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Catholic Faith Corner

Living in the Light
of Jesus Christ

Sea of Galilee at Sunrise

Catholic Faith Corner

Living in the Light
of Jesus Christ

Talks

Invite Me to Speak to Your Group

I love helping people delve more deeply into our faith, deepen their relationship with God, and enjoy supporting catechists and religion teachers in their all-important ministry.

Please fill out the Contact Form, e-mail me at [email protected], or call me at 440-226-1069. I will get will get back to you as soon as I can.

Here is a list of talks available, click each to read more:

For General Audiences

Mary makes a leap of faith and says yes to God. She becomes God’s mother and ours. As such, she is a model for us as she listens, trusts, and loves God throughout her life. Especially during Advent we can look to her to teach us. Practical ways to imitate Our Blessed Mother are offered.

A talk on God’s boundless mercy in the Old Testament, shown and taught by Jesus, and modeled by Mary. The Works of Mercy and the act of forgiveness are topics included.

Why did you lose the sense of God’s presence during prayer? What can you do about it? Why doesn’t God answer your prayers, or does he? How have other people experienced this things and how did they cope?

How to teach about the facets of mercy: God’s mercy in salvation history and today, the mercy of Jesus shown in his healings and forgiveness, and how we can be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful.

Reflect on why Scripture, the Word of God, is a powerful means to deepen our relationship with God. Learn tried-and-true ways to use the Bible for personal and communal prayer, such as guided meditations, mantras, imagination, and lectio divina. The ideas presented can be practiced by prayer groups or adopted by individuals.

Develop your personal relationship with Jesus. Realize more deeply the astounding truth of the divine indwelling. This talk focuses on God’s great love for us and ways we can come into contact with Jesus. The three who stood at the foot of the cross—Mary, John, and Mary Magdalene—serve as models for developing intimacy with Jesus. The presentation is spiced with humor.

Mary of Nazareth is not a goddess but a flesh-and-blood woman. The faith she practiced in responding to God’s call and facing the extraordinary challenges of her vocation is a model for us. This presentation offers realistic views of Mary based on Scripture but with insights from historians and archaeologists. It is especially appropriate for Advent and Lent  because it suggests practical ways for imitating Our Lady.

This is a motivational talk that offers ten hot tips for staying enthusiastic about carrying on Christ’s mission and deepening one’s spirituality. It is a shot in the arm for anyone who does Church ministry.

How and why Jesus gave us the Beatitudes. An explanation of each one and what it means for us.

Who the Holy Spirit is, who he is for us, and how to tap into his power.

Living and nurturing the faith at home in the family, the “domestic church,” is the focus of this presentation. The talk offers ideas for family blessings, prayers, rituals, and ways to celebrate Sunday, Advent, and Lent at home.

Find out what prayer is, types of prayer, what Jesus taught about it, misconceptions about it, and favorite prayers. Wish your prayers weren’t always the same? Learn several different prayer methods to try out, such as centering prayer, the labyrinth, mantras, song, traditional prayers, and the Prayer of Christians.

This talk or day of recollection is centered on the Book of Psalms, a gift from God. It answers these questions: What are they? How were they originally used? What kinds are there? What characteristics of poetry do they have? How can we pray them today? What are different ways to pray them individually or as a group? This talk aims to develop an understanding of these prayers so that people will be drawn to cherish them and use them in prayer beyond praying them in every Mass.

Reflect on the lives of some outstanding women in the Bible and what God might be telling us through them.
Matriarchs Who Waited: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel
Models of Faith in Action: Ruth, Judith, Esther
Marys Who Loved Jesus: His mother Mary, Mary of Bethany, Mary Magdalen

Fear of this sacrament lingers for those who still think of it as a sign of immediate death. Learn this sacrament’s history, its rites, and who can receive it. See how Vatican II returned it to its original purpose: for the sick, not just for those at death’s door.

Promoting religious vocations is an urgent need. It is also the responsibility of all baptized Catholics. This talk explores ways to foster vocations in the family, school, and parish.

Visit the Holy Land through a PowerPoint presentation. See the sites where Jesus actually lived. Understand the Gospel a little better. Learn a bit of history about his country, Israel, and his people.

In the Arabian countries there are three million Catholics. After a foundation on the history and conditions in the Gulf countries, this talk explains who our Catholic brothers and sisters there are, what they do, and how much the faith means to them.

Jesus sends out his disciples today to evangelize all nations. That’s us! What personal resources can we draw on to accomplish this mission? What outside helps are available to us? This presentation explores both kinds of tools that help us build the kingdom of God on earth. Our task involves introducing people to our Catholic faith and inviting Catholics who have strayed from the faith to come home.

Mary was the first Christopher, or “Christ-bearer.” We can look to her for inspiration and methods as we work to bring Jesus to the world and the world to Jesus. With Our Lady as our model, we will be more successful in doing our part to infuse society with the faith that leads to hope and peace.

Sister Kathleen explains how she became an author to her surprise. She also offers suggestions for would-be writers about the process of writing and getting published. She describes the difference between traditional publishing and self-publishing and how an editor can be your best friend.

