This week on November 11, the United States celebrates its annual observance of Veterans Day. This national holiday dates back to 1918, when the armistice between the Allied countries and Germany on the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” brought an end to World War I. President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 would be observed as “Armistice Day.” Congress officially changed the name to “Veterans Day” in 1954 to recognize all men and women who had served within the military during times of war. We continue to remember all those who have served, and also those who currently serve in conflicts in the name of peace around the world.

Ironically, November 11 is also the feast day of Saint Martin of Tours. Martin was born into a pagan, Roman military family. At an early age, he felt God’s calling to become a Christian. He became a soldier at the age of 15, and a famous tale is told about the young man and a poor beggar. Martin took pity on the poor man, cut his military cloak in half, and gave it to him for him to keep warm. Later that night, Martin had a dream that the poor man was actually Jesus wearing the cut half of the cloak. Martin eventually left the army and followed Christ as a monastic hermit. Martin would be later pressed into becoming the bishop of Tours, where he preached about God’s non-discriminating love and acceptance of all people, regardless of their background. He died at the age of 81 in 397 in France. His simple life and love for the poor have made him a popular saint in Europe today.

So, what do these two celebrations on November 11 say to us as Catholics? We are called as disciples of Jesus Christ to make a difference in our world through our witness and presence. A guiding factor for all of us is to always remember the principles of Catholic Social Teaching:

• Life and Dignity of the Human Person—Every person is created in the image of God and therefore has dignity and worth they can never lose.
• Call to Family, Community, and Participation—Human beings are social beings by their very nature. We are called to connect with others through family and society.
• Rights and Responsibilities—Because all humans have dignity, they are entitled to life, which includes food, housing, health care, education, and employment. We are called to support these basic rights for all people.
• Option for the Poor and Vulnerable—Society is scrutinized for how it takes care of its most vulnerable. The poor are not able to share in the goods that God intended for all. We need to constantly ask ourselves how decisions will affect society’s most vulnerable.
• Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers—Work is more than just a job. Work is also participation in God’s ongoing creative work. All workers are to be respected and have access to adequate wages in order to support their families.
• Solidarity—Because we all belong to one human family, we are our sisters’ and brothers’ keepers, regardless of who they are or where they live.
• Care for God’s Creation—From the beginning, God set humanity as stewards of his creation. Through creation, God’s existence is continually revealed. We are called and challenged to protect our planet and all it contains.

This week, be sure to thank the veterans you encounter for their service, and for what their sacrifices have meant for us as Americans. Also remember Saint Martin of Tours and his example of reaching out to the poor and the lost in society. We follow in his footsteps on the formative journey, and continue to work for peace and justice for all of the people of God.

For additional information, check out these resources:

Saint Martin of Tours—SaintsResource.com, Saints of the Year of Mercy, BlestAreWe.com

Catholic Social Teaching—BeMyDisciples.com, BlestAreWe.com, Catholic Prayers and Practices

Paul Schroeder works as a sales representative for RCL Benziger in the East Region. He brings over 30 years of experience to catechesis and Catholic education. Paul has served as a parish catechetical leader, diocesan director, Catholic school principal and teacher throughout his ministerial career. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from John Carroll University, a Master in Theological Studies from Saint John Seminary, and a Master of Education in Catholic School Leadership from Marymount University.

A common goal for parishes and schools is to create a healthy environment where children and families thrive. Preventing bullying is a key element to providing a safe and secure community. There are life-skills and patterns of behavior we can practice in order to strengthen our everyday commitment to healthy relating. When members know and agree to social norms of a loving Christian community, we provide an optimal environment for living, learning, and praying together.

Board games and sports activities are good examples of training children in the values of playing by the rules within set boundaries. When players abide by the rules of the game, the play is considered “fair.” Children delight in learning how to play by the rules, testing the boundaries in safe ways, and experiencing the consequences of mistakes and “foul balls.”

There are social and interpersonal boundaries as well. Sometimes these may seem harder to identify than the lines painted on a checkerboard or basketball court. On a checkerboard, the boundary lines and the moves are very simple. Once you learn the rules, fair play is pretty evident; when a player makes a wrong move, their opponent will be quick to say, “Hey, you can’t do that!” This challenges the opponent to reverse their false move and return back to fair play.

In personal relationships, boundary lines are much more complex. Plus, some people have learned different patterns of behavior and may have different social expectations. Much of childhood is a process of learning how we can find successful ways to function within the social and cultural norms of our community.

Coach Children on the Benefits of Healthy Relating Adults have an important role in helping children learn and experience healthy boundaries. And, like a coach, they have an opportunity to challenge students to practice skills of healthy relating. For example, many catechists and teachers begin the year with a “classroom contract of behavior.” Take the opportunity to make this a living document in the classroom, and bring it out on a regular basis. Together with your students, sit down and discuss how your class is functioning within the boundaries of the agreement. Do members feel respect? What are ways to make the contract easier to follow? What changes need to be made, or is it all working pretty well?

