Faith Sharing

Life in the Holy Trinity

A 3-Part Parish Evangelization Retreat

The Life in the Holy Trinity Retreat is programmed as a parish course over three weeks or as a parish mission in three nights or as a one-Saturday retreat. It can also be used in RCIA for Inquiry Sessions or other evangelization events.

Keywords: PowerPoint, Evangelization, Trinity, Retreat, RCIA

Shepherds for Christ

Reflection on the readings for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul reveal the holy calling of shepherds for Christ. They describe the Christ-like qualities of “shepherding” that’s required of those everyone who is involved in Christian leadership. This includes not only our priests, but also lay ministers, parents, teachers, and anyone who guides others.

Keywords: Reflection, Shepherd, St. Peter, St. Paul

An Extraordinary Calling for Ordinary People

Reflection on the scriptures of the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle, this leaflet tells in story form that all are called to spread the Good News of Jesus, even in everyday, ordinary life.

Keywords: Reflection, Calling, St. Paul

Building Faith in Community

St. Paul says, “You form a building.” The foundation is the apostles and prophets; the cornerstone is Jesus. Which part of the building are you? This evangelization handout for the readings of Feast of St. Thomas will affirm, re-energize, and build up your parish community.

Keywords: Reflection, Faith, Community, St. Thomas

How to Bring Others to Conversion

When we fail at convincing someone to go to church or to trust in Jesus, have we allowed ourselves to get swept into a debate? St. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 to rely instead on “the convincing power of the Spirit”.

Keywords: Reflection, Conversion, Holy Spirit

St. Paul’s Key to Evangelization: Flexibility

In 1 Corinthians 9:16-27, Saint Paul shows us the importance of flexibility. He was single-minded in his commitment to spread the Good News, but he was open-minded about how to do it. By becoming “all things to all, to save at least some”, he met people where they were at, sharing the Good News with them in ways that they could understand.

Keywords: Reflection, Evangelization, St. Paul

What’s Your Story? How to evangelize with your testimony

No matter whether you were raised Catholic or in some other Christian denomination or you discovered the Christian faith more recently, you have a story that could help others. You can evangelize others using your personal testimony, like St. Paul did in Galatians 1:13-24. Never underestimate the power of your story!

Keywords: Reflection, Evangelization, St. Paul, Testimony

The Lord’s Prayer of Evangelization

This handout is a litany for group prayer adapting the Lord’s Prayer for success in evangelization and victory over evil, and to pray for people you know and for the whole world.

Keywords: Litany, Prayer, Evangelization

Oh God! Why are you letting this happen?

Considering what happened to St. John the Baptist, we might surmise that working for God is not safe. It sure seems so whenever we take an unpopular stand on the truth. What does this really mean? This reflection for the Memorial of the Martyrdom of John the Baptist digs gives hope in difficult situations.

Keywords: Reflection, St. John the Baptist, Hope

Is There Someone Who’s Unpleasant to Serve?

Using John 13:1-15 and and the foot washing theme of Holy Thursday, this leaflet explains that our intimacy with Jesus grows when we wash the feet of others and explains how we can do that.

Keywords: Reflection, Jesus, Holy Thursday

How to be an Effective Evangelizer

Take a look at how Jesus did ministry, using Luke 18:35-43. We are all in situations where people around us could benefit from knowing Jesus. We want to help them. We try to help them, but more often than not they refuse what we offer. What can we learn from Jesus’ style of ministry?

Keywords: Reflection, Jesus, Evangelization, Ministry

Sowing the Right Seeds

We usually look at Matthew 13:18-23 and ask ourselves: “Which type of soil am I?” This time, let’s put our feet into the sandals of the sower and ask: “What kind of seeds am I sowing? And am I sowing them in the right places?”

Keywords: Reflection, Evangelization

Successful Faith in a Family of Sinful Saints

In Luke 6:12-19, Jesus discerns which of his disciples should be trained as future leaders of the Church. Simon, who was called a Zealot because he was zealous about obeying both Jewish law and Canaanite law, and Jude (or Judas), the son of James and a relative of Jesus, are both good examples of how Christians can be so imperfect yet so very effective in ministry. This leaflet for the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles, can be used as a bulletin insert or handout.

Keywords: Reflection, St. Simon, St. Jude

Adoring the Precious Gifts of God’s Creations

This bulletin insert or adult faith enrichment handout inspires people to become better stewards of nature and the environment. Genesis 1:1-19 and Psalm 104 teach us that all creation is sacred. God made everything and declared it “good.”

Keywords: Reflection, Nature, Environment, Creation

3 Stages of Becoming a Minister for God (Lay Ministry)

This handout explains the calling, confirmation of the calling, and commitment to the calling in lay ministry. It will inspire your parishioners to say yes to ministry with a feeling of confidence.

Keywords: Reflection, Ministry, Calling, Discernment

The Ascension of the Lord: Our Calling to Ministry

Sometimes we find ourselves in the same posture as the disciples in Acts 1:1-11, looking up at the sky where we last saw Jesus, not moving, just staring at nothing, waiting for him to come back and do something to rescue this world from its evil. It seems like he’s not finished. There’s more he should be doing. This world needs the Second Coming of Christ – now! What’s the delay?

He’s told us not to stand about gawking and waiting but to go forth and spread the Good News. He told us to take what he’s given us and use it to serve others, to make a difference somewhere, somehow, to someone.

Keywords: Reflection, Ministry, Gospel, Ascension of the Lord

Holy Living: What Signs Accompany You?

How do people know that you are Christian? Jesus says, in Mark 16:15-20, that “signs like these” will accompany Christians, and he lists some really amazing signs! Our faith in Christ becomes known — and evangelizes others — by the signs that accompany us, i.e., the signs of God’s presence within us. His love, his compassion, his wisdom, his patience, his forgiveness, his humility, his healing, and his wonders — these make us very different from the world.

Keywords: Reflection, Signs, Jesus, St. Mark the Evangelist

The 4 Stages of Apostleship

Jesus commissions us and commands us to go and make a difference in the world in whatever capacity we can, in our homes, workplaces, recreation, etc. There are four stages of apostleship: Preparation, Involvement, Testing, and Significant Involvement. This handout includes the “Prayer to Become God’s Instrument”.

Keywords: Reflection, Apostleship, Evangelization, St. Luke the Evangelist

What’s the Big Deal About Going to Mass?

This 2-page handout is an invitation to return to Church or become Catholic. The article explains that going to Mass is good because we need Christian community, the Church helps us to understand God, and worshiping at home isn’t enough.

You customize the second page with a message of invitation and your church’s contact information. Enter your welcome home message, RCIA invitation, or Mass schedule.

Keywords: Reflection, Mass, Evangelization, RCIA

You Are Salt for the Earth

How well are you flavoring others? In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus tells us: “You are the salt of the earth, a light that needs to shine, a city for evangelization.” What does this mean? This handout emphasizes the importance of working together as a parish community or ministry group or as part of the Church as a whole. It includes questions for group discussion.

Keywords: Reflection, Evangelization, Salt, Light

Under My Roof? Why Do We Quote the Centurion?

“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” How is that better than praying what many of us grew up with: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you…”? This handout answers the question while raising awareness of the calling to be evangelizers.

Keywords: Reflection, Evangelization, Mass

How to Give Your Children a Strong Faith

Your family is a little church. It’s the first church your children experience. You are their first image of God the Father. You are the hands of the Jesus helping them and hugging them. You are the voice of the Holy Spirit teaching them. As a parent, you want your children to have a good life here on earth and eternal life in heaven. So how do you give them real faith?