Director Guide
Bridges to
Faith Essentials of the Catholic Faith for Children Ages 8–11
JOE PAPROCKI, DMin
Bridges to Faith is an expression of the work of Loyola Press, a ministry of the Chicago-Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus.
Art Acknowlegements
1 © Pavel Bolotov/Getty Images/Thinkstock. 4 © iStockphoto/Thinkstock. 8 © iStockphoto/Thinkstock. 9 © iStockphoto/Thinkstock. 10 © iStockphoto/Thinkstock. 11 © bubaone/iStockphoto. 12 © iStockphoto/Thinkstock. 13 © Depositphotos/UltraONE.
Excerpts from the New American Bible, revised edition, copyright © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reprinted without permission in writing from the copyright holder. Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America copyright 1994 United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Author: Joe Paprocki, D.Min. Cover design: Loyola Press Interior design: Loyola Press Copyright © 2014 Loyola Press, Chicago, Illinois. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.
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B r i d g e s t o Fa i t h
Contents
Contents Welcome to Bridges to Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Bridging the Gap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Program Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Using This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Step 1: Plan for the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Implementation Model 1: Full Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Implementation Model 2: Half Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Implementation Model 3: Parish Summer Intensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Implementation Model 4: At-Home Catechesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Step 2: Plan a Communications Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
For Catechists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
For Parents and Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Step 3: Management Hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Meeting Children Where They Are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Step 4: Introducing Bridges to Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Introduce Parents to Bridges to Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Introduce Children to Bridges to Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Resources: Books and Magazines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Resources: Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
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B r i d g e s t o Fa i t h
Welcome to Bridges to Faith In response to your baptismal call to serve God and others, you are involved in faith formation. Catechesis is the process through which we develop a firm foundation in our faith. This foundation provides us with the tools we need to live out our Baptism and pass on our faith. Catechesis is a lifelong process. You have now been entrusted to pass on the faith to others. Bridges to Faith can help you better serve the children who may need it most—those with little or no background in the teachings of the Catholic faith.
Components of Bridges to Faith The components of Bridges to Faith provide the tools to build a firm foundation in the Catholic faith for children ages 8 to 11. The program consists of the following.
Children’s Book The Bridges to Faith Children’s Book is divided into four parts. Each part addresses one of the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
DIRECTOR GUIDE
Bridges to
Faith Essentials of the Catholic Faith for Children Ages 8–11
• Part 1: The Creed JOE PAPROCKI, DMin
• Part 2: The Sacraments • Part 3: The Moral Life • Part 4: Prayer
Leader Guide The Bridges to Faith Leader Guide features a four-step lesson plan for each corresponding Children’s Book chapter.
Director Guide
GUÍA DEL DIRECTOR DEL PROGRAMA
Puentes a
la fe
Fundamentos de la fe católica para niños de 8–11 años
JOE PAPROCKI, DMin
Bridges to Faith Bilingual • Children’s Book • Leader Guide • Director Guide
Web Support • www.loyolapress.com offers activity suggestions, sacramental preparation resources, and support. • www.bridges-to-faith.com • www.puentes-a-la-fe.com
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B r i d g e s t o Fa i t h
Bridging the Gap Bridges to Faith is designed for children with some Catholic background, a different Christian background but pursuing initiation into the faith, or children who have never received any Christian faith instruction. In other words, this program bridges the gap for children between the ages of 8 and 11 who have not yet attended traditional parish religious education programs and perhaps have entered a program for children similar to the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), or who have occasionally attended but have not received all three Sacraments of Initiation. There are many reasons why children may not have previously participated in a parish’s religious education program. Among them are the following: • The family has moved and has not been able to have consistent religious education. • A parent or child has had a long illness. • The parents have not been attending church. • The family was out of the country. • A family challenge, such as divorce, job loss, or lack of transportation has produced hardship. • Parents are new Catholics or are returning to the faith. • The family has immigrated to the United States from another country. At the start of the program, acknowledge that just as all members of the Church are in different places in their faith journey, children may be at different places as well. For those who have been baptized, the lessons will reinforce their baptismal commitment and treat it from a Catholic perspective. Be sure to acknowledge that learning about our faith is an ongoing, lifelong process. The content and ideas of Bridges to Faith are just the beginning of an exciting journey that will help children learn to serve God and others in all that they do.
