This post is a part of a series of teaching strategies that get beyond catechesis and into the realm of evangelization. To get a 10,000 foot view of where we are going, read this: A New Vision for Catholic Religious Education. This article and the others in this series are inspired by the book, To…
The Religion Teacher Blog
What is your vision for the future of religious education?
Last week I outlined a new vision for religious education that is inspired by the spirit of the New Evangelization and written about in my book, To Heal, Proclaim, and Teach. I was overwhelmed by the positive response I got from that 3,000-word manifesto. I was so pleased to see that so many catechetical leaders,…
A New Vision for Catholic Religious Education
If we were to evaluate the impact of our religious education programs in the Catholic Church today based solely on the number of students whose lives were transformed, do you think we would score well? What if our religious education programs and children’s ministries were measured by the number of disciples that we made in…
A Catechist Blessing
What our Church needs most today is men and women who are willing to touch the heart and not just the head. As Pope Paul VI once wrote, we need to be more like witnesses than teachers. We need people who will not only catechize, but evangelize our Church’s youth. The following blessing for catechists…
What’s in Store for 2016?
“Practical resources for religious educators.” That has always been the focus of The Religion Teacher. When a catechist or religion teacher shows up at this website, they are going to find something practical, something immediately usable and effective in the classroom. It is my hope that with each resource you find and use here, you…
Jubilee Year of Mercy Activities and Worksheets
From Advent 2015 to the end of the liturgical year in 2016, the Catholic Church is celebrating a Jubilee Year of Mercy. Pope Francis is encouraging the entire Church to meditate on God’s mercy in their lives and to share that mercy with others. The following resources may help you in planning your Year of…
Holy Spirit Lesson Plan
The Holy Spirit is often the most difficult person of the Trinity to explain to young people. They have seen plenty of art work depicting God the Son. They are at least able to wrap their minds around God the Father, even if their concept of him is as an old man with a white…
All Saints Day Activities for Children
The resources found within this collection of All Saints Day activities can be used to celebrate the November 1st Solemnity, but many of these saints resources can be used all year round. Explore each of the websites and resources below for ideas to help you teach about Catholic saints in your classroom. The Gospel reading…
A Teacher’s Prayer
TEACHER’S PRAYER Heavenly Father, Enable me to teach WISDOM,For I help to shape the mind. Equip me to teach with TRUTH,For I help to shape the conscience. Encourage me to teach with VISION,For I help to shape the future. Empower me to teach with LOVE,For I help to shape the world. AMEN. Adelaida (Adelle), a…
Nine Activities and Lesson Ideas to Teach about Pope Francis’s Visit to the United States
A full and varied schedule highlights Pope Francis’s first apostolic visit to the United States. If you are reading this prior to his September 2015 visit, plan to follow along with the pope on his journey through appropriate mention and study in your theology classes. If the trip has already occurred, some of these suggestions can also work well in review or in conjunction with another trip the…
