Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

1 Quick Way to Get Your Lesson Started

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This is a quick way to get your group thinking about the topic of the day you are presenting. It can be used for any age group, kids to adults, and includes a way to turn the activity into something that can be sent home as a reminder of the topic.

Since Lent is approaching, let’s choose that as our topic and put ourselves in front of a middle school group. As they enter your room, ask them this question: When I say Lent, what words come to mind? If possible, have it written out where it can be seen.

What comes to mind?

After you have started your class in the usual manner, ask for answers to the question and write a list of all the answers. Using Lent as the topic, here’s a list: fasting, no meat, pizza, fish, stations of the cross, forty, suffering, death, pray, share, poor. Now, you can make a Word Cloud with the list of words and have it as a visual reminder of what Lent means to the group.

This idea does two important things for your group: they see that they do know something about the topic; as others give their thoughts, more come to mind – showing them the power of listening and working together.

If you make a word cloud for Lent or other topics, share it on our Facebook page! I’d love to see it.

Pray without ceasing?

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Prayer is necessary

I think most of us will agree that a prayer life is a good and necessary part of our spiritual life. St. Paul tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and that can be difficult for many of us to understand, let alone do in the intense world many of us occupy these days. As catechists and parents, we want to instill a love of prayer in those we teach, so they can see the beauty of it themselves.

There’s a book for that!

How Our Family Prays Each Day: A Read-Aloud Story for Catholic Families by Gregory K. Popcak; Illustrated by Jacob Flores-Popcak, published by Ave Maria Press is a read-aloud picture book. In it, Marty and his family talk about all the ways they pray each day. It shows typical family situations  – siblings not getting along, mealtimes, going to Church, sports practice – and how to incorporate prayer into them.

The book makes the point that prayer is not reserved for Sunday Mass, but can take place all the time.

I read this book to my pre-school grandchildren, and they loved it. (The suggested age range is 4-8.) The illustrations are bold, there is the right amount of text on each page and following the pelican added to the fun of reading and talking about the book.

How can you use this book?

Read it to your class, making sure you hold it up so they can see the pictures. Then, talk about ways they can pray every day in their own life. There is a note for parents in the book as well to give you some tips and pointers. It also reveals why a pelican is the family pet!

 

 

Encountering Signs of Faith – The Miraculous Medal

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Sacramentals Defined

First, let’s clarify what a sacramental is:

Sacramentals are instituted for the sanctification of certain ministries of the Church, certain states of life, a great variety of circumstances in Christian life, and the use of many things helpful to man. In accordance with bishops’ pastoral decisions, they can also respond to the needs, culture, and special history of the Christian people of a particular region or time (Catechism Catholic Church, 1668). 

Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church’s prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. (CCC, 1670).

The Draw of the Miraculous Medal

During a particularly difficult time in my life, a friend introduced me to the Miraculous Medal, originally called the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, especially the promise that comes with wearing it, which really helped restore peace to my heart. During Mary’s apparition with St. Catherine Laboure, she explained, “Those who wear [this medal] will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck. Those who repeat this prayer, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee,” with devotion will be, in a special manner, under the protection of the Mother of God. Graces will be abundantly bestowed upon those who have confidence.”  

Miraculous Medal Activities 

  • Each element of this medal came directly from the Blessed Mother—the image on both the front and the back, the words; even how it should be worn. That is remarkable in itself, but then coupled with the countless blessings and, yes, even miracles attributed to it, makes this sacramental worth investigating further.  Click here to learn more about the medal.
  • A fun Miraculous Medal craft for families. This craft is made from aluminum foil with no drawing skills needed—a traceable template of the Miraculous Medal is available as a free download. Learn more on CatholicIcing.com.
  • Seeking creative ways to build a child’s devotion to the Blessed Mother? The Miraculous Medal Shrine offers a plethora of resources, including ten very creative ways to help your family deepen your devotion to Mary while having fun.  Click here to get started!