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Program Overview
Program Overview Your Role as Director As part of your baptismal promises, you are called to pass on the faith. Many people have nurtured your faith and helped you recognize and respond to God’s call. As a catechetical director, you are now in the position to do the same for others. Roles for catechetical directors vary from parish to parish and diocese to diocese. The consistent challenge for directors is to provide leadership, support, and resources to those who work in faith formation. Your role is to provide that leadership for catechists, parents, children, and the parish faith community as a whole.
What It’s All About Bridges to Faith is a supplemental program for children who need to “catch up” with catechesis. It is important to help children who may not have received traditional faith formation develop a firm foundation in the Catholic faith so that they will learn to serve God and others. Bridges to Faith is designed to give children that foundation to begin their lifelong journey of faith. Bridges to Faith is a comprehensive introduction to the Catholic faith. The Bridges to Faith Children’s Book consists of 20 faith formation sessions. There are introductory and concluding sessions along with 18 chapters that are based on the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The program helps children see connections between what they learn about the faith and how to apply what they have learned to their daily lives. In each chapter, catechists guide children through a four-step lesson plan laid out in the Leader Guide. The steps are Engage, Explore, Reflect, and Respond.
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Engage
Each chapter begins with a brief discussion of the At-Home question from the previous session. This is a springboard into the new topic. Next, the session theme is introduced within an opening prayer. This step concludes with a brief discussion of a topic that connects to the chapter’s theme.
Explore
Children explore the chapter content through text, activities, and discussions.
Reflect
Children examine the chapter theme and reflect on how this connects to their daily lives.
Respond
Children complete the Review page, summarizing what they’ve learned.
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Using This Guide
Using This Guide Bridges to Faith encourages catechists and children to develop a lifelong relationship with God and to share their faith with others. This Director Guide provides you with the support and resources you need to implement and coordinate Bridges to Faith in your parish. This guide contains introductory information along with four simple steps to assist you in presenting Bridges to Faith to catechists, parents, and children in your parish community. The guide ends with additional resources to help you prepare and extend the program.
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Program Overview, Using This Guide
The opening pages provide an overview of program components, background on children coming into the program, and a quick introduction to program features and goals. All components are available in a Spanish bilingual version.
Step 1: Plan for the Year
Step 1 provides you with four different implementation models for Bridges to Faith: Full Year, Half Year, Parish Summer Intensive, and AtHome Catechesis. Each model offers an effective, practical presentation of the program tailored to meet the varied needs of your parish community.
Step 2: Plan a Communications Strategy
Step 2 describes ways to communicate, affirm, and encourage catechists and parents about classes, activities, and presentations throughout the course of the program.
Step 3: Management Hints
Step 3 provides advice and organizational and logistical tips to help streamline program sessions.
Step 4: Introducing Bridges to Faith
Step 4 provides plans for two sessions that introduce the program to parents and children.
Resources
Books, magazines, and online resources are provided.
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Step 1: Plan for the Year
Step 1: Plan for the Year The implementation models on the following pages can be easily adapted to fit your schedule. Weekly and biweekly sessions are held 16–25 times per year and range from 45 to 90 minutes. The Summer Intensive model is designed for 12 sessions of up to 180 minutes. Suggestions are also provided for at-home catechesis. Implementation Model 1: Parish Weekly Sessions: 24 Sessions Implementation Model 2: Parish Biweekly Sessions: 16 Sessions Implementation Model 3: Parish Summer Intensive: 12 Sessions Implementation Model 4: At-Home Catechesis Each chapter provides many opportunities for prayer, discussion, reflection, and faith in action. Chapter content and activities can be tailored to fit the needs of children as well as time constraints. In addition, to better assist the learning of all children, optional If Time Allows activities are provided that address multiple intelligences and help meet the needs of children with different learning styles.
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Step 1: Plan for the Year
Implementation Model 1: Full Year Parish Weekly Sessions: 24 Sessions If you choose Implementation Model 1, you can split up chapters 9, 13, and 17. If you feel you can complete the longer chapters in one session, you may choose to use additional sessions for community service activities, review, or other extension activities. You may choose to do these sessions after each unit or at the end of the program. Some suggestions for extensions might be community service activities, a tour of your sanctuary and the sacramentals used each week at Mass, small-group projects, presentations about the saints, or sessions focused on seasonal celebrations.