Helping children to identify the way to signal when someone has “crossed the line” is an essential piece of healthy relating, as well as having a plan of response. How do we respond in a loving and forgiving way to help restore relationships when boundaries have been crossed?

In sports and games, we need to practice, practice, practice to improve skills and develop mastery. So too with children and social skills:

• Practice conscious listening in pairs.
• Practice saying, “Please” and “Thank You.”
• Write journal entries on what it means to be a good friend.
• Practice greeting each other in the morning.
• See if you can “catch” each other smiling throughout the day.
• Role-play common playground scenarios so children can experience different outcomes based on what people say, or how they react to conflict.
• Practice serving and being served.
• Invite children to pray for each other.
• Encourage ways to live Gospel values like patience, respect, courage, reconciliation, and justice in the classroom, on the playground, and at home.

Creating an Environment with Healthy Boundaries When we strengthen our community and provide a healthy environment, it is easier to identify conflict and resolve bullying problems before they go too far. Having a response plan is essential to creating stable social interactions. When members know and agree to social norms of a loving Christian community, we provide an optimal environment for living, learning, and praying together.

Highlight the Positive Good experiences strengthen healthy bonds and draw attention to the positive aspects of your classroom relationships. Help children internalize the good feelings of living in a healthy environment by asking them to reflect upon these questions:

• How does it feel when a friend or classmate does something nice for you?
• Can you think of a time when someone’s care helped you to feel good?
• What does it feel like when you are affirmed by your friends and get positive attention?
• What can you do to help create a healthy environment?

Identifying everyone’s strengths helps members of the group appreciate one another. However, it is also important to acknowledge when behavior is destructive in order to work through the “false moves” and bring the environment back into fair play.

The beauty of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is that it helps us to clearly identify the right relationship. It helps children know everyone makes mistakes. We all have our moments of weakness. And, instead of staying in our weakness, through the sacrament we receive God’s mercy and loving forgiveness. Once we examine our conscience and know where we have fallen short, we then have the opportunity to reconcile, to make things right and restore relationships with God, others, and ourselves.

Did you ever notice when children receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation there is an air of happiness? Everyone loves to begin again with a clean slate.

God wants all of creation to live in a right relationship. As adults we can help set up healthy boundaries in our classrooms and in our homes so we can all identify healthy relating. By having the intention, and practicing live-giving patterns of relating, we equip children with essential life skills to function successfully with their family, friends, and the world.

RCL Benziger’s Family Life is a helpful resource to provide a safe and healthy environment. It is also a comprehensive moral catechesis for families. Family Life is designed to complement religious education and strengthen Catholic identity in your school or parish. This best-selling program presents the teachings of the Church with clarity, and offers unparalleled support for Catholic families!

Mary A. DuQuaine started working in professional church ministry in 1993, she worked in the Archdioceses of Milwaukee and Chicago. She earned a Master of Theology Degree from Catholic Theological Union as a Bernardin Scholar where she specialized in Spirituality and Ethics. She is the author of several books on liturgical catechesis and spirituality.

The month of October is widely recognized as Pastor Appreciation Month, with Sunday, October 9, set aside for Clergy Appreciation Day. The day was established in 1992; Hallmark began selling cards for it in 2002.

The Internet contains suggestions for showing appreciation to our pastors ranging from sending them a personal note of thanks, to having everyone in the parish come to Mass wearing a T-shirt proclaiming theirs the “Best Pastor Ever”, to offering them gifts of various values.

As Catholics, we owe our clergy (bishops, priests, deacons) a great debt of gratitude. These men dedicate their lives to the service of the Church, meaning they give their lives to the service of each and every one of us who make up the Church.

The list below offers just a few things members of the Catholic clergy do to serve us. Feel free to add your own reasons to give thanks:

They visit us when we are sick, counsel us when we are doubtful or in distress, encourage us when we falter, offer forgiveness and help to pick us up when we fall short of perfection, guide us when we wander, teach us when we question, and lead us toward the truth whether we want to go toward it or not.

They creatively keep the church’s physical plant going, often seemingly with little more than chewing gum and bailing wire, à la MacGyver.

They make sure there are trained professionals available to provide for our physical and spiritual well-being. They hire, train, and oversee the work of these professionals daily.

They serve as the pivot points in our parish and diocesan communities around which the communities gather. Without them, our communities would often just fade away.

They sit through seemingly never-ending, often boring meetings so our voices may be heard.

They organize, plan, cajole, plead, beg, and borrow to make sure the Church has what it needs—all so we may have worship experiences that enlighten us and challenge us to follow the Lord more faithfully.

They endure years of training, study, and scholarship so they intricately know what the Church believes and teaches, and help us to understand it at our own levels.

Finally, but most importantly, they serve as the sacramental ministers who enable us to experience Christ personally through bread and wine that become the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist; receive Christ’s forgiving and healing touch in Baptism, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick; and witness the sacred presence of God in our lives in Confirmation and Matrimony.

I’d say we owe them a great deal of thanks.

So take the opportunity (this month especially) to tell the bishops, pastors, parochial vicars, and deacons who serve your community how much you appreciate them and the gift that they are to the Church. But don’t limit your thanks only to October. Be sure to show your appreciation in some meaningful way every month of the year.

