Finding God Family Catechesis Director Guide SAMPLE

FAMILY CATECHESIS

DIRECTOR

G U I D E

Š

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

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Finding God Family Catechesis Director Guide is an expression of the work of Loyola Press, a ministry of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits.

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

Contents Welcome Using this Guide

4

Step 1: Become Familiar with Finding God Family Catechesis Step 2: Plan for the Year

13

Step 3: Promote Family Catechesis in Your Parish Step 4: Plan a Communications Strategy Step 5: Set Up a System Step 6: Train Catechists

5 6

20

21

23

26

Step 7: Introduce Parents to Finding God Family Catechesis Step 8: Introduce Parents and Children to Finding God Step 9: Resources for Success

28 30 32

Blackline Masters 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 43 44

Advent Wreath Prayers

Ways to Make Prayer a Priority

Sample Family Catechesis Unit Letter

Group Meeting Evaluation Form

End-of-Year Parent Feedback Form

Parent Sharing Form

Catechist Interview Form Catechist Covenant

Parent and Child Faith Formation Covenant

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Lenten Prayer Center

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

Welcome God always knocks at the door of hearts. He likes to do this. It comes from His heart. But, do you know what He likes best? To knock on the doors of families and find families that are united, to find families that love each other, to find the families that bring up their children and educate them and help them to keep going forward and that create a society of goodness, of truth, and of beauty.

Pope Francis, September 29, 2015

Your Role as Catechetical Leader Roles for catechetical leaders vary from parish to parish and from diocese to diocese. What is consistent is the challenge of providing guidance, support, and resources for all who take part in your parish's faith formation program. This is true when leading your parish's family catechesis program.

Finding God Family Catechesis combines parish-based group meetings and grade-specific instruction by trained catechists with at-home sessions guided by parents. You will lead, or designate someone to lead, monthly group meetings with accompanying slide show presentations, recruit and mentor grade-level catechists to teach children in sessions, and help parents teach their children additional content at home.

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Family catechesis is a collaborative effort undertaken by the catechetical leader, parents, children, and catechists together with the wider parish community. Family catechesis strengthens the domestic church and the parish community. Preparation, planning, and communication will help your program be successful. May all you do help others recognize God’s presence in all things! Blessings on your endeavor.

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

Using This Guide This Director Guide provides you with the resources needed to implement the Finding God Family Catechesis program in your parish. This guide contains nine steps to assist you in this endeavor.

Step 1: Become

Familiar with Finding God Family Catechesis Step 1 explains the vision of the program, tells how it works in the parish and at home, and guides you through the program components.

Step 4: Plan a

Communications Strategy Step 4 describes ways to affirm, communicate, and encourage catechists and parents as they collaborate throughout the program.

Parents to Finding God Family Catechesis Step 7 provides ideas for a parent meeting to kick off the program where components, structure, and resources are introduced.

Step 3: Promote

Step 2 explains the four-year cycle for the program and offers implementation models.

Step 3 offers strategies to promote the program.

the Year

Family Catechesis in Your Parish

Step 5: Set Up a

Step 6: Train

Step 5 provides simple ideas for program implementation, planning, organization, and creating welcoming, effective learning spaces.

Step 6 offers a suggested schedule and ideas for a catechist retreat.

Step 8: Introduce

Step 9: Resources

Step 8 provides an introduction to Ignatian spirituality through an activity that encourages families to find God in all things.

Step 9 provides print and online resources, as well as reproducible blackline masters to help you, catechists, and parents make family catechesis an enriching and exciting journey.

System

Parents and Children to Finding God

Catechists

for Success

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Step 7: Introduce

Step 2: Plan for

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

Step 1: Become Familiar with Finding God Family Catechesis

What You Need The Finding God Family Catechesis Program materials are conveniently accessed through the Internet after digital purchase—no bulky binders, no misplaced DVDs, and no worry!