Month
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Bridges to Faith Session
September
1. Program Overview with breakout sessions for parents and children 2. Introductory Session 3. Chapter 1
October
4. Chapter 2 5. Chapter 3 6. Chapter 4
November
7. Chapter 5 8. Chapter 6 9. Chapter 7
December
10. Chapter 8 11. Chapter 9 (pages 63–67) 12. Chapter 9 (pages 68–72)
January
13. Chapter 10 14. Chapter 11 15. Chapter 12
February
16. Chapter 13 (pages 97–102) 17. Chapter 13 (pages 103–106) 18. Chapter 14
March
19. Chapter 15 20. Chapter 16
April
21. Chapter 17 (pages 131–135) 22. Chapter 17 (pages 136–140) 23. Chapter 18
May
24. Closing Session
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Step 1: Plan for the Year
Implementation Model 2: Half Year Parish Biweekly Sessions: 16 Sessions Biweekly sessions can be held 16 to 20 times per year and range from 90 to 120 minutes. It is feasible to combine two chapters at some gatherings.
Month
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Bridges to Faith Session
September
1. Introductory Session 2. Chapters 1, 2
October
3. Chapters 3, 4 4. Chapters 5, 6
November
5. Chapter 7 6. Chapter 8
December
7. Chapter 9 8. Chapter 10
January
9. Chapter 11 10. Chapter 12
February
11. Chapter 13 12. Chapter 14
March
13. Chapters 15, 16 14. Chapter 17
April
15. Chapter 18 16. Closing Session
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Step 1: Plan for the Year
Implementation Model 3: Parish Summer Intensive Summer Intensive sessions can be held 12 times (4 per week for 3 weeks) for 150 to 180 minutes. Due to the length of time allotted, it is feasible to combine two sessions at each gathering. Be sure to include times for breaks between sessions. Sessions may be extended to fill the time available by using the If Time Allows activities, community service projects, church tours, and other small-group projects. When combining sessions, you need not use all the prayers, but can adapt prayers to fit the needs of your group.
Week
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Day
Bridges to Faith Session
Week 1
1 2 3 4
Introductory Session, Chapter 1 Chapters 2, 3 Chapters 4, 5 Chapters 6, 7
Week 2
5 6 7 8
Chapters 8, 9 Chapter 10 Chapters 11, 12 Chapter 13
Week 3
9 10 11 12
Chapters 14, 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18, Closing Session
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Step 1: Plan for the Year
Implementation Model 4: At-Home Catechesis Parents or guardians can provide their children with formal catechesis at home in cooperation and communication with the parish catechetical program, using the Bridges to Faith Children’s Book and the Bridges to Faith Leader Guide. Home catechesis is an option for families: • who choose to do faith formation with their children at home (in cooperation with you) instead of through the parish religious education program or Catholic school. • who need to work on faith formation at home because the children will miss parish sessions for an extended period of time because of travel, illness, or injury. • who wish to be more intimately involved in their children’s faith formation as it is taking place in either the parish religious education program or Catholic school. Remind parents that family faith formation takes place within the broader context of the parish faith community. Consider inviting those who provide home catechesis to follow the same calendar (weekly, biweekly, and so on) as the parish religious education program. Likewise, consider inviting them to attend the orientation session for catechists and children and parent introduction sessions for Bridges to Faith. By maintaining regular communication with the parish catechetical staff and by participating in opportunities that bring parents and families together, parents and their children will deepen their understanding of what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ.
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Step 2: Plan a Communications Strategy
Step 2: Plan a Communications Strategy For Catechists As director, you set the tone for communication, cooperation, and partnership with everyone involved in Bridges to Faith. Catechists should feel free to ask you for help and to share their ideas. In some instances, you may have only one or two catechists using the program. It is important for them to feel a sense of community and receive affirmation for their work. The following are ideas and resources to help foster communication: • Put together folders for catechists to pick up as they check in before each session. Folders might include announcements about parish events and gatherings. They might also include encouraging Bible verses, quotations from the General Directory for Catechesis (GDC), or prayers that help affirm the vocation of your catechists. You may even wish to write a handwritten note to catechists each week to affirm and thank them for their time and talent. • From time to time, leave a card, note, or special snack in the session rooms to show your appreciation for the catechists’ hard work and dedication to their vocation. • To cultivate a strong relationship and help with planning, set up individual meetings with Bridges to Faith catechists. Ask catechists to share successful session ideas or management tips. • Call or e-mail catechists during the program to ask how their sessions are going. Ask if they need help with planning, during sessions, or with children who may be challenging. • Suggest that catechists visit www.loyolapress.com for 3-Minute Retreats, links to the daily readings, blogs, and many other resources that will enhance their instruction and enrich their own faith. • Direct catechists to www.ignatianspirituality.com as a resource for learning more about Ignatian spirituality. • Invite catechists to visit www.other6.com and join in the discussion about finding God in all things. • Place a suggestion box at the sign-in table each week. Encourage catechists to place suggestions for planning, prayer, communication, and so on in the box. Address these issues or suggestions by sending out e-mail responses. • Encourage catechists to participate in diocesan faith formation days and diocesan catechist certification programs. Place flyers and information in catechist folders and provide information at catechist retreats.