Daniel S. Mulhall currently serves as Director of Strategic Markets for RCL Benziger. He lives in Louisville, Ky.

It is difficult to go into a store this time of year and not see all the decorations and costumes for Halloween. As Catholics, we clothe ourselves in special ways also, but in the context of the Communion of the Saints. Just as children dress up like a person they would like to be like when they grow up (such as a police officer, firefighter, or doctor), we look to the saints as an example for us in our daily lives.

In my son’s Catholic school each November, he has an opportunity to choose and dress up like a saint. This leads to great conversations as the time approaches regarding, who he would like to be and why. In Kindergarten, he chose to dress up like Saint Nicholas, a familiar saint who was popular because of gift-giving. As my son grew older and began to learn more about the saints, his choices became saints such as Saint Luke (patron saint of artists) and Saint Maximillian Kolbe (who displayed great love by giving his life for another).

It is good for all of us to learn more about saints of all kinds. Their stories teach us what it means to live the Gospel. They also give us hope. They were people with struggles just like us, and yet they persevered through the difficult times. One of my favorites is Saint John XXIII. He referred to himself as a “simple parish priest”, and yet when he became pope he helped to bring about the Second Vatican Council.

Saints are ordinary people who live extra ordinary lives. We see this in the Communion of Saints, of which we are all a part. I would encourage you to visit the Cathedral in Los Angeles, where the tapestries of the saints (some famous and others not) envelop the worship space. In that place, you feel like you are truly a part of the Communion of Saints. (The ecclesiology module for Echoes of Faith 3.0 was recorded there. Learn more and subscribe at EchoesofFaith.com.)

So how can we prepare for All Saints Day? Let me suggest a few possibilities:

1) Take time to learn more about the saints, and share your discoveries with the children/teens in your classroom. SaintsResource.com is a great place to start.

2) Research your patron saint. Find out when his/her feast day is and celebrate it.

3) Have a “Saints Day Party” for the families in your community. Encourage everyone to dress up like a saint. Go all out with religious medals, a saint scavenger hunt, cupcakes with pictures of the children from your class (for they are saints, too).

4) As a class, put together a Litany of the Saints that you can use for the entire month of November. Include patron saints, favorite saints, etc. Perhaps you could even have the music teacher or parish musician help put your litany to music.

5) Decorate pumpkins (with safe tools, of course). Have pairs of students design a pumpkin to resemble a specific saint. Then display each pumpkin with a brief description of the saint it represents—a great way to catechize the rest of your school or parish community.

6) Encourage families to learn more about the saints. Wonderful resources based upon the liturgical year can be found in Our Family Prays.

It is easy for us to get caught up in the decorations and events for the secular holidays this fall. Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate the Holy Days of our Church as well.

Lee Ann Lella works as a sales representative for RCL Benziger in the West Region. She was in parish ministry for over twenty years serving as a Youth Minister, Director of Faith Formation, Catholic School Teacher, and Administrator. Her Master’s Degree is in Theology from St. Norbert College and she holds a teaching license in middle and secondary education. Lee Ann has been in numerous professional organizations both on the local and national level.

October is traditionally known as “Respect Life Month.” We also celebrate the Feasts of two powerful saints during October: Saint Francis of Assisi on October 4 and Saint Theresa of Avila on October 15. How can these two saints enhance our own awareness and celebration of respect for all life?

If any saint could be called an “environmentalist” it would be Saint Francis. He seemed to possess a singular ability to view all of life as sacred and worthy of respect, care, and praise. His “The Canticle of the Creatures” is a magnificently-rich prayer that acknowledges all of creation as “good” and calls to give God praise, honor, and glory:

The Canticle of the Creatures

by Saint Francis of Assisi, 1225 AD

Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honour, and all blessing,
To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no human is worthy to mention Your name.

Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day and through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour;
and bears a likeness to You, Most High One.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather,
through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night,
and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and who produces varied fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your love,
and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will,
for the second death shall do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.

A simple activity to engage your whole parish would be to invite people of all ages to illustrate the prayer, each person or family taking one phrase. Encourage the adults in a family to work with and help the children so they can truly claim the results as a family project. The discussion of the meaning of the phrase, the effort to work together on the project, the care to include everyone’s creativity, and the completion of the picture will be rewarding. If you provide the paper, colored pencils, markers, and/or crayons along with encouragement, and then display the end results, the entire prayer community will be enriched by a sense of ownership, a deeper understanding of the connection between the creation story in Genesis 2 and our present-day call by God to be careful stewards of this one earth. Stewardship committees, environmental committees, and garden committees (just to name a few), can all build upon this whole-community approach to formation.

A similar project could be launched within a school setting. Perhaps the principal of the school would want to engage each class with the task of illustrating a specific verse of the prayer. The end result would be a unifying display throughout the entire school—from the youngest child to those preparing to graduate—on one theme.

