Memorization is key to helping kids learn the faith and know their faith. In a world filled with information, facts and proof’s for everything we need to help students retain the material covered in the religious education classes.
I am not recommending a strickly Baltimore Catechism style of learning but memorization has a very important place. Today’s classroom needs to form, inform and transform students. Each component is essential to the learning and conversion process.
Diane Fitzpatrick has a good article on helping kids memorize at http://catholicism.suite101.com/article.cfm/memorization_helps.
Cláudio Cardinal Hummes, Archbishop Emeritus of São Paulo and Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy in charge of all catechetical efforts in the Church wrote a beautiful Christmas Message to all who carry out the work of catechesis in the Church. May it inspire you and draw you closer to Christ this Christmas Season.
Merry Christmas and God bless you and your family!!! ~ William
Christmas Message 2008
I extend my joyous and fraternal wishes for a holy and festive Christmas, and that the year 2009 be enlightened, grace filled a full of accomplishments in the service of Jesus Christ and of our brothers and sisters, especially those who are poor or suffering. Christmas does not confine us to a commemoration of an extraordinary event in the past, recalled with gratitude and love, but it is also an event which is actualised in the present day, in our midst.
Jesus Christ comes because he loves us and wants to save us from evil: from every evil, and even from death. He comes to welcome us, to make us experience his love, to transform us into his disciples, true sons of the heavenly Father, to invite us to proclaim in the entire world that God is Love, and that he loves us unconditionally, without measure. Jesus comes! He becomes our companion on the journey of life. Let us be gathered to him. Let us allow him to overcome us and to make his dwelling within us. He will eat with us in an unimaginable communion, in which he will have us experience the mysterious and efficacious depth of his friendship and his salvation. Enlightened and transformed by this encounter with Him we will be able to proclaim him to every man and woman of our time. Behold, such is Christmas!
Cláudio Cardinal Hummes
Archbishop Emeritus of São Paulo
Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy
Consider 3 Gifts to bring not only in the days leading up to Christmas but during the Christmas Season from Matthew 2:10-12:
[10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy;
[11] and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
[12] And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
The wise men brought 3 wonderful gifts:
Gold… Gold is a gift for a King. Gold reveals something about a treasure. Christ is that treasure and king! What gold can you give in your life to be a gift and treasure to others? How can you use your gift or talent during Christmas to show Christ to others?
Frankincense…This is usually burned when offering something to God or in prayer. How can your words and actions this Christmas be an offering to praise and love God? This is a holy time, don’t miss the opportunity to make your actions and words an authentic offering to Christ, the newborn king. Offer Him your committment to live for Him as he comes into your heart this Christmas is the gift Christ wants! After all, it’s his Birthday!
Myrrh…This is an odd gift. Myrrh is a scent or a balm usually used at the time of death. This gift is a a prefiguring of Christ’s death on the cross. Our gift is to die to our sinful ways and our imperfections so we can be the best-version-of-ourselves for Christ to use. We want to die to what does not lead us and others closer to God’s will.
They departed…by another way – May we depart by another way having really lived this Advent Season and Christmas Season to the full.
May Christ reign anew in your hearts this Christmas! The world longs for the gifts of our Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh!
In my experience of over 10 years in parish ministry, I find that catechetical textbooks are not helping the average catechists pass on the essentials of the faith. Since most religious education classes meet for an hour and a half or less it is difficult to cover what the catechist manual recommends. In addition, the ideas in the chapter are often too scattered trying to cover too much.
What has your religious education program done in order to help better equip catechists to not only teach the lessons but to help them have clarity and focus in each lesson?
Something I’ve done in in the last two parishes I’ve worked at is to help give catechists a clear focus to their lessons. I use a version of the ecclesial method (you can find it in Msgr. Francis Kelly’s book “The Mystery We Proclaim” to help replicate God’s pedagogy – trying to give the students an understanding of what God has revealed and how to respond to it). I help outline the chapters bringing a more focused understanding of what should be covered (noting the most important points). I also provide ideas and additional activities that support the content that is being covered.
I would love to hear from anyone that is seeking ways to help catechists better use their textbook.
St. Paul’s called to the Romans (and calls us) to Rejoice always! This is key to living a Christian life today. Joy has always been the sign of a life lived in Christ. It used to be the “secret password” to identify Christians in the Early Church from non-believers. More than ever we (Directors of Religious Education Programs, Catechists and Parents) need to radiate joy in our lives and pass it on to others. Our students need to see our authentic joy for Christ so that they will desire to live for Him.
