Liturgical Year

by Patricia MathsonPerson of Courage Feast Day: October 5 for a Saint Page about St. Anna Schäffer that your learners can take home to...

by Jeanne Heiberg A blessing is when I’m aware that God favors me. It’s something very good. Good health…good finances…good friends. Something they say when you sneeze. A...

by Patricia Mathson Feast Day: September 17    for a Saint Page about St. Robert Bellarmine that your learners can take home to share...

Rita was born in 1381. She was the only child of older parents, and she grew up in a small town near Cascia, Italy. Rita’s parents taught her to live in peace. She became a wife, a mother, a widow, and a nun. Despite many difficulties in her life, Rita always was faithful to God.

Although the Triduum takes place over three days—counting from sundown to sundown, according to Jewish tradition, from Holy Thursday night to Easter Sunday evening—help your students begin to grasp that the Triduum is one three-day, continuous celebration. Unless we see these days as an organic whole, we miss their interconnectedness.

Maria Josefa was a person of compassion; she dedicated her life to caring for people who were sick. She wanted to help them deal with the challenges of being ill at home and in the hospital.

In today's high-tech world, our students stay connected with their classmates and peers using umpteen gizmos and gadgets: cell phones, smart phones, social networking options, and online applications. Any effort to introduce religious education with this medium has the potential of exciting students and keeping them engaged. In the fifth-grade religious education class of Queen of Peace in Queens, New York, we have successfully used the technology and would like to share this so that any instructor could use this time-tested and successful model.

Peter was born in 1007 and lived with his family in Italy. His parents died when he was a child, so he went to stay with an older brother who treated him badly. Another brother, a priest, found out and helped Peter get an education. Peter was a good student and eventually became a university teacher.

During Advent we prepare students to celebrate the birth of our Savior on Christmas. Use the following ideas to keep the spotlight on celebrating the coming of the Lord.

Master catechists answer questions from readers.