they could tell the whole connected story to their parents or another class.

Connect the Old Testament to the New Testament

The Bible would be treated in an organized way, and the kids would see a meaningful thread of Catholicism run from the Old Testament through the New, and on into the kids’ very own church.

Ya can’t beat that.

This article originally appeared on Amazing Catechists on June 10, 2012.

Samson and Eucharistic Prayer #1

By Christian LeBlanc

We’re in the middle of a month of learning about the Mass. We just finished this part of the Eucharistic Prayer:

“Look with favor on these offerings and accept them as once you accepted the gifts of your servant Abel, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, and the bread and wine offered by your priest Melchizedek.” We review the offerings of these three (a lamb, a ram substituting for Isaac, bread & wine); the kids have seen all of them before. Now I pull out this bit from the Greenville, SC newspaper:

“Hey, y’all look at this, Bob Jones University (the local Fundamentalist college) is staging an opera called Delilah. I mention it because I know y’all love opera as much as I do. We don’t like opera! Well, you should like opera. Anyway, somebody tell me who Delilah was. She cut off Samson’s hair. Yes, genius; now somebody else tell me about Samson. He was strong as long as his hair didn’t get cut. That’s right. Look at that long hair, must be a wig.

“Hey, who were Isaac’s parents? Abraham & Sarah! Right, why were they sad for so long? ‘Cause they couldn’t have any children. Yes, and then? God gave them Isaac. Right. Well, Samson’s father Manoah, and his wife had the same problem- no chirrens. But then one day an angel, which in Greek means….? messenger! yes, a messenger appeared to Manoah’s wife and told her she would soon conceive a son. Later on, the same messenger (they couldn’t tell he was an angel) also spoke to Manoah, and suggested Manoah should make an offering of Thanksgiving.”

“So Manoah took a young goat with the cereal offering, and offered it upon the rock to the LORD, to him who works wonders. And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar while Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground.” (Judges 13) Wow, they didn’t know he was an angel ’til he took off!

“Tell me, what’s the deal with the flame going up to heaven? Huh? Why does it matter which way the fire goes? Well, it’s going to heaven. Yes…what’s going to heaven, exactly…not the flame…oh the offering is going up! Yes…all by itself I suppose, a burned up goat….why is the messenger going up? He’s going back to heaven, too. Yes, so the angel and the offering are just going up separately, but at the same time to heaven, right? It’s just a coincidence? Well…maybe the angel is taking the offering up. Yes, I think so. The messenger takes the offering up. The angel connects earth and heaven. And where’s the offering starting from? Earth. Yes, be more specific please, listen: “when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar.” Oh, from the altar. Yes. So the angel carries the offering from the altar up to heaven.

“Now, let’s look at the picture on this handout (it has this pic, and the relevant bits from Judges and the Eucharistic Prayer)…

…and read this next part of the Eucharistic Prayer:

“Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice to your altar in heaven.”

“What does that sound like? It’s like what Samson’s father did! Yes, it’s like the angel taking Manoah’s offering from the altar on Earth up to heaven. But the picture and the prayer are both from….Mass! Yes! We don’t see the angel who does this, but it’s part of our prayer, we believe it happens. Why can’t we see this? C’mon, we’re blinded by something….oh, sin! Yes, and to believe in something we can’t see we need….faith. Yes. Saints might see something like this, though. And what is the angel taking up? Well, the offering. Yes, but what’s being offered at this point? Umm, bread and wine? No, there’s no more bread and wine. Oh, Jesus is the offering! Yes. That’s Jesus being carried up; not some goat like Manoah offered but a perfect Lamb. And we are offering Jesus to whom? God. More specifically, please…God the Father. That’s it.

“What’s everybody doing in the picture? Huh, they’re at Mass. No, I mean their posture, they’re all bowing (at least their heads) at this moment, why is that? No takers…let’s read the last bit about Manoah again: “…the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar while Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground.” Why’d they fall on the ground? They were scared when the angel took off. Yes, a bit scared I’m sure, but they were in the presence of a miracle, and it made them feel very humble. If I had seen that, I’d have fallen on the ground because I had passed out. People long ago would lie down on the ground in the presence of God, or even a king. Nowadays we bow, lying on the ground is messy. But do you ever notice at Mass, the altar boys bow way down, their heads almost touch the ground when they bow. They bow like Manoah in the presence of God’s miracle.

