Sadlier Religion Blog

Teaching the Ten Commandments to Youth

Though important to our faith life as Catholics, the Ten Commandments are not always easy to teach. How can you make teaching the Ten Commandments to...

Allie Johnston

Resources for Celebrating Catechetical Sunday

As part of a 1935 initiative to recognize and celebrate the gift that catechists give to their parish communities by volunteering their time for the...

Allie Johnston

Celebrate the Feast Day of St Teresa of Calcutta with Kids

On September 5th, the Church celebrates the feast day of St Teresa of Calcutta, who devoted her life to caring for the homeless people on the streets of...

Allie Johnston

How Leaders Can Support New Catholic Students & First Time Catechists

Summer is underway, but Parish Catechetical Leaders and Directors of Religious Education are likely thinking about and planning for the start of regular...

Allie Johnston

Making Inclusion Work in Your Religious Education Program

In this article, we'll explore ways to help all children grow as Jesus's disciples and successfully include diverse learners in faith formation. All...

Allie Johnston

Resources for Starting a New Year of Catholic Religious Education

The “back to school” advertisements are making their inevitable debut. A new year of Catholic religious education programs will soon be underway....

Allie Johnston

Call to Holiness– Applying the 5 Spiritual Attitudes in Your Parish or School

In his apostolic exhortation on holiness, Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad), Pope Francis explains the call to holiness and how we might answer...

Kathy Hendricks

Resources to Explore Missionary Discipleship with Students and Families

What is missionary discipleship? How can we respond to the call to be missionary disciples? In this article we'll explore missionary discipleship and ways...

Allie Johnston

The Common Catholic Evangelizer

Sadlier Religion Consultant, Carole Eipers, writes about the meaning and importance of evangelization. Carole’s newest book, Everyday Evangelization, will...

Guest Blogger

Catholics and the Bible – Free Scripture Course for Adults & Catechist Development

During the slower paced summer months, consider participating in a Scripture mini course entitled Catholics and the Bible. This twelve-part series of...

Allie Johnston

Digital Technology in Catechetical Ministry – Guide for Catechetical and School Leaders

In this article, Steve Botsford, offers a look at the benefits and challenges of digital technology and its application to catechesis and religious...

Guest Blogger

Catholic Saints Game; A Matching Card Game Activity for Students

During the season of Ordinary Time, we learn about the saints. To celebrate the saints and our greatest saint during Ordinary Time, download a Saints Card...

Allie Johnston

Assessing Catechetical/Religious Education Programs – Ideas for Parish and School Leaders

In this article we'll explore ways parish catechetical and school leadership can plan for the future by evaluating the past year. Assessing catechetical...

Kathy Hendricks

Resources to Prepare for Summer Catechesis and Parish Programs

Discover how to continue catechesis during the summer months with the session planning resources and printable activities below!

Allie Johnston

Catholic Saints for Kids to Learn About This Summer

During the season of Ordinary Time, we learn about the saints. Saints are followers of Jesus Christ who lived lives of holiness on earth and who now share...

Allie Johnston

Activities That Support Catholic Scripture Study in Families

Regular Catholic Scripture study presents families with a wonderful opportunities to learn, share, pray and talk about our faith. If you are looking to...

Allie Johnston

Prayers & Activities for the Feast of Pentecost

When the risen Jesus visited the disciples before he returned to his Father in Heaven, he promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with the Church always....

Kathy Hendricks

Pentecost Activities for Catholic Children & Students

The Church celebrates the Feast of Pentecost fifty days after Easter Sunday. Pentecost Sunday ends the season of Easter. This year, the Feast of Pentecost...

Allie Johnston

Resources for the Month of Mary – Free Printable Mary, Mother of God Activities and Prayers

In the month of May, as we prepare to celebrate mothers for their dedication and importance to our families, we learn about and remember Mary, the Mother...

Allie Johnston

Lectio Divina Guide– Igniting the Imagination of Kids and Candidates

In this article, catechists and teachers will discover how to use lectio and visio divina in catechesis and during sacramental preparation. This simple ...

Allie Johnston

How To: Flipped Classroom Religious Education Model

In this article we'll explore how the flipped classroom approach may benefit families and children in your school's or parish's education program,...

Allie Johnston

How Catechetical Leadership Can Make the Most of Learning Opportunities

A few years ago I was invited to write a small booklet called Pep Talks for Parish Ministers. It was part of a series that addressed some of the...

Kathy Hendricks

Caring for Creation; 8 Printable Resources to Use with Children, Families, and Adults

As Catholics, we are called to be stewards of God’s creation. Catholic Social Teaching includes care for God’s creation as one of its seven themes. When...

Allie Johnston

Celebrating First Penance and First Eucharist with ALL Children

During the seasons of Lent and Easter, after many weeks of preparation, it is common to see excited children and young people celebrating two momentous...

