This page is for the use of our parents and families. Here you will find information useful in helping you make Faith come alive in your home for your child(ren). This is information for use in your daily family life as well as with their CF/RE sessions; both their weekly lessons and their Sacramental Preparation. Our hope is that these items will help you be the first, and the best, teachers of your child in the ways of the Faith, and allow you to be one of the Catholic Christian role models that your child(ren) look to.
Blest Are We Faith in Action (Books for Grades 1-7) - This newer Parish Program for grades 1-8 now includes the Family Life Connection, an amazing family resource built right into the Student Edition textbook! Students will take home this two-page insert to help them build the skills they need to live healthy, holy lives.
Be My Disciples (Grade 8) - (Books for Grade 8) Explore games, lessons, and activities to learn more about who Jesus is and how you can be one of his disciples. Be My Disciples shares the Christian story in a catechumenal methodology, using reflection on Scripture and doctrine, plus a prayer celebration in every class and during all the major seasons of the Church year.
The Importance of Going to Mass — St. Coleman Parish, Pompano Beach, FL
How to Get Kids Excited about the Mass — Ascension Press
Kids at Mass (yes you can!) — teachingcatholickids.comWhy young children belong at Mass — Catholic News Agency
How To Take Young Children to Mass — Josh and Stacey Noem
9 tips for a successful family prayer time — teachingcatholickids.com — Jerry Windley-Daoust
Three Things the Holy Family Can Teach Us About Saying Yes to God - Becky Eldredge, Ignatianspirituality.com
30+ ideas for celebrating the feasts of All Saints and All Souls - Meagan Daoust
Inside the Vatican Museums - EWTN Vaticano Special
The Library of the Popes - Discover Ancient Sacred Texts preserved in the Vatican - EWTN Vaticano
A rare look at the Vatican Library's treasures - CBS News
St. Peter's Basilica - EWTN Vaticano
The Chair of St. Peter - National Catholic Register article
St. John Lateran Basilica - EWTN Vaticano
What's Catholic? — Catholic Central — What does it mean to be Catholic? Is it following a set of rules? Practicing cultural traditions? Or something more? Kai and Libby serve up an overview of some of the things that Catholicism entails, both in church and in daily life. From Family Theater Productions in Hollywood.
Catholic Parenting 101 - Tips for Building Strong Catholic Families — RCL Benziger
5 ways to pray: A balanced Catholic prayer diet - teachingcatholickids.com
Why Teens are Wired for Risk — Elizabeth Landau — CNN
Purpose and Meaning of Life - Catholic Central - Is there a secret to life's meaning and purpose? Do you ever feel paralyzed when you look at all your options? How can we avoid messing everything up? In "Catholic Central: Purpose and Meaning of Life", Kai and Libby attempt to answer these questions and more. Find out the 5 steps Catholic thinkers recommend for a life of meaning, joy, and love.
We Believe (A video series) - goodcatholic - How Well Do You Know the Faith? Where is that in the Bible? Why do you Catholics worship Mary? How can you believe in those old superstitions? The list goes on. You’ve heard the questions, but do you know the answers? Can you really defend your faith? This series is here to help. We Believe video series is an accessible and essential guide to understanding the teachings of our Catholic faith so that you can defend it and bring others to the Church. Discover the Truth! There’s a lot of bad information out there. Catholics are sometimes surprised when they learn the truth about the Faith. Have you ever been told that we don’t need the sacraments? Or that the Eucharist is just a symbol of our unity? How about the claim that Catholics added “extra” books to the Bible? None of those claims are true, but most Catholics don’t know how to respond. Do you? In this 30-day series, we’ll walk you through what the Catholic Church actually teaches, so you can know your faith better, live it out, and share it with others.
5 Things with Fr. Bill Byrne - Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington - Fr. Bill Byrne shares 5 Things about most everything in life in these videos - from what he learned from his dog to myths about the priesthood.
Give up nagging your kids for Lent - Jerry Windley-Daoust - teachingcatholickids.com
Teach Your Kids Imaginative PrayerInformation and Family Resources for Advent
9 Activities for creating a family night - Michelle Martin - teachingcatholickids.com
Information on the Christ the King
Advent Resources - Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Christmas Tree Resources - thereligionteacher.com
Video on Immaculate Conception Explained by Fr. Mike Schmitz
Pop-Up Catechesis: Teaching the Art of Discernment - Catechist's Journey
Feast of The Holy Family Activities - Jared Dees
What does Emmanuel mean in the Bible? - video
What are the Advent “O Antiphons”? - Video
The Meaning of the Christmas Tree - Video
Liturgical Year Family Activities — Loyola Press
Antiphons Prepare Us for Arrival of Jesus - Kim Mandelkow
The Best Christmas Song I've Ever Heard. It Will Give You Chills.