The second saint we can turn to for guidance is Theresa of Avila. Our faith challenges us to see the face of Christ in everyone we meet. As disciples of Jesus, we seek to serve our Lord in the needs of God’s people. Respect life committees, prison ministries, food pantries, St. Vincent de Paul chapters, outreach for the elderly groups, and meal programs provide multiple opportunities to embody the prayer of Saint Theresa of Avila into our expressed faith-life. We literally become the Body of Christ for our time.

And again, within the arena of a school or classroom, studying this prayer, imagining how it applies to how we treat one another or developing a discussion on the power of mutual respect (as opposed to bullying) could be very helpful.

From garden projects that teach children the source of their food, to providing healthy garden produce for the hungry, to collaborative efforts that cross committee as well as parish boundaries, celebrating “respect life” month offers rich opportunities that can translate into a year-round focus and outreach.

And what better way to end a month of respecting life than by beginning the next month, November, with the realization that we stand on the shoulders of all those good saints (named or not) who have gone before us and for whom we have been named? We come from a long line of faithful believers whose “family trait” is one of respecting life in all its forms.

The Communion of Saints is celebrated on November 1. Encouraging students to research stories about particular saints and/or to come dressed as one of those saints could be a fun and formational opportunity for respecting all of life. And because we recognize that all life is a gift from God and all life is precious, we seek to express that belief in the manner in which we live our Catholic Faith. It’s the only way to be the Church.

June Wessa is a married mother & grandmother who serves the Church. She has been an elementary classroom teacher, a DRE, and, most recently, a Pastoral Associate. She is a writer, retreat director, and spiritual director.

During my years as a Hospice volunteer, I had some very moving and meaningful experiences. One, in particular, stands out.

I was visiting Theresa, a patient in a nursing home, where visitations by family members or friends are often few and far between. She was Catholic and her room was filled with images of her faith. Theresa often shared her loneliness with me. One day, when she seemed weaker than usual, I asked if there was anything she wanted–water, music, prayer, a priest. She looked at me with a smile and pointed to a statue of Mary, on which hung her rosary beads.

I slipped them into her hand and her smile widened. She fingered the beads like they were precious and she raised the cross to her lips to kiss. “These are all I need,” she whispered, closing her eyes. Theresa died peacefully a few minutes later. I have returned often to that afternoon so many years ago and the fact that, at the moment of death, Theresa found comfort and peace in her devotion to Mary and love of Jesus, on whose life she reflected daily through the Rosary.

Praying the Rosary has grown as a Catholic tradition since the 12th century, when (legend has it), Mary entrusted the Rosary to Saint Dominic to aid him in his fight against the Albigensian heresy. Then in 1571, following a miraculous navel victory over the Ottoman Turks, Pope Saint Pius V established October 7 as the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. He believed the battle was won through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the recitation of the Rosary. October eventually became a month dedicated to the Rosary of the Virgin Mary.

In his apostolic exhortation on the Holy Rosary, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Pope Saint John Paul II refers to the Rosary as his favorite prayer. He reveals the Rosary as a path of contemplation, a prayer for peace for the family, and an opportunity to follow the witness of the saints:

“The Rosary of the Virgin Mary, which gradually took form in the second millennium under the guidance of the Spirit of God, is a prayer loved by countless Saints and encouraged by the Magisterium. Simple yet profound, it still remains … a prayer of great significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness. …

“With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love. Through the Rosary, the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer. …

“Against the background of the words Ave Maria the principal events of the life of Jesus Christ pass before the eyes of the soul. They take shape in the complete series of the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries, and they put us in living communion with Jesus through–we might say–the heart of his Mother. At the same time our heart can embrace in the decades of the Rosary, all the events that make up the lives of individuals, families, nations, the Church, and all mankind. Our personal concerns and those of our neighbor, especially those who are closest to us, who are dearest to us. Thus the simple prayer of the Rosary marks the rhythm of human life.”

Pope Saint John Paul II prayed the Rosary daily, and his practice was an inspiration to Pope Francis while he was still Cardinal Bergoglio. The cardinal wrote of a time when he was praying the Rosary as it was being led by the Holy Father. “In the middle of the prayer I became distracted, looking at the figure of the Pope: his piety, his devotion was a witness,” he wrote. “And the time drifted away, and I began to imagine the young priest, the seminarian, the poet, the worker, the child from Wadowice… in the same position in which he knelt at that moment, reciting Ave Maria after Ave Maria. His witness struck me,” (30 Days, 2005, Archives). From that time on, the cardinal who became Pope Francis has prayed the 15 decades of the Rosary daily.

The month-long observance during October of the Holy Rosary of the Virgin Mary is the perfect time for us to embrace the request of Pope Saint John Paul II: “I look to all of you, brothers and sisters of every state of life, to you, Christian families, to you, the sick and elderly, and to you, young people: confidently take up the Rosary once again. Rediscover the Rosary in the light of Scripture, in harmony with the Liturgy, and in the context of your daily lives” (Rosarium Virginis Mariae). Below are some suggestions for helping your students learn about and experience praying the Rosary:

Just do it!–Pray the Rosary daily and encourage your students to the do the same. Start with a decade if you can’t manage a full Rosary daily, but strive to end the Month of October praying a full Rosary. In Catholic schools, student council members or other selected members of the student body might lead the students in a decade of the Rosary after morning announcements. Living Rosaries are also a wonderful way to get all the students involved by serving as the beads of the Rosary, and are a powerful visual opportunity for prayer for the entire school or parish community.

