We are open until 11 AM on Good Friday, March 29, reopening with normal business hours as of April 1. 

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Friendship and Forgiveness Prayer Space

An activity, including a discussion and a craft, on forgiving friends and family members, based on The Catholic Children’s Bible featured story “Jesus Teaches Us to Forgive”, Matthew 18:21–35.

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Dear Millie and Mike

This handout provides several real-life situations that teens might encounter. Students are challenged to respond to the situations and give advice to other teens.

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Perspectives on Sex

This handout provides several comments from teenagers about sex. It can be used as a discussion starter or writing prompt.

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Practicing Prophecy

An activity where students are given the opportunity to imitate the prophetic model by observing the world around them and attempting to interpret injustices.

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Symbol Interviews

A series of interview questions that students can ask married couples about symbols and marriage.

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Remembering My Confirmation

A worksheet where students are asked to interview several adults about their Confirmation experiences.

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Characteristics of Apologetics

With your group, read Saint Ignatius of Antioch’s letter to the Romans. Then answer the following questions.

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Learning to Listen to God

A survey to assess a student’s listening skills.

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Inspirations and Charisms Worksheet

A partially independent and partially group completed worksheet for students to fill out about the inspirations and charisms of a particular religious congregation or order.

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The Effects of the Sacrament of Holy Orders

A worksheet completed in groups about the effects of the Sacrament of Holy Orders from both the book and the student’s personal knowledge.

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A Preassessment of My Knowledge of the Sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony

The leader’s copy of several preassessment questions and answers used to gauge students’ knowledge of the Sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony.

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If I Ruled the World

A worksheet that asks students to think about how they would solve different social justice issues if they ruled the world.

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Introspect and Interview

A worksheet on introspect and knowledge gained from interviews on important life issues including abortion, in vitro fertilization, stem-cell research, euthanasia, the death penalty, and immigration.

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Life in the Holy Spirit

A number of real-world scenarios that deal with the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

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The Meaning of Redemption (II)

A set of discussion questions centered around the meaning of Redemption: a matter of unconditional love, from "The Sacraments: Encounters with Christ."

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Sacramental Symbols in Scripture

A listing of scripture passages and complementary discussion questions from “The Sacraments: Encounters with Christ.”

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Preassessment

The Leader’s Guide for a preassessment of students’ knowledge of the Sacraments.

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Story Critique

Guidelines for critiquing “What is My Story?” from “The Sacraments: Encounters with Christ.”

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What Is My Story?

An activity based on reflecting on moments in your life in which you faced a significant challenge, from “The Sacraments: Encounters with Christ.”

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Using the Card Deal Method

An instructional guide for using the card deal method, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."

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Red Card Green Card Process

The red card, green card process enables you to take a quick agree-or-disagree opinion poll to initiate discussion on a particular unit topic.

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Scripture Readings for Celebrating the Rite of Marriage

A list of Scripture readings that can be included in celebrating the Rite of Marriage, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."

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Jigsaw Analysis of Primary Source Readings

A group activity dealing with the concept of human sexuality, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."

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Unit 6 Preassessment Questions

A preassessment for Unit 6 of "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."

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Martyrs in the Twentieth Century

A group discussion sheet on martyrs in the twentieth century, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."

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Public Life and Faithful Citizenship

Group discussion questions, based on a reading assignment, on public life and faithful citizenship, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."

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What is a Sin against the First and Second Commandment

A small group activity on sins against the first and second commandment, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."

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Psalms of Praise

An activity dealing with the Psalms of Praise, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."

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Determing the Elements of Human Acts

A worksheet on determining the elements of human acts from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."

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Survey Summary Life in Christ

A survey summary for "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."

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Finding Salt and Light for the World

This worksheet is part of the Living in Christ Series. It helps students reflect on various gifts, skills and virtues they might posesses in order to discern specific ministries they might be good at.

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Sharing in the Ministry of Jesus: Priest, Prophet, and King

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Groups of students can answer questions about Jesus as Priest, Prophet or King and reflect on models and characteristics of these distinct but related ministries.

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Reflection Questions: The Call to Holiness

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can reflect on what it means to be holy and how to grow in holiness through these series of questions.

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The Prodigal Son A Story of Conversion

This worksheet is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can reflect on and answer questions about the conversion of the Prodigal Son.

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Heroes of Prayer

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students are asked to research and answer questions about a "Hero of Prayer", including doubt they experienced and prayers they used.

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Reflections on Suffering

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can reflect on their experiences of and response to suffering through this series of though-provoking questions.

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Common Beliefs about Suffering

This activity allows students to reflect on a series of questions about human suffering and God's participation in it. They can agree or disagree with various statements of commonly held beliefs about suffering.

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Redemptive Love in The Spitfire Grill

This worksheet is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can answer questions about the themes and characters in the movie, "The Spitfire Grill".

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Symbols of Baptism

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. It invites students to reflect on the significance of key symbols used in baptism.

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The Baptism of Jesus

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can read the account of Jesus' baptism and answer questions about it.

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Interview Questions about Your Baptism

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students ask the provided to questions to adults who can tell them about the details of that student's baptism. A reflection on the significance of the sacrament is done at …

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Redemptive Love: Simon Birch

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students watching the movie "Simon Birch" can use this handout to follow along and reflect on major themes in the film.