“Daughter, read the second line, please: “Then, as we receive from this altar the sacred body and blood of your Son, let us be filled with every grace and blessing.” Yes, let’s review for a second. At the offertory, what do the people bring up to the priest? Bread and wine. Yes, then does the priest offer the bread and wine to God the Father: here’s ten bucks’ worth of bread and wine, Father, please forgive our sins? Ha, that’s silly! Yes, so the priest offers what? Jesus. That’s right…and who turns the bread & wine into Jesus’ body & blood? The priest. Wow, he must have super powers. Let’s remember, Mass isn’t mostly about what people do, it’s about…..what Jesus does, yes, so who made it happen? Jesus. Yes. But Jesus works through the priest, so that was a good guess. Then we see in the picture the angel carries our offering from the altar on Earth up to the altar in Heaven…bye! So how do we “receive from this altar the sacred body and blood of your Son” if it all went to heaven? Well, some got left behind. Yeah…think about it this way:

“When my wife puts on Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, she does a ton of cooking and preparation, and the guests know she worked hard for days. When the guests arrive they usually have something with them, what would that be? A present? What kind of present do you bring to a dinner, a power tool? Ha, no, food! Good guess, and maybe for the adults something…wet? Umm,…wine? Yes indeed. Why do guests bring presents? ’cause they are glad you invited them! You got that right! They are not just saying ‘thank you’ but showing it by bring a thanksgiving offering. How do the Greeks say ‘thank you’ at their festival? Efharisto! That’s right…Eucharist. Now if someone brings my wife a nice bottle of wine, does she say thanks, and put it away for another occasion? No, I bet you drink it right then! Right! She says thank you so much, let’s open it now….here’s a glass for you, let’s all have some. It’s like Mass: she does most of the work; the guests show their thanks by offering a small gift; she is gracious and offers them back some of their offering. God does the same thing: we offer Jesus; God says thank you; y’all have some too. And when we “receive from this altar the sacred body and blood” do we put it in our pocket for later? No, we eat it right then! That’s right! That’s how we show thanks at a feast: we eat it all right then!”

That finishes our coverage of this part of the Eucharistic Prayer. By the way, this does not exhaust the teachable content of that picture; for example, I did not mention the crucified Christ…that’s not a mere crucifix in the picture.

This article originally appeared on Amazing Catechists on March 9, 2010.

Catholic Studio Art Studies for K-12

By Rest in Thee Publications

Fine Art is often viewed as a fruit of the seven classial liberal arts. We struggled to find materials in our homeschools and classrooms that taught Studio Art, while staying true to the classical model of education and in line with Catholic values. Here we have compiled some of our favorite Classical Art Curriculum for Catholic Homeschools and Classrooms.

*WIP Rest in Thee Mary Star of the Sea Pencil and Watercolor*

Classical Art at Home / Classical Art at School

Our experience with Classical Art at Home has been excellent. It is a beautiful curriculum that can be used across the ages, teaching fine art as a fruit of the seven liberal arts. The students receive the “laws” or “rules” needed to draw well. This is very important to our family, that art is taught in the classical tradition, with God at the center, and that the order and reason behind each decision are clearly explained so that the student learns the rules, applies them, and watches their own art progress! Similar to learning an instrument, the students in Classical Art at Home are studying the natural world around them as their notes, learning to read the music if you will, so they can create art. Focused on showing and helping students capture what is true, good, and beautiful, from a truth-life naturalist perspective, we are very thankful for Classical Art at Home! Pros:

clothed figure drawing
classically trained artist
homeschool program or school program tailored to your needs
affordable and can be used with the whole family
catholic morals and values woven throughout
teaches art using order, logic, and natural laws
very personable and responsive husband/wife team
in-person option for locals
teaches with structure, yet allows for wiggle room spacing study intensive topics with “just for fun” application drawings
art history taught along the way
self paced and live online classes offered

Cons:

geared toward highschool level (although this is adaptable!)
online format may proove challenging for some – especially with the live classes

Overall impression: A curriculum option for invested parents who are willing to play a part in maintaining internet safety and oversight for live classes in order to help the child learn from this modern classical artist, or for those looking for a truly classical self paced model with clothed figure drawing, and a focus on goodness, truth, and beauty.

St. Augustine Academy Press Art Education Through Religion

This series is beautiful and spans ages K-12. Developed in the late 1920s by Mary Gertrude McMunigle, the format is consistent with other graded curriculums. Two priests: Rev. Paul E. Campbell, A.M. LitD, oversaw this project and this homeschool or classroom art curriculum has an imprimatur! The lessons are project based, with a focus on art and industrial design. The series is intended to teach virute and students can hope to gain many life skills as they work through the books and advanced in their studies. Pros:

graded books with one teacher manual for all
project based
teaches with structure, order, and intention
God-centered faith based projects to learn common and neccessary applications
practical skill based
thought provoking as children devlop unique desgins and create within the boundries of the assignments
teaches virtue
imprimatur

Cons:

no live classes or features
not a studio or drawing course

Overall impression: A great curriculum option for parents looking for a weekly art program to use within their homeschool or teachers in their classroom to cover basic skills in an interesting way while teaching the Truths of the Faith! May your art studies be blessed and lead you to the Truth in the Holy Catholic Faith. Republished from www.restinthee.com

10 Ways to Share a Breathing, Bleeding, Being Faith

By Cay Gibson

In my last column I promised to explore “… how to take this living, bleeding, breathing message outside our classrooms and into the world.”

The Gospel message as well as this how to drive this Year of Faith home to our students and, in turn, their parents. Some of the ideas were tried this past year, others are on the calendar for this new liturgical year.