For Leaders and Directors High-quality, complete slide show presentations give a positive visual impact to your group meetings and ensure successful presentations to diverse groups. Each slide show presentation includes embedded media clips and presentation notes so you can capture and maintain participants’ attention and engagement.

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Family Catechesis Slide Show Presentations: Used to open each unit/theme; viewed by families and parents only Digitally delivered

FAMILY CATECHESIS

Family Catechesis Director Guide: Program set-up and management Digitally delivered

Family Catechesis Leader Guide: Presentation guide for unit/ theme slide shows with helpful tips and full scripting Digitally delivered

DIRECTOR

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G U I D E

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

For Parents and Children USCCB-Approved Content for Solid Learning Grade Grade Grade

11 1

Unit 1 Unit Unit11

God, Our Creator God, Our God, OurCreator Creator and Father and andFather Father Begin Say:Begin The title of this book is Finding God. Ask: Who is God? (our Father and Creator) Where doofwe find him?

Discuss with find Say:Begin The title this book is Finding God. your Ask:child Who where is God?you (oureach Father and

GodCreator) in your everyday life.find Tell him? your Discuss child that you findchild Godwhere in himyou or her and with your find Say: Where The titledoofwe this book is Finding God. Ask: Who is God? (oureach Father and in your love for him or her.life.

Read the title.

Say: Let’s begin GodCreator) in your everyday Tellaloud yourDiscuss childunit that you findchild Godwhere in himthis or book her and Where do we find him? with your you each find together by talking asRead our Father and Creator.

God created everything in your forabout him orGod her.life. the unit book Godlove in your everyday Tellaloud your child thattitle. youSay: find Let’s God begin in himthis or her and thattogether is. His creation shows his love for us. bylove talking our Father andunit Creator. everything in your forabout him orGod her.asRead aloud the title.God Say:created Let’s begin this book thattogether is. His creation shows his love us. Father and Creator. God created everything by talking about God for as our Introduce Saint that is. Histhe creation shows his love for us.

Saint HaveIntroduce your child turnthe to page 1. Read aloud the saint’s name and the sentence below it.

Introduce Saint Have your child turnthe to page 1. Read aloud the saint’s name and the sentence it. your child turn to pageof1.Saint ReadFrancis aloud the saint’sAsk: name andelse thedo sentence Turnbelow to Have page 2. Discuss the picture of Assisi.

What it. 2. Discuss you Turn see below intothe picture? (animals) kind clothing is Saint Francis wearing? page the What picture of of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Ask: What else do (a brown robe) Is his clothing fancy?What (No.) Do you think Saint Francis was awearing? rich youTurn see intothe picture? (animals) kind of clothing is Saint Francis page 2. Discuss the picture of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Ask: What else do man? (a (No.) brown Is picture? his clothing fancy?What (No.) kind Do you think Saint Francis was wearing? a rich you seerobe) in the (animals) of clothing is Saint Francis (No.) (a brown robe)Ask: Is his How clothing fancy?

Sainttalking Francisto was Readman? aloud the page. would you (No.) feel ifDo youyou sawthink a person a a rich man?

(No.) wildRead animal such as apage. wolf?Ask: (Possible nervous, How to a aloud the How answers: would youscared, feel if you saw a curious) person talking did the reactsuch to Saint Francis?

(It was calm andscared, gentle.)nervous, Say: Saint FrancisHow wildwolf animal as page. a wolf?

(Possible answers: curious) Read aloud the Ask: How would you feel if you saw a person talking to a loved everything God created.

He loved the animals as if they were his brothers did wild the wolf react to Saint Francis?

(It was answers: calm andscared, gentle.)nervous, Say: Saint FrancisHow animal such as a wolf?

(Possible curious) andloved sisters.everything He treatedGod them kindly.He Weloved are going to learnashow Godwere makes created. animals they his Saint brothers did the wolf react to Saint Francis?

(Itthe was calm andifgentle.)

Say: Francis everything and He how prayerthem helpskindly. us show our forto alllearn creation. andloved sisters. treated Weloved arelove going God makes everything God created.

