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Author: Ralph Barnett
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Mass
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
Author: Ralph Barnett
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Mass
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Get Book
Book Description
Author: Ralph Barnett
Publisher: eSoup Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 163
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Book Description
“We’re living through the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church,” a refrain reverberating thru Catholic America. Likely, you are familiar with the statistics: · 25% percent decline in Mass attendance. · 15% of churches closed and/or consolidated. · 65% of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence. · Catholicism, the largest Christian creed followed closely by fallen away Catholics. America’s religious decline is not new. Experts claim, “Christianity has been on decline since the removal of prayer from public schools in 1962.” Catholic school enrollment declined concurrently. Yet prayer was not removed from Catholic schools. Predictably, Mass attendance followed. What changed? Catholic authorities proffered explanations and recommendations; none of which stemmed the tide . . . a sure sign the root cause was not rightly identified. As a cradle-Catholic father, grandfather, and amateur student of Mass, I offer an assertion supported by my love of Catholicism, logic . . . and a book! “What changed” was the equivalent of removing the pillar of prayer from public schools . . . Mass was removed from Catholic catechesis - school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation, ambo, and domestic church. A cursory look at a Baltimore Catechism, the 1950-60s field manual for Catholics, reveals a 30-page segment, “Catechism of the Mass,” immersing students in liturgical details. A cursory look at current Catholic curricula reveals a paucity of information on Mass ranging from a few paragraphs in school texts to “take home” trifolds for CCD, RCIA, etc. Is Mass that important? Did you know Mass . . . · Is the most perfect way for man to praise and give thanks to God? · Is the only sacrifice perfect, pleasing, and acceptable to God? · Is the most sacred function of the Church, surpassing all others in efficacy? · Is the Church’s greatest prayer? · Is an offering for the whole Mystical Body of Christ? · Is the highest form of prayer for the faithful? · Is the Church’s #1 effort to save souls? · Is the same sacrifice Christ made on the Cross? · Is the perfect answer to prayer as it brings mercy and salvation Christ won for us? · Is required attendance every Sunday and six Holy Days a year but Communion only once? · Is the Source and Summit of our Faith? Seemingly, Mass is the answer to everything integral to Catholicism. Why is it not taught in Catholic education settings? How do we reverse the tide? Pope John Paul II: “Mass is Heaven on Earth. What we celebrate on Earth is a mysterious participation in the heavenly liturgy.” If Catholics realized Mass is tantamount to Heaven on Earth, would we be witnessing “the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church?” Emphatically, “No.” As one Priest opined, “We’d have to double Masses and they’d be SRO.” We would witness the greatest flood of student enrollment and Mass attendance since the inception of Catholicism in America. We would have to double Catholic school classes and reopen shuttered schools and churches. Catholics must re-assess school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation and domestic church catechesis to make space for a deep dive into Mass. To fulfill the need, I submit a book series, “Heaven on Earth: The Order and Meaning of Mass:” · “Heaven on Earth” second edition text for adults. · “Curriculum” for students and educators. · “Workbook” of lesson reviews for students. “Heaven on Earth” is not a theological or academic treatise but a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to Mass for the faithful unlike anything available elsewhere. Author’s Promise: “You will never ever go to church, attend Mass, or receive Communion the same way again.”
