Catechist's Notes

Embarking on a spiritual journey can sometimes feel like navigating an intricate maze. However, some paths, like the teachings of Brother Lawrence in "The Practice of the Presence of God," offer a simple yet profound method: maintaining a constant, loving awareness of God. If you're wondering how to integrate this practice into your daily life, here's a step-by-step guide to help you. 1. Begin With Intention Every morning, upon waking, dedicate a few quiet moments to acknowledge God's presence. Set an intention to keep this connection alive throughout the day, laying a foundation for the hours ahead. 2. Set Up Reminders In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it's easy to forget our spiritual intentions. Use alarms, sticky notes, or even daily habits (like sipping water) as cues to refocus on God's presence. 3. Elevate Mundane Activities Choose routine tasks—be it brushing your teeth, washing dishes, or taking a stroll—as sacred moments. Engage in these...

This lesson is intended to guide students in creating their own personal prayer space in their home. The goal is to help students understand the importance of having a designated area for prayer and reflection, and to provide them with the tools and resources to create their own space. Objective: Students will be able to create a personal prayer space in their home and understand the importance of having a designated area for prayer and reflection. Scripture Reference:  "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:6) Lesson Outline: Discuss the importance of having a designated area for prayer and reflection Share examples of different types of prayer spaces (e.g. a corner of a room, a designated room, an outdoor space) Provide resources for creating a prayer space (e.g. candles, statues, crosses, rosaries, etc.) Discuss how to maintain and use t...

The sign of the cross is a common gesture in many Christian denominations. It is a physical representation of one's faith and is often made at the beginning and end of prayers, as well as during other religious ceremonies and practices. Objective:  The objective of this lesson is for students to understand the significance of the sign of the cross and to learn how to make the sign correctly. Lesson Outline: Begin by explaining the history and significance of the sign of the cross. The sign of the cross has been used by Christians for centuries as a way to invoke the protection and blessings of God. It is also a way to express one's faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. Demonstrate how to make the sign of the cross. To make the sign of the cross, start by placing the right hand on the forehead, then move it down to the chest, then to the left shoulder, and then to the right shoulder. This gesture is often accompanied by the words "In the name of the Father, and of the ...

The Hail Mary prayer is a well-known prayer in the Catholic faith, and it has a long history and tradition. It is based on the words spoken by the angel Gabriel to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and by Elizabeth, Mary's cousin, when they greeted Mary upon the annunciation and the Visitation, respectively.  The first part of the Hail Mary prayer, "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee," is a quote from the angel Gabriel's greeting to Mary when he appeared to her to announce that she would bear the son of God. This is recorded in Luke 1:28: "And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." The second part of the Hail Mary prayer includes a quote from Elizabeth, Mary's cousin, who greeted her upon the Visitation. This is recorded in Luke 1:42: "And she spoke out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb....

Objective:  Students will be able to understand and recite the Apostles' Creed. Materials: Copies of the Apostles' Creed for each student Pictures or illustrations of the main concepts in the Apostles Creed (e.g. God, Jesus, Holy Spirit) Warm-up: Ask students if they know what the Apostles' Creed is. Explain that the Apostles Creed is a statement of belief that Christians have been using for hundreds of years to summarize their faith. Direct Instruction: Read the Apostles' Creed together as a class. Discuss the meaning of each line: "I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth."   "I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord."   "He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary."   "He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried."   "He descended to the dead."   "On the third day he rose again."   "He ascended into heaven and i...

This is a free resource for catechists and educators. I encourage you to share it with your parish, school, or religious education organization. Feel free to use and distribute Catechist's Notes materials, as long as the content and the copyright © www.catechistsnotes.com information is unaltered from its original form.   How to Download file: 1. Left click on image file. 2. Right click on image. 3. Click 'Save Image As..."   4. Click 'Save      

This is a free resource for catechists and educators. I encourage you to share it with your parish, school, or religious education organization. Feel free to use and distribute Catechist's Notes materials, as long as the content and the copyright 2022 © www.catechistsnotes.com information is unaltered from its original form.   How to Download file: 1. Left click on image file. 2. Right click on image. 3. Click 'Save Image As..." 4. Click 'Save'.  

This is a free resource for catechists and educators. I encourage you to share it with your parish, school, or religious education organization. Feel free to use and distribute Catechist's Notes materials, as long as the content and the copyright 2022 © www.catechistsnotes.com information is unaltered from its original form.   How to Download file: 1. Left click on image file. 2. Right click on image. 3. Click 'Save Image As..." 4. Click 'Save'.      

This is a free resource for catechists and educators. I encourage you to share it with your parish, school, or religious education organization. Feel free to use and distribute Catechist's Notes materials, as long as the content and the copyright 2022 © www.catechistsnotes.com information is unaltered from its original form.   How to Download file: 1. Left click on image file. 2. Right click on image. 3. Click 'Save Image As..." 4. Click 'Save'.      

This is a free resource for catechists and educators. I encourage you to share it with your parish, school, or religious education organization. Feel free to use and distribute Catechist's Notes materials, as long as the content and the copyright 2022 © www.catechistsnotes.com information is unaltered from its original form.   How to Download file: 1. Left click on image file. 2. Right click on image. 3. Click 'Save Image As..." 4. Click 'Save' .    

This is a free resource for catechists and educators. I encourage you to share it with your parish, school, or religious education organization. Feel free to use and distribute Catechist's Notes materials, as long as the content and the copyright 2022 © www.catechistsnotes.com information is unaltered from its original form.   How to Download file: 1. Left click on image file. 2. Right click on image. 3. Click 'Save Image As..." 4. Click 'Save'.    

This is a free resource for catechists and educators. I encourage you to share it with your parish, school, or religious education organization. Feel free to use and distribute Catechist's Notes materials, as long as the content and the copyright 2022 © www.catechistsnotes.com information is unaltered from its original form.   How to Download file: 1. Left click on image file. 2. Right click on image. 3. Click 'Save Image As..." 4. Click 'Save'.    

This is a free resource for catechists and educators. I encourage you to share it with your parish, school, or religious education organization. Feel free to use and distribute Catechist's Notes materials, as long as the content and the copyright 2022 © www.catechistsnotes.com information is unaltered from its original form.   How to Download file: 1. Left click on image file. 2. Right click on image. 3. Click 'Save Image As..." 4. Click 'Save'.    

This is a free resource for catechists and educators. I encourage you to share it with your parish, school, or religious education organization. Feel free to use and distribute Catechist's Notes materials, as long as the content and the copyright 2022 © www.catechistsnotes.com information is unaltered from its original form.   How to Download file: 1. Left click on image file. 2. Right click on image. 3. Click 'Save Image As..." 4. Click 'Save'.