Catholic Faith Formation Resources

One of the primary attributes of the Divine ("God") is omnipresence, that is, God is present everywhere at each moment of time. There is no place or time that God is not present. * The issue is not whether God is present but, rather, whether you are present to God in each moment. It is not about you finding God, it is about you allowing God to find you. This is an act of faith and trust in the underlying reality of God's unconditional, loving presence, which is always there, but requires your desire and willingness to encounter it, to be open to it with humility, self-awareness or mindfulness and, when you encounter it, to lovingly surrender to it. Some of the ways that God invites you to experience God's presence are: trusting in God's infinite love and mercy, letting go of distractions, anxiety, doubt, or fears that may block your ability to feel and experience God's presence; spending time in prayer and quiet reflection, allowing stillness and silence...

"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." (Lk 23:34) An unexamined life is not worth living” —Socrates Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) Do you ever reflect on God's presence in your life? An ancient, spiritual practice found in most religions asks each of us to apply our human capability of self-reflection to consider or review our relationship with God. One such practice was formulated in the sixteenth century by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, who taught in his Spiritual Exercises that you can find God in all things and at every moment, even in the ordinary experiences of your life. St. Ignatius offered the Examen as a daily practice of prayerful reflection on the events of your day in order to help you to detect God’s presence, discern God's plan for your well-being,...

"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16 " God is the author of Sacred Scripture. 'The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, . . . . written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author . . . . God inspired the human authors of the sacred books. The inspired books teach the truth . . . . we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures." Catechism of the Catholic Church , nos. 105–107, citing Dei Verbum 11. How often do you read and reflect on Scripture? Lectio Divina ("Divine Reading"), is an ancient prayer practice...

Prayer helps you to develop a loving and meaningful relationship with God. The Gospels report that Jesus went off alone to commune and pray with God, especially before key moments in his life. Jesus offered blessings, prayers and intercessions for others, and proclaimed various teachings and parables about prayer, including this: * When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him (Matthew 6:5-8) This passage leads us to ask, "What is prayer and what does it mean to pray?" At its most elementary, prayer is h...

"Ash Wednesday" marks the beginning of the Lenten Season. During Lent, we are asked to practice the discipline of self-control through fasting. Many persons choose to "give up" certain foods, beverages, or other material things. But Lent can also be a time to fast from attitudes and behaviors that can diminish us, and to feast on attitudes, behaviors, and practices that can help us, through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, to transform, grow, deepen, and nourish our relationships with God, with others, and with ourselves. In that regard, we invite you to pray and reflect on the following: Litany of Fasting and Feasting Fast from judging others Fast from emphasis on our differences Fast from words that pollute Fast from discontent Fast from anger Fast from idle gossip Fast from pessimism F...

RESOURCES FOR PREPARING FOR AND PARTICIPATING IN THE SEASONS OF LENT AND EASTER SUNDAY MARCH 5 THROUGH APRIL 17, 2025 "Then the disciples of John approached [Jesus] and said, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast [much], but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast’” (Mt 9:14-15). What are you doing to prepare for and to participate in Lent? The Season of Lent is the forty-day period before Easter, excluding Sundays, which begins this year on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025 and ends at sunset on Holy Thursday, April 14, when the Easter Triduum begins, culminating on Easter Sunday, April 17, 2025 when we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord. As the U.S. Bishops explain, Lent is a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter. During Lent, we seek the Lord in pra...