Growing in Grace

Do you own a Miraculous Medal? Do you wear it daily around your neck? Do you have experiences or examples from your own life with the promised outpouring of graces Mary promised? If you don’t wear one, what holds you back? Have your learned anything from your Miraculous Medal investigation that might inspire you to adopt this devotion?

Learn more about the traditions and devotions of the Catholic Church (including sacramentals) as well as my incredible God-driven adoption story in my new book, Encountering Signs of Faith: My Unexpected Journey with Sacramentals, the Saints, and the Abundant Grace of God (Ave Maria Press, 2022).

 

 

Feature Image Credit: Allison Gingras/CanvaPro

Puppet Script: Jesus, the Greatest Gift of All!

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This week, I offer you another Advent-themed script about a grumpy kid frustrated with all the busyness and distraction of the adults during Advent.

Jesus the Greatest Gift of All-Advent

Feel free to change the names, add or subtract from the content, and share my free script in any way that helps you catechize and enjoy the season with your family, your students, or your parish. I recommend it be used as a puppet show for little ones or a skit to be performed by your confident readers!

NOTE: The only thing I ask is that you not sell the scripts. I own the copyrights and I’d like to keep them free for everyone. If you charge for performances, that’s fine. I know your ministries can use all the help they can get!

p.s.

Some of my scripts, you will notice, were inspired (many years ago) by a Christian script writer by the name of Louise Ferry. I believe this is where you can currently find her wonderful work: https://puppetscripts.tripod.com/puppet.htm

Advent Puppet Script

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My Friends!

Today, to mark the beginning of this holy Advent season, I’m sharing a sweet Advent puppet script, which I wrote years ago. It can be performed easily by any adult or teen. In fact, any child who reads well can perform them!

I have dozens of such scripts, some connected with the liturgical year, others with articles of our faith, others with virtues (which I created for our local YMCA nursery school), some created for VBS programs (for free, by request), and so on. I’ll be sharing them here at AmazingCatechists.com, in the coming weeks and months, and may eventually create an ebook, so you can acquire the whole “collection.”

How to perform the show

Simply sit with the script pages laid out on a desk or story rug and gather the children around you, or hand out copies and use it as a skit for older students to act out together in front of the class.

Use a different “voice” for each of the two characters, moving the one that is speaking, to make it clear for the children.

Some of them are wacky and silly, while others are more reverent. Be sensitive to mood, and have fun!

Please read my “Note on Reverence” before using any of my scripts. It’s important, truly.

A note from the author about reverence

And, without further ado, here is The Empty Manger, to start off your Advent season with the children:

The Empty Manger

A little history, if you have a minute more…

Between 2003 and 2008, I wrote dozens of puppet scripts for use in a YMCA nursery-school (virtue) program, then for Catholic and Christian children’s events, library programs, parties, scout troops, and finally my own religious education classroom. I was a volunteer mom teaching elementary-aged kids, but I was also a writer and a former actress, so–along with the Holy Rosary and our parish curriculum–I incorporated singing and creative dramatics, every week.

I almost always capped my lessons with a puppet show (hastily created beforehand), and the children adored them. It was a reward for good behavior, I told the children, but it was also a way to emphasize a point from that day’s lesson, break open a difficult concept, or make a dry subject fun and intriguing. If we had time and the children were clamoring to see it again, I would do an encore performance. Each lasts only a few minutes, and I figured, “Hey, they’re asking for another lesson in their faith. How can I say no?” They wanted to touch and talk with the puppets, so I often held a brief, extremely silly, improvised Q&A with the characters, after the show.

My religious education credo

To ignite their imaginations is extremely important to me, and I sincerely believe that it is a crying shame, if not actually sinful because it’s so dishonest, to make our amazing, transformative Catholic faith a dull and ordinary business. So I gave it my all, each week, begging the Holy Spirit to “light me up” and make the lessons impactful. He never let me down.