The first one is one of those common sense, right-under-your-nose approaches:

1) Read the Gospel

Our Bishop encouraged us to begin each class hour with the Gospel reading. It was a no-brainer really. We made sure there were stacks of Bibles in each classroom. What excited the teachers the most were the children as young as third grade pulling us into the classroom before class started to show us their Bibles open at the Scripture verse written on the blackboard and ready to read. They learned quickly how to locate the Gospel readings. It often became a competition to see who could find it first.

After class, teachers began to arrive in my office lamenting that they had spent the entire hour discussing the Gospel reading. Was that a bad thing?

No I didn’t consider it’s wasted time at all.

Catholic children reading and discussing the Gospel? Sounded like I good beginning to me.

Afterall, our Bishop had suggested it, encouraged it, insisted on it.

An added plus was their confidence level in using their Bibles and being able to locate Scripture in it. We know how great the Bible skills of other religions are. The Catholic Church gave us the Bible; Catholic children need to reclaim that ownership and know how to use it.

The usage of the Bible and the connection to the Gospel reading was in place quite effortlessly.

2) Liturgical Year

Next was something I had come across my first year of directorship at our church:

In Quas Primas, an Encyclical on the Feast of Christ the King written in 1925, Pope Pius XI instructed us to focus on the new liturgical year as a teaching tool to touch both the mind and heart of our youth. In part:

(21) “For people are instructed in the truths of faith, and brought to appreciate the inner joys of religion far more effectually by the annual celebration of our sacred mysteries than by any official pronouncement of the teaching of the Church (emphasis mine). Such pronouncements usually reach only a few and the more learned among the faithful; feasts reach them all; the former speak but once, the latter speak every year—in fact, forever. The church’s teaching affects the mind primarily; her feasts affect both mind and heart, and have a salutary effect upon the whole of man’s nature. Man is composed of body and soul, and he needs these external festivities so that the sacred rites, in all their beauty and variety, may stimulate him to drink more deeply of the fountain of God’s teaching, that he may make it a part of himself, and use it with profit for his spiritual life.”

The liturgical year as a teaching tool! Such a simple, effortless idea!

We had our classroom altars in place. Green, purple, and white clothes are supplied for the children to change out as the feast days changed. I also sectioned several specific feast into annual observances for our students and their parents.

September is always the focus of our Blessed Mother whose “Yes!” brought our Savior into the world. We begin our school year with an Open House and a Cookie Rosary.

In October we have a Parade of Saints and a display of Relics. Classrooms vote for their classroom saint and doors are decorated as learning tools. Something planned for St. Francis’ feast day either with a blessing of pets or simply by placing stuffed animals in every classroom is fun. This year we will have a creation skit where, as the creation story is read, our fifth graders will appear holding various items: a basket of dirt, a goldfish in a bowl, a bouquet of wildflowers, a rabbit in a cage, new kittens, and the list goes on.

Meditations are always successful and Mother Church encourages us to remember the dead…always…and to pray for them. This has become a morbid, almost anti-Christian observation when, in truth, it is Christian in every way and our children are not being prepared for it. They are told to live for the here and now, tomorrow will take care of itself. Life is too short to think of death, and so we don’t. In recent years the Church is seeing where we are failing in giving our attention to the dead and it might be a good idea to reclaim the devotion for the poor souls. Because of this, this year we will remember our deceased loved ones with a special altar and meditation during November: the month of All Souls. More on that later.

In December we have an Advent Presentation and Retreat.

In January we focus on the Epiphany with the three wise men visiting the classrooms and writing with blessed chalk over the doorposts 20 + C + M + B + 12 and the lower grades rehearse a baptism in the Atrium complete with the children role playing the parents, godparents, priests, etc.. Some also reenact the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River using jump ropes and reading Scripture.

February is reserved for a Lenten Presentation (often a Silhouette Stations of the Cross) as well as classes going one class to the prayer garden to walk the stations in prayer as well as some Lenten treat such as making pretzels.

March is when we honor St. Joseph with our St. Joseph Altar.

April is glorious in Easter and the Resurrection and 1st Communion and Confirmation preparation. There’s never enough days to cover it all.

3) Field Trips

Everybody loves a field trip, especially little people who have been in a classroom all day long. ‘Field trips’ are scheduled into our year to visit the church, the adoration chapel, and the prayer garden. Teachers have told me that students appear at class asking, “Where are we going today?” It’s a chance for movement, a chance to explore, and a chance to realize that this whole church complex is for them and their spiritual needs. It should be their second home.

4) Ministries

This is something new we’re trying this year. The concept is a simple one of discuss, pray, minister, and focus. We cannot sit at a table and talk about the works of mercy and doing for others without physcially passing the bread as well.

Each grade is assigned a ‘ministry’ for the year:

K & 1st graders: Nursing Home Ministry

2nd & 3d graders: Needy Family Ministry

4th & 5th graders: Foreign Child Ministry

6th, 7th, & 8th graders: Pro-Life Ministry

9th, 10th, & 11th graders: Seminarian Ministry

From time to time the class will discuss their ministry and ways of helping them.

