The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Third Edition is the same understandable and down-to-earth guide to all things Catholic. This book is an eye-opener and a page-turner, whether you are brushing up on specific Catholic terms and concepts or learning them for the first time.

The Subcommittee on the Catechism, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has found this catechetical text, copyright 2013, to be in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Now Available! Online correlation to the U.S. Bishops' High School curriculum framework Click here!

The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Third Edition
ISBN: 978-1-59982-160-3, paper, 480 pages

They’s something kindo’ harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer’s over and the coolin’ fall is here—
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin’-birds and buzzin’ of the bees;
But the air’s so appetizin’; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur’ that no painter has the colorin’ to mock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.

The above lines are the second verse of a poem, "When the Frost Is on the Punkin’," by James Whitcomb Riley, "the Indiana poet" (1853–1916). He wrote in Hoosier dialect which can make for tedious reading after awhile, but in his day he was a popular poet and he recited his own verse on the stage. One of the reviews of his work noted that he had "no irony." No, there is nothing in the verse of James Whitcomb Riley but pure appreciation.

Somehow, that kind of appreciation comes easier in the fall. For this particular Midwesterner of northern European descent, fall is a welcome relief from summer and its self-referring complaints: "I am so hot! We’ve had no rain since June! My ferns are dying! My A.C. bill is going through the roof!" No, all that is behind me. I am ready for some pure appreciation.

And, even though I am now surrounded by cornfields, I am still an urban dweller. I have no "fodder." I have no "shock. I will get a pumpkin for Halloween. Maybe a straw bale. But that’s it. Still, I get to participate in this quietly dramatic change of seasons, as does almost everyone (except for y’all, and y’all know who you are). I still remember my first autumn in New York (why does it seem so inviting?)* many years ago. I was surprised to find that New York stores sell colorful Indian corn. And pumpkins, too. And even straw bales if you really want one and can get it home on the subway. (I didn’t try.)

So what does this have to do with religious education? Sometimes religious education is just observation and appreciation. We owe a debt to the James Whitcomb Rileys of the world, who give great evidence that they were paying attention to the good things in their lives.

"Wisdom begins in wonder." So said Socrates. I think this is worth remembering and worth celebrating. So maybe, this week or next, try a stop-look-listen exercise with your class. (Or see the autumn activity in Make It Happen in this newsletter.) Go outside. Feel the world. Appreciate it. Write about it. Talk about it. Pray about it. God made it for you. Write him a thank-you note.

Blessings on your ministry!
Peace and joy,
Joanna

*(Lyrics italicized above are from the song "Autumn in New York" by Vernon Duke. A photo montage of New York scenes accompanied by this song sung by Dawn Upshaw can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRBllJt7rNQ. Worth appreciating!)

A note on the Year of Faith: On September 29, Pope Francis had these words to say to catechists in his homily at a Mass for them on "the day for catechists": "The catechist, then, is a Christian who is mindful of God, who is guided by the memory of God in his or her entire life and who is able to awaken that memory in the hearts of others. This is not easy! It engages our entire existence! What is the Catechism itself, if not the memory of God, the memory of his works in history and his drawing near to us in Christ present in his word, in the sacraments, in his Church, in his love? Dear catechists, I ask you: Are we in fact the memory of God? Are we really like sentinels who awaken in others the memory of God which warms the heart?"

The complete homily can be found at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/homilies/2013/documents/papa-francesco_20130929_giornata-catechisti_en.html.

Dates to remember: National Parish Religious Education Week is November 3–9, 2013. This might be an opportunity to create a special display or event to highlight your program. Give your display an autumnal theme. Include a few pumpkins! Maybe even a straw bale.

The autumn is a good time to look over the past year and be thankful for its blessings. We have institutionalized this tendency with the establishment of Thanksgiving Day in November. But October is harvest time, too, and there is no reason to wait for Thanksgiving Day to give thanks! Try this thankfulness tree to end one of your autumn sessions.