A little more about how to use them…

At the end of the day’s teaching, using whatever hand puppets I had at the time, I sat on the story rug, placed the scripts on the floor in front of me, and gathered the eager children around me. I started out using some old, neglected puppets they had at the YMCA, when I volunteered for a summer program with nursery-school-aged children. I also incorporated sock puppets, which were a scream and easy to make (and I am the least crafty person I know). But eventually, I bought an adorable, racially-diverse collection of “kid” puppets that Oriental Trading used to sell cheap. I added some animal puppets my daughter had been given (and never used), and a few oddball ones I borrowed from some enthusiastic neighbor kids (who were not using their’s, either).

A couple of important insights

As I branched out into children’s parties and library programs, I noticed a couple of amazing things:

  • all kids enjoyed the shows–even kids as old as 14 wanted to try them on after the show and make up their own stories,
  • and special needs children who normally could not attend long to a regular lesson were spell-bound by the puppets.

The puppets excited them like nothing else–like animated characters sprung into 3-D before their eyes!

CatholicMom.com…

Then, in 2007 (or thereabouts), I was on a Catholic writers’ email group, and offered to share my scripts for free to anyone who wanted them. Another member, the lovely Lisa Hendey, invited me to share them with the world at her popular site, CatholicMom.com. They had a home there, as a “puppet ministry” until 2019, when the site went through an overhaul and all PDF content was lost. (I just found out about it because someone tracked me down, asking for the scripts, and I made inquiries.)

The upshot is that I’m now sharing them here, so stay tuned!

Next up will be a Christmas show about a disgruntled kid feeling lost in the busyness of the season, who learns a lesson about service and sacrifice. Coming soon!

I pray these little lessons bless you and the children you care about, pray for, and teach. I would love to hear from you about how you use them, and I pray they will inspire you to create and share scripts of your own! I’d be happy to post them, here.

Feel free to write to me: lisa@wonderfullymade139.com

A very sweet and holy Advent to you and yours!

Lisa

WHEN A YOUNGER CHILD REQUESTS CONFIRMATION

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Author’s note: This article is meant to provide guidance in situations when there is a legitimate request to receive Confirmation younger than the parish norm.

 

Introduction

Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion comprise the Sacraments of Initiation. “The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation” (CCC 1322). Yet, most parishes operate with First Holy Communion received around second grade and Confirmation sometime during the teenage years. There is often a custom in place, and families are aware that by a certain grade Confirmation classes begin. Yet, what should we do when a younger child requests to receive Confirmation? Can we automatically send them away until they are nearer the age as everyone else? No, we cannot.

 

The Age of Confirmation

First, we need to be clear that Confirmation is not a mature affirmation of the faith (CLICK HERE for details). That is not a Catholic idea but something more common to the Lutheran and Methodist theologies. You will not find it in the Catechism or Church Documents.

When I was in my twenties, my wife and I would travel to join a Melkite Catholic Mission for Sunday Divine Liturgy (Mass). It was Catholic but a beautiful and mysterious side of the Church that was new to us. These Catholics, Eastern Rite Catholics, assembled early for one particular Sunday as the Patriarch was visiting and celebrating a Baptism. To my surprise, it was not merely Baptism but all three Sacraments of Initiation that were given to this infant. Giving Confirmation to this infant was not only their tradition since ancient times but also approved by the Church; it was Catholic (CCC 1318, Eastern Canon Law 695).

I never transferred canonical status to be an Eastern Catholic; I am still a Roman Rite Catholic. In our Code of Canon Law, it stipulates that a child in danger of death is to be Baptized and Confirmed (Canon Law 891). There are even several dioceses within the United States that administer Confirmation around second grade in order for the sacraments to be received in their ideal order. This means that Confirmation, to be truly Catholic, cannot be falsely associated with a rite of passage into maturity/young adulthood.

Outside the situations of being an Eastern Catholic, in danger of death, or belonging to one of these dioceses that confirms younger children, what is the minimum age and basic requirements for being Confirmed? The Code of Canon Law, linked above, offers the following:

  1. They must be Baptized.
  2. Be at least at the age of reason: 7 years old.
  3. Properly disposed and instructed on Confirmation.
  4. Able “to renew the baptismal promises.”

