Whole Family Catechesis
Coaching Parents
to form their own children
If you want to read more…


Coaching parents
A plan to have
much higher
expectations of
our parents
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Goals in this presentation

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How can we succeed with restored
order of initiation sacraments?
A conversation about the role of
parents

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What should it be?
What doesn’t that always happen?
What resources are there to support a
greater role for parents?
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Question
What is the toughest aspect of this
for you as a parish priest?
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Decree on Bishops, #44
From Vatican II
Called for the development of a
Directory
to guide Catechesis
Already at that time
International Study Weeks were underway:
–Nijmegen, 1959
–Eichstatt, 1960
–Bangkok, 1962
–Katigondo, 1964
–Manila, 1967
–Medellin, 1968
A real turning point
Shifted from teaching
“about religion” to
helping folks have an
encounter with Christ
The study weeks led to…
A wave of activity
aimed at renewing catechesis!
The church makes a shift


‘71: Gen’l Catechetical Directory
‘75: Evangelization in our Time
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‘79: Catechesis Today
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Evangelii Nuntiandi
Catechesi Tradendae
‘88: Catechumenate: RCIA
‘92: Catechism of the Catholic Church
‘97: Gen’l Directory for Catechesis
Evangelization Today


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1975
Pope Paul VI
Very concise, very readable
One of the most important documents
published in the church since Vatican II!
Evangelization Today
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Catechesis in a ministry of the Word
“It initiates church members…
…into the meaning of Christian signs
and symbols”
It assumes that folks have consciously
accepted the proclamation of Christ
Conversion precedes catechesis!

Catechesis is Christo-centric
Catechesis in our Time
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1979
From Rome
Repeats the Christo-centric themes
from EN
Focus on catechesis

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
for the whole community
by the whole community
Calls for it to be lifelong
1988
The church…
Restored the Catechumenate…
after almost 1700 years of decline!
A fantastic, new, and powerful
understanding of catechesis emerged!
Followed, in 1992 by…
The Catechism of
the Catholic Church
Which led to…
The revision of the
General Directory
for Catechesis
Signed by Pope John Paul II in 1997
Places the catechumenate in a
central place and role
Sets the stage for lifelong
faith formation for all ages!
Which led to…
The
General Directory
for Catechesis
In Plain English
Two Great Goals
Help folks turn their hearts to
Christ, discover Christ in their
lives & love the Church…
Evangelization
Offer all members some level of
instruction in the faith to deepen
their conversion…
Catechesis
We know

More than 90% of adult Catholics

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are active today
because their parents were active
only about 10% come to the church as
adults
What does this tell us?
Parents play THE vital role!
www.PastoralPlanning.com
A timeline to help
until 1960
Formation in the home
Mass every week
Feasts & Seasons
Fasting & abstinence
Confession
Religious Ed: filled in a tiny gap
www.PastoralPlanning.com
A timeline to help
until 1960
1960-70s
The old “Catholic culture” ended
Television & media
Huge cultural shift in West
At Mass less often
Religious Ed: bigger gap to fill
www.PastoralPlanning.com
A timeline to help
until 1960
1960-70s
1980-90s
Religion classes at parish or in schools
…with the parents mainly absent
Participation in Sunday Mass on the decline
Home life more secular & media oriented
Religious Ed: HUGE gap to fill
www.PastoralPlanning.com
We have to
A timeline
to
help
help develop
until 1960
the role of1980-90s
parents.
1960-70s
Today
The numbers tell the truth
The leading indicator
“Will they have faith?”
The role their parents played
in their formation.
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Two groups of parents

#1 Deeply engaged
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Active in parish life
At Mass every week
Household of faith
#2 On the edge of the parish

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
Show up when the kids need it
Very tentative about faith
Religion not central in life
www.PastoralPlanning.com
These two groups

The engaged – only about 16-20%

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
Still reluctant about formation for their own
kids
Believes this is the job of the parish
The unengaged – nearly 80-85%

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Some are hungry for more
But many are distracted so they don’t
even feel the ache or longing…
These are the ones we must love the most
www.PastoralPlanning.com
The outcome of this:

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The passing of faith
from Generation to Generation
has slowed down or stopped.
Parents tend to remain absent…
as long as we agree to do it for them.
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Many parents
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Feel un-equipped
Don’t know their own faith
Haven’t got the
own hearts
fire of faith in their
So they drop their kid at the parish
And go shopping
www.PastoralPlanning.com
And we at the parish

We accept these children
And we do a pretty good job

But we will always be only the

substitutes

Parents form their own kids, even if
they don’t take an active role
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Add to that…

Restored order of Confirmation

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The “carrot” will be gone
What will hold them?