He the animals ashow if they were his brothers and how prayerthem helpskindly. us show creation. andchild sisters.

He treated Weour arelove going toalllearn how God Witheverything your add Francis’s feast day, October 4, tofor your calendar.

Planmakes an everything prayer helps usSaint show our love for all event together to and celebrate the love that Francis had forcreation. animals. Plan an With your child addhow Francis’s feast day, October 4, to your calendar.

©

event together to celebrate the love Francis had forcalendar. animals. Plan an With your child add Francis’s feastthat day,Saint October 4, to your event together to celebrate the love that Saint Francis had for animals.

At-home edition At-home edition At-home edition

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W0358

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W0358 W0358

At-Home Editions: Used at home for the vast majority of the year, these step-by-step instructions help parents lead their children through the Children’s Books.

Grades K–8, downloadable printable PDFs accessible at www.findinggod.com/family

Children’s Books: Grades K–8, Printed Digital Reviews: • Interactive Session Reviews assessment tool with results-sharing option that allows parents to generate progress reports • Fishers of Faith Unit Review Game Accessible at www.findinggod.com/family

For Catechists

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Used While Parents Prepare with Leader

Parish Catechist Guides: Grades K–8, Printed

Finding God Website: www.findinggod.com

©

Scripture Stories and Guided Reflections CDs

Art Print Easels and Posters: Grades K–8, Printed

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

Slide Show Themes The Finding God Family Catechesis program is designed to be taught in a fouryear cycle based on a spiral curriculum. Enduring topics are the touchstone of the program and are explored in new and exciting ways each year. The themes for each year align with the Finding God themes. There is a slide show for every theme for a total of 28 unique presentations.

Four-Year Cycle This chart outlines the unit themes for each year in the Finding God Family Catechesis four-year cycle. In addition, two informative slide shows are provided to get the program started.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Unit 1: God

Discovering What You Want Out of Life: God’s Invitation and Our Response

In Search of the Truth: God Reveals Himself to Us (Revelation/ Scripture)

Finding Your Source of Energy: The Relational God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Communion/Trinity)

Filling the Empty Space Within: Prayer and Spirituality

Unit 2: Jesus

Who Can I Trust?

Jesus: Divine and Human

Getting Rid of Stinking Thinking: Jesus’ Teachings

A Power Greater Than Yourself: Jesus’ Miracles

Where Is God When It Hurts? The Paschal Mystery

Unit 3: The Church

Does My Faith Make a Difference?

Catholic Identity

No One Is an Island: Church—One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic

A Purpose-Driven Life: The Mission of the Church

Who’s Got Your Back: Mary and the Saints

Unit 4: Sacraments

What Sustains Me? The Mass and Eucharist

Leading a Heroic Life: Sacraments of Initiation

Finding Healing When Life Hurts: Sacraments of Healing

How to Give Your Life to Others: Sacraments at the Service of Communion

Unit 5: Morality

Stop Trying to Fix Yourself: Grace and Sin

How Do I Know Right from Wrong?

Conscience and the Commandments

Developing Good Habits: Virtues and Beatitudes

Hope for a Damaged World: Charity and Justice

The Year in Our Church: Advent and Christmas

Who Can You Count On? God’s Promise/ Covenant

There Has Got to Be Another Way: The Coming of the Kingdom

The World the Way It Should Be: Prophets/ Social Justice

Where Can I Find God? The Incarnation

The Year in Our Church: Lent, Holy Week, and Easter

Getting Your Priorities Straight: Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving

The Key to Happiness: Selfless Love—The Passion of Jesus

How Do I Change Bad Habits? Conversion and Repentance

Finding Hope in the Midst of Despair: The Triduum

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Unit Themes

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

More about the Slide Show Presentations High-quality, complete slide show presentations across four years of instruction give a positive visual impact to your group meetings and ensure successful presentations to diverse groups. Each slide show presentation includes embedded media clips and presentation notes so you can capture and maintain participants’ attention and engagement.