We may be tricked into asking ourselves, “How can a seven-year-old truly understand the meaning of Confirmation?” When we are tempted to ask such a question, we should ask another: “Is Confirmation more complicated than the Church’s teaching on the Most Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of the faith?”

 

What about the diocesan age for Confirmation?

To be fair, the Code of Canon Law does stipulate some ability for a bishop(s) to determine an age for the reception of Confirmation (Can. 891). I am no expert in Canon Law (not at all!) so I will not comment on the exact nature of that ability.

Local churches can seek clarification from Rome on issues of uncertainty; this is called the submission of a Dubium (CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE). The Vatican will often respond in a very short and to the point response. A response was offered in 1999 to a Dubium seeking clarification on what to do when a younger child requests Confirmation prior to the normative practice of a diocese. This response was not short, as was normative, but rather Rome saw “it necessary to respond in some detail” (CLICK HERE to read it). Here is a lengthy quote from the clarification:

In regard to Your Excellency’s second point, while it is clear that the Diocesan Policy is within the right inherent in the law in light of the complementary legislation for the Conference of Bishops to which you belong for can. 891, it is also clear that any such complementary legislation must always be interpreted in accord with the general norm of law. As has been stated before, the Code of Canon Law legislates that Sacred Ministers may not deny the Sacraments to those who opportunely ask for them, are properly disposed and are not prohibited by law from receiving them (cf. can. 843 §1). Since it has been demonstrated that the girl possesses these requisite qualities, any other considerations, even those contained in the Diocesan Policy, need to be understood in subordination to the general norms governing the reception of the Sacraments.

The Congregation considers it useful to point out that it is the role of the parents as the primary educators of their children and then of the Sacred Pastors to see that candidates for the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation are properly instructed to receive the Sacrament and come to it at the opportune time (cf. can. 890). Consequently, when a member of the faithful wishes to receive this Sacrament, even though not satisfying one or more elements of the local legislation (e.g., being younger than the designated age for administration of the Sacrament), those elements must give way to the fundamental right of the faithful to receive the Sacraments. Indeed, the longer the conferral of the Sacrament is delayed after the age of reason, the greater will be the number of candidates who are prepared for its reception but are deprived of its grace for a considerable period of time.

In conclusion, this Congregation for Divine Worship must insist, given the concrete circumstances of the case under consideration, that the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation be extended to the girl as soon as is conveniently possible.

It is clear that we do not have the ability to turn away a legitimate request from a seven, nine or eleven year old for the reception of Confirmation simply because they are younger than the routine of our parish or diocese. There are deeper questions to be asked. For starters, what then should we do if we receive such a legitimate request?

 

Responding to the Request

Parents and children in this situation should be affirmed for their faithfulness and Holy Spirit-filled zeal. A smile and tone of affirmation is a must, even if we do not yet fully understand the situation. We then must be sure they are already Baptized and of the minimum age or higher. At some point, the pastor must get involved in the conversation. Creatively we, or the pastor, need to ask the kind of questions that help us to know of their ability to renew their baptismal promises:

  • Who is our Heavenly Father?
  • Who is Jesus?
  • Who is the Holy Spirit?
  • What is sin?
  • What are some examples of sins?
  • What does it mean to be sorry for our sins?
  • What does it mean to believe in God?
  • What does it mean to love God?
  • What is the Church?

This can be done in an interview, during class, or through another means. We must also provide the opportunity for the child to learn about Confirmation, or assist the parents in their ministry to teach the meaning of Confirmation to their child, and then later see if the child can answer these questions for the pastor or his delegate:

  • What sacrament are you requesting?
  • What is Confirmation?
  • Why do you want to be Confirmed?

Although some or all of this may be done by the pastor, the rest is for the pastor to oversee as we accompany them as their advocate throughout the process. Additionally, we can assist the child after Confirmation by giving them opportunities to continue to learn about their faith and to live it out by sharing it with others. It is important throughout the process, when speaking with the family or other parishioners, that we do not treat this child as odd but rather as Catholic and a part of our parish family.

