Celebrating Sacraments

Discusses the seven sacraments of the Catholic faith and how God communicates through the people, places, and experiences that shape a person's life.

The Second Vatican Council envisioned a liturgical assembly that could understand and participate fully in the liturgy. Even when parishes have helped their members to understand and participate in the Sunday eucharistic liturgy, responses at liturgies for the other sacraments may seem uncertain and lukewarm. Do we know what we're doing when we celebrate the sacraments? In this book, as in its companion, Forming the Assembly to Celebrate the Mass, Larry Mick, a seasoned presider and writer on the liturgy, offers insights and suggestions for helping our communities understand the work we are called to do when we celebrate sacraments. The author explains each sacrament and its liturgical aspects in ways that will invigorate and prepare parish ministers for the work of liturgical catechesis. Once leaders are prepared, the book can then be used for catechizing the whole assembly. Parish councils, liturgy boards, liturgical ministers, adult formation groups and individuals in the assembly will all find in this book fresh perspectives for celebrating and savoring the sacraments.

In The Sacraments We Celebrate: A Catholic Guide to the Seven Mysteries of Faith, the second book in the Pillars of Faith series, Msgr. Peter J. Vaghi introduces the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. Drawing from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults, and the writings of Benedict XVI and John Paul II, Msgr. Vaghi's easy-to-use resource considers each of the sacraments from a personal, communal, and social perspective. The chapters explore the sacraments as a whole and examine the scriptural foundation, the history, and the symbolism of each. At a time when Mass attendance, Confession, and the celebration of Catholic weddings are all declining, the clarity and accessibility of Msgr. Peter Vaghi's writing on the meaning of these celebrations, complemented by questions for reflection and prayer, makes The Sacraments We Celebrate a vital resource for any Catholic seeking to understand these central actions of the faith.

The older teens in your parish want a youth ministry program that exposes them to relevant, real-world topics in an active, engaging way. Horizons is an innovative, comprehensive approach to religious education. Its foundation is teacher-led, creative learning strategies that give students ample opportunities for discussion, reflection--and fun! Designed for grades 9-12, Horizons utilizes a module system so that you can combine courses and topics to meet the specific needs of your parish. Seven core courses set the stage for discussing central and foundational themes. Then choose from a wide selection of age-appropriate minicourses to round out your curriculum and craft summer courses, retreats, and youth-group activities. The Youth Ministry Strategies component features more than 65 creative youth activities to complement the Horizons curriculum. And on top of all that, Horizons includes outstanding training resources. You'll be able to create the most engaging and relevant youth ministry program for senior high that is available anywhere.

Making full use of the new Code of Canon Law, recent conciliar documents, and pertinent ecclesiastical directives, this work brings together into one handy volume a wealth of information along with authorized norms whereby priests and aspirants to the ministry may be safely guided in the lawful and reverential celebration of the sacraments. The author is a recognized expert in the area of pastoral theology and canon law and, as such, brings to this book the qualifications which promise to make it a standard reference work in its field.

Written in accord with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and rooted in the sound catechetical principles of the National Catechetical Directory, these texts present a well-defined curriculum model that stresses clear objectives, careful organization, and creative methods and evaluation procedures to check the attainment of goals. Very flexible, allowing teachers to select materials to highlight and stress, each text can be implemented on various grade levels for a quarter, a semester, or a full year depending on the length and frequency of class meetings.This text begins with a discussion of the wonders of God's love in such things as creation, the incarnation, forgiveness and salvation, followed by a call to respond to this love through faith and loving service. A chapter on signs, symbols, and sacraments gives a solid foundation for understanding Catholic sacramental theology. This prepares the way for a discussion of each of the seven sacraments that covers the historical developments, the way the sacrament is celebrated today, and the ways students can live the reality of each of the sacraments in their lives.