Five Unit-Theme Slide Show Presentations per Year (20 Presentations across 4 Years) Each presentation engages parents and their children through group prayer, a sharing activity, Scripture readings, and media links.

1 God 2 Jesus 3 The Church 4 Sacraments 5 Morality Two Seasonal Slide Show Presentations per Year (8 Presentations across 4 Years) Your program can stay in tune with seasons of the liturgical year with these slide show presentations.

1 Advent and Christmas

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2L ent, Holy Week, and Easter

Two Informative Slide Show Presentations Two slide show presentations will help get your program up and running in no time!

1 Introduction Use this slide show presentation to orient yourself and parents to this easy-to-use, adaptable program.

©

2 Online Resources Use this slide show presentation to explain to families how to access and use the web resources.

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

Typical Program Model

IN THE PARISH:

AT HOME:

Families gather all together with the leader and experience a slide show presentation on the unit theme.

Parents stay with the leader for the continuation of the presentation and for catechetical preparation.

While this takes place, children go with catechists to complete the first session.

Parents catechize their children at home using parent friendly materials. They return for another group meeting in approximately one month to prepare for the next unit.

See page 12 for a detailed explanation.

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At-home Catechesis that Includes Professional Guidance!

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

At-a-Glance

1 God, Our Creator and Father

2 Jesus, Our Lord and Savior

3 The Church, Our Community in the Spirit

4 Sacraments, Our Way of Life

Morality, Our Lived Faith

GROUP MEETING

Parents Only: Unit 1

At-Home Sessions 2–5

Children with Catechists: Session 1

Families: Intro to Unit 2 GROUP MEETING

Parents Only: Unit 2

At-Home Sessions 7–10

Children with Catechists: Session 6

Families: Intro to Unit 3 GROUP MEETING

Parents Only: Unit 3

At-Home Sessions 12–15

Children with Catechists: Session 11

Families: Intro to Unit 4 GROUP MEETING

Parents Only: Unit 4

At-Home Sessions 17–20

Children with Catechists: Session 16 Families: Intro to Unit 5

GROUP MEETING

Parents Only: Unit 5

At-Home Sessions 22–25

Children with Catechists: Session 21

The Year in Our Church: Seasonal Sessions Advent and Christmas

ALTER

Families: Intro to Session

GROUP MEETING

Parents Only

Read Christmas Session

Children with Catechists Group Celebration Families: Intro to Session

Lent, Holy Week, and Easter

GROUP MEETING

Parents Only

Read Holy Week Session

Children with Catechists

Read Easter Session

Group Celebration

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5

Families: Intro to Unit 1

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

How Finding God Family Catechesis Works Finding God Family Catechesis combines parish-based group meetings and grade-specific instruction by trained catechists with at-home sessions guided by parents.

Monthly Group Meetings Parents and children begin each meeting together in community with other families. After this Welcome section, children meet with their grade-level catechists where they are taught the first session of each unit. The program leader uses the slide show presentations along with the Leader Guide to teach parents more about the unit theme during the Connect and Close section of the meeting.

Parents complete their session 15 minutes before the grade-level session concludes. This allows time for questions, conversations among parents, and time for parents to pick up their children from their grade-level classes.

Welcome (Parents + Children) 15 minutes

At-Home Sessions

Close

Children leave for their respective grade-level sessions.

Connect (Parents Only) 30 minutes (Parents Only) 15 minutes

In the weeks after the monthly group meeting, parents teach their children the remaining sessions of each unit using the Finding God Children's Book in conjunction with the At-Home Edition. The At-Home Edition provides parents with easy-to-follow, two-page instructional support designed for an in-home setting. Parents can find additional resources at www.findinggod.com/family.