For Catechists & Schools

These days the Church is focused on the family. This presentation offers strategies for catechists to help parents nurture the faith at home in the family, the “domestic church.” Besides the strategies, it provides examples for family blessings, prayers, rituals, and ways families can celebrate the liturgical seasons . . . material that DREs and catechists can send home

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Looking for creative ways to teach about the Mother of God? Mary of Nazareth is not a goddess but a flesh-and-blood woman. The faith she showed in responding to God’s call and in facing the challenges of her extraordinary vocation is a model for us. This talk offers realistic views of Mary based on a thoughtful reading of the Gospels as well as the findings of archaeologists and historians. It also suggests surefire ways for catechists to teach students that Mary is not only the Mother of God and the first and best disciple . . . but their mother.

This talk presents ways to teach prayer. It includes shaping attitudes toward prayer, cultivating habits of prayer, and introducing different prayer forms. Teachers of various grades will find something to incorporate in their lessons as well as to enrich their own spiritual lives.

This talk provides catechists with tried and true techniques for maintaining classroom discipline and instilling in students an inner discipline. It shows how to teach students with organization, smoothness, and a tender tenacity so that the lesson goes according to your plan, not theirs.

Why and how to teach young people today about the saints, our friends in high places who show us that the Christian life is possible. Bring the saints into your classroom and introduce your students to their extended family, the Communion of Saints. This talk presents creative ways to teach that the saints were once like us and now are our friends, models, patrons, and heroes–certified winners. Also learn what saint-making (canonization) involves.

This entertaining and very practical talk presents many creative activities and examples that entice students to read Scripture, enable them to understand and love it, and teach them to use God’s Word in prayer. Ideas can be adapted to any age level.

The Eucharist is an incredible gift. This talk leads to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Mass. It provides teachers with methods and techniques for presenting the Eucharist in such a way that students are more apt to cherish it and participate in it more wholeheartedly.

We remember what we do more than what we hear or read. In this talk dozens of art projects are suggested that can leave a lasting impression on students. Photos of finished products are shown in a PowerPoint presentation.

A Catholic school should be saturated with a sense of the sacred, an awareness of Jesus Christ. It is a community of believers where disciples are formed. This talk suggests ways to promote prayer and therefore faith in the school as a whole and in classes.

How to teach about the facets of mercy: God’s mercy in salvation history and today, the mercy of Jesus shown in his healings and forgiveness, and how we can be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful.

This talk offers a rationale for teaching religion to preschool children and ways to plant the seeds of faith in the hearts of God’s little ones. It includes practical suggestions for introducing them to God, the Bible, Jesus, and Christian life on their level so that they might become the committed Catholics of the future.

This talk presents seven messages found in the Catechism that are specifically for catechists. It offers ways these messages can be taken to heart and implemented in classes so that we become dynamic and effective catechists who draw children and youth more closely to Jesus Christ and form them into the Christian leaders of tomorrow.

Our hefty catechism is a challenge for adults to read. This talk offers pointers and loads of ideas for making the truths of the catechism palatable for today’s children. In addition it suggests ways that religion teachers (and parents) can use the catechism to deepen their own faith.

For Retreats/Days of Recollection

A talk on God’s boundless mercy in the Old Testament, shown and taught by Jesus, and modeled by Mary. The Works of Mercy and the act of forgiveness are topics included.

A Personal Letter from God – How God speaks through the Bible
Continuing the Correspondence – How we respond to the Bible
Sounding the Good News – Lectio divina
Celebrating the Word – Scripture in liturgy

Mary of Nazareth is not a goddess but a flesh-and-blood woman. The faith she practiced in responding to God’s call and facing the extraordinary challenges of her vocation is a model for us. This presentation offers realistic views of Mary based on Scripture but with insights from historians and archaeologists. It draws from her spirituality three qualities that can strengthen our relationship with God.

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Meet Sr. Kathleen

Jesus depends on us to spread the Good News of God’s love, offering the world hope and joy. Mary Kathleen, a Sister of Notre Dame from Chardon, Ohio, responds through writing, speaking, giving retreats, and teaching. Her motto, adopted from Eddie Doherty’s gravesite, is “All my words for the Word.”

About Catholic Faith Corner

A warm welcome to Catholic Faith Corner! May my reflections help you know and live the Catholic faith, inspire you, and touch your heart. I hope you subscribe here and occasionally comment on my posts.

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A Child’s Book
of Psalms

Here is a simple version of verses from favorite psalms, followed by a one-line prayer. Colored photos enhance the 24-page booklet.

Featured Book

Totally Catholic! A Catechism for Kids and Their Parents and Teachers

This award-winning book is being used in classrooms and by RCIA groups.

Visit My Book Store

Sister Kathleen has more than ninety books published and has worked on six textbook series. Several of her books have garnered awards from the Catholic Press Association and Multimedia International. You can buy from Amazon, but purchasing books directly from her earns more for her community.