 

The image was made available via Wikimedia commons.

Making Recitation a Tool for Success, Part II

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Introduction

Recitation, referred to in the catechetical tradition as “catechism,” is a powerful tool, albeit not the only tool, for passing on the faith to young children. Discover my first article arguing for the necessity of its restoration. In my last article on recitation, I examined the first installment of the series Making Recitation a Tool for Success, Part I. That article reviewed the practical steps to initiating recitation within the catechetical classroom. This article will round out the practical tips to making recitation a success in its execution.

 

Recitation as an Immediate Assessment

The cumulative recitation experience at the beginning of class provides the Catechist with an immediate assessment of their child’s attitude for that day, their overall abilities, and current level of comprehension. The overall recitation should

be the class standing up and reciting a rhythmic harmony. Yet, in each class there should be a few questions that focus on a particular grouping of students in the classroom. For example, the Catechist might have a question that is just for each row, another question that is for boys, and another for girls.

Catechists may notice issues with a student during the group recitation, but the above examples of smaller groups will make it more challenging for a struggling student to hide it from the Catechist. Take note of any students not participating, not saying it proficiently, or overly distracted. Their struggles may be due to stressors at home or in school, but they might also inform the Catechist that the child has learning challenges or is falling behind in class.

You will not know all that is going on with a student from recitation, but it will provide you an idea of who you need to keep an eye on or follow-up with.

 

Recitation as a Foundation

Conducting recitation is not the same as a lesson. This tool will help your lesson and future lessons. It will provide the class with common vocabulary; everyone will be able to speak the same language and hopefully it will be a language that matches the Church. This is necessary in our age when many kids grow-up without many of the same cultural staples of Catholicism and mechanisms that helps one become accustomed to words like: Mass, Eucharist, Consecration, Confessional, Genuflect, Sacrifice, etc. Many of us have experienced the challenge of students that refer to the Eucharist as the “bread and wine” or confuse “Confirmation” with “Confession.”

Some Catechists struggle with needing to cover too much in the limited amount of time for sacramental preparation. Some communities have students entering into sacramental prep needing the basics as well. Where do you start? What do you do if there is not enough time? Rely on recitation to cover some of the foundational elements in order to ensure the core elements for sacramental preparation are covered.

 

The Struggle to Make Recitation a Habit

Whether its recitation or any other catechetical component, a once a week catechetical gathering is not sufficient to offer the ideal formation experience. Recitation requires habitual use to actualize its potential. It is a struggle to only have recitation drills once a week. The challenge is to attempt ways to get some or all of the students to review their recitation at home.

Let parents know about the importance of recitation. Provide them a copy of your recitation questions and invite them to review them 1-3 times a week outside of class. You can also provide children a notebook and ask them to copy the new recitation phrase for the week a handful of times in their notebook outside of class. Students can also review their recitation with not just parents but also godparents or siblings; relatives can sign a paper to witness to the practice at home.

Communicate well and communicate often with parents. Let them know what you expect and how it will impact the end of the year event (see below).

 

A Closing Recitation Event

Invite parents, godparents, and clergy to enjoy a formal last recitation to end the year. Think of it like a RECital or performance of the year’s cumulative recitation. Try to create a true celebration spirit for those attending to see their child showcase their mastery of catechetical formulas and increased memory capacity. The benefits of such an event include:

  • Students will have a chance to discover a sense of accomplishment towards their hard work.
  • Parents and members of the community get to see an example of something that the kids worked on during the year.
  • The buildup towards this annual event may inspire some of the parents and students to review it outside of class and help cultivate the habit.

 

While I am passionate about the importance of recitation in catechesis, I am under no impression that recitation alone is what these kids need. It is simply a component that assists their overall catechetical formation and child developmental skills.