Celebrate–Join with your Catholic community for Mass on October 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Encourage your students to do the same, and then discuss what they saw, heard, and felt during this Mass.

Get creative–Have your students make rosaries. There is usually at least one parishioner in your community or in another local parish who makes rosary beads as a ministry. Invite her to come to your classroom to instruct your students in making rosaries for themselves and, perhaps, a set to donate to the ministry. Instruct the students to bring their rosaries to class so you may use them throughout October.

Extend the invitation–With the approval of your school principal or parish director of religious education, invite a priest to speak to the students about the importance of the Rosary in his vocation. Or invite a member of the parish Altar Rosary Society to explain her ministry to the Church, and share why the recitation of the Rosary is important to the spiritual lives of members and to the Church.

Take a moment to look at some additional Rosary resources:

Learn more about the Rosary on the USCCB website Learn more about Mary on the USCCB website Learn more about Mary and the Rosary on the All About Mary pages of the International Marian Research Institute of Dayton University View a sample of RCL Benziger’s “Catholic Prayers and Practices for Young Disciples” Shop RCL Benziger’s store for “Catholic Prayers and Practices” resources

Mary Regina Morrell is a syndicated Catholic columnist, freelance writer, and author who has served the Church for more than 25 years. She is a former associate director of religious education for the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey; associate editor and catechetical consultant for RENEW International; and managing editor of The Monitor, Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. Find her at mary.wellspring@yahoo.com, Twitter@mreginam6, and her blogs, God Talk and Tea and My Mother's Bread.

I remember starting out more than 20 years ago as a Youth Minister in the Catholic Church thinking that this experience would help to foster my spirituality. Not only would I be able to work with God’s people, but I could also spend significant time in prayer each day. After all, my office was right in a church. But reality struck several months into my ministry when I had the terrible realization that I was actually spending less time in prayer. I became a victim of what my spiritual director called "spirituality by proximity." I lead prayer services, helped form catechists, taught teens how to pray—all in a church setting—but my personal prayer life suffered.

This year as we celebrate Catechetical Sunday, the weekend of September 17 and 18, we are reminded of the importance of prayer in our daily lives by its theme: "Prayer: The Faith Prayed." It is a time to encourage our catechists and teach our children to pray, and for us in leadership to make time for prayer. For me, this begins with physically scheduling time for prayer each day—in my calendar. Of course, I say little prayers throughout the day, but the scheduling helps me to be intentional and put aside time to spend with God in prayer.

As parish catechetical leaders we are called to be people of prayer. How do we give of ourselves if we are not filled? Like an empty glass, we have nothing to offer. Consider these four steps in your journey to be a person of prayer.

First, schedule the time. Choose a time without distractions and put it on your calendar. (My favorite time is at the end of the day when my husband and son are in bed.) This is quiet time, sacred time to be with God.

Second, look at different forms of prayer. As Catholic Christians, we are blessed with many different prayer forms. Contemplative prayer and Lectio Divina have been two ways for me to spend time in prayer. We also have devotional prayer, such as the rosary or Eucharistic Adoration, as well as liturgical prayers such as Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours. Try different forms of prayer until you find something that fills you. As we grow in our faith journey we may find other prayer forms that help us.

Third, live as a person of prayer. This witness to your family and the children you teach is priceless. Allow the Holy Spirit to work through you as a catechist, and truly follow the Gospel of Jesus. This affects all that you do, including your classroom management and your interaction with your students.

Lastly, be patient with yourself. I remember when I began to pray with contemplative prayer, my mind would wander about all the things I needed to do for the day. My wise spiritual director told me, "Just let those thoughts go like you would a feather, and continue to pray." Don’t get frustrated, be patient, and it will come. I am reminded of the story attributed to Saint John Vianney. When he was a priest in a small rural parish, a man would come into the Church and just sit in silence for hours before the tabernacle, early in the morning’s darkness each day. As a parish priest, he was curious about what prayers the farmer was praying for such a lengthy period of time. The farmer told him, "I look at Him and He looks at me." What intimacy with our Lord!

The General Directory of Catechesis reminds us, "When catechesis is permeated by a climate of prayer, the assimilation of the entire Christian life reaches its summit," (GDC 85). All that we do needs to be grounded in prayer so we truly can live as disciples of Jesus, and our children and teens will do the same.

Additional resources:

Classroom Prayers Weekly Meditations Lectionary Resources Catholic Resources

Lee Ann Lella works as a sales representative for RCL Benziger in the West Region. She was in parish ministry for more than 20 years serving as a youth minister, director of faith formation, Catholic schoolteacher, and administrator. Her Master’s degree is in Theology from St. Norbert College, and she holds a teaching license in middle and secondary education. Lee Ann has been in numerous professional organizations both on the local and national level.