At every class they will pray for their ministry intention.

They will collect for their ministry throughout the year. Nursing Home ministry will do craft items to send to nursing home residents. Needy Family Ministry will collect monies and can goods to distribute and clothes if necessary. Foreign Child Ministry will participate in a shoebox project where they collect such things as hygiene items like tooth paste, toothbrushes, soap, etc. as well as rosaries, scapulars, and prayer cards to send to a foreign child. They also spiritually adopt a foreign child to pray for and write letters to. The pro-life group will be given baby bottles which they return when filled with money. The money will be used to purchase something for our crisis pregnancy center. This group also spiritually adopts a mother and her baby to pray for during the nine months of school. The seminarian ministry is a chance for our confirmation candidates to remember to pray for and learn about vocations. We try to have a seminarian come to our classes and speak to them each year. This includes collecting letters, prayers and a spiritual bouquet to send to our church’s seminarian throughout the year.

The focus part of this is on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy so that by the time they confirm they are familiar with what we are called to do as Christians and, instead of just talking the talk, they have walked the walk.

5) Catechism

I received the Church’s new Catechism from our pastor when I was in college and working the evening shift in the church office. It terrified me. I didn’t even open the book until I was in my thirties. Didn’t study it until I was in my forties. How’s that for a slow learner. 😉

Then at a workshop about a year ago, I overheard a teacher of some-30-years whose responsibility it is to catch-up the children who are behind in religious ed, haven’t made the sacraments, or who have never been to religious ed. She commented that after 30 years she has always gone back to the St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism. I remember her lifting her hands and telling the nun before her, “What else can we do in only an hour a week? We have to go back to the basics. That’s all we have time for.”

Go back to the basics. Her words have stayed with me through the planning of every lesson and every activity. Stick to the basics: Scripture/Catechism/Liturgical Year

Done!

I knew that children would never get the big book but there was an older children’s version which has been revised and updated and there is the new YouCat which is endorsed by Pope Benedict XVI and, when I presented it to our pastor, his response was, “If it’s good enough for the pope, it’s good enough for me.”

So I have broken down this year as such:

K—Bible Stories and prayer
1st–Parables and prayer
2nd-Mass and 7 Sacraments (1st Communion Baltimore Catechism)
3rd-5th-Pink covered St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism
6th-8th-Gray covered St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism
9th-11th–YouCat and Beginning Apologetics book

By getting the children familiar and comfortable with the Catechism during their early years and in this early form, we are hopefully preparing them to embrace the Catechism of the Catholic Church in its fullness. At least we have taken the first step.

Also, going “back to the basics” allows us to fully explore and embrace the Liturgical Year and all the beauty and wisdom the Catholic Church offers. Pope Pius XI (see above quote) and I both feel this is a necessary teaching tool during the early years.

6) Saintly Visits

This was a huge success at our recent VBS this past summer (everyone wanted to be a saint!)so I am in hopes of including it in our yearly program as well. This year we hope to have the “Saint of the Week” dressed in costume and walking the hallways before and after class time. The children must try to guess who the saint is and the teacher will be given a brief bio of the saint to read after prayer time.

At the teacher’s meeting I also give each teacher a personal prayer card with their patron saint for the year. This is their “mentor saint” for them to turn to throughout the year. I encourage them to do likewise with their students. They also vote for a classroom saint and decorate their classroom door with information about their saint. Then we have a contest and every classroom door wins a prize: The Most Informative, The Most Holy, The Most Spiritual, The Most Inspiring, etc. The kids love this!

As I mentioned above for October, the children also participate in a Parade of Saints. One child from each class is chosen to represent the classroom saint. At the hall presentation with parents, each little saint must have three clues to tell the audience ending with “Who am I?” If no one guesses the saint, they reveal who they are. It is important that each saint hold the symbol he/she is known to carry in religious art.

7) Art work: icons, statues, paintings, mosaics, stained glass windows

I’m thinking this subject is too rich to confine within this space. Many times artwork speaks to children (and adults) far more than lengthy lectures and/or boring textbooks. This is how the early church taught the people. On second thought…I will write this up in a column all its on.

8) Lectio Divina/Meditation

Such a beautiful, ancient form of prayer and children love this, they actually get this form of prayer because it goes back to a reverant, meditative form that we have all but given up in today’s world of noise. Lectio Divina brings them before the voice of God (Scripture) and allows Him to speak to them. Lectio Divina takes away all other noise and people. It is prayer only between the child and God.

We all need to try this form of prayer. Here is how it is done: How to Practice Lectio Divina

9) Nature

Some people’s eyes roll when they hear nature and spirituality used in the same sentence. They almost always assume we’re going into some hippy-New Age theory. But I defend it. God created nature. He did not create iPods and xboxes and iphones and computers. In this day of over wired children and adults (myself included) we can still find God most often in the stillness of a lake, the peak of a mountain top, the delicate texture of a flower, the first autumn breeze, and the gentle hum of a creek.

It is known that our children are having nature withdrawal and severe nature deficits. They are out-of-touch with God’s creation while fully embracing what is man-made.

