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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 on key moments in the life of Jesus. The liturgical year has six...
hope
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 with various ages of young people. It is also appropriate for parish or...
Foundations for Flourishing Podcast
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 in everything you do. Each episode of the podcast...
Personal, Communal, Meaningful
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 episode of Foundations for Flourishing, you’ll hear how personal...
Hands holding hearts
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 size group, and with various ages of young people. It is also...
Young person sitting in a field with head raised up and eyes closed.
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 physical violence in the world. But true peace takes work, and it cannot be attained...
How does your spiritual life impact your professional life?
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 on how faith in the presence of God...
Image of an adult with a young person in a watercolor effect.
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 filling pews. It is about acknowledging, honoring, and listening to a whole generation...
How do you stay encouraged in times of adversity?
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 they stay encouraged with simple practices...
Image of people from above joined together in a group to create two hands reaching toward each other
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) are under the age of eighteen. That amounts to almost eleven million...
What is a fundamental principle of your ministry?
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 to work with young people. In this episode of Foundations...
Salvation History timeline
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 they involve events that happened...
How important are relationships in ministry?
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, our guests share how they’ve learned to show up for their...
Illustrations of moms and dads with their children
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 pedagogy is simply “teaching children.” The elements...
12 Virtues of a Good Teacher graphic with image of teacher helping student
The Twelve Virtues of a Good Teacher
In 1706, John Baptist de La Salle, patron saint of teachers, listed twelve virtues of a good teacher in his Conduct of the Christian Schools. In 1785, Brother Agathon, the fifth superior general of the Brothers of the Christian Schools,...
Introduction to Foundations for Flourishing
Episode 1: Introduction to Foundations for Flourishing
We’re excited to announce Foundations for Flourishing, our new video and podcast series all about building a strong foundation for your work, faith, and life. Over the next six videos, you’ll meet five Lasallian educators who will share...
Kids throwing confetti excitedly
Go Out Into All the World: How to Make Joyful Disciples
At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus speaks his last words of encouragement and commissioning to his disciples: “Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples; . . . and teach them to obey everything I have commanded...
Illustration of Jesus breaking bread with two disciples on a yellow background with texture
Three Activities to Help Emphasize the Eucharist
1. Create a Eucharist Card Invite your group to make a card that illustrates the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This card will emphasize how ordinary bread is changed into the Body of Christ and ordinary wine is changed into...
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