A guide to choosing a Confirmation name
Imagine choosing a lifelong spiritual companion. That’s what Confirmation names are all about. This tradition connects young people with a saint who will serve as their special patron and...
Faith and Fun in the Family
Catholic family faith formation, no matter the situation Sustaining faith in a family’s busy routine is an intentional act. By embracing the opportunities within daily life, families can beautifully...
Strengthening bonds through family faith formation
Introducing a dynamic new way to enhance faith formation in your parish: Gathered Family Sessions! Rooted in the liturgical and natural seasons, our Gathered Family Sessions offer ten 90-minute...
Free Lent Activities for Kids, Tweens, and Teens!
Invite children, tweens and teens to deepen their Lenten journey. Lent is a time for renewal and reflection through fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. We offer free Lent activities to...
Naming Our True Worth
Questions of human dignity encircle us in many striking and challenging ways these days. Can we as teachers and mentors truly contribute to a national conversation that insists on...
The Relationship between the Old and New Testaments
Christians understand the Old Testament as preparing us for the coming of Jesus Christ. The authors of the New Testament incorporated Old Testament texts in their writings to demonstrate...
Free Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Resources
In this season of joyful anticipation, we invite you to use and share this interactive Advent calendar of activities to prepare for Jesus’ birth. With prayers, projects, and reflections...
The Shared Wisdom of the World’s Major Religions
People of different religious backgrounds sometimes disagree bitterly. This is a big deal because of the violence and war that can result. Violence-inducing disagreements may suggest that huge and...
Respect for Life
Catholics view respect for life as a value that touches a wide range of life issues. It recognizes that we are called to have compassion for all people—including those...
How to Prepare Kids for Advent
When the pictures of turkeys appear in school windows across the land (sometimes each feather a different color!), we know that Thanksgiving is near. After a full weekend of...
Three Tips for Bringing the Bible to Life with Children
Twenty years ago, Saint Mary’s Press discovered a sad reality. Our research indicated that Catholic young people didn’t know how to find things in the Bible, they weren’t familiar...
Prayer Service for Families Coping with Traumatic Events
About this article This prayer service offers families a way to come together to pray and reflect on recovering from traumatic events. Gathering Come together as a family. Set...
Free Lessons to Celebrate All Saints’ Day with Kids and Young People
All Saints’ Day, which falls on November 1, is a time to honor all the saints of the Church, known and unknown. These people of great faith lived lives...
The Liturgical Year
Just as our calendar year has special times and seasons, so does the Church. In liturgical seasons, we remember important parts of our faith and we celebrate and reflect...
When Hope Is Needed
About this article This prayer service is intended to bring hope during the difficult days that follow a tragedy. The service can be used with any size group, and...
Foundations for Flourishing: The Podcast
In Foundations for Flourishing, a video and podcast series by Saint Mary’s Press, we share stories and advice from educators, ministers, and leaders, all with one goal: to encourage you...
Episode 6: Personal, Communal, Meaningful
“It’s all about how you show up.” Showing up for young people requires a system of support, a personal community that guides you through difficulties and joys. In this...
In Times of Crisis
About this article This prayer service provides an opportunity for prayer and communal support in light of the aftermath of any disaster. The service can be used with any...
The Christian Path to Peacemaking
When asked what their greatest wish is, many people respond that they would like to see world peace. It is admirable to hope for the absence of war and...
Episode 5: The Impact of Faith
Where does your relationship with God touch your daily life? For these five Catholic leaders, faith touches everything. In this episode of Foundations for Flourishing, you’ll hear five perspectives...
Becoming a Listening Church for Young People
Engaging young people in the Church is important. In fact, it is essential to the life of the Church. But engaging young people is about far more than just...
Episode 4: Everyday Encouragement
There are many simple day-to-day practices that can help you stay encouraged when challenges arise. In this episode of Foundations for Flourishing, expert Catholic educators and ministers share how...
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
More than ten percent of people in the United States live below the poverty threshold defined by the US Census Bureau. Of those, more than one quarter (28 percent)...
Episode 3: Practical Advice for Practitioners
We began with the question: “What is a fundamental principle of your ministry?” What these Catholic leaders shared was not only insightful but also practical advice for those called...
A Walk Through Salvation History
Adapted from Breakthrough! The Bible for Young Catholics. In Genesis 1–11, the Bible begins with imaginative stories about how God created everything. These are sometimes called primeval stories, meaning...
Episode 2: Getting to the Core of Relational Ministry
Relationships are central to any form of education or ministry. How does one build that into their daily work with young people? In this episode of Foundations for Flourishing,...
Five Action Steps to Teach and Reach Children (and Their Parents!)
Faith formation requires effective teaching. The Greeks had a word for “teaching” which is still used in professional circles today, and that word is pedagogy. The literal meaning of...
