The Catechetical Review - Communicating Christ for a New Evangelization

Articles Under: Marriage and Family

Is holiness even possible these days? Before we were married, my husband Curtis and I each had encountered our Lord through profound conversions and were both very committed to following God’s will in our married life. God invited us to live our faith in the public square through our college campus ministry, The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), and more intimately in our own home. Curtis and I have been married for over thirty years and have been blessed with nine children and five grandchildren. Two of our children have special needs: one son is autistic and one son... Read more
The matrimony of two of the baptized…is in real, essential and intrinsic relationship with the mystery of the union of Christ with the church…it participates in its nature…marriage is deeply seated and rooted therefore in the Eucharistic mystery. [1] This spiritual vision of marriage, as articulated by Cardinal Caffara, may appear as novel or even bizarre or “cultist” to many younger members of western culture. The defining characteristic for marriage today is that it has no defining characteristic . It is open and runny and borderless. We decide what marriage is, and hence it has devolved from a sacrament to... Read more
This is a paid advertisement in the July-September 2019 issue. Advertisements should not be viewed as endorsements from the publisher. To learn more about this Family Catechesis Program click here or call 763-757-1148.Read more
Parable of the Paper Cups Once upon a time, there was a village called “Ville de Soif.” Ville de Soif was located along a river, which was the water source for the whole town. At various times, people came to the river to drink, using their hands. But they didn’t seem to have a way to take water with them when they left. The adults in town busied themselves with work and other activities, but stayed thirsty between their visits to the river. The children of the village spent more time at the river. They frequently visited with an elder... Read more
“Evangelization is the fundamental mission of the Church. It is also an ongoing process of encountering Christ, a process that Hispanic Catholics have taken to heart in their pastoral planning. This process generates a mística (mystical theology) and a spirituality that lead to conversion, communion, and solidarity, touching every dimension of Christian life and transforming every human situation.” [1] On the occasion of this important milestone marking the publication of the USCCB’s seminal document on adult faith formation, Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us (hereafter “the document”), issued on the cusp of the new millennium, it is worth reflecting on... Read more
El Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica se refiere a los Sacramentos como, “‘las obras maestras de Dios’ en la nueva y eterna Alianza” (1116). Los Sacramentos nos confieren una gracia especial que nos auxilia para llegar a ser el pueblo para el cual Dios nos creó. Desafortunadamente, muy a menudo se acercan a la primera celebración de los Sacramentos en la niñez como si fuera un hito único en el desarrollo del niño o de la niña, en lugar del comienzo de una celebración de por vida o un paso más adelante en la conversión constante de la persona. Tanto... Read more
The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls the sacraments, “the masterworks of God in the new and everlasting covenant” (1116). The sacraments confer upon us a special grace that assists us in becoming the people God created us to be. Unfortunately, too often the first celebration of the sacraments in childhood is approached as if it were a one-time developmental milestone, rather than the beginning of a lifelong celebration or a further step down the path of continuing conversion. Both experience and research have shown us that the period of preparation for the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist is a... Read more
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To read this article in Spanish, click here . What do you remember of your first day of Grade One? My memory gave prophetic purpose and life-long value to my life! After taking roll and assigning seats to her 120 students (not a typographical error!), petite Sister St. Rose announced that our first lesson would be the most important lesson of our lives. She distributed our first catechism book and directed us to lesson one. With pencil in hand, we circled question numbers one, two, and three. Sister instructed us in the meaning of the words and told us to... Read more
El papel de la familia como modelo catequético para el ministerio hispano Cuando tenía unos doce años de edad, fui a la casa de un compañero para visitarlo. Él había nacido en los Estados Unidos de América, pero sus papás habían nacido y se habían criado en Polonia y habían inmigrado a Chicago siendo jóvenes adultos. Esa tarde, estábamos en la planta alta jugando un juego de mesa cuando su mamá llamó desde el sótano, donde estaba terminando con el lavado de la ropa. Le llamó, “Tony! Trow me down da stairs a rag!” (“¡Tony! Lánzame escalones abajo un trapo!”)... Read more