Criar a seis hijos siempre ha llenado mi vida de sorpresas. Sigo preguntándome: ¿cómo pueden seis niños del mismo hogar que tienen los mismos padres ser tan diferentes entre sí? Incluso ahora, que son adultos, cada uno tiene una perspectiva sobre la vida que es única... y que a veces me disloca.

Esta singularidad fue sumamente evidente en su perspectiva sobre la escuela, que iba de total falta de interés y exasperación a casi un cumplimiento obsesivo de la máxima de Henry Ford: “Antes que nada, el prepararse es el secreto del éxito”.

Incluso hoy en las reuniones familiares, nos reímos del hábito de mi segundo hijo, quien se vestía completamente para la escuela antes de dormir y así no perder tiempo en la mañana buscando la ropa. Su propensión a planear todo lo ha acompañado en su vida adulta, cuando aprendió el valor de una plancha.

Planear comienza al conocer la meta. Para mi hijo, un buen día en la escuela comenzaba con una mañana tranquila y sin contratiempos antes de tomar el autobús.

Para los catequistas, la meta este año es… bien, quizás eso es algo que los catequistas necesitan decidir por sí mismos. Pero fijar la meta, o las metas, es sin duda una buena manera de comenzar a hacer los planes del nuevo año escolar, teniendo presente que cada paso para alcanzar la meta debe darse con el corazón y la mente de Cristo. Hay mentes y espíritus jóvenes en juego en cada estudiante a quien enseñamos.

Aquí hay algunas ideas para ayudarlos a prepararse para el nuevo año escolar:

Reflexionen sobre su ministerio: como catequista, están llamado a apoyar a las familias informando y formando a los niños como jóvenes discípulos de Cristo. Consideren qué significa esto para ustedes como catequistas. ¿Cómo puedes crecer en tu ministerio para servir mejor a la Iglesia y a sus familias para facilitarles un encuentro con Jesús? Encontrarán gran variedad de materiales para su enriquecimiento en: http://www.bemydisciples.com/teachers.

Descubran la alegría: Jesús fue sin duda un hombre alegre y esa alegría del Espíritu era carismática. Sus estudiantes deberán vivir esa misma experiencia con ustedes al guiarlos en su camino de fe. Sean alegres y muestren confianza en su fe. Enseñe al igual que Jesús y recuerde las palabras de San Pablo a los filipenses: “Estén siempre alegres en el Señor; se lo repito, estén alegres y tengan buen trato con todos”. (4,4).

Conozca aquello de lo que habla: esto requiere dos cosas. Primero, repasen cuidadosamente sus materiales de enseñanza, incluyendo las guías para catequistas/maestros de los libros antes del comienzo del año escolar y fijen sus metas para el año. Si conocen bien lo que estarán enseñando, la inspiración para las lecciones surgirá en los lugares más inesperados. Segundo, evalúen sus propios conocimientos sobre la fe católica y consideren aprovechar las oportunidades parroquiales o diocesanas para profundizar sus conocimientos. Además, lean los ensayos inspiradores de RCL Benziger para la formación de los catequistas bajando los archivos en formato PDF.

Establezca reglas: piensen en esto antes del comienzo del año escolar. Las reglas en el salón de clases son esenciales para establecer un contexto instructivo que sea sano y eficaz. Los niños necesitan y se sienten seguros en un contexto con límites y expectativas. Si quieren algo sencillo, una regla eficaz es escribir en el pizarrón la palabra RESPETO. Esa sola palabra puede generar un diálogo importante con los estudiantes sobre qué tipo de conducta se espera y por qué. También es aconsejable que hable con el director religioso de la parroquia o el director de la escuela para asegurarse de que sus reglas siguen las pautas generales de la escuela.

Acumulen cuentos o anécdotas: a los niños de todas las edades les encantan. Jesús sabía eso, por lo cual enseñó con parábolas, cuentos sobre la fe que se estudian, se examinan y se comparten más de 2,000 años después de la muerte y Resurrección de Cristo. Anécdotas breves sobre la vida de ustedes son los más fáciles de contar porque las han vivido, pero toda la Creación está llena de inspiración (¿recuerdan el ejemplo de Jesús sobre la gallina que reúne a sus pollitos bajo las alas?) Y, por supuesto, siempre están los santos. Consulte los materiales deRCL Benziger sobre los santos en http://saintsresource.com/.

Rece: la oración es esencial para cualquier ministerio y para el crecimiento de la vida espiritual de todo catequista, estudiante y familiar que participa del programa de su parroquia o escuela católica. Cuando Jesús les enseñó a los apóstoles a rezar, les dio el “Padre Nuestro”. Es una bendición que nuestra Iglesia nos haya dado tantas otras oraciones para elevar el corazón y la mente a Dios. Además, nuestras propias oraciones espontáneas, nuestras conversaciones con Dios, son momentos para pedir guía y la inspiración del Espíritu Santo al participar de un ministerio tan vital como lo es el de la formación de la fe. Lo que es más importante, contamos con la misa, la mayor oración de nuestra fe católica y la fuente de nuestra vida católica. Nuestra participación en la celebración de la misa nos fortalece para salir al mundo, predicar el Evangelio y ser Cristo para los demás.