If they stayed only for the carrot,
Our formation wasn’t working anyway

We aren’t losing very much

What seems to work
A combination of 3 things:
 Focus on the goal of
helping people know Christ
 Coach parents to form their own kids
 Participatory liturgy
www.PastoralPlanning.com
General Directory for Catechesis
From the GDC
#53
Conversion is first. It is the full and sincere
adherence to the person of Christ
and the decision to walk in his footsteps.
Faith is a personal encounter with Jesus Christ,
the making of oneself a disciple
and it demands a permanent commitment
to think, judge, and live like him.
www.PastoralPlanning.com
General Directory for Catechesis
From the GDC
#98
What we find at the heart of all catechesis
is not a book or a theology system,
but a person!
The fundamental task of catechesis
is to present Christ
and everything in relation to him
leading people to follow Christ in their lives.
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Year
B is
The Question of the
Week
available on the
site now -- FREE

Breaking Open the Word
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A process used in the RCIA
A two step process:

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Re-proclaim part of the readings from Sunday Mass
Then ask first:
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what touched me?
what word or phrase did I hear?
Followed by:

how does this affect my life?
The witness of pastors

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When you share what you believe
In simple but honest words
Others see belief as more possible for
them
You may need to rehearse or practice
this in front of a mirror or with each
other.
Living Christ retreats
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Friday evening and Saturday all day
About 30 folks per retreat
Leaders and host team from parish
Working with your local team

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Brendan, Chris et al.
Deepen communion with Christ

Grow in your ability to “die in Christ”
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Living Christ retreats

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Use YOUR leaders
Do not make this complicated
Start with those in your parish who are
already evangelized through Cursillo or other
retreats
Provide follow up
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Questions of the Week
Mini-Course gatherings or bible study
Be ready with follow up pastoral care
Resources
There are many resources
to help you implement this
at
www.PastoralPlanning.com
What seems to work
A combination of 2 things:
 Focus on the goal of
helping people know Christ
 Coach parents to form their own kids
 Participatory liturgy
www.PastoralPlanning.com
General Directory for Catechesis
From the GDC
#226
The religious awakening
which takes place in the home
during childhood
is, simply,
irreplaceable.
www.PastoralPlanning.com
General Directory for Catechesis
From the GDC
#227
The local parish must, therefore,
help parents
by whatever means works best,
to prepare for and assume
their responsibility,
of educating their children
in the faith.
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Whole Family Catechesis

A new form of religious education

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One where parents take the lead
With their children
If parents can’t…

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Grandparents
Older youth or others from the parish
The parents are the teachers.
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Coach your parents.

When you coach parents to form their
own children
The parents also grow in their faith

You can’t just “send home a book”

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Parents are intimidated
It’s not community based
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Coach
To succeed

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You need 3 things:
#1 Leadership & vision to see the whole
picture of what it takes to grow up Catholic

#2 A Parent-friendly resource

#3 Motivate the parents to jump in
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Coaching Parents
Baptism
Prep for Confirmation
and First Communion
& Confirmation
Secondary school
years
The years after Baptism
…until about age 5 or 6
Key years after the
First Sacraments
www.PastoralPlanning.com
These live in a “Catholic”
The goal here is:
home
Evangelization
Growing up Catholic
Baptism prep materials
Instead of the usual three
from a Catholic publisher are
night prep process,
usually enough
Baptism
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A
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a three night retreat-like
dual approach
experience
One avenue for parents who are active and
engaged
Another for those who are on the edge of
parish life and faith
www.PastoralPlanning.com
I Claim You for Christ

One example of a retreat-like process

Three sessions

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Journey of Faith from their own baptism to
the present moment
Dying in Christ – Reconciliation
Living in Community – Eucharist

A covenant about raising their kids in faith
www.PastoralPlanning.com

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Here’s what it
looks like
Found on the
web site
An E-product
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Coaching Parents
Baptism
The years after Baptism
…until about age 5 or 6
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Post-baptism care
Who stays in touch?
Again, a dual approach

More for those who are not
engaged than for those who
are
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Entrusted to Your Care
Who’s got time
 One example of a method for staying in
for this?
touch
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E-product
Reproducible
Letters, e-mail, calendars, invitations, &
prayers
The key: Stay in touch
Relationship!
www.PastoralPlanning.com



Here’s what it
looks like
Found on the
web site
An E-product
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Coaching Parents
Baptism
The years after Baptism
…until about age 5 or 6

Prep for early
Sacraments
An ideal time to launch coaching

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Parents expect to be more involved
Parents & kids attend together

