Posted on Sun, May 19, 2013
My Webinar, Mary as a Model of Faith, had a great turn out! Thank you to those who were able to join us! If you had to miss it, or would like to see it again, please enjoy the recorded session. You can also download the "Prayer for Mary's Grace and Goodness" prayer cards by clicking the button below.
Posted on Fri, May 17, 2013
Are you attending the 77th Annual NCCL Conference and Exposition? Don't miss out on any of Sadlier's exciting events or conference sessions!
-Want to learn about the latest catechetical resources? Stop by Sadlier booth #5!
-Want to get a FREE t-shirt and be entered for a chance to Win $50? Attend one of our Round Robin sessions Monday, May 20! Get the details.
-Are you on Twitter? Be sure to follow the hashtag #SadlierNCCL and tweet during the 3rd NCCL's annual Tweet-Up, Tuesday, May 21 at 9pm! @DeborahLouiseM and @JaredDees will be hosting.
-Looking for inspiring conference sessions? Check out the Sadlier Speakers!
Finally, I would love to meet any We Believe and Share readers attending NCCL. Join me on Tuesday, May 21 from 4:30-5:45 pm for NCCL Session (206), Let the Children Come: The What, Why, and How of children's Catechesis.
Posted on Wed, May 15, 2013
During Lent, I wrote about directing a day of retreat centered on the people of the Passion – those figures from Scripture who were present during the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. Now I am preparing to revisit each of their stories as “part 2” of that retreat takes place. How might each of those characters changed between the time of Jesus’ death and the coming of the Holy Spirit?
The Scriptures provide some ready answers for a few of them. Peter emerges from the experience with an eloquence and conviction that was a far cry from his early verbal gaffes and shameful denials. John is one of the eleven who convenes in the upper room. He probably escorted Mary as part of his promise to Jesus that he would provide for her. It is pretty safe to assume that Mary Magdalene was among “the other women” (Acts 1:13-14) who were also there. The mood among this group must have been electric. They had just witnessed the Ascension of Jesus and were told by him to stay in Jerusalem for the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5). Imagine the buzz of conversation, the telling and retelling of stories about Jesus’ apparitions, and the anticipation of what was to come.
It might also have been possible that Simon of Cyrene and the centurion who proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God were also present on that long-ago Pentecost. They might have stood among the crowd, drawn to the scene by the fierce sound of wind and of the disciples proclaiming the Good News in different tongues. Imagine their excitement at witnessing such an awe-inspiring event.
We celebrate the feast of Pentecost as the “capper” to the Easter season. It affirms who we are as the Church – the People of God called to spread the news far and wide of the mighty words and works of Jesus Christ. We may not have the gift of tongues bestowed upon the disciples, but we are endowed with the same grace and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Like those early disciples, we are called to put our own gifts to use each and every day for the realization of the Reign of God. It may not be as dramatic as the original Pentecost, but it is no less effective. Then, like Peter, we, too, can echo the words of the ancient prophet: “You have made known to me the paths of life; you will lift me with joy in your presence” (Acts 2:28).
Bright Ideas
photo © iStockphoto
Posted on Mon, May 13, 2013
Join us Tuesday, May 14 at 4:00 p.m. EST for this free Webinar!
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As the only person to have known Jesus from his birth until his death and Resurrection, Mary holds a particular place of honor in the Church. In this Webinar, we will look at key parts of Mary’s story and what each one shows us about sharing faith with others and becoming more committed followers of Jesus Christ.
A Certificate of Attendance is offered to participants.
Kathy Hendricks is a national consultant for Sadlier and a contributing writer for their materials, including We Believe with Project Disciple catechetical program, Gather In My Name intergenerational events, and her blog, www.WeBelieveAndShare.com. Kathy has over 30 years’ experience as a Catholic school teacher, catechetical leader, and pastoral minister.