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Step 2: Plan a Communications Strategy
For Parents and Children Communication with parents and children is essential. Encourage children to become aware of parish events and to become connected to their parish community. Encourage parents to be active participants in their children’s faith formation by using the following suggestions and resources: • Establish that you are available to support parents in the faith formation of their children. Give parents your e-mail address and office phone number so that they may contact you with questions or problems. • Ask parents to provide their e-mail addresses at the start of the program so that you can send out reminders and news about sessions and other parish programs. If parents do not wish to be contacted via e-mail, be sure to send them information by the postal service. • Welcome parents and children as they arrive at sessions. Thank them for making faith formation a priority in their busy schedules. • Send out surveys by e-mail or the postal service to ask parents for feedback about how they feel the program is going. Encourage parents to offer positive feedback, constructive criticism, and suggestions or ideas. • Make an information center or bulletin board in a convenient place so that parents can read about upcoming events and programs when they drop off and pick up children for sessions. • Suggest that parents visit www.loyolapress.com for 3-Minute Retreats, links to the daily readings, blogs, and many other resources to make family learning about the faith an enjoyable and enriching process. • Encourage parents to visit www.ignatianspirituality.com as a resource for learning more about Ignatian spirituality. • Invite parents to visit www.other6.com along with their children and join in the discussion about finding God in all things. • Invite parents to become involved as catechists, “helping hands,” and in parish faith formation or sacramental preparation programs throughout the year. • Suggest for parents to visit their parish Web site for additional resources. • Invite children to become involved with younger children as helping hands for catechists.
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Step 3: Management Hints
Step 3: Management Hints Resource Room Many directors find it efficient to set up a resource room where catechists can check in, preplan for sessions, and gather materials before meeting with children. Since there may be only a few catechists using Bridges to Faith, you may wish to designate a corner or a bookcase for materials related to this program. Encourage catechists to communicate with those using other programs to share ideas and activities. Following are some ideas you may use to set up a resource room: • Just before the program begins, designate a sign-in table. The table should have a sign-in sheet for catechists. Each catechist should sign in and pick up a folder. The folders might contain the following: a class roster with class dates for attendance; session schedules; a welcome letter from the pastor; a list of parish staff names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses; flyers about upcoming parish events or diocesan events; and any other information you wish to share with catechists. • Build a library of resources related to Bridges to Faith. Your library might include Bibles, General Directory for Catechesis (GDC), National Directory for Catechesis (NDC), Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), books about Ignatian spirituality, activity books, catechist magazines, Catholic newspapers, activity ideas or packets, CDs, and CD players. See page 23 of this guide for more ideas. • Stock group supply bins for catechists to use each week. Prepare one bin for each catechist. Bins might include crayons, markers, scissors, pens, pencils, tape, and glue. • Stock a shelf with art supplies. At a parent meeting, ask parents to donate supplies if possible. Supplies might include construction paper, cardstock, poster board, old newspapers and magazines, tissue paper, ribbon, watercolor paints, washable tempera paints, and old shirts to use while painting.
Session Rooms Time is limited for sessions, so anything you can do to prepare session rooms before meetings allows catechists maximum time for instruction. • Set up a prayer space that includes a small table with a cloth to reflect the liturgical season, a Bible, CD player, small plant or flowers, and a candle (if allowed), and one or more of the following: bowl of holy water, religious image, or statue. • Have rooms set up with tables or desks and chairs. Be sure that each child has a seat. • Check to see that any special equipment requests have been fulfilled, such as DVD players, TVs, computers, overhead projectors, and screens.