The Fall Of Jericho - Vision Video
Juan Diego & Our Lady of Guadalupe - Fr. (now Bishop) Robert Barron
Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe - Miracles of Mary - Miracles of Mary is an animated series of books and videos that narrates the story of different Marian apparitions across the world.
Marian resources - Loyola Press
Saying Yes to God: Mary's Yes - Catherine Wiecher Brunell, Loyola Press
The Ten Commandments - Marisol Barajas
The Sacrament of Baptism - Marisol Barajas
Advent Resources - Loyola Press
Advent Resources - RCL Benziger
All Saints Day information - Loyola Press
Christmas Resources - RCL Benziger
Information on The Spiritual Works of Mercy
Information on The Corporal Works of Mercy
9 Tips for a Successful Family Prayer Time
14 ways to do Bedtime Prayer With Your Kids
The Paschal Candle — one of the most sacred and enduring elements in Christianity.
Keeping the Triduum at home
Prayers for Families. Enjoy these free downloadable and printable resources. — RCL Benziger
Dryness in Prayer - Fr. Josh - Ascension Presents
3 parenting tips from St. Joseph - The Year of St. Joseph inspires a parent to look closely at the earthly father of Jesus. - Matt Paolelli
Fish On Fridays with Al McCauley - Videos on Catholic theology, Saints, history, and traditions
Prayer for Vocations - USCCB
Happy Holy Halloween/All Saints Day Coloring Pages
Together At One Altar - Together At One Altar is a web-based Catholic resource for school-age children in Australia to develop their formation in the Eucharist and assist their full, active and conscious participation in its celebration.
Do All Good People go to Heaven? — Fr. Mike Schmitz — Ascension Presents — Good people go to heaven when they die, right? Well, according to the Gospels, not exactly. Fr. Mike Schmitz points to at least four things Christ says we need for salvation: 1. Baptism (John 3) 2. The Eucharist (John 6) 3. Faith (Romans 10:9) 4. Doing the Father’s will (Matthew 25:31-46) None of them are “be a good person”; and it’s probably better that way because, especially today, everyone has a different idea of what is good. Christ has given us everything we need to achieve salvation. He wants us all to be at his wedding feast, including you; but unless you do what is necessary to get to the wedding, you won’t be there.
You're Dead. Now What? - ODB Films - Heaven. Hell. Purgatory. Particular Judgment. Final Judgment. What happens when we die?
Life After Life: The Catholic View of Heaven and Hell - Catholic Central - What happens to us after we die? Where do we go? More importantly, why? In "Catholic Central: Life After Life", Kai and Libby explain the great beyond: Heaven, Purgatory and...uh, the other place.
Videos on Various Catholic topics — Catholic Central — EnterForming* Insights on All Things Catholic (* Entertaining and Informative) “Catholic Central” offers entertaining and authoritative answers to your questions about Catholic thought, spirituality and practice. To do that, we’ve assembled a team of witty writers, appealing hosts and learned theologians to produce a collection of videos that entertain, enlighten and inspire. Catholic Central is a project of Family Theater Productions based on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
Baby Olivia Project - Baby Olivia was created by Live Action and reviewed by accredited OBGYNs to show audiences the spectacular life of a baby growing within the womb. With scientific accuracy, this video depicts the moment life begins and beyond to show the humanity of the preborn throughout each stage of human development. From a single-celled human to a baby with a beating heart, brainwaves, fingers, and toes, Olivia shows the remarkable beauty of a unique life within the womb. The Baby Olivia project provides a medically accurate, animated glimpse of human life from the moment of fertilization. The story details her growth as she progresses from one developmental stage to the next, in preparation for her continued life outside of the womb.
Spirituality and Mental Health - Catholic Central - Can you "pray away" mental illness? Is there hope for people who commit suicide? Kai and Libby discuss the Catholic Church's teaching on mental illness, and what you can do if you find that you and others are struggling with it.