Making Recitation a Tool for Success, Part 1

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Introduction

I have previously written about the importance of restoring the use of recitation within Religious Education Programs, referred to in the catechetical tradition as “Catechism.” With the near disappearance of this essential tool within the contemporary educational systems, both public and private, and current catechetical programs, most of us have not experienced a mentor utilizing the tool of recitation in a skillful manner. For most of us, it sounds like a relic of the past that stirs up a wide array of reactions. It is my hope to offer a few words on how to use recitation well.

Initial Habits for Successful Recitation

Recitation begins with the Amazing Catechist. The catechist must know the content of recitation. If the children are asked to memorize their recitation, they need to see that it is possible by seeing the mastery commanded by their guide and mentor in the catechetical enterprise. The catechist also needs to prioritize the use of recitation so that the children will be given a chance of making it a priority for themselves. Lastly, the catechist must properly plan for the classroom and designate the appropriate amount of time for recitation.

Recitation must become a habit that children come to expect in each class. Recitation is not like a craft, trivia game, or showing a video. These things can be used during some classes but are not typically found in all classes for the given year. Recitation is needed for every class. The habit of recitation creates a sense of universality, a sense that regular use of recitation is normative, and its absence is unnatural to their experience.

Catechetical recitation should have a degree of formal solemnity, or ceremony, within its place in a class. The way the catechist calls students to the beginning of recitation, standing, beginning, the rhythm, handling problems, and concluding should have a feel of joyous ceremony. This will create a healthy environment for enriching their ability to memorize and recite.

 

Introducing Recitation

Recitation possesses the ability to strengthen a child’s memory, provide essential content and vocabulary for the day’s lesson, give them catechetical formulas that will remain with them for years to come, and allow catechists to see how their students are doing. How should the new recitation for the week be introduced? After reciting the recitation from previous weeks, since part of the power of recitation is its cumulative nature, the new recitation is offered at the conclusion of the previous weeks, “Now I will introduce our new recitation.” For example, the new recitation for a class of 1st graders might be:

Catechist: “Who made the world?”

Class: “God made the world.”

Catechist: “Who is God?”

Class: “God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

 Each catechist needs to find their own way for introducing the new content. I find that it is helpful to simply have it written on the board when the class arrives. Repeat it several times together. Then begin erasing a word or two while continuing to recite it together. For example, the board may look like the above points and then slowly erase the word “God”, then “made the”, and then finally “world.” Doing the recitation in rapid succession will motivate them to retain the original phrase within their minds while observing the remaining words to be found. I know other catechists that simply put it on the board and do not erase it. Others give it to their children on a sheet of paper.

 

Conclusion

The more a catechist perfects their artform of teaching and guiding recitation, the easier it will become for the catechist and students. This will allow recitation to move smoothly within a class, allow more time for the subsequent catechetical lesson that often follows, and allow the potential of “catechism”/recitation to be actualized within our classrooms and programs.

Classroom Management with Eager Children

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We have all been there. We, the Catechist, ask a question in the classroom. Several eager students raise their hands in a manner that sounds like a miniature version of the clamoring shoppers on Black Friday. These students want to be called upon and share their insight. Stopping the eagerness may, or at least we think it might, discourage them from volunteering their answer in the future.

The Question and Answer approach in the classroom is a favorite of many, wherein the Catechist lectures or writes something upon the board and asks a question to get the classroom to engage in the lesson. This approach can truly become chaotic in the classroom. I have sat in the classroom of many catechists that I mentored, and some have offered me this question: “Did you notice how they got really noisy whenever I asked them a question?” This is a chronic problem for classrooms full of small children. It is only natural for a child who loves truth to desire to share the answer to the Catechist’s question.

Here is a very simple set of ideas for maintaining the focus on the lesson while inviting students to offer answers or ideas:

  • Call on a student before asking the question. For example, “Joe Smith, who created the world?”
  • Call on a specific row. For example, “Can someone in the first row tell me what Ex Nihilo means?”
  • Call on a specific group. For example, “Girls, can one of you tell me how many books are in the Old Testament?”

