The new year is here! The twelve months to come stretch before us, like clean pages on a calendar. You may already have appointments and other responsibilities marked, but no one can deny...
We honor the saints because they followed the way of Jesus, each in their own way and with their own gifts and talents. The saints encourage us to follow Jesus, to love God and others, using...
You may have heard about “active learning.” Let’s take a few minutes to dive into this topic with Steven Ellair and envision how you can incorporate this practice into your classroom...
During the season of Advent, the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation often becomes a sacrament of focus in faith communities. Children celebrate First Reconciliation during Advent, and...
Have you ever been teaching, and you look out to see a room full of young people just staring back at you with glazed eyes? Maybe you’ve experienced sessions where children start twitching,...
This is such a special time of year. The excitement of the holidays is mounting, and Advent is about to begin, our preparation for the Incarnation and Nativity of Jesus, ushering in a time...
The ancient Celts, who invented our Halloween celebration, were particularly sensitive to the turning-points of the year. They had to be, for their survival depended on their knowledge of...
If you’ve been in the classroom for some time (or have children of your own), it is no secret that learners have different ways and different circumstances in which they thrive. We know...
As Christians, we know we’re called to serve one another. This, we can understand, is one of the core messages of the Gospel, especially significant in the instructions to love our neighbor...
Among the many ways to pray, scriptural prayer is one of the best for children. The stories, images, characters, and words of the Bible are an excellent starting point for a child’s prayer....
The Summa Theologica, written by Saint Thomas Aquinas between the years AD 1265 and 1274, is one of the most extensive summaries of Catholic theology ever written. Meant to serve as a compendium...
If you were asked to describe what the Church is, how would you answer? Would your answer be about the buildings, the people, or the teachings? Once you have that description, how would...
In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus tells his disciples, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both...
With the Solemnity of the Assumption right around the corner, we’re thinking of some creative ways to celebrate with kids—ways that will help to bring the wonder and meaning home! ...
Like signs and symbols, the sacraments are about the mystery of a threefold communication: from God to humans, from humans to God, and among humans in community. The very idea of communication...
Having grown up in a family that spent a lot of time outdoors, I always find that time in nature refreshes my soul. Whether at the beach, the mountains, or in my own backyard, I breathe...
Have you ever had the experience of revealing to others that you teach young adolescents only to have them say, “That’s nice!” when their faces seem to say, “Why would you do that?” Even...
Getting children into Scripture requires careful planning, especially when it comes to choosing the right Bible for them. With several options in terms of translations, formats, and features,...
Every week at Mass, we listen as Sacred Scripture is proclaimed to the Church. Then, later on in every week during faith formation or religious education classes, we teach young people using...
Twenty years ago, we had an “Aha!” moment. We discovered that Catholic young people don’t know how to navigate the Bible, they weren’t familiar with its important people and events, and...
Scripture and Tradition: The Heart of the Catholic Faith The core of our belief is rooted in what we hear and read in Sacred Scripture, interpreted by the Tradition of the Church; the...
The Solemnity of the Ascension has the power to really wow kids with the marvelous account of Christ’s last moments, after his Resurrection, before he enters into Heaven. The mind...
Mary of Nazareth (ca. 18 BC—AD 50), the mother of Jesus of Nazareth, is without a doubt one of the most influential figures in all of Christianity. Revered by most, venerated by some, but...
Spring is a time of renewal and a perfect time to renew efforts to support faith formation at home. Spring also signals the beginning of the end for the school year and faith formation programs....
What are the best ways to help children learn and live their faith? How can we engage children so that faith comes to life for them? What are some approaches to religious education that...
In the life, teaching, and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, the understanding of the personal nature of God deepened, and the promise of personal relationship with God intensified. Jesus of...
Lent can be challenging, especially for younger children. It is a penitential season of the liturgical year. Penance, by definition, expresses repentance for wrongdoing and is neither fun...
Mary has been so closely associated with the church throughout the history of Christianity that many scriptural sayings and traditional teachings about her can also be understood as sayings...