I encourage our teachers to take the children outside on pretty days. Let them pluck grass while listening to the lesson. Let them lie on their backs and stare at the clouds while absorbing the lesson.

Have an outside mediation with the children. Let the little children listen and listen well while feeling the grass blades prick behind their ears, the train whistle blow lonely in the distance, the smell of autumn flick the air, and a short meditation of the beauty that is God’s still their ears.

If your church has a prayer garden, now is the time to embrace it. Plan a “field trip” out to the prayer garden. Let the children explore. Discuss each statue, each area, each devotion found in the prayer garden. Don’t over talk; let the children ask the questions. You give the answers. Encourage the children to bring their parents.

10) Atrium/Learning Space

This is the area where hands-on learning comes in for younger grades and those with learning disabilities. It is a Montessori teaching approach with a huge Catholic twist. This year I sectioned out at least 3 separate learning sessions where the teacher will take their class in our Atrium (learning space) for the entire hour class.

This also demands its very own column.

What are your plans this new school year? I encourage ideas in the combox and look forward to hearing from you all. 🙂

Happy Learning and God’s Blessings Always!

This article originally appeared on amazingcatechists.com on September 4, 2012.

Papal Guidance on Teaching the Faith: 12 Timeless Documents on the Preservation of Doctrine

By Alex Resch

Papal Guidance on Teaching the Faith: 12 Timeless Documents on the Preservation of Doctrine

Compiled by Bishop Athanasius Schneider

Published by Sophia Institute Press

When I speak with other catechists and priests from other parishes, I am always amazed at the diverse approaches we all take to faith formation and catechesis. I am particularly grateful for the flexibility in how we hold out the Faith to our Faith Formation families. The church allows us, with our pastor at the helm, to choose a curriculum and approach that will benefit our parishioners the most.

Still, sometimes, it is good to know where to turn for guidance when passing on the Faith. Bishop Athanasius Schneider has recently compiled 12 papal documents about teaching the faith in a new book from Sophia Press: Papal Guidance on Teaching the Faith: 12 Documents on the Preservation of Doctrine. This is such a great resource for catechists and teachers in Catholic education!

Where to Start

Bishop Schneider’s Introduction is the perfect place to start reading this book. He explains how vital it is to pass on the Faith effectively and accurately. As catechists, we need to all stop and think about our methods, and whether they are equipping the next generation to understand and defend their Faith. If the methods are failing, then they must be re-evaluated.

In the Introduction, Bishop Schneider encourages “returning to basics” to teach the Faith. He emphasizes the importance of primary sources: Our Lord, Jesus Christ and the saints. We can also look to the wise and holy popes who have occupied the chair of St. Peter. Thankfully, they have written many helpful and informative documents to guide us. Bishop Schneider has worked to ensure that these documents have been translated accurately to English so that we may understand them and benefit from them

The 12 Documents on the Preservation of Doctrine

Bishop Schneider has compiled 12 documents from the following popes:

Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Clement XIII
Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Pius IX
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Pius X
Pope Pius XI

Each document is published in full in this book. The documents are organized with helpful headings, sub-headings, and numbered points. This structure allows the documents to be easily digested and reflected upon. This book would be great to read and discuss with fellow catechists, perhaps in monthly meetings. You could choose one to discuss together each month of the year.

Helpful Advice Throughout these Documents.

This book is absolutely packed with excellent and practical advice for bishops, priests, and catechists. Even though many of these documents are decades or centuries old, their advice is still relevant today. Some helpful tips that stuck out to me were:

The importance of having children memorize and recite their basic prayers (Our Father, Hail Mary, the Creed etc.)
Each person’s role (bishops, priests, and laymen) in passing on the Faith
Obstacles to teaching the Faith (such as widely dispersed and spread out parishes with not enough priests)
Suggested texts and methods for teaching the Faith
Preparing the faithful to receive the Sacraments
Looking to the saints as examples of how to teach the Faith
Qualities of a good teacher – especially the importance of humility
Warnings of errors in society and heresies
Practical tips for adult catechetical instruction
How and why we should provide our children with Christian Education, specifically

Our Duty as Catechists and Teachers

As catechists and teachers of the Faith, we have many important duties and responsibilities. Teaching the truths of our Faith is neither popular nor easy. Our primary responsibility as catechists and teachers of the Faith is to continue to practice our Faith authentically and pursue personal holiness. Part of this responsibility includes humbly continuing to grow and learn about our Faith so that our understanding of it may deepen. This will also allow us to effectively and accurately pass it on.

If you are looking for wisdom and practical instructions for teaching the Faith, then I think you will enjoy Papal Guidance on Teaching the Faith: 12 Documents on the Preservation of Doctrine. This book will give you a deeper understanding of many aspects of our Faith, as well as practical tips and guidance on how to teach it.

Papal Guidance on Teaching the Faith: 12 Documents on the Preservation of Doctrine can be found at Sophia Institute Press.

May God bless your efforts to teach the Faith in your homes, schools, and parishes!