Materials needed:
A large branch set into a pot of soil or stones
Paper pumpkins, previously cut from orange construction paper (about three to five per student) to hang on the tree. Instead of pumpkins, you can cut paper leaves in various colors and shapes and use them. This extends the activity up until Thanksgiving.
A hole punch (to punch a hole into the stem of each pumpkin; can be done ahead of time)
Orange yarn (in 2" pieces)
Black marking pens
Music for prayer service (optional)

1. Set up the potted branch in a prominent place.
2. Explain that we will take a few moments to give thanks for all the blessings of this past year.
3. Distribute three to five pumpkins to each student, with a marking pen for each student.
4. Ask the students to write three or more people, situations, or things they are thankful for, one for each pumpkin.
5. Distribute the yarn pieces and ask the students to loop and tie the yarn in the holes in the pumpkins for hanging.
6. Continue with a short prayer service (below).

Call to Prayer (Moderator): In the autumn we take time to thank the Creator and Maker of all things for all the blessings we have been given in this past year. Let us begin our prayer of thankfulness with a reading from Sacred Scripture:

Reader: A reading from the Book of Wisdom. (Read Wisdom 11:23–26.)
Moderator: [While the music is playing], please come forward at this time to hang your pumpkins.
(When all have finished hanging their pumpkins, conclude with this prayer:)
Moderator: Let us pray.
O Ruler and Lover of souls,
You have mercy on all.
You love all the things that are: the universe, the planets, our world and all its people, all the animals and plants, our families and friends.
Everything is first of all yours, and you have given us the privilege and responsibility of caring for everything you have made.
We thank you for this privilege and responsibility.
May we remember that we have come from your hand, and we hope to return to you, bringing with us every gift of nature and of grace that you have given us, with a thankful heart.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Brother.
All: Amen.

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 27, 2013
Luke 18:9-14

Opening Prayer

Jesus, you know our hearts. Give us hearts that are always humble and that seek truth. Help us remember that you are the judge of all hearts. Amen.

Context Connection
The Gospel opens with a wake-up call for disciples throughout history: "[Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt" (18:9). Jesus often confronts self-righteousness in the Gospels because he found it to be a sinister enemy of authentic spirituality. Without a doubt, this parable is directed at those who are self-righteous. Jesus uses the Pharisee as the stereotype of the sinful person and the tax collector as the stereotype of the good person.

The Pharisee prays in thanksgiving to God: "God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector" (18:11). He tries to make himself appear righteous in the sight of God by reminding God of all the things that other sinful people do--including the tax collector--just in case God had not noticed. As the Pharisee says this, you get the sense that he is looking over his shoulder with contempt at the tax collector. You can almost hear him say, "What nerve! Who does this tax collector think he is, anyway?" One author has called this "prayer with peripheral vision." It is as if the Pharisee is taking on God's role as judge.

The Pharisee continues his prayer, "I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income" (18:12). There is no doubt that the Pharisee prays with gratitude for his healthy spiritual state. True, the Pharisee fasts twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, for the good of the nation of Israel. We have no reason to doubt that the Pharisee tithes the required amount. The sad tragedy is that the Pharisee does not understand that the flawed nature of his heart corrupts his prayer. He is in reality deceiving himself because he does not have an honest understanding of himself. The Pharisee looks upon himself not as a servant of God but as one who deserves God's blessings and attention for a job well done. Another name for this is pride.

When the tax collector approaches God in prayer, he does it with full consciousness of his sinfulness: "But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'" (18:13). His actions are utterly simple and truthful. The tax collector, who understands that he does not deserve God's attention because of anything he has done, trusts that God--in spite of the tax collector's deficiencies--will hear his prayer. Through his prayer, the tax collector shows his dependence on God and his willingness to allow God's grace to operate in his life. Another name for this is humility.

Jesus ends the parable with these words: "I tell you, this man [the tax collector] went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted" (18:14). Jesus' conclusion to the parable is shocking. The observant Pharisee goes home unjustified because of the flawed intentions of his heart, whereas the sinful tax collector goes home justified because of the humility of his heart. The Jewish audience hearing this parable would have expected the reverse to be true. The Pharisee would be justified because he is wealthy. Wealth was believed to be the reward given by God to those who are good. Those hearing this parable would have thought the Pharisee had a right to be proud of his many blessings. The tax collector, on the other hand, is dishonest and cheats people and would not deserve God's blessing. However, this parable asks us to remember Jesus' words from Luke 14:11: "For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

Tradition Connection
The Gospels for the past two Sundays have emphasized the importance of praying to God and persevering at prayer. This Sunday's Gospel challenges us to know the intentions of our hearts when we pray. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us:

"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.'1 But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or 'out of the depths' of a humble and contrite heart?"2 (paragraph 2559).