Author: Ralph Barnett
Publisher: eSoup Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 165
Get Book
Book Description
The Catechism of the Catholic Church encourages parents to catechize their children: · Parents’ duty to educate their children is instinctive and inalienable. · Parents have the first responsibility for educating their children. · Parents’ role in education is so important it is near impossible to offer an adequate substitute. · By marriage, parents receive the responsibility of evangelizing their children. · Parents educate their children to fulfill God's law. · As “first heralds," parents should initiate their children into the mysteries of the faith. · Education in the faith by parents should begin in the child's earliest years. · Family catechesis precedes other forms of religious instruction in the faith. But . . . catechize on what and how? As a cradle Catholic, father, grandfather, layperson, and ardent student of our Faith, I offer a suggestion based on common sense . . . and a book series. “We’re living through the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church,” a refrain reverberating thru Catholic America. Likely, you are familiar with the statistics: · 25% percent decline in Mass attendance. · 15% of churches closed and/or consolidated. · 65% of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence. · Catholicism, the largest Christian creed followed closely by fallen away Catholics. America’s religious decline is not new. Experts claim, “Christianity has been on decline since the removal of prayer from public schools in 1962.” Catholic school enrollment declined concurrently. Yet prayer was not removed from Catholic schools. Predictably, Mass attendance followed. What changed? Catholic authorities proffered explanations and recommendations; none of which stemmed the tide . . . a sure sign the root cause was not rightly identified. “What changed” was the equivalent of removing the pillar of prayer from public schools . . . Mass was removed from Catholic catechesis - school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation, ambo, and domestic church. A cursory look at a Baltimore Catechism, the 1950-60s field manual for Catholics, reveals a 30-page segment, “Catechism of the Mass,” immersing students in liturgical details. A cursory look at current Catholic curricula reveals a paucity of information on Mass ranging from a few paragraphs in texts for schools and homeschool to “take home” trifolds for CCD, RCIA, etc. Is Mass that important? Did you know Mass . . . Is the only sacrifice perfect, pleasing, and acceptable to God? Is the most sacred function of the Church, surpassing all others in efficacy? Is the Church’s greatest prayer? Is the Church’s #1 effort to save souls? Is the same sacrifice Christ made on the Cross? Is the perfect answer to prayer as it brings mercy and salvation Christ won for us? Is required attendance every Sunday and six Holy Days a year but Communion only once? Is the Source and Summit of our Faith? Is Heaven on Earth? Seemingly, Mass is the answer to everything integral to Catholicism. Why is it not taught in Catholic education settings? How do we reverse the tide? Catholics must re-assess school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation, school and homeschool catechesis to make space for a deep dive into Mass. To fulfill the need, I submit a book series, “Catechism Curriculum for Catholic Homeschool,” which includes a 163-page text accompanied by a workbook with fifty-one lesson reviews containing 1,600+ questions. The series is not a theological or academic treatise but a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to Mass for homeschool catechesis unlike anything available elsewhere. Author’s Promise: “Your family will never ever go to church, attend Mass, or receive Communion the same way again.”
Author: Ralph Barnett
Publisher: eSoup Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 164
Get Book
Book Description
“We’re living through the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church,” a refrain reverberating thru Catholic America. Likely, you are familiar with the statistics: · 25% percent decline in Mass attendance. · 15% of churches closed and/or consolidated. · 65% of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence. · Catholicism, the largest Christian creed followed closely by fallen away Catholics. America’s religious decline is not new. Experts claim, “Christianity has been on decline since the removal of prayer from public schools in 1962.” Catholic school enrollment declined concurrently. Yet prayer was not removed from Catholic schools. Predictably, Mass attendance followed. What changed? Catholic authorities proffered explanations and recommendations; none of which stemmed the tide . . . a sure sign the root cause was not rightly identified. As a cradle-Catholic father, grandfather, and amateur student of Mass, I offer an assertion supported by my love of Catholicism, logic . . . and a book! “What changed” was the equivalent of removing the pillar of prayer from public schools . . . Mass was removed from Catholic catechesis - school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation, ambo, and domestic church. A cursory look at a Baltimore Catechism, the 1950-60s field manual for Catholics, reveals a 30-page segment, “Catechism of the Mass,” immersing students in liturgical details. A cursory look at current Catholic curricula reveals a paucity of information on Mass ranging from a few paragraphs in school texts to “take home” trifolds for CCD, RCIA, etc. Is Mass that important? Did you know Mass . . . · Is the most perfect way for man to praise and give thanks to God? · Is the only sacrifice perfect, pleasing, and acceptable to God? · Is the