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Meeting Children Where They Are
Meeting Children Where They Are Children participating in Bridges to Faith come from different backgrounds and different places in their faith journey. This program helps them get up to speed with the other children in their age group so that they may continue in a regular faith formation program. The content of the program will give them all the necessary tools to either begin to learn about the Catholic faith or to reinforce what they already know. A major emphasis of Bridges to Faith is to help children feel comfortable with being a part of the Body of Christ and to be an active member of your parish community. Bridges to Faith presents a welcoming and relevant connection to the child’s life and daily decisions, which will spark a desire for them to further grow in relationship with God and nurture a lifelong faith. Through the program’s deeper instruction, prayer, and service, children will have the tools they need to continue their faith journey. As Director, you may wish to point out to catechists that since they will be dealing with children from a variety of backgrounds, they may need to be extremely sensitive to the needs of their group. Stress that catechists need to be flexible, kind, and respectful of all the different needs of the children in their groups. Take the time to explain the varied backgrounds of children that may be taking part in Bridges to Faith. For children who have entered your program because their parents have entered RCIA • Explain that they are learning about their faith at the same time their parents are learning. • Explain that those who have not been baptized will be baptized soon after finishing the program. • Point out that we are all children of God and that they are welcome in your community whether or not they have been baptized. For baptized children to be able to meet the requirements to receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation and the Sacrament of the Eucharist • Explain that even if children have been baptized, there may be many reasons why they are taking part in Bridges to Faith. • Stress that even if they have been away from religious education for a while, you are excited about helping them be a part of the program. • Encourage those who have been baptized to share their Baptism stories with those who have not. Affirm them by helping them be teachers for the other children. • Point out that some of what they will learn may not be new to them, but it is always helpful to review what we believe and how we practice our faith. • Remind them that they will learn all they need to know to be able to receive Reconciliation and the Eucharist. Explain that building a good foundation leads to a joyful and meaningful experience when they receive these sacraments.
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Meeting Children Where They Are
For children who have had some formal religious education, but have missed a year or more of instruction • Be sensitive to the needs of this group. These children may feel isolated from the parish community. They may somehow feel responsible for not attending classes for so long. • Stress that you are happy that they are returning to classes. Welcome them warmly and encourage them to share how they have been practicing their faith at home, even if they have not been attending classes. • Point out that God is always calling us to learn more about him and grow closer to him. • Explain that they are taking a big step in returning to class. This step will help them be active members of the parish. They will form new relationships with other children and work together to live their faith through prayer and service activities.
For children who have had no formal religious education • These children may feel uneasy as they begin the program. The Catholic faith may be totally new to them. Our prayers and practices may seem overwhelming. • Encourage them to participate when they feel comfortable. • Assign a student who is more “advanced” to be a mentor for these children. Allow time during sessions for mentors to help children learn basic prayers and explain things we do at Mass. • Your parish may have volunteer helping hands that can work with these children to help them review chapter content and familiarize them with parish groups and activities. Encourage catechists to foster a warm, friendly, and loving environment for their diverse groups. Be available to help with individual children or in small groups if needed. Stop in and welcome children during classes throughout the program. Stress that no matter where they are on their faith journey, you and the parish community are available to nurture them and include them in the life of your parish.
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Step 4: Introducing Bridges to Faith
Step 4: Introducing Bridges to Faith Introduce Parents to Bridges to Faith One of the most effective ways of partnering with parents is to invite them to become familiar with the resources that your parish catechetical team is using to support parents in their children’s faith formation. By hosting a Bridges to Faith orientation session for parents, you have the opportunity to affirm and assist parents in their efforts to form their children in faith. This orientation is designed as a two-hour session in which you guide parents through an overview of the Bridges to Faith program and offer ways to encourage continued faith formation in the family.
Topic
Time
Opening Prayer
5 minutes
Welcome
5 minutes
Overview of Bridges to Faith
30 minutes
Break
15 minutes
Chapter Overview
30 minutes
Question-and-Answer Session
20 minutes
Wrap-Up and Closing Prayer
15 minutes
Opening Prayer (5 minutes) Begin with a brief prayer. Read aloud from Hebrews 11:1: “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” Then pray aloud the following prayer: Heavenly Father, bless these people and help them to nurture the faith of their children. Give them the wisdom to pass on their own knowledge and experience and show their children your love. Amen.