El regreso a la escuela es un tiempo emocionante de transición y oportunidades que merece planes cuidadosos. Para quienes enseñan la fe, este tiempo es mejor descrito como “el regreso a clases” porque, en lo que respecta a la formación de discípulos, la escuela nunca se cierra.

Materiales adicionales:

Oraciones y prácticas católicas para discípulos jóvenes USCCB Back to School Safety Tips Tarjetas de oración para catequistas, de USCCB

Mary Regina Morrell, directora de Wellspring Communications, es una autora y columnista católica que publica simultáneamente en varios medios y ha servido a la Iglesia por más de 25 años. En el pasado se desempeñó como directora adjunta de educación religiosa de la Diócesis de Metuchen, Nueva Jersey; editora adjunta y consultora catequética de RENEW International y editora administrativa de The Monitor en la Diócesis de Trenton, Nueva Jersey. Puede encontrarla en mary.wellspring@yahoo.com, Twitter @mreginam6, y sus blogs: God Talk and Tea y My Mother's Bread.

Raising six sons has always been an exercise in amazement. How, I continue to ask myself, can six children from one home with the same two parents be so incredibly different? Even now, as adults, each of them has an approach to life that is uniquely theirs … and sometimes it makes me crazy!

Nowhere was this uniqueness more evident than in their approach to school, which ranged from total disinterest and irritation to an almost obsessive adherence to Henry Ford’s maxim: “Before everything else, getting ready is the secret to success.”

Even today at family gatherings, we still laugh at the habit of son number two, who would get completely dressed for school before bedtime so he wouldn’t waste any time in the morning looking for his clothes. His penchant for planning has served him well into adulthood, a time when he learned the value of an iron.

Planning begins with knowing the goal. For my son, a good day at school started with a peaceful, smooth-sailing morning before catching the bus.

For catechists the goal this year is … well, maybe that’s something catechists need to determine for themselves. But setting the goal, or goals, is certainly a good way to begin planning for the new school year, keeping in mind that every step taken to reach the goal must be taken with the heart and mind of Christ. There are young minds and spirits at stake in every student we teach.

Here are a few thoughts to help prepare you for a new school year:

Reflect on your ministry—As a catechist, you are called to support families through informing and forming children as young disciples of Christ. Consider what that means for you as the catechist. How may you grow in your ministry to best serve the Church and her families in bringing them to an encounter with Jesus? A host of enrichment materials is available at http://www.bemydisciples.com/teachers.

Discover joy—Jesus was undoubtedly a man of joy, and that joy of the Spirit was charismatic. Your students should have that same experience with you leading them on their faith journey. Be joyful and confident in your faith. Teach as Jesus did, and remember the words of St. Paul to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” (4:4).

Know your stuff—This is a two-fold process. First, carefully review your teaching materials, including any catechist/teacher guide in the books, before the school year begins and set your goal for the year. When you know what you are teaching, inspiration for lessons will appear in the most unexpected places. Secondly, evaluate your own knowledge of the Catholic faith and consider taking advantage of any parish or diocesan opportunities to deepen your knowledge. Also, check RCL Benziger’s inspiring essays for catechist formation with PDF downloads available.

Establish rules—Give this some thought before the school year starts. Classroom rules are essential to establishing a healthy and effective learning environment. Children need and feel safe in an environment with both limitations and expectations. If you like to keep it simple, one effective rule to post on a blackboard or whiteboard is RESPECT. That one word can open up a meaningful discussion with students on what type of behavior is expected and why. It is also advisable to discuss with the parish religious director or school principal to ensure your rules are in line with the broader school rules.

Stock up on stories—Children of all ages love stories. Jesus knew that, which is why he taught with parables—faith stories that are studied, reflected on, and shared more than 2,000 years after Christ’s Death and Resurrection. Brief stories from your life are easiest told because you experienced them, but all of creation is full of inspiration (remember Jesus’ example of the hen gathering her chicks under her wings?). And of course, there are always the saints. Take a look at RCL Benziger’s saints resource at http://saintsresource.com.

Pray—Prayer is essential for any ministry and for the growing spiritual life of each catechist, student, and family member involved in your parish program or Catholic school. When Jesus taught the Apostles to pray he gave them the “Our Father.” We are blessed that our Church has given us many other prayers to lift up our hearts and minds to God. In addition, our own spontaneous prayers, our conversations with God, are times of asking for guidance and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as we enter into this most important of ministries—faith formation. Most importantly, we have the Mass, the greatest prayer of our Catholic faith and the source of our life as Catholics. Our participation in the celebration of Mass strengthens us to go out into the world, share the Gospel, and be Christ to others.

Back to school is an exciting time of transition and opportunity, a time that is well-served through thoughtful planning. For those teaching the faith, it is the time that may best be thought of as “back to class,” because when it comes to forming disciples, school is always in session.