most sacred function of the Church, surpassing all others in efficacy? · Is the Church’s greatest prayer? · Is an offering for the whole Mystical Body of Christ? · Is the highest form of prayer for the faithful? · Is the Church’s #1 effort to save souls? · Is the same sacrifice Christ made on the Cross? · Is the perfect answer to prayer as it brings mercy and salvation Christ won for us? · Is required attendance every Sunday and six Holy Days a year but Communion only once? · Is the Source and Summit of our Faith? Seemingly, Mass is the answer to everything integral to Catholicism. Why is it not taught in Catholic education settings? How do we reverse the tide? Pope John Paul II: “Mass is Heaven on Earth. What we celebrate on Earth is a mysterious participation in the heavenly liturgy.” If Catholics realized Mass is tantamount to Heaven on Earth, would we be witnessing “the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church?” Emphatically, “No.” As one Priest opined, “We’d have to double Masses and they’d be SRO.” We would witness the greatest flood of student enrollment and Mass attendance since the inception of Catholicism in America. We would have to double Catholic school classes and reopen shuttered schools and churches. Catholics must re-assess school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation and domestic church catechesis to make space for a deep dive into Mass. To fulfill the need, I submit a book series, “Heaven on Earth: The Order and Meaning of Mass:” · “Heaven on Earth” second edition text for adults. · “Curriculum” for students and educators. · “Workbook” of lesson reviews for students. “Heaven on Earth” is not a theological or academic treatise but a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to Mass for the faithful unlike anything available elsewhere. Author’s Promise: “You will never ever go to church, attend Mass, or receive Communion the same way again.”
Author: Ralph Barnett
Publisher: eSoup Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 80
Get Book
Book Description
“We’re living through the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church,” a refrain reverberating thru Catholic America. Likely, you are familiar with the statistics: · 25% percent decline in Mass attendance. · 15% of churches closed and/or consolidated. · 65% of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence. · Catholicism, the largest Christian creed followed closely by fallen away Catholics. America’s religious decline is not new. Experts claim, “Christianity has been on decline since the removal of prayer from public schools in 1962.” Catholic school enrollment declined concurrently. Yet prayer was not removed from Catholic schools. Predictably, Mass attendance followed. What changed? Catholic authorities proffered explanations and recommendations; none of which stemmed the tide . . . a sure sign the root cause was not rightly identified. As a cradle-Catholic father, grandfather, and amateur student of Mass, I offer an assertion supported by my love of Catholicism, logic . . . and a book! “What changed” was the equivalent of removing the pillar of prayer from public schools . . . Mass was removed from Catholic catechesis - school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation, ambo, and domestic church. A cursory look at a Baltimore Catechism, the 1950-60s field manual for Catholics, reveals a 30-page segment, “Catechism of the Mass,” immersing students in liturgical details. A cursory look at current Catholic curricula reveals a paucity of information on Mass ranging from a few paragraphs in school texts to “take home” trifolds for CCD, RCIA, etc. Is Mass that important? Did you know Mass . . . · Is the most perfect way for man to praise and give thanks to God? · Is the only sacrifice perfect, pleasing, and acceptable to God? · Is the most sacred function of the Church, surpassing all others in efficacy? · Is the Church’s greatest prayer? · Is an offering for the whole Mystical Body of Christ? · Is the highest form of prayer for the faithful? · Is the Church’s #1 effort to save souls? · Is the same sacrifice Christ made on the Cross? · Is the perfect answer to prayer as it brings mercy and salvation Christ won for us? · Is required attendance every Sunday and six Holy Days a year but Communion only once? · Is the Source and Summit of our Faith? Seemingly, Mass is the answer to everything integral to Catholicism. Why is it not taught in Catholic education settings? How do we reverse the tide? Pope John Paul II: “Mass is Heaven on Earth. What we celebrate on Earth is a mysterious participation in the heavenly liturgy.” If Catholics realized Mass is tantamount to Heaven on Earth, would we be witnessing “the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church?” Emphatically, “No.” As one Priest opined, “We’d have to double Masses and they’d be SRO.” We would witness the greatest flood of student enrollment and Mass attendance since the inception of Catholicism in America. We would have to double Catholic school classes and reopen shuttered schools and churches. Catholics must re-assess school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation and domestic church catechesis to make space for a deep dive into Mass. To fulfill the need, I submit a book series, “Heaven on Earth: The Order and Meaning of Mass:” · “Heaven on Earth” second edition text for adults. · “Curriculum” for students and educators. · “Workbook” of lesson reviews for students. “Heaven on Earth” is not a theological or academic treatise but a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to Mass for the faithful unlike anything available elsewhere. Author’s Promise: “You will never ever go to church, attend Mass, or receive Communion the same way again.”
