Catechist's Best Friend

Choose one professional development workshop from the series below or request a customized workshop to fit the specific needs of your diocese.

A. Leading Prayer

The Leading Prayer workshop guides catechetical leaders through in-depth training on prayer and leading children in prayer. The workshop facilitator will build participants’ basic knowledge of prayer and skills for leading many types of prayer. Designed to help catechists enhance their existing faith-formation sessions, some of the ideas and activities presented during the workshop include:

• It Helps to Have a Relationship: Guides catechists to reflect on the essence of prayer.
• You, Who, Do, Through: Assists catechists in becoming more comfortable leading spontaneous prayer.
• Prayer That Resembles the Mass: Demonstrates how to prepare and lead liturgical prayer (prayer services).
• Like One Friend Talking to Another: Shows catechists how to lead reflective prayer (guided reflections/meditations).

B. The Catechist’s Toolbox

The Catechist’s Toolbox workshop helps catechetical leaders and catechists learn a host of skills and techniques that they can implement immediately to become more effective proclaimers of God’s Word. Drawing from the best-selling book The Catechist’s Toolbox: How to Thrive as a Religious Education Teacher, the workshop facilitator will inspire and help build the confidence level of all catechists, regardless of their years of experience. Some of the ideas and activities presented during the workshop include:

• Blueprints: Helps catechists learn the basics of lesson planning and preparation.
• Color Charts: Demonstrates how catechists can vary their learning activities.
• Applying Primer: Reveals basic tips to help catechists prepare the learning environment.
• Sandpaper: Provides catechists with strategies for smoothing out discipline problems.

C. A Well-Built Faith

The Well-Built Faith workshop guides catechetical leaders and catechists with a solid approach to understanding the Catholic faith so they can feel more comfortable sharing that faith with others. Drawing from the best-selling book A Well-Built Faith: A Catholic’s Guide to Knowing and Sharing What We Believe, the workshop facilitator will inspire and help build the confidence level of all catechists, regardless of their years of experience. Some of the ideas and activities presented during the workshop include:

• CSI: Catholics Seeking Identity: Invites catechists to reflect on what it means to be Catholic.
• A Little H.E.L.P.: Demonstrates how catechists can articulate their Catholic faith by focusing on the 4 “pillars” of the Catechism.
• Holding on to Faith: Helps catechists identify the basic elements of Creed.
• Expressing Faith: Assists catechists in teaching the Church’s sacramental life.
• Living Faith: Identifies for catechists the essentials of the Catholic Moral Life.
• Praying Faith: Inspires catechists to teach a life of prayer.

Upcoming Workshops:

Lunch is provided. Registration is complimentary.

For registration information, please contact the diocesan office.

View information regarding the speakers for these events.

Saturday, September 10, 2011
Pueblo, CO
Facilitators: TBD