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1. Footsteps
in Faith
Catechist
Workshop
2012-2013

2. Opening Prayer
Living in Faith

3. We Pray Together
• Let your bodies show God that you are
praying.
• Feet on the floor, arms resting at your sides.
• Breathe deeply with your eyes closed.
• We say together the prayer that reflects us
back to our baptism and to the God that unites
us as a Christian community.

4. Today’s Readings
Pair with your Assistant
Sunday - Gospel
Weds afternoon – First Reading
Weds evening – Second Reading

5. I am Nothing – Ginny Owens
I could travel over oceans, cross the deserts,
climb the mountains
Just to share your story, bring you glory,
and win souls for you.
I could sing like an angel,
songs so humble and so thankful
Full of drama and emotion,
so the world would know your truth.
I could give away my money
and my clothes and my food
To restore those people who are poor,
lost, and down-and-out.

6. Oh, I could succeed at all these things,
Find favor with peasants and kings,
But if I do not love, I am nothing.
I could live a flawless life,
Never cheat or steal or lie,
And always speak so kindly, smile warmly,
and go about doing good.

7. I could dedicate myself to do what
everyone else wants me to-
Listen to them, compliment them,
say the things I should.
I could show up every Sunday,
lead the choir and Bible study
And they all might come to know me
as a leader and a friend.
Oh, I could achieve success on earth, but
success cannot define my worth
And all these actions, all these words, will not
matter in the end-

8. Songs will fade to silence,
Stories, they will cease.
The dust will settle,
covering all my selfless deeds.
So as I strive to serve you,
Won't you make it clear to me,
If I do not love, I am nothing.

9. If I cannot live my life loving my brother,
Then how can I love the one who lived his life
for me?
Sent to earth from heaven,
Humble servant, holy king,
Come to share a story, get no glory,
and save my searching soul,
You knew that I'd deny you, crucify you,
but nothing could stop you from
Living for me, dying for me,
so that I would know-

10. Songs will fade to silence,
Stories will cease,
The dust will settle covering
these selfless deeds.
But your life here has made it
clear enough for me to see
That if I do not love, I am nothing

11. Reflection
What are some of your hopes and dreams
about your ministry this year?
What are some of your goals for your
ministry this year?
What ways do you show your learners that
you love them?
How can you make this one of your goals?

12. Memory Verse
I give you a new commandment: love one
another. As I have loved you, so you also
should love one another.
-John 13:34

13. Spontaneous Prayer
Traditional prayer form:
• Address (Who is God to you?
• Thank (What are you looking forward to?
• Ask (What blessings or guidance do you
seek?
• Praise (Why do you love God?
• Amen!

14. Lord, help me to prepare my heart and my
life for the ministry of catechesis, to
organize myself so that there is adequate
room in my life for this ministry.
Lord, teach me to listen to my heart; teach
me to welcome the unknown, instead of
fearing it. I give you my anxiety. My
restlessness. I give you my doubt. Prepare
a place in the heart of my children for the
messages they will hear from me. And let
others see by my love that while I serve
them, I ultimately serve you. Amen.

15. Evaluating
• What in our opening prayer “worked”?
• What did not “work”?
• What would you have done differently?
• What are you taking from our opening
prayertime?/How are your eyes newly
opened due to our prayer time?

17. What is Catechesis?
"Catechesis leads people
to enter the mystery of Christ,
to encounter him, and
to discover themselves and
the meaning of their lives in him“
-General Directory for Catechesis, 19

18. Handbook

19. Group Time
In pairs, pick one of these five purposes of Faith
Formation, and share how this might happen in
your classroom.
•Nurture people’s relationship with their
Creator,
•Introduce them to Jesus,
•Teach them to listen to the Holy Spirit,
•Help them to understand and appreciate the
practices and traditions of the Church, and
•Transform them for a lifetime of faith.

20. Footsteps in
Faith

21. Why “Footsteps in Faith”?
“The Christian faith is, above all,
conversion to Jesus Christ,
full and sincere adherence
to his person
and the decision to walk in his
footsteps.”
-General Directory for Catechesis, 53

22. Preparing Self for the Session
• Read that Sunday’s readings (Look on
www.usccb.org/nab)
• Prayerfully reflect on the scripture, journaling
to help the thoughts flow.
• Pray! Ask God for inspiration and guidance to
lead and share the faith compassionately and
accurately. “Holy Spirit, breathe in me…”
• Discern about your own life – how does this
scripture relate to my own life? How about my
life when I was the age of the children I am
catechizing?

23. Preparing Material for the Session
• Spend adequate time (at least one hour) in
preparation.
• Read through the session and supplement book.
• Note the goals for the session and add your own
goals.
• Visit sites such as www.faithfirst.com,
www.catechistjourney.com, and
www.loyolapress.com for ideas to execute in
your room.
• Make sure we have the supplies you need.
• Request copies as needed for your session.

24. Evaluate
• After your session, give yourself an honest
review.
– Did I meet my goals?
– How did I do in managing my time, my students, the
questions that come up, and the lesson information?
– What would I have done differently?
• Jot your thoughts down on the back of your
session plan sheet.
• Classroom visits from Lori

25. Parent Program
• Held at the same time as the children’s
program
• Parents are asked to attend at least half of
the sessions
• Mike Christensen is our Adult Catechist
and will be working with the themes of
Sacraments and Moral decision-making
with parents this year

26. Family Faith Events
• Family Faith events give us the opportunity for
community within Footsteps families
• Some may be open to the entire parish
• Five required for families as part of the
Footsteps program.
• One parent asked to attend from their family.
• Some will be all-together, sometimes we will
break up into age-related groups.
• We will need Catechists to help with some of
these.

27. Student Session
• Go thru envelope of materials
• First session
– Material to cover
– Meet with parents
• Snack
• Cleaning up