Author: Ralph Barnett
Publisher: eSoup Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 123
Get Book
Book Description
“We’re living through the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church,” a refrain reverberating thru Catholic America. Likely, you are familiar with the statistics: · 25% percent decline in Mass attendance. · 15% of churches closed and/or consolidated. · 65% of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence. · Catholicism, the largest Christian creed followed closely by fallen away Catholics. America’s religious decline is not new. Experts claim, “Christianity has been on decline since the removal of prayer from public schools in 1962.” Catholic school enrollment declined concurrently. Yet prayer was not removed from Catholic schools. Predictably, Mass attendance followed. What changed? Catholic authorities proffered explanations and recommendations; none of which stemmed the tide . . . a sure sign the root cause was not rightly identified. As a cradle-Catholic father, grandfather, and amateur student of Mass, I offer an assertion supported by my love of Catholicism, logic . . . and a book! “What changed” was the equivalent of removing the pillar of prayer from public schools . . . Mass was removed from Catholic catechesis - school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation, ambo, and domestic church. A cursory look at a Baltimore Catechism, the 1950-60s field manual for Catholics, reveals a 30-page segment, “Catechism of the Mass,” immersing students in liturgical details. A cursory look at current Catholic curricula reveals a paucity of information on Mass ranging from a few paragraphs in school texts to “take home” trifolds for CCD, RCIA, etc. Is Mass that important? Did you know Mass . . . · Is the most perfect way for man to praise and give thanks to God? · Is the only sacrifice perfect, pleasing, and acceptable to God? · Is the most sacred function of the Church, surpassing all others in efficacy? · Is the Church’s greatest prayer? · Is an offering for the whole Mystical Body of Christ? · Is the highest form of prayer for the faithful? · Is the Church’s #1 effort to save souls? · Is the same sacrifice Christ made on the Cross? · Is the perfect answer to prayer as it brings mercy and salvation Christ won for us? · Is required attendance every Sunday and six Holy Days a year but Communion only once? · Is the Source and Summit of our Faith? Seemingly, Mass is the answer to everything integral to Catholicism. Why is it not taught in Catholic education settings? How do we reverse the tide? Pope John Paul II: “Mass is Heaven on Earth. What we celebrate on Earth is a mysterious participation in the heavenly liturgy.” If Catholics realized Mass is tantamount to Heaven on Earth, would we be witnessing “the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church?” Emphatically, “No.” As one Priest opined, “We’d have to double Masses and they’d be SRO.” We would witness the greatest flood of student enrollment and Mass attendance since the inception of Catholicism in America. We would have to double Catholic school classes and reopen shuttered schools and churches. Catholics must re-assess school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation and domestic church catechesis to make space for a deep dive into Mass. To fulfill the need, I submit a book series, “Heaven on Earth: The Order and Meaning of Mass:” · “Heaven on Earth” second edition text for adults. · “Curriculum” for students and educators. · “Workbook” of lesson reviews for students. “Heaven on Earth” is not a theological or academic treatise but a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to Mass for the faithful unlike anything available elsewhere. Author’s Promise: “You will never ever go to church, attend Mass, or receive Communion the same way again.”