This book is also available on the Sophia Institute Santifi app as an ebook and audiobook.

Resources for Teaching the Faith Using the Liturgical Year

By Lisa Mladinich

Welcome readers! As I kick off my season of speaking engagements around the country, I find it useful to back myself up here online, by posting helpful follow-ups and resources that our readers might appreciate.

This past week it was a joy to return to St. Lawrence O’Toole Parish in Brewster, New York, to present on using the Liturgical Year to teach the Catholic faith. I’m grateful for the warmth and hospitality of Father Richard Gill, Theresa Scorca, and Pam Crozier! Hat tip to sister-parish, Sacred Heart and DRE, Meg! Thanks for coming with your catechists!I hope we’ll get a chance to chat, next week.

I promised I’d post the live links to everything on the handout, plus a few more items from the slide show, including some quotes with attributions and the feasts we celebrate during the 12 days of Christmas. So, here they are (see below)! Please let me know if there are any other types of resources that would be helpful to DREs, catechists, and parents.

Please copy and share these resources and spread the wealth! And leave your own favorite ideas and resources in the comments box! Your mother did teach you to share, didn’t she?

Please also read Robyn Lee’s column about talking to teens about judgment, mercy, and forgiveness. Robyn is the new editor of RTJ’s Creative Catechist Magazine and she’s a dynamite Confirmation catechist, as well! I bragged about her a lot at the workshop.

Next week, I’m back in Brewster to talk about The Six Tasks of Catechesis! We’re going to have a lot of fun learning the tasks and brainstorming some ideas for our classes. I can’t wait!

Blessings in Christ,

Lisa

Handout: Teaching the Faith Using the Liturgical Year

Lisa Mladinich

Contact: lisa@mladinich.com

Facebook: Lisa Mladinich

Twitter: @lisamladinich

LinkedIn: Lisa Mladinich

Follow the Pope on Twitter: @pontifex

Book of Micah, chapter 6: verse 8.

“He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justice, and to love kindness,

And to walk humbly with your God?”

Pope Paul VI:

“Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” (Evangelii Nuntiandi)

National Directory for Catechesis:

p. 146 “Because of God’s presence in time in the person of Jesus Christ, time is sacred. Christians mark time itself in relation to Christ.”

Also: “The…history of salvation unfolds throughout the liturgical year. Each day of the liturgical year is sanctified primarily by Christ’s presence in it, but also by the prayer and the liturgical celebrations of the People of God, especially by the Mass and the Divine Office. The liturgical year exerts “a special sacramental power and influence which strengthens Christian life.”” (Sacred Congregation of Rites)

“Where purity increases, so does the capacity to love.” (Possibly from St. Josemaria Escriva)

Recommended Websites

Colors of the Liturgical Year: https://www.catholic.org/clife/lcolors.php

Fisheasters.com daily, weekly, monthly dedications: https://www.fisheaters.com/week.html

Daily Dedications: https://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/prayers_and_devotions/daily_dedications.htm

Samples of Vestment Colors: https://www.togetheratonealtar.catholic.edu.au/craft/dsp-content.cfm?loadref=35

The Real Presence and Eucharistic Miracles https://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/a3.html

Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio and the Eucharistic Miracle https://www.catholiccompany.com/blog/pope-francis-eucharistic-miracle-in-argentina

Video: Eucharistic Miracle

CatholicIcing.com – great crafts for the Liturgical Year https://www.catholicicing.com/

O Night Divine, by Mary Ellen Barrett (Advent and Christmas resources) https://maryellenb.typepad.com/o_night_divine/

Cottage Blessings, by Alice Gunther (Homeschooling, Crafts, Devotions, Food) https://alice.typepad.com/

CatholicMom.com https://catholicmom.com/

All About the Angels: Catholic.org: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1157

Nine Choirs of Angels: Who They Are and What They DO https://www.rosaryworkshop.com/HISTORY-9-Choirs-Angels.html

Leticia Velasquez for National Catholic Register: Activities for Advent https://www.ncregister.com/site/article/16463/

Montessori Activities for the Catholic Home https://www.montessorimessy.com/2013_02_01_archive.html

Books:

Walk Humbly With Your God: Simple Steps to a Virtuous Life, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, C.F.R.

National Directory for Catechesis

Sarah Reinhard’s Books:

Catholic Family Fun – A Guide for the Adventurous, Overwhelmed, Creative or Clueless

Welcome Baby Jesus: Advent and Christmas Reflections for Families

Welcome Risen Jesus: Lent and Easter Reflections for Families

Do I Really Have to Give Something Up for Lent?

Saint Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe, by Josephine Nobisso

Also recommended by Josephine Nobisso: The Weight of a Mass, Take it to the Queen, Francis Woke Up Early

The Catholic Baby Name Book, by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

Eucharistic Miracles, by Joan Carrol Cruz

Miracles Do Happen: God Can do the Impossible, by Sr. Briege McKenna, O.S.C.