May this third week of Advent be a reminder that the joy of the Lord is our Strength (Nehemiah 8:10) and through living joy Christ will be made known to those we teach and those we encounter everyday. My prayer for this week is (in the word’s of St. Paul):
“May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.”
Last week I was invited to a nearby parish to present on the Old Testament to those going through RCIA. This was their first introduction to the Bible so I also helped them understanding some basics. I was pleased with the feedback that it was clear and helped those present understand how we got the Bible and how to understand the “big picture” of the Old Testament.
When teaching the Old Testament it is important to help children and adults know that it is not merely something with lots of stories and lots of laws. The Old Testament is the story of God’s relationship with His chosen people, the Israelites. It is about God’s love, His plan for His people and His plans to unite mankind back to himself through the coming of the Messiah.
There are 4 main parts that reveal all of this:1. The Pentateuch (the book of God’s Law), 2. The Historical books (telling the history of God’s revelation to his people 3. The Wisdom books (sharing God’s ways and holiness with his people and their love for him) and 4. The Prophetic books (God’s warnings, encouragement and telling of the coming of the Messiah).
It is also important to help your audience understand that God communicated His plan of salvation through covenants. Covenants are agreements God made with His chosen people, the Israelites. Covenants are the way God entered into a relationship with His people. How great is that!
The Old Testament is wonderful and full of God’s love for us. He shows us his love and plan for us in the Old Testament and fulfills it in the New Testament through Christ.
On Sunday our parish provided a session for all parents who have chosen Home Study for their child(ren). This year we have asked all families who are choosing to home school (we call it Home Study) their child to attend 4 session that would foster a bit of community as well as learning. 33 out of 70 attended. Not great, but not too bad. I gave a reflection on Advent and making room for Christ in our lives this Christmas. We then had the students break up into four groups where they spent 15 minutes at each station focusing on one of the 4 themes of Advent (taken from the 4 themes of the Advent Wreath/candles). So I recruited 3 of my catechists to help lead a station (I also led one): Hope, Peace, Joy & Love. Here is what each station covered:
Hope: students were given a large sheet of paper and listed how they could bring hope to 1)Family, 2) friends and 3) into their own lives.
Peace: Students reflected on St. Francis of Assisi’s peace prayer and listed where there is hatred_________ and how they would sow love _________. They did this for each part of the prayer.
Joy: Students resolved to live joy each day of the week Sunday: how they would live joy…Monday: how will you live charity when at a Christmas party….when seeing Christmas decorations…when shopping…etc…
Love: studnets listened to music and when the music stopped they sat down (but there was one less chair than student). The one standing had to answer how will you live love… when your at school this Advent…when wrapping Christmas gifts, when shopping for others, etc…
It was a very fruitful afternoon. Studnets and parents hopefully were given a lot of practical suggestions to reflect on this Advent season. May God bless them and help them live the true meaning of Christmas. Come Lord Jesus!!!
I like to read In Conversation with God by Fr. Francis Fernandez during Advent. He has a lot of great insights, but let me share one of them…
“If we are aware that our sight is clouded and that we don’t see clearly the radiance emanating from Bethlehem, from the infant Jesus, it is time to rid ourselves of whatever impairs our vision. Now is the time for a specially good examination of conscience and for a thorough interior purification which will befit us to receive and to welcome that expected guest who is God. It is the moment to take note of the things that separate us from Him, to loosen their hold and cast them from us. Our examination, then, must penetrate to the very roots of our actions and scrutinize deep down in our hearts the motives which inspire our actions. ”
How do we pass this on to others? Below are ideas for both children and adults.
To Children… let me share 3 ways:
1. Give students an examination of conscience and walk them through it.
2. Help studnets see that the meaning of this time of year is not in things but in giving and sharing the joy of Jesus with others.
3. Have students to make a list of things that are not material. Reflect with them how material things come and go but love, joy, peace, family together, family caring for each other means far more than a toy or video game that can break or be stolen or become outdated.
Helping Adults…let me share 3 ways:
1. Invite another adult to your parish Penance Service during advent.
2. Put an advent calender up in your office or work space and watch others take interest.
3. Pray for an opportunity to share why this season is more than giving gifts and keeping up with the “Joneses”