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Where Have Jesus, Mary, the Apostles, Disciples, and Others Modeled the Ways to Discipleship?

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students are asked to reflect on the discipleship modeled by Jesus, Mary, the Apostles, and others.

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Leadership Statements

This worksheet is part of the Living in Christ Series. It includes several statesments about leadership in the Bible, including who's called, what skills are necessary, and what it takes to be a good leader.

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What Kind of Leader Is Moses?

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students are asked to look up verses and make assessments about Moses' leadership in the Old Testament.

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Interview Questions: Personal Relationship with Jesus

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students are to interview an adult in their life whom they know that has a personal relationship with Jesus.

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Let Your Light Shine: An Overnight Retreat on Self-Esteem

This overnight retreat on self-esteem invites the young people to explore their own personal gifts and encourages them to share those abilities with others. The retreat emphasizes the light of Christ in our Life, the special people who bring us …

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Paul: A Unique Person

Background for the Teacher Saint Paul has fascinated Christians throughout history. The combination of his Jewish upbringing, his exposure to Greek culture, his fiery personality, and his openness to God's grace uniquely prepared him to spread the Gospel. This session …

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Leader's Guide for Coyote Meets Jesus

Stories are not just for young children. Everyone loves a good story and good storytelling is a useful tool for teaching. Using folktales as a teaching tool in a catechetical setting or a religion class can help teens understand the …

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Peace Creed

Writing a Peace Creed (15 minutes) 1. Tell the young people that as much as we might want peace to become a reality in our world, being a peacemaker takes a lot of hard work. The first steps are to …

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Family Relationships

Scripture Passage Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"-- this is the first commandment with a promise: "so that it may be well with you and you may live long on …

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Word-Association Exercise: Afterlife

(30 minutes) Prior to this exercise, have the all participants (including the facilitator) bring to the session a personal symbol. This symbol should be an object from among the participant's personal belongings that acts as a reminder of a much …

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Reflection Exercise: My Least Answerable Questions

(5 minutes) 1. Introduce this exercise by reiterating the idea that death is mystery and that since the beginning of time, people of all ages, cultures, and races have asked tough questions about death. Jesus himself struggled with such questions. …

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The Power of Song

(25-35 minutes) Preparation Bring in a recording of an African American sacred song, or invite a local gospel choir or your school or parish choir to come in and perform such a song. A good resource for music is Lead …

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Presidents' Day

I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. (Genesis 12:2) These words from Genesis are the words spoken by God to Abraham, a …

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February 12: Abraham Lincoln's Birthday

Above all, my beloved, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your "Yes" be yes and your "No" be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. (James 5:12) We …

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January 22: Saying Yes to Life

Preparation Bring in pictures of fetal development. 1. Present a scenario in which a girl like those in your group experiences a crisis pregnancy. Then list on the board a number of options, such as these: She can keep the …

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Advent: Saint Joseph and Jesus

This can be easily adapted to a video call.  1. Gather the group in a circle for a moment of silence. Light the candle and read these passages about Joseph in the Gospel of Matthew (1:18-21 and 2:13-15). Ask the …

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God's Work or My Work? What is Ministry to Teens?

It had been a very successful year for the youth ministry program in the parish. Young people where involved everywhere in the church, adult volunteers were both plentiful and dedicated, and young people were being transformed. But I was perplexed. …

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A Listening Session for Teens on the Mishandling of Sexual Abuse by Clergy

Materials Needed * a 3-by-5-inch index card for each young person * a pencil for each young person * prayer materials (Select one of the "Options for Ritual Actions" below.) * 3 readers for the closing prayer                                                                                                                 * handouts …

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The Meal Ministry of Jesus

Ask the students to recall their favorite meal celebration. What made it so special? What was the occasion? Where were they? Who was present? What did they eat? What else happened there? Invite them to share with the class the …

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Processing Service Experiences

I have been involved with our school's service-learning program for over ten years as a classroom teacher. Because the program is integrated fully in the religion, English, and social studies curriculum, we have made a commitment to processing the material …

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The Color Purple

A CAUTIONARY NOTE: One of the criticisms of The Color Purple is that it depicts the men in the story as primarily abusive. Also, this movie is PG-13, mostly because of the violence and strong language. We recommend the movie …

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Building Faith Community in the High School

In a workshop entitled "The Catholic High School as Faith Community," religion teachers, campus ministers, and school administrators discussed, among many things, the obstacles they face in trying to build faith community in their school. One obstacle they addressed was …

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Questions for God

In a course on faith that he teaches at De La Salle Academy in New York City, David Detje, FSC, uses the film Oh, God! to shake up the students' notions of what God is like. He has gotten some …

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Kinds of Relationships

Margaret Kueberth, a religion teacher at the Catholic High School of Baltimore, passed on two of her exercises that can be used in a sexuality or lifestyles course. The first exercise, which can be made into a handout, serves as …

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The Mirror Has Two Faces

We live in a culture obsessed with sex, and our students soak up that message in music, television, and film. I am astounded at how explicit the sexual dynamics, innuendo, and situations in typical teen dramas (witness "Dawson’s Creek," "Felicity," …

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Praying the Psalms

Remember the television show from the late 80's called "Doogie Howser, M.D.?" At the end of every show, Doogie would sit down at his computer and write a 2 or 3 sentence "blurb" that perfectly summed up his day and …

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