ABC’s of the Catholic Faith Coloring Pages — catholicsprouts.com
Ascension Day - The Solemnity of the Ascension History, Information, Prayers, Resources, Traditions, & More — Prayerist
Video What is the Ascension?! Solemnity of the Ascension cycle A — Catholic Kids Media
At Home with the Easter Season — Catechist Magazine — Ideas and activities for celebrating the Easter Season at home and in the classroom
Video on The Epiphany
Video on All Saints Day — SUMMIT by Lifeteen
Video on The Feast of Christ the King — SUMMIT by Lifeteen
Video What is Pentecost? Cycle A — Catholic Kids Media
Video Pentecost Sunday (Cycle B) — Catholic Kids Media
7 Ways to Say Thanks to God — from an article by Bill Dodds in OSV Newsweekly
A Thanksgiving Prayer in Time of Pandemic — Diana Macalintal, published by Give Us This Day.
Catholic Priests React to "The Chosen" — Upon Friar Review — A video — "The Chosen" is a new hit show on YouTube about the life of Jesus and his disciples. There have been many such productions made throughout history, so how does this one stack up?
The Chosen — This is a very well-done series about the life of Jesus Christ and those around Him. THIS IS MADE BY NON-CATHOLICS AND TAKES A FEW LIBERTIES WITH THE STORY! Come and see what they saw. This is the first-ever multi-season series about the life of Christ. This is the free show that tens of millions won't stop talking about. A Charismatic fisherman drowning in debt. A troubled woman wrestling with real demons. A gifted publican ostracized by his family and his people. A religious leader struggling with his beliefs. See Jesus through the eyes of those who met Him.
Going to Confession for the First Time in a Long Time — Ascension Presents
Formation of Conscience — Catholic Central — The conscience goes beyond your gut, instinct, or little voice inside you. But how should we use it? How do we go about forming it? Kai and Libby fill you in on how to form the conscience and eventually make better decisions because of it.
Aren't All Churches The Same? — Fr. Mike Schmitz
What Constitutes a Practicing Catholic? — Fr. Mike Schmitz — Ascension Presents
Have You Mastered the Basics of Your Faith? — Ascension Presents — Fr. Mike makes the case that, before you claim a certain “style” in practicing the faith, you have to master the basics. If you’re told to do something and don’t, is it because you can’t do it, or because you won’t? When practicing the Faith, you may say you’re not into prayer, or service, or witnessing about Jesus, but all these things are essential to growing in holiness.
4 Essentials for Every Catholic - Fr. Mike Schmitz - Ascension Presents - In a previous episode (https://youtu.be/AR6T4qOrdDc), Fr. Mike said that all Catholics grow in the same “soil” together, but the fruit we bear is unique. But what is this common soil? What are the essentials for every Catholic Christian? During the Easter Season, we read from the Acts of the Apostles. In Acts 2:42, we are told what the soil is made of: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” So there are four elements in the soil: 1. Teachings of the Apostles: Magisterial teaching of the Church, Sacred Scripture, and Tradition. 2. Communal Life (Fellowship): It’s not just me praying to Jesus. We need to share life somehow. 3. Breaking of the Bread: This refers to the Mass, not just eating together. 4. Prayer: There are so many ways to pray as a Catholic, and so many awesome prayers. You can pray the Liturgy of the Hours with the Church, or in your own words, or both. But to be in the soil you have to pray. For a great Liturgy of the Hours app, check out iBreviary (https://ibreviary.org/en). God wants us to flourish in faith, hope, and love for him and for others. He is the one who makes us grow in holiness, but in order to flourish we have to be nourished by the soil he gave us.
How to get kids excited about the Mass — Ascension Press
Information on Parents and Families — Catechist Magazine
formed.org — Pulling together the best in Catholic movies, children’s programming, audio dramas and books, FORMED provides a trusted and engaging entertainment alternative in support of a Catholic lifestyle. The Bible studies, sacramental prep materials, documentaries, books and audio talks from leading Catholic experts will help you grow in understanding your faith. Encountering and sharing the FORMED content has never been easier, engage via your mobile, tablet, or connected TV device. The St. Kilian Catholic Knights have purchased a subscription to FORMED for all parishioners of St. Kilian and St. John!
Joe's Pop-Up Catechesis — Joe Paprocki, Master Catechist and Author — Joe presents short videos on a variety of subjects. This is a relatively new series, borne out of the COVID-19 crisis, of one-minute videos with bite-size suggestions for how to make faith alive in the home. These will appear on Catechist’s Journey every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for the foreseeable future. A partial list of videos are on: Meal time Prayers, May Crowning, Reading the Bible, The Liturgical Calendar, Saints, etc.