Welcome (5 minutes) Welcome parents to the session. Read aloud the following from the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule. The home is well suited for education in the virtues. . . Parents have a grave responsibility to give good example to their children… (CCC 2223) Reinforce that parents are the primary educators of faith in their children. Say: As parents, you have a great responsibility to educate your children in the faith. You are role models for them and teach them through your words and actions. You have planted the seeds of our faith. As catechists, we are here to encourage those seeds to grow and to nurture both you and your children to grow in the faith. Bridges to Faith is the beginning of a partnership in family faith formation.
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Step 4: Introducing Bridges to Faith
Overview of Bridges to Faith (30 minutes) Present a brief overview of the purpose of Bridges to Faith. Say: You are here to encourage your children to learn and grow in their faith. Each child in this program may be at a different place. Some children may have been baptized as Catholics or in another Christian tradition. Others may not have been baptized. As a parent, you may wish to discuss these differences with your children and explain that Bridges to Faith will help them all come together, form friendships, and learn about the Catholic faith. This program will provide a solid foundation to continue their faith formation in the future. Distribute copies of the Children’s Book. Invite parents to look through the book for a few minutes and read the Contents page. Then introduce the program. Say: Bridges to Faith is made up of four parts that are based on the pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Write on the board these headings: The Creed, Sacraments, The Moral Life, and Prayer. Say: In the first part, children will learn the basics of what Catholics believe. They will learn that God is always calling us to be close to him. They will find out that we learn about God through the Scriptures and through Church Tradition. In Part 2, children will learn about the seven sacraments. They will find out how and why we celebrate the sacraments. In Part 3, children will learn that living a moral life means choosing to do good and avoiding evil. They will learn about conscience and how to make good choices. They will learn that the commandments are rules to follow that help us live a good moral life and be close to God. In Part 4, children will focus on prayer. They will learn the many different forms and methods of prayer. Most importantly they will learn that God is always waiting for them to be close to him through prayer. Allow time for parents to continue to browse through the books.
Break (15 minutes) Allow time for a short break.
Chapter Overview (30 minutes) Say: Catechists will guide children through each chapter, using a simple four-step lesson plan. The steps are Engage, Explore, Reflect, and Respond. Explain each step of the lesson. Engage Catechists lead a brief discussion of a topic from the children’s own experience that leads to the faith theme. Explore In this section, children are guided through the content of the lesson and the accompanying activities. Three special features are built into each chapter: Think and Write, Live It!, and Facts of Our Faith. These features help children reflect on what they have learned and decide how they can apply it to their own lives. Reflect Children read an end-of-session summary in the So What? section and discuss wrap-up questions. Respond Children complete the Review page and complete an assessment at the end of each of the four parts.
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Step 4: Introducing Bridges to Faith
You may wish to show parents each of the corresponding sections in the Children’s Book as you walk them through the lesson plan. Conclude the chapter overview by saying: Each chapter begins with a situation that children may encounter in their own lives and connects it to the faith theme of the chapter. The chapters provide ample opportunity through discussion and activities for children to see how the faith theme connects to real-life situations and actions. The activities and discussions help children see how they can put their faith into action.
Question-and-Answer Session (20 minutes) Allow parents time to ask any questions they may still have about Bridges to Faith. Point out that you are always available to help them with questions that may arise throughout the program. Provide your phone number and e-mail address.
Wrap-Up (15 minutes) Remind parents that they are the primary faith educators of their children but that you and the catechists are eager to work as a team to provide the best possible experience for their children. Say: Faith formation is an ongoing process. The goal of Bridges to Faith is to provide a foundation upon which children and families can grow in faith. Children in this program begin in many different places, but we hope they will all finish with the knowledge they need to love God and serve others. We hope that they will continue their journey of faith as active members of our parish family.
Closing Prayer Dear God, we thank you for the opportunity to gather today and to share Bridges to Faith. Lead and guide our catechists and parents to be models of your love and service for our children. Be with us as we all learn and grow in our faith. Amen.
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Step 4: Introducing Bridges to Faith
Introduce Children to Bridges to Faith You may wish to have a special session to introduce children to the program, or you may include all or some of these activities as part of your first session. Set up a prayer space in the room and play some quiet music for reflection as children gather. Before you begin, tell children that this is a safe place filled with God’s love. Point out that they may all know different things about God, Jesus, and our faith, but that they are all God’s children and part of a loving community. Remind them that Jesus treated all people with love and respect and that you are asking them to treat one another just as Jesus would.
