There were so many great articles for catechists this week, I decided to do one of those Friday link highlight things. My catechetically cool links are catechetical posts or things of interest to catechists, because, after all, that’s my thing. Besides, you’ve got to share the wealth right?
Jared Dees at The Religion Teacher launched a free Guide to Lesson Planning ebook. Additionally, he’s doing some video tutorials on how to use the guide. Step 1 and Step 2 are recorded and available now.
Catechist Chat: The Examen, for Catechists: Dorian Speed at Scrutinies had a great article on using the Examen Prayer to evaluate your catechetical sessions. Kind of like a catechetical “post mortem” but hopefully your lesson didn’t die. I like the Examen and have used that on occasion for similar purposes to evaluate events with a leadership team or to evaluate catechetical sessions with a group of catechists.
Dorian also started a Catechist Chat Facebook page. She’s including recent posts from her website and various resources for download such as lesson planning notes and handouts. She’s also showcasing posts from other websites of interest to catechists.
The Amazing Catechists site is doing a theme. All the contributors are posting on the topic “In Each of Us, Christ,” about the power of Christ’s indwelling presence in all of us.
Lisa Mladinich, host of the Amazing Catechists website and Pat Gohn, catechist blogger and podcaster, both started new weekly columns on catechesis at the Catholic Portal on Patheos.com.
Lisa’s column entitled, “Be An Amazing Catechist” features practical tips and teaching methods “from elementary right through RCIA and beyond.” Her motto: If you want to teach the Catholic faith truthfully, you must teach it thrillingly!
Pat Gohn’s new Patheos column is entitled “A Word in Season.” This new weekly column will explore themes related to the liturgical year including prayer and scripture, the lives of the saints, the Catechism, and the deep history of Catholic Tradition. Pat is a great catechist and I’m sure this column will be an excellent resource. Besides, she’s a Franciscan grad! Enough said?
Pope offers step-by-step guide on how ‘lectio divina’ meditation works. Finally, this is very exciting. I saw this on The Catholic Spirit. In the post-synodal apostolic exhortation, “Verbum Domini” (“The Word of the Lord”), which was released Nov. 11, Pope Benedict XVI gave special attention to the practice of Lectio Divina, and he gave specific instructions on how to practice this prayer. I’ve been a big fan of lectio for several years and highly recommend it. Since becoming pope, Benedict has asked the faithful to take up the practice of lectio saying he’s convinced it will bring a new springtime in the Church. When someone like Pope Benedict says he’s convinced, I listen! You should to!
Verbum Domini — Plain Text and MS Word. You can download a copy of Verbum Domini in plain text or MS Word at Jeffrey Pinyan’s site, The Cross Reference.