Allie Johnston

How Parish Catechetical Leaders Can Engage Families with Rituals of Faith by Sharing Stories

If I had to name a single issue around catechesis that crops up again and again as I traverse the country, it’s how to equip catholic families to share...

Kathy Hendricks

A Prayer for Easter Eyes

Some of us are old enough to remember a song about the Boston subway system called the “M.T.A.” It bemoaned the fate of Charlie, who didn’t have the...

Kathy Hendricks

Holy Week Resources for Families

It’s almost Holy Week, a time-honored rite that celebrates life arising from death and the brilliance emerging from places of desolation and despair. Use...

Kathy Hendricks

12 Easter Resources To Use With Catholic Children – Liturgical Year

In this article, you'll find 12 Easter resources you can use with your students or children. These Catholic Easter lessons, activities, and prayers will...

Allie Johnston

Palm Sunday Worksheet for Catholic Children

The season of Lent prepares us for the great celebration of Easter. One of the celebrations during the season of Lent is Palm Sunday. In this article, you...

Allie Johnston

How To Engage Young Catholics In Good Works This Lenten Season

The Church will soon begin to observe the liturgical season of Lent. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, which this year falls on February 14, Lent lasts forty...

Allie Johnston

15+ FREE Resources for Lent You Will Love

Lent is a season of simple living. As the entire Church prepares for the great celebration of Christ’s Paschal Mystery in the Easter Triduum, Catholics...

Kathy Hendricks

A Lenten Preparation Checklist for Families

During Lent, we as Catholics prepare our hearts for the great celebration of Easter. We can also prepare our classrooms and homes for the great...

Allie Johnston

2018 Lenten Ideas for Parishes and Schools

Ash Wednesday for some is like a religious New Year’s. It’s the kick-off for Lenten resolutions that begin with great fervor and dim as the six weeks of...

Kathy Hendricks

Professional Development for Catechetical and Catholic School Leaders: A New Feature for We Believe and Share

A new year begins and, with it, a fresh aspect of We Believe and Share. In addition to the spirituality focus this blog has taken for the past five years,...

Kathy Hendricks

Catholic Schools Week Ideas and Activities

These Catholic Schools Week ideas will be a valuable resource as you prepare to celebrate the rich traditions and the incredible value of Catholic...

Allie Johnston

Implementing Alternative Models of Catholic Catechesis

What is catechesis? The General Directory for Catechesis states “the definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch, but also in...

Allie Johnston

Teaching Catholic Children To Show Respect– A MLK Day Activity

This month, we as a nation celebrate the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr., who stands as a symbol of social justice, nonviolence, and...

Allie Johnston

January Psalm Reflections

My mother used to wait to take the Christmas tree down once my siblings and I were back in school because she thought it would make us sad. In truth, she...

Kathy Hendricks

Celebrating Epiphany: 5 Ways to Mark Three Kings Day

My husband, Ron, and I needed a trip to the mountains. Faced with some major changes in our lives, we needed to clear our heads by getting away from all...

Kathy Hendricks

Celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany with Children

The Christmas season is a season of celebration. The Church celebrates many important feasts during this time. On the second Sunday after Christmas, the...

Allie Johnston

Catholic New Year Resources for Religious Education

A new calendar year is quickly approaching. Each year, its arrival presents an opportunity for self-examination. Resolutions reflect those areas in our...

Allie Johnston

Celebrating Christmas: Incarnational Vision

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8

Kathy Hendricks

Prayer for Setting Up the Crèche

Setting up the crèche is a beloved tradition in both homes and parishes. I have seen a number of beautiful Nativity sets over the years. Many of them...

Kathy Hendricks

Christmas Printable Activities & Prayers for Catholic Kids

The Catholic Christmas season begins on December 25th and ends in January on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the...

Allie Johnston

Christmas Past, Present, and Future

Trimming the tree. Baking cookies. Hanging out the stockings. Sending greetings. Welcoming visitors. Wrapping presents. Singing carols… The list of...

Kathy Hendricks

Celebrating Saint Nicholas Day

Our family first celebrated Saint Nicholas Day about twenty-five years ago. We gathered with a cherished circle of friends for a post-Thanksgiving meal...

Kathy Hendricks

Saint Nicholas Day Prayer Service for Catholic Students

The Church celebrates the Feast Day of Saint Nicholas of Myra on December 6. Saint Nicholas of Myra is one of the most popular saints in the world, and...

Allie Johnston

Celebrating Advent in the Home

My mother loved all holidays but most especially Christmas. Each year a new decoration was added to the mix in our home – colored lights strung around the...

Kathy Hendricks

Advent Catholic Prayers & Advent Activities for Kids

The Advent season is a time to pray to God, seek his forgiveness, and work for peace. Young children can strive to help other people see God’s love during...