Ablaze: Stories of Daring Teen Saints, by Colleen Swaim

Radiate: More Stories of Daring Teen Saints, by Colleen Swaim

Thirty-Day Devotions for the Holy Souls, by Susan Tassone

The Amazing Secret of the Souls in Purgatory: An Interview with Maria Simma, by Sister Emmanuel of Medjugorge

The Bible Tells Me So: A Year of Catechizing Directly from Scripture, by Christian LeBlanc

The Year and Our Children: Catholic Family Celebrations for Every Season, by Mary Reed Newland

Catholic Mosaic: Living the Liturgical Year with Literature – an Illustrated Book Study for Catholic Children, by Cay Gibson

The Everyday Catholic’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours, by Daria Sockey. Also: Coffee and Canticles (Daria’s blog)

Catholic Unit Studies by Catholic Family Living:

Eucharistic Thanksgiving, Baptism, First Holy Communion, Advent, The Assumption, All Souls, St. Patrick, by Patricia Bissex and Lynn Mary Wilson. Contact: lynnmaryw@aol.com

Recommended apps for growing closer to God as you prepare to teach the Faith:

DivineOffice

IBreviary

Laudate

Missio

The 12 Days of Christmas: (from: https://catholic-resources.org/Lectionary/Overview-Christmas.htm)

25 – Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, a.k.a. Christmas Day (Gospel Reading from John 1:1-18, or shorter form 1:1-5, 9-14; but only for “Mass during the Day”, not for Vigil Mass, Mass at Midnight, or Mass at Dawn)

26 – Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr (proper readings)

27 – Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (first reading 1 John 1:1-4; Gospel reading John 20:2-8)

28 – Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs (first reading 1 John 1:5–2:2)

HF – Feast of the Holy Family (Sunday within the Octave of Christmas; or Dec. 30 if Christmas and New Year are on Sunday; optional second reading 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24 in Year C only)

MM – Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God (always New Year’s Day, the Octave Day of Christmas; takes precedence over the Feast of the Holy Family)

Ep – Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (traditionally Jan. 6; but in many dioceses, it is now transferred to the first Sunday after New Year’s Day)

Bap – Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (Sunday after January 6; or the following Monday, if Epiphany is on Sunday Jan. 7 or 8; optional second reading 1 John 5:1-9 in Year B only)

I hope these are helpful to you as you seek to follow the Treasure Map of the Liturgical Year!

Don’t forget to share your ideas and resources, too!

Thanks!

Lisa

This article was originally published on www.amazingcatechists.com on Aug 31, 2013.

Hail Mary and Holy Souls!

By Lisa Mladinich

It’s October again, and time to re-focus on and honor our beautiful Blessed Mother, Mary; our perfect model of faith, humility and modesty. Praying a decade each time you gather with your students – year round – can work wonders of grace! Click here for an article from a website devoted to Our Lady of Fatima, which tells — among other things — the story of the famous Battle of Lepanto, in which Catholic military ships were victorious against a much greater Islamic force, because so many Catholics devoutly prayed the Rosary. This victory is commemorated on October 7th. Time to celebrate with your students!

This month would be a great time to order a copy of CCC’s “The Day the Sun Danced,” which tells the true story of the Miracle of the Sun, which occurred during the Blessed Mother’s final apparition at Fatima in 1917. Enjoy it!

And here’s a charming blog post on how to get your whole family in the super grace-filled habit of a daily Rosary!

It’s Pro-Life awareness month, too! Follow this inspiring blog from the wonderful folks at Forty Days for Life. And take time to make your voice heard! Look for the film version of the life of St. Gianna Molla. If you look for it on Amazon, be aware that it has been erroneously listed as a book. You have to look at the image to see that it’s a DVD. Here’s an excerpt from the press release: “’St. Gianna Beretta Molla: A Modern Day Hero of Divine Love’ was produced by Catholic Action for Faith and Family which includes the St. Gianna Physician’s Guild. The mission of the Guild is to unite and encourage Catholic physicians and health care professionals, to promote and defend Catholic principles in a public way by word and example, and to inspire sanctification in their lives.”

I also highly recommend that you and your middle school, high school, and RCIA students enjoy and share the phenomenal bioethics/pro-life work of Dr. Gerard Nadal, an inspiring speaker and blogger, Catholic researcher, academic, and medical microbiologist who I am proud to call a friend.

I have more GREAT links for you, this month, to some fantastic teaching resources – they’re at the bottom of this brief article. But first, in this beautiful month of October, I want to ask you a “November Question”:

Wouldn’t it be weird to raise a child without ever introducing him to his extended family – just to forget about them, like you would something of no importance – especially if they were good and holy people? We would never do that, of course. And anyway, how could we forget our own family?

But that’s just what it’s like when we forget about the Holy Souls in purgatory. Many of them are strangers to us, humanly speaking, but can legitimately be called our family in Christ. Some, however, are people who we have actually loved in this life, and without whom we feel a great emptiness. To say that they mattered to us while they were here is an absurd understatement. They mattered, all right. They mattered a great deal. So why do so few Catholics pray for the Holy Souls?