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Posted on Wed, May 08, 2013
Our daughter, Anna, is getting married next month and, since there will be live music at the reception, Ron and I decided we need to learn to dance. I know how to dance – kind of – but doing so with a partner is a whole other matter. Our instructor is teaching us the proper “frame”, a way of holding ourselves so that we keep in step with one another. Ron as leader of the dance does less than I do as the follower. It sheds new light on what Ginger Rogers said about her partnership with Fred Astaire: “I do everything he does, but backwards and in high heels.”
I always loved the metaphors for spirituality contained within the dance, but this experience is opening up new ones. If God is leader of the dance, than we learn to follow by pivoting around him, ever open to the places we will be taken and the rhythms to which we will become attuned. Keeping the proper frame for a dance of prayer requires attentiveness and discipline. “Don’t bounce,” my instructor frequently tells me. How often are we tempted to bobble around in our prayer lives, unable to settle into the flow because of hyper-active minds and restless attitudes? Once we stop all the mental high-jinks, we find ourselves carried away by the beauty and grace of time with God.
Our dance lessons have coincided with the conclusion of a powerful year spent with students in a Benedictine spiritual formation program. As part of our closing process, we discussed ways in which they felt transformed by the year’s experience. One repeated comment had to do with finding ways to pray in which they were swept into movement with God’s great Spirit. In each case there was a need for cooperation with the process. Just as dancers must learn to be in step with one another, so we must learn to keep pace with God who awaits our time, attention, and willingness to follow the music.
Bright Ideas
photo © iStockphoto
Posted on Sun, May 05, 2013
With the Gather In My Name Celebrating Pentecost event, participants will be able to explain the importance of Pentecost in the history and life of the Church and identify ways the Holy Spirit helps them to take part in its evangelizing mission. Download the Celebrating Pentecost handouts and access event details!
Posted on Wed, May 01, 2013
“Lovely Lady, dressed in blue…” I sang this lyric every spring with my classmates as we festooned with flowers the statue of Mary during the annual May crowning at my high school. This annual ritual was a sweet way to honor Mary, if a bit sentimental. Her portrait in the Bible is quite different. She appears infrequently in the Gospels, but when she does, the scenes are powerful and poignant. As the only person to know Jesus from his birth to his death, Mary offers a unique view of his humanity and a model of discipleship that we strive to emulate today.
It wasn’t until I became a mother myself that I began to appreciate the complexities of her story. It was then that I saw her, not as a lovely lady in blue, but as a flesh-and-blood figure who experienced an astounding transformation over the course of her life. No wonder that women have turned to her over the centuries for comfort and understanding as they struggle with concerns ranging from the routine to the radical.
We often refer to Mary’s “yes” in the account of the Annunciation as the doorway to redemption. She cooperates with the Divine Plan, thus becoming a critical part of the Incarnational event – God become flesh. Her open-heartedness is all the more touching when one recalls that she was just a young girl – perhaps only thirteen – when she received startling news from an angel. Nevertheless, her prayer of praise for a God who has demanded more than she could imagine, is a model of faith and trust. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior…” (Luke 1:46-47). The exuberance in the prayer we call “the Magnificat” is truly an example of her abiding love for God and respect for his Divine Power.
My friend, Father William McNichols, captured her maturation beautifully in an article called “Mary’s Fiat”. “She is a wide-eyed child, spellbound by the apparition of an angel, or a little slip of a girl with a baby almost too big for her arms…A frightened teen-ager being led away from the violence and mayhem in the middle of the night… A frantic mother of a lost child… The perceptive woman who quietly nudges her son out of the nest and into his ministry… The Mater Dolorosa…[who] cradles, once again, her naked child in poverty…” (Jesuit Bulletin. Spring/Fall 1984. Used with permission). Mothers across miles and millennia can relate to the mixture of joy and sorrow, confusion and clarity, anguish and exhilaration that comes with giving birth to and raising a child.