After children complete each session, they can take that session's corresponding Interactive Session Review online. This way children's understanding can be gauged and progress can be charted. Determine in advance the best way for parents to share the results of this assessment with you. You may ask families to email scores to you, your family catechesis leader, or their grade-level view Score catechists. Consider Session Re e iv ct ra te In keeping n5 n 4 Sessio a chart or n 3 Sessio Grade io ss e S Session 2 me spreadsheet on Level Family Session 1 Child’s Na 80 90 N am e which you can 80 90 90 80 track children's 90 5 0 9 90 Aaron 90 progress.

90 90 Alvarez Alvarez Brown Brown Brown Cohen

Aiden

Barbara Bernadette Bridget Charles

3

90

4

80

5

80

7

90

2

80

80 90 80

80

80 80 90

80 90 80

80 80 80

Session 6 90 90 80 80 90 80

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Monitor Progress

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

Step 2: Plan for the Year Sample Planning Calendar

August

September

Family Catechesis Catechist Retreat (See page 27.)

Family Catechesis Parent Orientation (See page 28.)

Family Catechesis Group Meeting Unit 1: God, Session 1 At-Home Instruction Sessions 2–5

October

November/December

Family Catechesis Group Meeting Unit 2: Jesus, Session 6 At-Home Instruction Sessions 7–10

Family Catechesis Group Meeting Advent/Christmas, followed a group celebration.*

January

February

Family Catechesis Group Meeting Unit 3: The Church, Session 11 At-Home Instruction Sessions 12–15

Family Catechesis Group Meeting Unit 4: Sacraments, Session 16 At-Home Instruction Sessions 17–20

March

April

Family Catechesis Group Meeting Lent/Holy Week/Easter, followed by a group celebration* At-Home Instruction Families read the Holy Week and Easter sessions in the Year in Our Church section of the Children's Book.

Family Catechesis Group Meeting Unit 5: Morality, Session 21 At-Home Instruction Sessions 22–25

At-Home Instruction Families read the Christmas session in the Year in Our Church section of the Children's Book.

May End-of-year group celebration. *See page 18–19 for more information about planning group celebrations.

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This calendar outline is presented as a suggestion for how you may wish to plan your year.

The program can be easily adapted to meet the needs of your parish.

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

Implementation Models The following pages provide suggestions for presenting the Finding God Family Catechesis program. These models can be easily adapted to fit the needs of your parish.

Implementation Model 1 School-Year Monthly Model

Month

Group Meeting

At-Home Sessions

August

Host a Finding God Family Catechesis Parent Orientation (See page 28.)

none

September

Unit 1: God Session 1 with grade-level catechist

Sessions 2, 3, 4, 5

October

Unit 2: Jesus Session 6 with grade-level catechist

Sessions 7, 8, 9, 10

November/ December

Seasonal Session: Advent/Christmas Seasonal Session: Advent with gradelevel catechist followed by a group celebration*­

Families read the Christmas session in The Year in Our Church section of the Children's Book.

January

Unit 3: The Church Session 11 with grade-level catechist

Sessions 12, 13, 14, 15

February

Unit 4: Sacraments Session 16 with grade-level catechist

Sessions 17, 18, 19, 20

March

Seasonal Session: Lent/Holy Week/ Easter

Families read the Holy Week and Easter sessions in the Year in Our Church section of the Children's Book.

Seasonal Session: Lent with gradelevel catechist followed by a group celebration*—We Prepare Our Hearts for the Joy of Easter April

Unit 5: Morality Session 21 with grade-level catechist

Sessions 22, 23, 24, 25

May

End-of-year Celebrate Faith and Fellowship group celebration*

none

*See pages 18–19 for more information about planning group celebrations.

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This model follows a typical faith formation year. Monthly sessions are held nine times per year and last about an hour and 15 minutes each. Seasonal group meetings take place at appropriate times during the year. Instead of using the At-Home Edition to guide instruction, families read the Children's Book session content devoted to the respective seasons.

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

Implementation Model 2 Semester Model This approach calls for seven group meetings over 15 weeks. During the weeks when group meetings are not scheduled, facilitate group attendance and participation at Mass. The semester model can also be used as a means for children whose faith formation has lapsed to help them catch up to their grade-level peers.

