October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month and it's a good time for schools & communities to take stock of current efforts to reduce and prevent bullying. Consider the following: Do current school climates make students feel safe, allowing them to thrive academically and socially? Are youth comfortable speaking up if they are being bullied? Are members of the Catholic community engaged when it comes to reporting bullying stories?
Pope Francis’ recent visit to the United States seemed to capture the ears, eyes, hearts, and minds of millions of Americans. While one would expect Catholics to pay especially close attention to the Pope’s words, if news reports can be taken at face value, millions of others not of the Catholic faith were also enthralled by the Pope’s message.
The theme for the new catechetical year is “Safeguarding the Dignity of the Human Person.” In its simplest form, this means living a virtuous life. On a practical basis, what does this mean for us as catechists and catechetical leaders working with children, youth, and families?
At this time of year, catechetical leaders communicate many details about the upcoming year to their community of catechists, such as grade assignments, class lists, and program procedures. This type of information is important to share with catechists and teachers. There is, however, a major event that should be highlighted within our entire faith community: Catechetical Sunday, which is celebrated on the third Sunday in September.
As we begin the new academic year, it is worth our while to know what issues parents think are most problematic. According to Elisabeth Wilkins, editor of Empowering Parents, the top five concerns of parents as the school year approaches are: (1) Unmotivated children; (2) Paying attention and behaving in class; (3) How to get kids out of bed in the morning; (4) Homework problems - teaching kids to bring it home, do it, hand it in on time, and not hate it; (5) Bullying behavior - from both sides of the fence - as victim or bully.
Discipleship is at the heart of the Gospel. As catechists, we seek not only to form others in the foundations of the faith, but also to model for them what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ in today’s world. In the gospel reading for the Feast of the Holy Trinity, Jesus instructs
Is marriage in need of salvation? In the past, divorce rates were often used as a benchmark on the state of marriage. Today there is a growing trend for young people simply not to marry. And this same age group, Millennials are the largest generational group of “nones” or independently religious. In recent Wednesday Audiences, Pope Francis expressed great concern over the state of marriage and the family (cf. April 29, 2015). And Pope John Paul II warned us, “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live,” (John Paul II, Homily, 30 November 1986).
As we reflect on the journey of this year, we rejoice in the seeds that were planted to grow disciples. We rejoice in the educators who have helped to plant those seeds.
The Easter season speaks new life to us in so many ways. Here in the Midwest, where I live, pansies and crocuses are blooming, seedlings are flourishing, gardeners are preparing the soil for the spring planting, the sun is shining, and joy is in the air.
The calendar tells us spring is here, and for many in the country this is a welcome relief! The Church’s liturgical calendar tells us that we are coming upon Holy Week and the Easter Triduum, the most sacred days of the Church’s year.