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) - tools for building a domestic church — You will find some suggestions on how to build your “domestic church” through a life of prayer that can help all the members of your family.
BUILDING THE DOMESTIC CHURCH: What is the Domestic Church? — Knights of Columbus — The phrase “domestic church” has been used to describe families since the beginning of Christianity. In his Letter to Families, Pope St. John Paul II explained, “The Fathers of the Church, in the Christian tradition, have spoken of the family as a ‘domestic church,’ a ‘little church.’” The domestic church is believing that how you live your faith in your families has a ripple effect that changes the world.
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Issues & Actions page — In this section you will find information and resources to learn more about the Church, what the Church teaches, and how to grow in your faith.
Catholic Family Faith — The Strong Catholic Family Faith website has been created to assist parish and school leaders in finding the best and most relevant content and experiences for developing faith-filled Catholic families.
Catholicmom.com — Catholic Gospel Coloring Pages and Worksheets for Sunday Mass.
Catholickidsbulletin.com — Resources to help teachers & parents educate their kids about the Catholic faith. Free weekly Mass bulletins for kids, along with ideas and resources to teach kids, Some items are free, some have a nominal fee.
FREE Weekly Mass Activities from HolyHeros.com. Sign up for a Catholic resource — Holy Heroes Sunday Mass Prep. If you're like most of us right now, going to Mass is not an option. With our Mass Prep, you can bring a bit of Mass home to your kids with a weekly Gospel video, coloring page and quiz. Sign up for FREE, and we'll send you a reminder email each week to access the new activities. GOOD FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN!
Bible Lessons and Sermons4Kids — With Sermons4Kids, you get tons of free children’s sermons with object lessons, children’s activities, Bible coloring pages, games, and crafts. Use these fun children’s sermons for kids in children’s church, Sunday school, children’s ministry, and family ministry! Available in English and Spanish!
Catholicmom.com — Stories, podcasts, prayers, resources for Catholic parents and working with children.
List of Family Resources of various kinds — RCL Benziger, our book publisher
List of Christmas Resources — RCL Benziger, our book publisher
Loyola Press E-Newsletters (Finding God) — Finding God presents the authentic teachings of the Catholic Church through active-learning techniques that allow children to participate, learn, and grow in faith and discipleship
Ideas for starting discussions with your child(ren) — catholicmom.com
Helping Children Develop Their Gifts — Loyola Press
Questions parents can ask their child along with Faith Tips — Loyola Press
Family Resources for the Liturgical Year
Catholic Mom.com — Are you a Mom looking for fun ways to share your faith? Wondering "how do I keep my kids engaged at Mass?"
Catholic Icing — Family religion-based craft ideas, prayers, and beautiful photos and paintings.
Holy Heros — One of many resources for Catholic books.
A list of several available resources area DREs have put together.
Passing the Faith On to Your Kids — Ascension Presents — Jackie and Bobby Angel - Jackie and Bobby talk about how to bring your children to Mass, especially those under the age of reason. As Bobby says, "More is taught than caught."
As parents of four kids all under the age of 7, Jackie and Bobby have some experience introducing their kids to Mass. The reason kids get bored or fidgety during Mass is the same reason any adult gets bored: they don’t understand what’s going on. Anytime you’re in a situation where you don’t understand what’s happening (sporting events, ceremonies, lectures, etc.) you’re naturally going to become bored and anxious for it to be over. This is what kids under the age of reason experience almost constantly.
For kids who can read, this is slightly easier because there are several resources available that help explain the Mass to children, including the Interactive Mass Book from Ascension Kids (https://tinyurl.com/y5q642h8). But if your little one isn’t of reading age, there are other tactics. Try explaining little parts to them like a story. Most kids learn the words of their favorite princess or superhero as soon as they start speaking, so use that level of storytelling to your advantage.
Another really important aspect of bringing your children to the Faith is leading by example. Little kids love to imitate their parents, so when you’re at Mass, act with reverence. They’ll see you sitting, listening, and praying and begin to model your behaviors.
Overall, remember that your children’s minds are still growing, and it’s okay if they don’t understand what’s going on or are a little rambunctious during mass. God is working in their lives through you, and as long as you are intentionally bringing them the faith, the Lord will be able to work within their hearts as they grow in understanding.