They work as a family through the lesson.
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Here’s one example:

from Growing Up Catholic


Sacrament Prep
Coaching Notes are all ready to use
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Confirmation before Eucharist
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4 Sessions for Confirmation
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Begin with their own baptism
Turn to a treatment on Mary
End with a strong understanding of the
Holy Spirit
Move on to Eucharist immediately
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10 sessions total
About one year of work
Growing Up Catholic

Parents and children sit together
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A strong resource is on the table
A Catechist leads the process
People called “floaters” are available
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keeping an eye out for parent needs
Here’s a picture of the room:
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Supplies
Prayer
Table
Food
Food
1 The purpose of exercise is to
understand & pray the Our Father.
2 First, read through the words of
the Our Father with them. Read one
line and invite your child to repeat
it after you. Your child should know
this prayer by heart. Affirm your
child often as he or she learns.
3 Then help your child find the
correct meaning of each phrase of
this prayer. Draw a line to that. We
have given you two clues to get you
started. Here’s the key:
1=4
2=8
3 = 1 (given)
4 = 7 (given)
5=2
6=5
7=3
8=9
9=6
10=10
Creating the Resource
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Number the steps
Give the answers in a key
Do this in a parish gathering
Make it interesting and fun
You will discover something:
Parents want to do this.
www.PastoralPlanning.com
1 We will now read
about how Jesus is our
friend, just as a shepherd
is to his sheep. Begin by
showing your child a
Bible. Open it to show
them this passage.
2 Tell them that we are
going to read this story
in words that we
understand better.
3 Then close the Bible
and ask them to read
this passage aloud. Help
them when needed. Ask
your child to retell this
story in his or her own
words.
4 Time for a break! Help
your child enjoy coloring
this image of Jesus and the
children.
Coloring time is a good time
to be close to your child
without necessarily talking
about faith.
Don’t be afraid to put your
arm around your child
during this time.
5 Your child may not be
familiar with what
shepherds do. Explain that
they look after their sheep
with tenderness and love.
Jesus watches over us that
way.
What about Confession?

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
Growing Up Catholic has a 6-session
prep process for Reconciliation
BUT – should you wait until they’re
older?
Plus: we must return to this
sacrament many times throughout
life…
Heartily Sorry

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Gathering with all ages to learn
about and celebrate Reconciliation
Often
with nonSolemn
gathering
spouses
SolidCatholic
learning about
God’s mercy
present
“Confession”
isn’t the only form of
Reconciliation

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
Here’s what
it looks like
Found on
the web site
An Eproduct
Coaching Parents
Baptism
Prep for Penance
and First Communion
The years after Baptism
…until about age 5 or 6
Key years after the
First Sacraments
www.PastoralPlanning.com
After the Sacraments

Learning Centers
for Parents
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Parents in one room
Kids in another room
Prayer
Then parents move
between 15-minute
quick sessions,
coaching them on
specific topics of
faith

Centers:
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Little children
Primary school age
Secondary age
Theological
background
Seasonal suggestions
for the Catholic
home (Advent, Lent,
summer, etc)
www.PastoralPlanning.com
After the Sacraments

Whole Family
Catechesis
 Parents and children
work together
 Sitting at the same
tables
 They learn about the
topic and actually go
through a lesson

Very similar to the
Growing Up
Catholic approach

The goal is to start a
conversion about
faith that will go
home with them
Coaching Parents

Follow the themes set out by the
Church in the GDC:
Revelation
Trinity
Jesus Christ
The Church
Morality
Sacraments
The Kingdom of God

Scripture
Prayer
Social Teachings
The Mass
Our Hunger for God
Chastity
Sin and Grace

www.PastoralPlanning.com



Here’s what
it looks like
Found on
the web site
An Eproduct
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Another example

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Faith on the Run
Parables on the
Run
Miracles on the
Run
Learn to Love the
Saints
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One fold fliers
E-products: PDFs
You print
Used to encourage
parents to insert a
sacred moment in
the busy-ness of life
Coaching Parents
Baptism
Prep for Penance
and First Communion
& Confirmation
Secondary school
years
The years after Baptism
…until about age 5 or 6
Key years after the
First Sacraments
www.PastoralPlanning.com
The period of “catch-up”

For children ages 8 thru 12 or 13

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Children’s Liturgy of the Word
Rooted in Sunday liturgy
Excellent resources already exist
For everyone older than 13 or so

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Mini-Courses on the faith
Content & conversion oriented
Mini-Courses

How do they work?