These simple ideas, especially the first, will maintain order in the classroom and allow Catechists to continue to invite students to offer answers during the catechetical lesson.

The 4 Key Questions for Lesson Plans

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I. Introduction: Planning

It has been my experience that the two most common pitfalls for Catechists, for myself and others, are prayer and planning. I will only speak briefly on prayer since this article is about planning. We get busy. We all get busy. There is a temptation to sacrifice times of prayer in preparation for a catechetical class. Instead of our ministry as a Catechist being the fruit of prayer, we can sometimes rush in and catechize from a place of our own energy. This temptation is even more common among volunteer catechists. Our catechetical ministry must always have enough foresight to prioritize times of prayer for our students, their parents, their godparents, our parish, and the particular class in the coming day or week.

We also have the temptation to not spend sufficient time planning for future classes. We may be able to say, “I am teaching First Confession and First Communion class. This year is about Confession and the Eucharist. First semester is on Confession and second semester is on Holy Communion. I have my textbook. And I know what subject I want to cover next week.” This is all well and good but is lacking the preparedness that makes for an Amazing Catechist. If we move from subject to subject or week to week, we have no real means of monitoring growth and catechetical learning. There is no synthesis throughout the overall year.

The common objection that may arise is: “I can tell you want to encourage lesson plans. But lesson plans get in the way of the Holy Spirit. If I plan too much I will not be going where the Holy Spirit wants me to go.” First, I would say that keeping prayer as the context for our motivation and planning for the classroom will keep the Holy Spirit involved in the process. Second, just as the Spiritual Masters teach us regarding prayer, planning and methods are good but we can make alterations if the prompting of the Holy Spirit arises (in accord with proper discernment).

 

II. The 4 Key Questions

I would not dare to compel you to create lengthy lesson plans like those used in schools. All I invite you to do is to answer four questions with each unit. A unit may span the time of a month or two.

  1. What is the theme of this unit?
  2. By the end of this unit, what should my students know?
  3. By the end of this unit, what should my students love?
  4. By the end of this unit, what should my students be able to do?

These questions can work for small children, teens, or adult participants. Answering these questions provides a system, rooted in prayer, that allows us to evaluate all decisions we make in the classroom. Will this lecture or activity or project help to catechize on the theme of the unit? Will this lecture or worksheet or coloring page or discussion help my students achieve the three categories of goals for this class unit? This prevents us from making decisions “just because it seemed right.”

Perhaps it may be helpful to provide some examples of answers for the four key questions for lesson plans.

EXAMPLE 1:

  1. The Sacrament of Confession for 7 year olds. (Unit Theme)
  2. They should know the biblical foundations for Confession, the role sin and reconiliation play in our relationship with God and others, what happens when we go to Confession, and the form and words of Confession.
  3. They should love forgiving others, love receiving forgiveness, and love the opportunity to encounter the Good Shepherd in the confessional.
  4. They should be able to summarize the Sacrament of Confession to others, be able to make an examination of conscience, and tell me what they need to say/do when in Confession.

EXAMPLE 2:

  1. Oil and Laying on of Hands in Confirmation for teens. (Unit Theme)
  2. They should know the Old Testament and New Testament uses of oil/anointing and the laying on of hands as they pertain to Confirmation.
  3. They should develop a love for the Holy Spirit.
  4. They should be able to pray to the Holy Spirit, articulate to their peers the meaning of the sacramental signs of Confirmation in relation to Scripture, and be able to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in their life.

 

III. Conclusion: Be an Amazing Catechist

As you can see, this 4 Question approach prevents that catechetical classroom from being solely intellectual. Worksheets, crafts, and presentations will not accomplish all the goals for the unit. The traditional assessments of a quiz or test or worksheet will only accomplish assessing one category of goals: What they should know. The other categories require the use of discussions, reflections, meditation, mentoring, presentations, and guided prayer. This is the recipe for an Amazing Class, made possible by an Amazing God, and made possible because of the prayerful preparedness of an Amazing Catechist.