Perhaps my favorite image of Mary is at Pentecost. I picture her sitting amidst the disciples with a wizened and yet expansive heart. She alone knows the experience of the Holy Spirit first-hand, so perhaps she doesn’t flinch in the midst of wind and flame. Does she recall the first time she knew the workings of the Spirit in her life? Does she reflect back on the twists and turns of her wondrous story? And does the same prayer rise to her lips as she recalls once more the “mighty things” her God has, indeed, done for her?
Bright Ideas
Posted on Mon, Apr 29, 2013
The weekly celebration of the Eucharist on Saturday evening or Sunday morning defines who we are as Catholics-- in out parishes, in our households of faith, in our neighborhoods, and in our world. Plan to spend time this week reflecting on the readings and preparing to celebrate the Eucharist. Gather in My Name offers "Question of the Week"- a free resource to incorporate the Sunday Eucharist into your religion classes, family discussions, or community activities.
Gather In My Name also provides questions on the readings for each Sunday and holy day liturgy. Activities for young people are included. Some materials for younger children can be printed out.
Question of the Week: Who are the people who have helped you believe? Whom do you help?
Reading 1: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29
Reading 2: Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23
Theme: Believe
Gospel: John 14:23-29
photo © iStockphoto
Posted on Wed, Apr 24, 2013
It’s been quite a week. No sooner had we recovered our breath after the bombings at the Boston Marathon than we learned about the devastating explosion and fire in West, Texas. This was followed with the lockdown and fierce manhunt for one of the suspects in the marathon bombing in Boston. It’s been exhausting.
After such enormous tragedies, we tend to bond with one another. Seeing images of bloodied bodies, anguished loved ones, and devastated survivors picking through the rubble of lost homes brings a sense of our shared humanity. We feel for each other and, in doing so, drop the partisan divisions that so often serve as barriers to compassion. If only such feelings could linger a bit longer before we start to drift once again into our own little worlds. Maybe this is all part of coming to terms with our limits, however. There is only so much grief and heartache that we can take in.
“Compassion fatigue” is a chronic problem for those who care for the sick, the suffering, or those in need of physical and mental assistance. I have seen this kind of fatigue arise among pastoral and catechetical ministers whose roles entail a constant awareness and call to service on behalf of others. Perhaps such fatigue is something that overtakes us on a communal level as well when we feel we can’t handle one more tragedy.
The best antidote for it is self-care, something that takes a bit of discipline to enact. Studies of those called into care-giving roles show that they were often taught at an early age to put the needs of others above their own. Thus, they have to learn how to retreat on a regular basis to do something loving and kind for themselves - to practice, in essence, some self-compassion.
If this sounds narcissistic, we have only to look to the example of Jesus who took time away on a regular basis for prayer and renewal of mind, body, heart, and spirit. In an era of instant news and constant contact via technology, such withdrawal might require “unplugging” for short or extended periods of time. Over the past several days I have found solace in being outside and savoring the sounds of birds returning from their southern sojourn. Being with both of my children brought light and levity, as well as a bit of perspective. Restoring some peace to my own heart has naturally given rise to compassion for others, especially those suffering the aftermath of violence and devastation. As I recover a semblance of balance, I am better able to re-establish the bonds of kinship that is at the heart of Jesus’ dream for us all.
Bright Ideas
photo © iStockphoto
Posted on Mon, Apr 22, 2013
The weekly celebration of the Eucharist on Saturday evening or Sunday morning defines who we are as Catholics-- in out parishes, in our households of faith, in our neighborhoods, and in our world. Plan to spend time this week reflecting on the readings and preparing to celebrate the Eucharist. Gather in My Name offers "Question of the Week"- a free resource to incorporate the Sunday Eucharist into your religion classes, family discussions, or community activities.
Gather In My Name also provides questions on the readings for each Sunday and holy day liturgy. Activities for young people are included. Some materials for younger children can be printed out.
Question of the Week: What qualities do you believe are most important for Jesus' disciples?
Reading 1: Acts 14:21-27
Reading 2: Revelations 21:1-5a
Theme: You Are My Disciples
Gospel: John 13:31-33a, 34-35
photo © iStockphoto