Blog_Banner_1.jpg

Engaging Faith

Practical Lesson Ideas and Activities for Catholic Educators
Archived - June 2012
Clear Filters

The Latest

engaging_faith_placeholder.svg

4 Places to Find the Best Catholic Apps for Your Classroom

With so many schools switching to a 1:1 iPad program in the next couple of years, I am starting to get some common questions. As you might imagine the most common question I get from teachers who have been given new iPads is, "Do you have any suggestions for apps I should download?" Or, "What are the best Catholic iPad apps to use with students?" Rather than pretend to think I could possibly keep track of all of the amazing Catholic apps and prayer apps that are being released for the iPad and the iPhone, I'll defer to the experts. Check out this list of websites to get some ideas for new Catholic apps and prayer apps to use in your classroom. 1. CatholicApps.com The name and the URL says it all! Tom Lelyo, the main author and founder of CatholicApps.com, provides excellent reviews of the latest iPad and iPhone apps as well as the apps in the Android marketplace. Each app gets a rating based on price, performance, usability, design, and catholicity. The authors also share the pro's, con's, and overall impression of the apps. 2. CatholicMom.com Our friend and author, Lisa Hendey, hosts a number of different authors who contribute to the Catholic Tech Talk feature on CatholicMom.com. Writers like Sarah Reinhard and Dorian Speed share their expertise and experience using technology often sharing the newest and best apps for Catholics, particularly those who focus on catechesis and parenting. 3. CatholicTechTalk.com A rising star in the Catholic tech world has been the website CatholicTechTalk.com. Not long ago they began a great resource for reviews and information about Catholic apps. This website has a great group of writers and offers engaging conversation about the Church and technology today. 4. CatholicApps (Wordpress Blog) The Wordpress blog, catholicapps.wordpress.com, has a treasure chest of information about Catholic apps for prayer, politics, saints, confession, and more. Although not as well known as the websites above, there is some extensive information about many different Catholic apps as well as a list of videos to check out about the apps. Classroom Assignment Idea: What are the best Catholic apps? As teachers, we all know our students are much more tech-savvy than we will ever be. Why not take advantage of this? Why not save yourself the time and let them do the searching?! Give the students an assignment to find and review Catholic apps and prayer apps on their iPads. Collect the reviews as a written assignment or have them create a video review using their iPads and post it to a public place like YouTube or your LMS. You could even have them present the apps in class. Or if they are reviewing prayer apps, have them sign up to lead class prayer using the app. Question: What Catholic apps have you found to be useful in the classroom?

Read More
engaging_faith_placeholder.svg

Vocations Come in All Sizes!

With summer here it is time to say good-bye to your students. But you probably never lose complete contact with your students because you continue to remember them in prayer, hopeful that they remain close to Jesus and strong in their Catholic faith. Over the past couple of months I have been so fortunate to share in the great success of two of my former students. Doug O'Neill is the champion trainer for I'll Have Another, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Doug was on my grade school basketball team at St. Monica's Elementary School in Santa Monica. His wife Linette was in my math and religion classes. They have two nice kids who now attend Notre Dame Academy in West Los Angeles. I'm counting on them eventually attending the University of Notre Dame! Another good friend and student from St. Monica's is Mark Verge. In March, Mark became CEO of Santa Anita Race Track. Mark met his wife Lani in high school at St. Monica's. They too are parents of two beautiful children. Like Doug, Mark and his family still are parishioners at St. Monica's. Now check out this story about how Doug and Mark first got interested in horse racing! Not all our students end up as priests and nuns! Share a prayer for your own students who are leaving your class for the summer as I pray in thanksgiving for Doug and Mark—great husbands, fathers, and friends. Act of Hope O God, I hope with complete trust that you will give my students, through the merits of Jesus Christ, all necessary graces in the world and everlasting life in the world to come, for this is what you have promised and you always keep your promises. Amen.

Read More
engaging_faith_placeholder.svg

What Can You Do About Sin in Your Life?

