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 they did not know how to discover it’s spiritual...
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 stories in the Bible, written millennia ago, relate...
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 of a child should be encouraged to embrace the...
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 respected by all Christians worldwide, and for...
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. Providing tools to support faith formation...
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 create significant meaning for children? This article...
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 Nazareth was a devout Jew, schooled in the language,...
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 nor light-hearted. But Lent is an important part...
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 and teachings about the church. Many regard...
The popularity of genealogy and ever-new ways to search for family origins has brought to mind the importance of family. Ever since God told our first parents (as we read in Genesis 35:11) to “be fruitful and multiply,” the human race...
The last days in class before Christmas can be hectic. Use this prayer service to spend some quiet time with your students. Create a peaceful atmosphere by turning down the lights the classroom and lighting all four candles on the Advent...
Laurie was confused when she spent the night at Eden’s house. Before Eden went to bed, she prayed a Hail Mary for her sick grandmother and for her brother who is in the army. Laurie said to Eden: “God is all-powerful. Why are you praying...
5 Ways to Jump-Start Your Faith This Advent
Is your faith feeling a bit . . . stale? Has it been awhile since you’ve connected with God? Consider a jumpstart!
Be intentional about paying attention! Consider and become aware of what...
Have you ever been teaching, and you look out to see a room full of children just staring back at you with glazed eyes? Maybe you’ve experienced sessions where children start twitching, get easily distracted, or maybe even disruptive...
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
(1873–1897)
Feast day: October 1
In every teen’s life, there are big decisions to be made. This is true in a saint’s life as well. In her teen years, Thérèse Martin decided...
We’ve all heard them—the bloopers or malaprops young children come up with as they articulate memorized prayer. The child who prays, “May the souls of the faithful departed rest in pieces” or the one who fervently asks that we “be delivered...
Opening Prayer
On September 15th each year, the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, a day for prayer and reflection on the distinct sorrows that the Blessed Virgin Mary endured, such as the flight to Egypt or the...
On the surface, Pope Francis’s Laudato si’ does not look like a call for an ecological virtue ethics.¹ Large-scale social change seems to be the main point. In two hundred and forty-six paragraphs, the word “virtue” appears only...
