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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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;...
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...
Overview of Catholic Social Teaching
In the Sacrament of Baptism, we are urged to keep the light of Christ alive in our hearts for the rest of our lives. We are called to holiness....
Environmental Saints and Models
“The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all how live on it are his.” (Psalm 24:1) Yes, the Earth is God’s,...
Respect for the Earth: Caring for God’s Creation
Consider the ways you interact with nature. Have you ever thought about how all our lives depend on nature? How often have you felt in awe of the beauty...
The Paschal Mystery
The Paschal Mystery is a core doctrine of the Church, one of the essential beliefs of all Christians. Though all doctrines are important, some define the very heart of...
Enacting Easter
If you were to ask most people about the story of Christmas, they could likely recall it in some detail. Religious or not, people would likely name the shepherds,...
How to Find a Bible Verse
Reading the Word of God is key to building a personal relationship with Jesus and the Church while learning to live our faith! Did you know there are 73...
Building Community
In a society where young people are well connected virtually but still feel isolated and lonely, how can we build school communities where young people feel important and seen?...
What is Active Learning?
Watch Steven Ellair talk about engaged, active learning and how his experience as a religion teacher informed the creation of Discover! Finding Faith in Life. Discover! is a brand...
Love One Another
We talk a lot about love and the need to be loving people, but what is love? This is a question that Paul’s converts in Corinth must have been...
Prayer: The Heart of the Matter
When I first began teaching, I would invite the class to take several minutes for silent prayer before we began. Shortly after I started this, individual students would approach...
A Confirmation Reflection
I don’t recall where I first heard this quote, but it has stuck with me ever since. It is a quote that simply states, “What we do inside of...