Here's a short presentation you can share with teens to help them think about some things they can do about sin in their lives. Tell them some things that people already do about sin. Write the boldface words on a board or chart as you give this presentation. Presentation First, you could do nothing. You may admit to areas of sinfulness in your life but not make a resolution to do anything about them. This non-action usually has a serious consequence: not only will the sin not go away, it will probably get worse. You could resolve to do something about the sin—tomorrow. For example, you could say "Ill go to Mass when I get my own car" or "I will stop listening to gossip when I quit hanging out with the same group." You probably already know that tomorrow never comes. You could seriously resolve to do something about that sin now, or the very next time the temptation comes along. Perhaps this is what you did as you reflected over your examination of conscience questions. You could talk to God about the problem. You could ask god to help you with your resolution to change. This is something you did in your letter. But you may wonder how you can be sure of God's answer. You could also talk to someone who would understand our problem, who would give you guidance on how to overcome the habit of sin you are concerned about. Reflect for a moment on who that "someone" would be for you. Or, you could combine the last three steps (underline: seriously resolve, talk to God, talk to someone) in the Sacrament of Penance. Have you ever thought of the Sacrament of Penance in this way? At the end of the presentation, reserve some time to review the Sacrament of Penance and "how to go to Confession"

Read More
engaging_faith_placeholder.svg

Prayer for Seniors in High School

Share the following prayer service from Marriage and Holy Orders: Your Call to Love and Serve with your students. It is especially appropriate for juniors preparing to be seniors and seniors at the time of graduation. The last semesters of high school are filled with planning for the next stage in life. Which college will you attend? Which career will you prepare for? What will it be like to leave family and friends at home? How will you grow in a personal and adult faith? These are only some of the questions to consider on a regular basis. Pray often for a smooth transition from high school. Keep Christ close to your heart as you make these important decisions. On several occasions, pray using the following format. Call to Prayer for Seniors in High School Pray the following words or choose some similar words of your own. Construct your prayer around some specific situations arising in your final months, weeks, and days as a senior in high school. Come, Holy Spirit. Be with me today in my studies. Improve my work habits. Help me to learn to relax when taking exams so that I am able to test to my potential. When I apply to colleges, allow me the chance to show the “real me” to those who make decisions. Come, Holy Spirit. Allow me to appreciate my friends. Give me a moment to see their goodness. Help me to be always faithful to these dear people I have grown up with since childhood. Always give me the opportunity to stay close to my friends, whether we are physically near or far apart. Come, Holy Spirit. Continue to inspire my teachers, counselors, and coaches who have inspired me. In these last days of high school, give me the courage to truly follow their lessons. Allow me the inspiration to thank them for their gifts with sincere appreciation. Come, Holy Spirit. Bless my parents and family. They are everything to me. They have modeled for me your life and love. Keep them healthy and happy for many more years. Come, Holy Spirit. Help me find my way to my loving Father through his Son. Share with me a sign of my calling. Give me good ears to listen to your voice. Give me the strength to follow your lead. Amen. Scripture Reading Slowly and prayerfully read the following Gospel passage from John 14:15-21. How is God with you now? How will you stay close to God after you graduate from high school? Listen carefully to Jesus’ words. A reading from the Gospel of John. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. Reflection Questions for High School Seniors Read through the entire list of questions. Then go back and choose one question to spend time with in greater detail. Listen to what God is saying to you. Take notes in a notebook or prayer journal. Choose another question on a different occasion. Form your own questions having to do with your transition from high school. As your answers change, write your new answers. What are my goals for my senior year in high school? How can I better express my true self to my family and friends? To whom do I need to say I am sorry? Where do I see myself in five years? What are my God-given talents? How might I use my talents in a career? How can I show my family I appreciate their love and care? What do I need to do to learn to be more independent? How can I improve my faith-life? What can I do to be more active in the Church? What kind of Catholic will I be when I get out of high school? Who do I want to become? Act of Hope Pray an Act of Hope for your future life in college using these traditional words. O God, I hope with complete trust that you will give me, through the merits of Jesus Christ, all necessary graces in this world and everlasting life in the world to come, for this is what you have promised and you always keep your promises. Amen.

Read More
Archived - June 2012
Clear Filters
Follow Us
Categories
activities
advent
apologetics
black catholics
christmas
christology
church history
church year
current events
easter
ecclesiology
holy cross
holy week
icebreaker
introduction to catholicism
lent
lesson plans
marian devotion
morality
most popular resources
national framework
news
new testament
old testament
parish programs
paschal mystery
pope francis
prayer
relationships
resources
rosary
sacraments
saints
scripture
social justice
teacher enrichment
technology
tech tips
vocation
world religions