Week 1

Unit 1: God Session 1 with grade-level catechist

Unit 1: Sessions 2–3

2

none

Unit 1: Sessions 4–5

3

Unit 2: Jesus Session 6 with grade-level catechist

Unit 2: Sessions 7–8

4

none

Unit 2: Sessions 9–10

5

Unit 3: The Church Session 11 with grade-level catechist

Unit 3: Sessions 12–13

6

none

Unit 3: Sessions 14–15

7

Seasonal Session: Advent or Lent (depending on the time of year)

none

none

Session from the Year in Our Church

9

Unit 4: Sacraments Session 16 with grade-level catechist

none

10

none

Unit 4: Sessions 17–18

11

none

Unit 4: Sessions 19–20

12

Unit 5: Morality Session 21 with grade-level catechist

none

13

none

Unit 5: Sessions 22–23

14

none

Unit 5: Sessions 24–25

15

End-of-year celebration

8

*See pages 18–19 for more information about planning group celebrations.

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Finding God At-Home Sessions

Group Meeting

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

Implementation Model 3 10-Day Summer Intensive The summer intensive program takes place over 10 days. Plan a parent orientation before the first 10-Day Summer Intensive meeting. See page 28 for a suggested parent orientation plan. Then parents and children will meet every other day for group meetings, following the same format described on page 12.

In this model, children will learn about the seasons in the Church year through the lessons that appear in the Year in Our Church section at the back of the Children's Book.

Finding God Family Catechesis Session

Finding God At-Home Sessions

1

Unit 1: God, Session 1

Sessions 2, 3

2

none

Sessions 4, 5

3

Unit 2: Jesus, Session 6

Sessions 7, 8

4

none

Sessions 9, 10

5

Unit 3: Church, Session 11

Sessions 12, 13

6

none

Sessions 14, 15

7

Unit 4: Sacraments, Session 16

Sessions 17, 18

8

none

Sessions 19, 20

9

Unit 5: Morality, Session 21

Sessions 22, 23

10

none

Sessions 24, 25

Optional

End-of-session celebration*

*See pages 18–19 for more information about planning group celebrations.

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Day

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Family Catechesis Director Guide

Finding God Family Catechesis

Methods and Models of Family Catechesis Family Faith Formation Models

How Elements of These Models Work with Finding God Family Catechesis

At-Home Catechesis with Monthly Faith Formation Meetings

Finding God Family Catechesis combines parish-based group meetings and grade-specific instruction by trained catechists with at-home sessions guided by parents.

Multimedia Events

Finding God Family Catechesis uses professionally developed, catechetically sound, and skillfully paced slide show presentations for each unit that include media links. See page 33 for additional video suggestions.

Family Prayer Celebration

Prayer is central to Finding God Family Catechesis and begins and ends each group meeting, helping build community and prayerful practice.

Activity-Centered Approach

Children, their parents, and fellow participants take part in a sharing activity during the Welcome section of each meeting. Each of the three group celebrations center around a family or group activity.

Family Christian Service Project

Service activity suggestions are part of the With My Family pages in the Children’s Book. A food drive service project is a suggested element of the Lent, Holy Week, and Easter group celebration plan.

Family Christian Holiday Celebration

Group celebration plans for Advent/Christmas and Lent/Holy Week/ Easter offer simple ways to carry out celebrations that build community, fellowship, and faith.

Family Pilgrimage

Consider sponsoring a family pilgrimage where families visit a holy place or sacred site together as an end-of-the-year group celebration.

Family Retreat Day

You may wish to make the seasonal sessions family retreat days.

Include time for prayer, reflection, discussion, and opportunities to build community among parish families and within the parish community. Ideas for retreats are available at www.loyolapress.com.

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Finding God Family Catechesis is readily adaptable and complements many methods and models of family faith formation.

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Family Catechesis Director Guide