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Parents and youth sit together
Open with something to break the ice
Pray as one whole group
Then move to small groups
“Active learning”

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With a strong way of teaching
“Learn & Teach”
www.PastoralPlanning.com

48
Here’s one example
Study Guides
for Learn &
Growing Faith Mini- Teach are all
Courses
FREE




Short, defined areas of study
Combined with faith sharing
Usually 6 to 10 sessions per
Mini-Course
For example:

What Does God Want?
Living the Commandments
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Learn & Teach


Break the material into small chunks and
assign each to a small group
The group draws out the major points

Creates a one-page flip chart sheet on them


And prepares one of the points for dialogue


which will be presented to all
in dyads in the larger group
They learn by teaching
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Coaching Parents
Baptism
Prep for Penance
and First Communion
& Confirmation
Secondary school
years
The years after Baptism
…until about age 5 or 6
Key years after the
First Sacraments
www.PastoralPlanning.com
To succeed


You need 3 things:
#1 Leadership & vision to go forward
under this plan

#2 A Parent-friendly resource

#3 Motivate the parents to jump in
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Marketing

Try this:




“In today’s world, a lot of people are
talking to your children about God…
…Shouldn’t you be one of them?
Come to St Mary’s – we’ll show you how.”
Or this:



“Give your child what really matters:
Share your Catholic faith.
Come to St Mary’s – we’ll show you how.”
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Marketing

Don’t be tentative!


We’d really like it if you’d take part, but of
course, you don’t really have to…
We don’t want to make you mad or
anything, but this is really your job…but of
course, we’ll do it for you if you don’t want
to…

You get lackluster results.
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Marketing




Personal invitations
Coming from other parents
Changing the ground over time so all
will expect to be involved in the ongoing formation of their children
Welcome all to Sunday Mass,

Regardless their situation in life
Now…
What does a fully
developed parish
look like?
www.ThePastoralCenter.com
The Core Work of the Parish
Liturgy
music &
devotions
Pastoral
care &
outreach
Stewardship
envelopes
& buildings
Formation
Sac Prep
Schools
& RCIA
www.ThePastoralCenter.com
The Current Pastoral Plan
Liturgy
music &
devotions
Pastoral
care &
outreach
Stewardship
envelopes
& buildings
Formation
Sac Prep
Schools
& RCIA
www.ThePastoralCenter.com
The Current Pastoral Plan
Liturgy
music &
devotions
Stewardship
envelopes
& buildings
Parish based
Pastoral
process
care &
where folks
outreach
experience
Formation conversion
Sac Prep
Schools
& RCIA
www.ThePastoralCenter.com
The New Pastoral Plan
Liturgy
music &
devotions
Stewardship
envelopes
& buildings
Encounters
&
Retreats
Pastoral
care &
outreach
Formation
Sac Prep
& RCIA
www.ThePastoralCenter.com
The New Pastoral Plan
Liturgy
music &
devotions
Stewardship
envelopes
& buildings
Encounters
&
Retreats
Pastoral
care &
outreach
Formation
Sac Prep
& RCIA
www.ThePastoralCenter.com
The New Pastoral Plan
Liturgy
music &
devotions
Stewardship
envelopes
& buildings
Encounters
&
Retreats
Pastoral
care &
outreach
Formation
Sac Prep
& RCIA
Lifelong
Formation
to sustain
conversion
www.ThePastoralCenter.com
The New Pastoral Plan
Liturgy
music &
devotions
Stewardship
envelopes
& buildings
Pastoral
care &
outreach
Retreats
&
Encounters
Formation Lifelong
Sac Prep
Faith
& RCIA Formation
www.ThePastoralCenter.com
5 Steps to get rolling:

(1) Go home and form a Lifelong Faith Team


Pastor
People invested in these age groups




From baptism prep
to high school
Key volunteers & Parents
(2) Study and read
Great Expectations


Hold the discussions
Follow the book
Your team’s job:






Plan with you to implement this
Recruit new catechists
& new assistants for the programs
Work with you to schedule and carry
out the various levels of faith formation
Organize to invite parents personally
into the process
Pray with you for all who come forth
Your next steps…

(3) Use the Planning Guide (free)

What elements of coaching work for you?

What timeline might you follow?

Who needs to be involved?
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Your next steps…

(4) Schedule a parent & catechist meeting

Use the Parish Workshop


Provided free by us
The Workshop includes:




Outline for a two hour workshop
Prayer sheets – reproducible
Talks and Exercises – all outlined
PowerPoint pres ready to use or adapt if you wish
www.PastoralPlanning.com
To get these FREE tools
The Planning Guide
The Parish Workshop

PastoralPlanning.com


Parent Coaching Center
(on the home page)
www.PastoralPlanning.com
Get started

(5) Start slowly


Sacrament Prep?
Baptism?

Keep adding one group after another

Think long term
www.PastoralPlanning.com