Living the Liturgical Year for Catholics

The Living the Liturgical Year Workshop is a practical two-hour-and-15 minute presentation geared towards DREs, CCD teachers and parents. 

This informative and entertaining workshop focuses on expanding awareness for and knowledge about the unique character and opportunities each liturgical season provides. It involves instruction, discussion, and hands-on engagement — a host of practical tips to help CCD teachers and parents ground or complement their CCD curriculum with the wisdom that the Church already provides — throughout the ages.

Anne and Barbara have been presenting this workshop in the Archdiocese of Boston, first under the auspices of the Lay Catechetical Certificate Program, and expanded to local parishes throughout the area. They’ve also mentored catechists and parents from afar, who have purchased the booklet that complements the workshop, for local application. The workshops and booklet have earned rave reviews.

A framework was developed for approaching each season, which…

– engages all types of learners, focusing on the colors of the season; a theme to frame each season; a virtue to focus on; saints to study for each season; and scripture for memorization and/or reflection.  All of it or part of it can be brought into the classroom or the home.

– recommends, showcases, and provides step-by-step instruction for specific activities and crafts to help the student connect what’s going on in his or her religious instruction with what’s going on in the wider church.  Activities are suggested for three age groups – young children, tweens, and teens.  All or part of these suggestions can be used as appropriate for the instructional setting. 

– provides specific recommendations for how the CCD teacher or the parent can grow in their own personal holiness throughout the year, with a liturgical season-by-season guide to spiritual reading, scripture, and devotional practices, which can be done in small steps.

The workshop includes a book developed specifically for the class.  It includes quick overviews, instructions and material lists for crafts and activities, excellent on-line and hard copy references, and the framework, which can be adapted and modified over the years. 

There are many books available which go deeply into each season, but few that look at the year as a whole.  It is an excellent resource, which is organized in such a way that you can get a quick overview, gather tips for what you can bring into your teaching as well as your own life, and easy-to-do crafts and activities to engage students of all ages. You can use this as a foundation to a CCD program or use it as an occasional addition to your existing curriculum.

If you are interested in hosting a workshop at your parish in the Boston or a neighboring archdiocese, or if you would like to purchase the booklet to bring to your parish or home, please email us at PenafortPublishing@gmail.com.

What a wonderful workshop for teachers and parents interested in educating children in the Faith, as well as growing in personal holiness! By following the rhythm of the liturgical year, you will learn meaningful, fun, and practical ways to weave the Catholic faith into the home and classroom by celebrating the seasons, feasts, fasts, foods, and traditions of the Church. The presenters’ passion and zeal for the Faith, coupled with the excellent resource materials provided, make for a most enjoyable and highly recommended class!  –  Sheila S.

To hear an interview about the workshop, click here.