Prayer originates from our longing to know the heart of God. Prayer helps us discover that the deep thirst within us can only be quenched by God. Used throughout the Psalms is a common image representing our spiritual life: the parched earth longing for refreshing rains. Prayer is like rain to our spiritual life. It brings forth new birth and nourishes past growth:

"The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks us for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God's desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him" 3 (Catechism, paragraph 2560).

Luke is telling us in Sunday's passage that we pray from our heart. The Scriptures often say that it is the heart that prays. Therefore, when our heart is near to God, our prayers are life-giving, and when our heart is distant from God, it is difficult to nurture our spiritual lives through prayer. As Jesus lets us see the hearts of both the Pharisee and the tax collector to reveal whose prayer was sincere, we also need to ask Jesus to help us see our own heart in truth and humility:

The heart is our hidden center, beyond the grasp of our reason and of others; only the Spirit of God can fathom the human heart and know it fully. The heart is the place of decision, deeper than our psychic drives. It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death. It is the place of encounter, because as image of God we live in relation: it is the place of covenant" (Catechism, paragraph 2563).

In prayer, we recognize the covenantal relationship that we were graced with in Baptism. Our heart's' desire as children of God is to be in communion with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Saint Augustine wrote that "our heart is restless until it rests in you [God]"4 (Catechism, paragraph 30). It is in prayer that our heart comes to rest in God--enveloped in the loving embrace of our triune God. "Thus, the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with him" (Catechism, paragraph 2565).

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner"5 (Catechism, paragraph 2616). This prayer, repeated continuously, is a way to focus and to prepare our hearts to be humble before God in prayer.

Wisdom Connection
Observing that both men in this parable are at prayer is important. For Luke, prayer is not an optional component of Christian piety. It is essential. Prayer is not carried out to demonstrate one's relationship with God--prayer is our relationship with God. The way we pray, then, reveals the kind of relationship we have with God. If prayer is self-aggrandizement, as in the case of the Pharisee, then God is unable to bestow the gift of righteousness because possession and gift cancel each other out.

Luke encourages disciples of Jesus Christ to approach prayer in the way that the tax collector did--in truth and simplicity. Prayer, as an essential component of Christian piety, must be humble. Humility in prayer prepares our hearts to receive God's transforming grace--transforming prayer into action.


Acknowledgments
The scriptural quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition. Copyright © 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

The quotations labeled Catechism are from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America. Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.--Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

Endnotes cited in quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

1. Saint John Damascene, De fide orth. 3, 24: J. P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca (Paris, 1857-1866), 94, 1089C.
2. Psalm 130:1.
3. Cf. Saint Augustine, De diversis quaestionibus octoginta tribus 64, 4: J. P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina (Paris: 1841-1855), 40, 56.
4. Saint Augustine, Confessions 1, 1, 1: J. P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina (Paris: 1841-1855), 32, 659-661.
5. Matthew 9:27; Mark 10:48.

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 3, 2013
Luke 18:9-14

Opening Prayer

Jesus, give us the desire to see you in the everyday circumstances of our lives. Give us eyes that recognize you among the many things that catch our attention each day. Give us a heart that welcomes you, as well as our brothers and sisters in need, to be a part of our lives. Amen.

Context Connection
The main character in Sunday's Gospel is Zacchaeus. Most of us are familiar with this particular story in Luke's Gospel. We know that Zacchaeus is the chief tax collector in and around the area of Jericho. Because of his profession, Zacchaeus is a rich man. As a tax collector, Zacchaeus is perceived by the Jewish leadership to be a sinner. One might even say that Zacchaeus, as the chief tax collector, represents the chief sinner. Jesus is passing through Jericho, and Zacchaeus wants to see him but can't because he is short in stature and a large crowd blocks his view. To see Jesus, Zacchaeus runs ahead of the crowd and climbs a sycamore tree on the path Jesus is taking. When Jesus reaches the tree, he addresses Zacchaeus by name and invites himself to the tax collector's house. In response, Zacchaeus hurries down from the tree to lead Jesus to his house.

