Lessons and Activities

Catechists aren’t liturgists! Yet, the National Directory for Catechesis tells us that catechists are called to promote “an active, conscious genuine participation in the liturgy of the Church, not merely by explaining the meaning of the ceremonies, but also by forming the minds of the faithful for prayer…” (n. 20, #2).

Genoveva was a person of great faith and courage. She wanted to join the Carmelite Order but was not accepted due to her health. She was very disappointed, but she did not give up. She knew that God has a purpose for each of our lives.

The start of a new year is often compared to the beginning of a journey--usually emotional or spiritual. This new year is special, as it includes the Church's celebration of the Year of Faith.

In the fourth century, Augustine declared that Sacraments are sacred signs. Throughout the history of the Church, Sacraments have been connected to Christ as revelations of God and signs of grace. The histories of the various Sacraments are rich. For our purpose, we will reflect and build upon what the Second Vatican Council proclaimed about the Sacraments.

The theme of CATECHIST's January issue each year is the liturgical life of the Church and the Sacraments--what they mean to us as Catholics and the different ways we can teach about them in our classes. The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults emphasizes that that the Sacraments have a visible and invisible reality (see page 168).

One of the loveliest images of Joseph is of him leading a donkey that is carrying Mary who is pregnant with Jesus. They are traveling from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem. The journey made by Joseph and Mary may hold more spiritual gold and meaning than the census that caused it.

by Cullen Schippe I was never any good at checkers. The stratagems of this simplest of board games elude me. My leaky defenses always leave a...

Those of us who serve as catechists, parish spiritual leaders, mentors, and guides need to pursue our own spiritual, catechetical, biblical, and theological formation to be able to address the questions, struggles, and ambiguities that our young people bring to us. This is not a time to waffle with weak responses that have not been tested within our own desert experiences. We are called to be salt and light for all those who seek to come out of the desert.

Most everything has a beginning an ending. In fact, the beginning of one thing often means the ending of another thing.

People in Cupertino, Italy, just shook their heads when Joseph was around because he had difficulty completing tasks. Much of the time he forgot what he was supposed do. He often stared off into space. Other children made fun of him. Everyone thought he was clumsy and forgetful.