Announcing:
Saint Mary's Press winner for the week of February 13, 2009!
Congratulations to Julie Escalante!

Julie Escalante will receive a copy of The Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers, a $18.95 value.

"Come with me," Jesus said in Matthew 4:19 to his first disciples, and it is still his message to us today. Following Jesus is at the heart of being Catholic. Even though when it isn't always easy, it's the most fulfilling and meaningful way to live life.

Whether middle schoolers encounter this book as part of the Catholic Connections program or pick it up out of curiosity, The Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers offers guidance and helps young teens learn about the central aspects of the Catholic faith, including God, revelation, faith, Jesus the Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, liturgy and sacraments, Christian morality and justice, and prayer.

Look Inside: You can view an online sampler of The Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers on the SMP Web catalog. Search for "Catholic Connections Handbook," or use this link to go to the product description, http://www.smp.org/ItemDetail.cfm?ItemNum=2150. Then use the "look inside" button next to the cover image to see full-color pages including the table of contents and the introduction, pages from chapter 1 and chapter 15, and pages from the appendixes.

The Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers, by Janet Claussen, Pat Finan, Diana Macalintal, Jerry Shepherd, Susan Stark, and Chris Wardwell
ISBN 978-0-88489-994-5, paper, 496 pages, $18.95
http://www.smp.org/ItemDetail.cfm?ItemNum=2150

Also Available in Hardcover
The Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers,
ISBN 978-0-88489-995-2, hardcover, 496 pages, $26.95
http://www.smp.org/ItemDetail.cfm?ItemNum=2151

Catholic Connections:
A New Parish Religious Education Program for Grades 6-8
by Maura Thompson Hagarty

Catholic Connections is our new parish faith formation program for middle schoolers. The program materials include six catechist guides, Web-based support for catechists and program coordinators, a coordinator's manual, and the participant book The Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers. One of the program's special features is the single textbook for that supports all six courses. This approach offers a number of advantages, including the following:

Provides a Comprehensive Overview. The student book offers a comprehensive overview of the Catholic faith in one handy volume. Providing young people with a one-volume overview helps to demonstrate that the Catholic faith is a unified whole.

Maximizes Flexibility. The Catholic Connections program is designed to suit a variety of schedules and formats. Because the whole program is connected to just one participant handbook, coordinators can custom-design courses using material from multiple catechist guides without having to provide multiple participant books.

Provides Youth with a Keepsake. Though the handbook is written specifically for middle schoolers, it is ungraded, meaning that a young person can use it as his or her own personal guide to the Catholic faith for several years.

Helps Catechists Prepare. The student book serves as a handy resource for catechist preparation. The sessions in the guides include talking points for the catechists, but if catechists are able to do some additional reading in the handbook, they will be well prepared to summarize the doctrinal points covered by the sessions.

Serves as a Vehicle for Connecting with Parents. If the participants have their own copies of the handbook and can take them home between sessions, the book can function as a bridge between parish and home. When the book goes home, parents have an informal opportunity to read about the topics their children are learning about.

Provides an Anchor for the Catechetical Dimension of Youth Ministry. Because it is just one volume, the handbook is easy to use in conjunction with programs such as retreats or service work that take place outside of formal religious education programs. For more detailed information about the Catholic Connections program, go to http://www.smp.org/CatholicConnections.

What's Up Big G?
Helping Teens Build a Habit of Prayer
by Javier Bravo

It is pretty obvious to anyone involved in education that our students are busy. The World Day of Prayer (March 6) gives teachers the opportunity to teach them about prayer and how to build a habit of prayer.

Three elements are important in building a habit of prayer. The first is Consistency. In the midst of a teen's busy day, it is important for them to be consistent about going into God's presence. The best scenario is when there can be consistency in time and place.

The second element is Commitment. Teenagers can be very determined individuals. When they set their mind on something they can really motivate themselves to achieve it. Imagine what benefits this could reap in building a habit of prayer! It is best for teens who feel inexperienced in having a prayer life to begin with a commitment to a small amount of time. Time can always be increased later.

The final element is Accountability. While some may consider this strange in prayer life it is a tremendous help. Spiritual directors serve as a support systems for adults, the same support is necessary for teens. Teens can have their theology teachers or some other trusted adult hold them accountable to their commitments to prayer by simply asking how their prayer life is going. When the situation allows, this can even happen between teens and then you'll see them helping each other grow in their faith. In this, it is helpful for some teens to have a concrete form of their commitment to prayer.

I offer the following "Habit of Prayer Commitment Covenant" handout as a sample resource. You've taught them lectio divina, you've taught them A-C-T-S, let us now challenge them to use the various methods of prayer you've taught them to grow in prayerful relationship with a loving God.

Los Angeles Religious Education Congress

Saint Mary's Press will be attending the 2009 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress from February 27 through March 1 in Anaheim, California. Stop by our booth to see our newest releases, take advantage of our show specials, or browse the Gift Boutique!

Take advantage of show specials, including

• Saint Mary's Press College Study Bible for $26 (save $6.95!)
• The Catholic Youth Bible for $20 (save $4.95!)
• Breakthrough! The Bible for Young Catholics for $16 (save $3.95!)
• Free shipping on orders shipping within the continental U.S.
  
  These specials are available only at the 2009 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, on paperback editions.