"All who saw it began to grumble and said, 'He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner'" (19:7). Zacchaeus, hearing those remarks, confronts the accusers with a public declaration of his customary and repeated practice of giving alms to the poor. This translation seems to suggest that Zacchaeus planned to give to the poor in the future. However, Scripture scholars tell us that in the original Greek translation Zacchaeus actually defends his normal practice of giving alms to the poor, which was required by Jewish Law. In Luke, almsgiving is a sign of righteousness. Zacchaeus goes on to say that if he has cheated anyone--even unintentionally--he will apply the harshest penalty to himself. Zacchaeus's offer to repay the amount fourfold, or 400 percent, is the reparation required by Roman law. Jewish Law only requires a person to pay full restitution plus 20 percent (see Leviticus 6:5 and Numbers 5:6-7). Zacchaeus corrects the misperceptions of the crowd by setting the record straight. Jesus announces, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham" (19:9). In this statement Jesus recognizes Zacchaeus's worth as a "son of Abraham." Jesus implies that Zacchaeus is as much a son of Abraham as are the scribes and the Pharisees. Jesus' love for Zacchaeus awakens the potential to love and serve others.

Tradition Connection
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this about almsgiving or, as it is called here, "fraternal charity":

"The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities.1 Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead.2 Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God" 3 (Paragraph 2447).

Our faith asks us to position ourselves in life so we can see the needs of others and, in seeing, act in fraternal charity because it is the just thing to do and is pleasing to God. Each day, when we read the newspaper or watch the news on television, we learn about people who are in need because of natural disaster, war, famine, or severe poverty--whether in the United States or in another part of the world. What is our response to the conditions of our brothers and sisters? Luke says, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise" (3:11). Catholic Relief Services is one organization, an extension of the Catholic Church, that attempts to help needy people throughout the world. You may want to check out this Web site to learn more about CRS, http://www.catholicrelief.org.

The challenge of fraternal charity is that, once we are aware of the needs of the poor and disenfranchised, we can never go back to our former state of unawareness. Sunday's Gospel gives us the example of Zacchaeus, a person who practiced almsgiving by caring for the poor, in hope that we will do the same.

Wisdom Connection
Zacchaeus's need to see Jesus leads him to take unusual measures for a man of his social distinction, such as climbing a tree to guarantee he would get a chance to see Jesus as he passed by. As the people gather around Jesus under the sycamore tree, they do not seem to notice Zacchaeus perched in the tree. Jesus, however, notices Zacchaeus immediately. Zacchaeus goes to great lengths to see Jesus, but Jesus is the one who sees Zacchaeus. It is not a random glance, but an invitation for Zacchaeus to welcome Jesus into his home as a guest.

Zacchaeus's encounter with Jesus, amid the daily happenings in Jericho, makes all the difference in the life of Zacchaeus. Do we make an effort each day to position ourselves to see Jesus in the happenings of our day? If we do, then we too will encounter Jesus among the ordinary events of our life. In welcoming Jesus to come and stay in our home, we are asking Jesus to become a part of our daily lives.


Acknowledgments
The scriptural quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition. Copyright © 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

The quotations labeled Catechism are from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America. Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.--Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

Endnotes cited in quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

1. Cf. Isaiah 58:6-7; Hebrews 13:3.
2. Cf. Matthew 25:31-46.
3. Cf. Tobit 4:5-11; Sirach 17:22; Matthew 6:2-4.

Every big feast day has a vigil, and the vigil of All Saints Day is no exception. We call it "Halloween," that is, "All Hallows Eve." On Halloween, we Christians celebrate the victory of life over death—no matter how many scary skeletons come knocking at our door! Many of our popular practices—jack o’lanterns, dressing in masks and costumes, and begging for candy—come from deep in our cultural history.

But, as Catholicism.com remarks, "Despite concerns among some Christians (including some Catholics) in recent years about the ‘pagan origins’ of Halloween, the vigil was celebrated from the beginning—long before Irish practices, stripped of their pagan origins (just as the Christmas tree was stripped of similar connotations) were incorporated into popular celebrations of the feast."

When confronted with ghouls and goblins, take the time to remember that, on Halloween and All Saints Day, we are celebrating the victory of life over death. Take time to remember that death is never the last word. As Saint Paul wrote:
"Where, Death, is your victory?
Where, Death, is your power to hurt?
(1 Corinthians 15:55, GNT)
Saint Paul concludes his argument:
"But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!"
(1 Corinthians 15:57, GNT)
Celebrate the victory on All Saints Day!

Read more about Halloween and All Saints Day at http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/All_Saints_Day.htm.