Allie Johnston

Catholic Thanksgiving; A Prayer Service for Children of All Ages

As Catholics, we pray in many ways. We learn to pray from the example and words of Jesus. Urged by the Holy Spirit, we pray these basic forms of prayer:...

Allie Johnston

Free Thanksgiving Prayers & Reflections for Catholic Families

As families gather to share a meal and express gratitude for their many blessings this Thanksgiving, they have the opportunity to pray. With these prayers...

Kathy Hendricks

Helping Catholic Children Cope During Challenging Times

Often, educators, parents and caregivers struggle with what they should say or share with young children when trauma or tragedy transpires. This can be...

Allie Johnston

Thanksgiving and the Grace of Gratitude

“Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks…” (1Thessalonians 5:17). Was Paul for real? Is it even possible to pray without ceasing? To give thanks...

Kathy Hendricks

Thanksgiving Table Prayer Card Activity for Students

Have young children design a prayer card for this year’s Thanksgiving meal as they reflect on God’s many gifts. Download the prayer card template and...

Allie Johnston

How Mercy and Love Can Heal Our Wounded World

“Have mercy!” my grandmother used to exclaim when presented with some kind of shocking news. This was usually accompanied by the clasping of her hands to...

Kathy Hendricks

Honoring the Dignity of Every Human Being

“If we wish to make any progress in the service of God we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves in the presence of...

Kathy Hendricks

Celebrating All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days in Your Home or Parish

As the children in your home or parish prepare for the celebration of Halloween in their schools and neighborhoods, take the opportunity to draw...

Allie Johnston

Halloween and All Saints' Day

The neighborhood is starting to light up. Orange lights are strung across porch railings and pumpkins, scarecrows, and witches are perched along...

Kathy Hendricks

Free Resources to Celebrate All Saints' Day with Students

One of the first major feast days we encounter in the fall season is All Saints’ Day. All Saints’ Day is a solemnity celebrated on November 1 st. It is a...

Allie Johnston

The Joyful Mystic, Saint Teresa of Avila Prayer Reflections

I read a story recently about a study of the happiest countries on five different continents. Results showed that it wasn’t a surplus of money or goods...

Kathy Hendricks

Celebrate the Feast Day of St Teresa of Avila with Students!

On October 15th, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of St Teresa of Avila, who said, "We need no wings to go in search of Him, but have only to look...

Allie Johnston

Helping Children Deal with Grief & Tragedy Using Our Catholic Faith

In the wake of a terrorist attack or tragedy, Catholics of all ages may seek answers to help make sense of the acts of violence and hatred. For children,...

Allie Johnston

The Catechism of the Church Was My First Introduction to God

Sadlier Religion Consultant and guest blogger, Sister Maureen Sullivan, reflects on the meaning of the catechism in her own life.

Guest Blogger

Fun Fall Activities for Families that Celebrate God's Creation

Bring Catholic family members together around the care of God’s Creation with a fun fall activities resource. Pope Francis once said, “The family remains...

Allie Johnston

Catechetical Ministry: Claiming Our Roots

Sadlier Religion Consultant and guest blogger, Carole Eipers, reflects her personal history with catechesis and how it affected her work on a presentation...

Guest Blogger

Responding to Natural Disasters

In the wake of natural disasters that have occurred in the past several weeks, Pope Francis expressed his “spiritual closeness” to those affected. We keep...

Allie Johnston

Letting Our Catholic Faith Inspire Us To Console Families Who Suffer

“All happy families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” -Leo Tolstoy As I entered the church that day, I knew the...

Kathy Hendricks

How to Integrate STREAM Curriculum into Religious Education

If you’re in a Catholic School, you’ve likely heard the acronym STEM for many years. Simply, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and...

Allie Johnston

Our Lady of Sorrows Feast Day

I saw them as I entered the supermarket parking lot. A family of four crouched in the shade of a small tree. Two young boys sat with their mother and...

Kathy Hendricks

Celebrating the Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul with Students

On September 27, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of Saint Vincent de Paul, who said, “Do not be content to say: I am a Christian! But live in such a...

Allie Johnston

Labor Day Reflections: Work and Christian Spirituality

There is a beautiful golf club down the hill from us. Because so many of its members live in houses on its perimeter, it’s not unusual to see people...

Kathy Hendricks

Celebrate the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation

Two years ago, on September 1, 2015, Pope Francis established the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. On this day each year, people all over the...

Allie Johnston

Catechetical Sunday 2017: Living As Missionary Disciples

“I dream of a ‘missionary option,’ that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything so that the Church's customs, ways of doing things,...

Kathy Hendricks

Catholic Saints for Children: Saint Peter Claver

On September 9th, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of Saint Peter Claver. Peter Claver was a Jesuit priest who journeyed to modern day Colombia. He...