“Thirty-Day Devotions for the Holy Souls,” by Susan Tassone, is a deceptively small, inexpensive book, which I highly recommend you order this month, so you have it in time for November. It’s a day-by-day novena for the whole month of November, and it’s beautiful, moving, powerful, and highly-doable in terms of the time it takes – which is just a few minutes a day. November is the month in our Church calendar that is devoted to the remembrance of the Holy Souls. I mention it now, because at the end of October we’ll enjoy the festivities of Halloween – which began as a Catholic tradition – All Hallows Eve – on the eve of the feast of All Souls. Beginning with All Hallows, we are meant to reflect seriously and prayerfully on The Last Things – on death, judgment, heaven and hell. Susan Tassone’s tiny novena book will teach you so much, especially the value of praying for and asking for the intercession of the Holy Souls.

So, as we find our thoughts turning toward autumnal celebrations, lets draw our students into the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and teach them the Catholic tradition of honoring and praying for those who have gone before us, “marked with the sign of faith.”

Enjoy our other new columns, this month! We’ve also got wonderful Bible stories, as retold by Tanja Cilia, our Malta correspondent! And our RCIA columnist, Peggy Clores has a new review of Alexander Basile’s wonderful book, “Finding Faith in a Godless World: A Catholic Path to God.”

And check out my new blog, devoted to interacting with the thousands of catechists who have already bought my booklet, “Be An Amazing Catechist: Inspire the Faith of Children,” and all the wonderful folks who have been attending my workshops, this fall. Stop by and leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.

Here are those great links I found!
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Front Royal, VA, provides wonderful resources on chastity and more!

Domestic-Church.com has loads of great resources, for instance:

How to pray the Rosary!

Author and publisher, Matt Pinto, on starting a youth group.

Great teaching ideas by age group.

Sacraments!

Here are a few more from other sources:

Everything faith, family and fun from a Catholic perspective.

Catholic Activities to use in your home or classroom.

Catholic products for teaching faith and virtue to children.

Great article on the seers and the miracle at Fatima!

Catechists Needed

By Deanna Bartalini

One of the director of religious education’s most important tasks is to find catechists who are willing to echo the faith for others in the parish. No matter what grade or age level, the process is similar. I’d like to tell you what worked for me to gather a group of dedicated catechists. I’m going to use the word catechist here; you may use small group leader, children’s minister, or teacher in your parish. Also, I think these ideas work for most parish ministries.

Who are you looking for?

People of faith. Look at your parishioners. Not only parents of children or youth enrolled in your programs. Look at everyone. You are looking for people who are authentic witnesses, care about others, are joyful and patient, and enthusiastic. People who like other people and can relate to the age group they would serve.

Consider the usher who always comments on how nice it is to see children at Mass or the parent who always asks if you need help. When you meet new parishioners, talk to them about past ministry experiences. In fact, talk to many people in the parish and get to know them. When parishioners come to know, like, and trust you, you will have an available group to go to for all sorts of help.

What do they need to know?

I have found that most people know more than they realize about our faith or are willing to learn. A recent convert might not be the best catechist for sacrament preparation classes but certainly could serve as an assistant to someone who will mentor them.

Catechists need to have a good understanding of whom they are instructing. It’s helpful to know what are the characteristics of different age groups and the activities that work best for them.

They also need a basic understanding of the faith and be willing to learn. Catechists should have a personal prayer life and be connected to the parish community, participating in the sacraments regularly.

Other Requirements?

Each diocese and parish will have its own screenings and classes that are necessary to work with various age groups and populations. It is always important to follow those guidelines and keep track of necessary paperwork.

I need catechists, yesterday!

Here is what I found to be most effective in finding catechists:

Pray – ask God to send you the people you need
Count – make a list of how many catechists and assistants you need at each level; include sacrament preparation, bilingual help
Special Projects or Retreats – people may not be able to commit to your schedule, but can help occasionally
List – have a list of tasks that you need help with on a regular basis; snacks, gathering/distributing craft supplies, inputting attendance, parking lot help – the more specific you are, the better your chance of finding a person to help
After Mass Coffee – pick one weekend to speak at all the Masses, be brief, giving the highlights of your program and needs. Then invite people to come to the parish hall and talk to you and a few current catechists. Have the materials you use on hand for people to see.
Talk one on one – the best people who have served with me in ministry have been those either I or someone already in the ministry personally invited. I had a simple and direct strategy. A strategy may even be too strong a word! I would talk to parishioners, telling them what we needed and how they could help. I always made sure to tell them 3 things: I did not expect an answer immediately, I asked them to pray about it before saying yes; the commitment was for a year; and if the answer were no, it would in no way affect our current relationship.
Appreciate – whatever role or task the person agrees to, thank them.
Pray some more! God has sent me wonderful people to serve with through the years.

To find people to serve in ministry, we must extend ourselves personally. As a ministry leader, you are called to serve those who serve with you.

What’s Next?

I’m going to continue this thread for DREs, youth ministers, and ministry leaders, going a bit more deeply into how to help catechists learn more about the faith and the group they serve and deepen their own faith. Let me know if you have any specific questions, and I’ll include them in my posts.