Additional resources:

Catholic Prayers and Practices for Young Disciples USCCB Back to School Safety Tips USCCB Catechists Prayer Cards

Mary Regina Morrell, Director, Wellspring Communications, is a syndicated Catholic columnist and author who has served the Church for more than 25 years. She is a former Associate Director of Religious Education for the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey; Associate Editor and Catechetical Consultant for RENEW International; and Managing Editor of The Monitor, Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. Find her at mary.wellspring@yahoo.com, Twitter @mreginam6, and her blogs: God Talk and Tea and My Mother's Bread.

Lo que me encanta del Papa Francisco es que es tan accesible y práctico. Su sonrisa es contagiosa, su amor genuino, y no tiene miedo de hablar sobre sus propias experiencias y relaciones. Entonces, cuando el Papa Francisco anunció el Año Jubilar de la Misericordia y el tema para la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud 2016 en Cracovia, supimos que entendía y vivía la misericordia en su propia vida.

Mientras más recemos juntos, más viviremos la misericordia. Cuando se le pregunta cómo practicar la misericordia, el Papa Francisco dice: “Mira, lee las bienaventuranzas que te van a venir bien. Y si quieres saber qué cosa práctica tienes que hacer, lee Mateo 25, que es el protocolo con el cual nos van a juzgar. Con esas dos cosas tienen el programa de acción: Las bienaventuranzas y Mateo 25”.

Ayudar a los jóvenes, niños y sus familias a vivir la misericordia se logra compartiendo nuestros propios ejemplos, y concediendo misericordia a los demás. Los peregrinos de la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud vivirán la misericordia en los sacrificios que han hecho sus chaperones y dirigentes para acompañarlos. Ellos, en cambio, tendrán que ser misericordiosos unos con otros al sacrificar comodidad, sueño y la familiaridad de su vida allá en casa. Escucharán sobre la misericordia en las sesiones de catequesis y recibirán de forma abundante la misericordia de Dios al celebrar los sacramentos con la Iglesia joven del mundo entero. Tendrán una experiencia cumbre que solo se podrá colmar cuando regresen a su hogar para dar testimonio de la misericordia de Dios en su vida cotidiana.

En el hogar, en la parroquia, y en la escuela, necesitamos hacer lo que sugiere el Papa Francisco, y llevar a cabo las Bienaventuranzas y las Obras de la Misericordia. Al igual que el Papa Francisco es un modelo global de misericordia, nosotros debemos ser los practicantes locales y en el lugar. Dar y pedir perdón debe hacerse en voz alta en nuestras comunidades y hogares. Debe mencionarse y alabarse el rezar por los demás y hacer las obras de la misericordia. Debemos ser intencionados, valientes y desvergonzados para decir que somos personas de misericordia gracias a Jesús, que nos mostró la misericordia definitiva.

Necesitamos asegurarnos que tenemos las herramientas para ayudarnos a lograr comunidades de misericordia y la habilidad para usarlas de manera creativa. En la series Sean Mis Discípulos de RCL Benziger, cada capítulo contiene un Poder del discípulo, una virtud fruto del Espíritu que, cuando se practica, crea una vida de misericordia y de ser discípulo. Enfocarse en estas virtudes cada semana, como así también buscar y recompensar el Poder del discípulo en la práctica, puede crear un ambiente de misericordia. El programa Stories of God’s Love Kindergarten de RCL Benziger tendrá ahora una lección adicional en línea para una virtud cada semana que nuestros discípulos más pequeños y sus familias pueden practicar. Nuestra Familia Ora, un recurso para un rito y oración familiar, otorga oraciones creativas para que las familias recen juntas. Mientras más recemos juntos, más viviremos la misericordia. Además, la maravillosa serie Family Life se enfoca intencionalmente en la fe y moralidad familiar para ayudar a construir familias de misericordia y amor.

Cualquiera de estos recursos, y muchos más, se pueden previsualizar en RCLBenziger.com. Sin embargo, cuando todo esté dicho y hecho, también necesitamos tener sonrisas contagiosas y mostrar un amor genuino para que nuestros niños, jóvenes y familias verdaderamente conozcan la misericordia de Dios y la difundan aún más.

Catherine Becker es representante de ventas para RCL Benziger, y atiende a partes de la zona Medio Oeste, incluidos el sur de Illinois, Missouri, Kansas y Memphis, Jackson, Evansville, St. Cloud, Boise y Honolulu.

Cathy Becker tiene una maestría en Estudios Pastorales de Catholic Theological Union en Chicago y es ministra eclesial laica con certificación nacional. Se ha desempeñado como Dirigente de Pastoral Juvenil y Catequesis en Springfield, Illinois, Rockford, Illinois y Greensboro, Carolina del Norte, donde ha creado y dirigido ministerios para niños de primaria, adultos y adolescentes, incluso el R.I.C.A. Actualmente es directora de la Comisión de Certificación Nacional NFCYM/NACYML. Cathy ha sido adjunta y autora para el Center for Ministry Development y Benedictine University en Springfield, Illinois. Reside en Springfield con su esposo Joshua y tres hijas que están, como familia, en el corazón de su vocación y alegría.