Preplanning and Materials • prayer space • Bible • candle or battery-operated candle • Bridges to Faith Children’s Book, one per child • two children for the Bible enthronement • small sheets of paper, bag or bowl
Open with Prayer (5 minutes) Invite children to gather quietly in the prayer space. Have two children walk to the prayer space. Ask one child to hold up the Bible reverently and the other to place the candle on the table. Light the candle. (You may use battery-operated candles.) Have the first child open the Bible and read aloud Luke 18:15–17 and then place it opened to the passage on the prayer table. Say: Jesus loved all people and wanted children as well as adults to know him and love him. I will read aloud a short prayer and then give you a few minutes to pray silently. Then pray aloud the following prayer: Dear Jesus, we thank you for the chance to be together today. Help me be a good teacher and help the children feel comfortable to listen and share with all of us. Be with us as we learn more about you and our Catholic faith. Amen.
Faith Word Grab Bag (30 minutes) Write the following words, or words of your own choice, on small slips of paper: God, Jesus, faith, love, mystery, conscience, saint, disciple, sacrament, Scripture, sin, Baptism, Eucharist, prayer, Mary, Trinity, and commandment. Place the slips in a bag or a bowl. Invite children to choose a faith word. Have them read aloud the word and share what they know about it. Point out that the purpose of the game is to see that understanding the meaning of faith words is sometimes challenging. Encourage others to tell what they know about the chosen word. Write children’s responses on the board. Repeat until all the words have been chosen.
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Step 4: Introducing Bridges to Faith
Say: This is a really good start for our sessions. Everyone has different ideas about these faith words. Some ideas are right on target. Faith is not something that is easy to describe. As we learn together, we will see that God is a mystery and faith is difficult to describe unless we experience it. Bridges to Faith will help you learn more about your faith and help you to describe it to others.
Present the Books (15 minutes) • Call each child by name and invite him or her to come forward to receive a book. Say: May all that you learn from this book help build a strong bridge between you and God. • When all the books have been distributed, read aloud the book title, Bridges to Faith, and explain that this program will help the children more about God and learn to build bridges with others through faith and God’s love. • Allow time for children to look through the book and become familiar with it. Ask them to write their names in the books.
Close with Prayer (10 minutes) Close with the following prayer or one of your own. Pray: Dear Lord, thank you for being with us today as we begin our Bridges to Faith journey. Lead and guide us as we learn more about you and grow closer to you by studying and through prayer and service. Amen. Allow time for children to offer personal prayer petitions or prayers of thanksgiving. Begin with a petition of your own and then encourage children to offer their own prayer intentions if they are comfortable doing so. End by praying the Sign of the Cross. Pray: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Resources
Resources Books and Magazines Gallagher, Maureen. The Art of Catechesis. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1998. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Translated by USCC. Washington, DC: USCC, 2003. Paprocki, Joe. A Well-Built Faith. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2008. Paprocki, Joe. Practice Makes Catholic. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2011. Paprocki, Joe. The Bible Blueprint. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2009. Paprocki, Joe. The Catechist’s Toolbox. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2007. Peter Li Education Group. Catechist. (magazine) Dayton: Peter Li Education Group. RTJ’s Creative Catechist. (magazine) New London, CT: Twenty-third Publications. Snyder, Bernadette M. 131 FUN-damental Facts for Catholic Kids. Liguori, MO: Liguori Publications, 2006. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. General Directory for Catechesis. Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1997. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. National Directory for Catechesis. Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005. Welborn, Amy. Kids Book of Saints. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2001. Wuerl, Bishop Donald. W. The Catholic Way. New York: Random House, 2001.
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Resources
Resources Internet A wealth of resources for you, your catechists, parents, and children can be found at www.loyolapress.com. You may wish to share the following areas of the site with catechists and parents: 3-Minute Retreat, Daily Inspiration, Sunday Connection, Scripture and Tradition, and Joe Paprocki’s Catechist Journey blog and webinars. You may wish to visit DRE Connect to share your knowledge, consult with other parish faith leaders, and grow in your ministry. Visit http://dreconnect.loyolapress.com.
Other Web Sites To learn more about Ignatian spirituality, visit www.ignatianspirituality.com. To see how people are finding God in all things, visit www.other6.com. For helpful information for directors, catechists, and parents, visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) web site at www.usccb.org.
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