Allie Johnston

Completing My Participation in the Living School

Two years goes by fast. In that time I began and am now close to completing my participation in the Living School – a course on contemplative reflection...

Kathy Hendricks

Celebrating Saints and Mystics: Saint Ignatius Loyola

You might call it “Ignatian Imagination” – the meditative exercise developed by Saint Ignatius Loyola that draws us into a Scripture passage through our...

Kathy Hendricks

Catechists & DREs: 7 Ways to Prepare for a New School Year eBook

Download an exclusive eBook, written from the perspective of a Parish Catechetical Leader, offering seven suggestions to prepare other Parish...

Allie Johnston

Beginning the School Year Prayer Service

The end of summer is setting in, and the “back to school” advertisements are making their inevitable debut. School and parish religious education...

Allie Johnston

Celebrating Saints and Mystics: Benedict of Nursia

A young man grows tired of the hustle and bustle of urban life so he seeks a place in nature where he can live in quieter fashion. The silence in such a...

Kathy Hendricks

Celebrating Our Freedom to Advocate and Care for Others

It isn’t exactly summer reading, but I just finished Blaine Harden’s Escape from Camp 14. It tells the story of Shin Dong-hyuk, the only known person to...

Kathy Hendricks

The Freedom of Limitations

It has been over thirty years since my husband, Ron, ran his first Pikes Peak Ascent – a race to the top of a 14,000-foot mountain. At the time, the...

Kathy Hendricks

How to Use the Summer Scripture Event In Your Parish

Engage parishioners of all ages with a special, summer-themed event. The Gather in the Garden Summer Scripture Event is a seasonal event designed for...

Allie Johnston

Seminarian Letter Project: Catholic School Children Send Their Support and Encouragement

“May your life be filled with love, hope, and happiness as you continue your training. Thank you for your service, and good luck.”

Kathy Hendricks

Celebrating Saints and Mystics During the Liturgical Year

My Little Lives of the Saints booklets were precious possessions. As a child I pored over each account and studied the accompanying pictures. Each saint...

Kathy Hendricks

A Memorial Day Reflection

When my husband and I set off on a cross-country trip four years ago, we knew we would visit numerous historical sites. We did not think so many of them...

Kathy Hendricks

World Day of Prayer for Vocations; How to Discern and Support Vocation

The World Day of Prayer for Vocations is Saturday, May 7, 2017. This year marks the 54th Anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

Allie Johnston

Feast Days in May– Catholic Saints to Celebrate with Children

Feast Days are a great opportunity to introduce students to Catholic saints. Teaching children about saints provides inspiring examples of discipleship...

Allie Johnston

Flowers for the Blessed Mother

What do you think the following flowers have in common: rose, thistle, violet, marigold, carnation, lily, and forget-me-not? Each one has a legend that...

Kathy Hendricks

How to Celebrate and Care for Creation During April

April 22, 2017 is Earth Day. Earth Day is an annual event, begun in 1970, which is celebrated by countries across the globe and more than a billion...

Allie Johnston

Catholic Easter Resources for Families

The season of Easter is a special time to rejoice over the new life we have in Jesus Christ. The Easter season lasts fifty days and ends on Pentecost...

Allie Johnston

Immerse Yourself in the Mystery of the Triduum

If you have celebrated Triduum even once, you know why it’s consider the most sacred time in the Church year.

Kathy Hendricks

How to Enhance Your Lenten Practices So They're More Meaningful

“Lent is a time of spring cleaning through intensifying our prayer life, fasting from food or bad habits, and performing acts of charity and justice.”

Kathy Hendricks

Resources for Saint Patrick’s Day and Saint Joseph’s Day

On March 17th, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of Saint Patrick. Patrick is a very popular saint. People all over the world celebrate his feast day...

Allie Johnston

The Value of Humilty

It’s taken a long time to straighten out my understanding of humility. As a child I was taught that to say anything positive about yourself was vanity and...

Kathy Hendricks

Download a FREE Lenten Calendar for Catholic Families

Lent is a season of simple living. As the entire Church prepares for the great celebration of Christ’s Paschal Mystery in the Easter Triduum, Catholics...

Allie Johnston

Discerning Our Vocation

“O that today you would hear his voice harden not your hearts…” Psalm 95:7-8 The reminder to listen for the voice of God runs deep in the Scriptures. Such...

Kathy Hendricks

A Printable Reflection and Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday, a day of prayer and fasting, marks the beginning of Lent. I often marvel at how many people are drawn to services on Ash Wednesday. After...

Kathy Hendricks

Family Spirituality: What Makes a Marriage?

Every morning my husband, Ron, leaves a piece of dark chocolate by my computer. I savor its bitter-sweetness in small bites throughout the day. Recently...

Kathy Hendricks

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