Author: Ralph Barnett
Publisher: eSoup Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 278
Get Book
Book Description
“We’re living through the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church,” a refrain reverberating thru Catholic America. Likely, you are familiar with the statistics: · 25% percent decline in Mass attendance. · 15% of churches closed and/or consolidated. · 65% of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence. · Catholicism, the largest Christian creed followed closely by fallen away Catholics. America’s religious decline is not new. Experts claim, “Christianity has been on decline since the removal of prayer from public schools in 1962.” Catholic school enrollment declined concurrently. Yet prayer was not removed from Catholic schools. Predictably, Mass attendance followed. What changed? Catholic authorities proffered explanations and recommendations; none of which stemmed the tide . . . a sure sign the root cause was not rightly identified. As a cradle-Catholic father, grandfather, and amateur student of Mass, I offer an assertion supported by my love of Catholicism, logic . . . and a book! “What changed” was the equivalent of removing the pillar of prayer from public schools . . . Mass was removed from Catholic catechesis - school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation, ambo, and domestic church. A cursory look at a Baltimore Catechism, the 1950-60s field manual for Catholics, reveals a 30-page segment, “Catechism of the Mass,” immersing students in liturgical details. A cursory look at current Catholic curricula reveals a paucity of information on Mass ranging from a few paragraphs in school texts to “take home” trifolds for CCD, RCIA, etc. Is Mass that important? Did you know Mass . . . · Is the most perfect way for man to praise and give thanks to God? · Is the only sacrifice perfect, pleasing, and acceptable to God? · Is the most sacred function of the Church, surpassing all others in efficacy? · Is the Church’s greatest prayer? · Is an offering for the whole Mystical Body of Christ? · Is the highest form of prayer for the faithful? · Is the Church’s #1 effort to save souls? · Is the same sacrifice Christ made on the Cross? · Is the perfect answer to prayer as it brings mercy and salvation Christ won for us? · Is required attendance every Sunday and six Holy Days a year but Communion only once? · Is the Source and Summit of our Faith? Seemingly, Mass is the answer to everything integral to Catholicism. Why is it not taught in Catholic education settings? How do we reverse the tide? Pope John Paul II: “Mass is Heaven on Earth. What we celebrate on Earth is a mysterious participation in the heavenly liturgy.” If Catholics realized Mass is tantamount to Heaven on Earth, would we be witnessing “the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church?” Emphatically, “No.” As one Priest opined, “We’d have to double Masses and they’d be SRO.” We would witness the greatest flood of student enrollment and Mass attendance since the inception of Catholicism in America. We would have to double Catholic school classes and reopen shuttered schools and churches. Catholics must re-assess school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation and domestic church catechesis to make space for a deep dive into Mass. To fulfill the need, I submit a book series, “Heaven on Earth: The Order and Meaning of Mass:” · “Heaven on Earth” second edition text for adults. · “Curriculum” for students and educators. · “Workbook” of lesson reviews for students. “Heaven on Earth” is not a theological or academic treatise but a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to Mass for the faithful unlike anything available elsewhere. Author’s Promise: “You will never ever go to church, attend Mass, or receive Communion the same way again.”
Author: Scott Hahn
Publisher: Image
ISBN: 0385504802
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 192
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Book Description
As seen on EWTN, bestselling author Scott Hahn unveils the mysteries of the Mass, offering readers a deeper appreciation of the most familiar of Catholic rituals. Of all things Catholic, there is nothing that is so familiar as the Mass. With its unchanging prayers, the Mass fits Catholics like their favorite clothes. Yet most Catholics sitting in the pews on Sundays fail to see the powerful supernatural drama that enfolds them. Pope John Paul II described the Mass as "Heaven on Earth," explaining that what "we celebrate on Earth is a mysterious participation in the heavenly liturgy." The Lamb’s Supper reveals a long-lost secret of the Church: The early Christians' key to understanding the mysteries of the Mass was the New Testament Book of Revelation. With its bizarre imagery, its mystic visions of heaven, and its end-of-time prophecies, Revelation mirrors the sacrifice and celebration of the Eucharist. Beautifully written, in clear direct language, bestselling Catholic author Scott Hahn's new book will help readers see the Mass with new eyes, pray the liturgy with a renewed heart, and enter into the Mass more fully, enthusiastically, intelligently, and powerfully than ever before.
Author: Ralph Barnett
Publisher: eSoup Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 211
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Book Description
“We’re living through the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church,” a refrain reverberating thru Catholic America. Likely, you are familiar with the statistics: · 25% percent decline in Mass attendance. · 15% of churches closed and/or consolidated. · 65% of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence. · Catholicism, the largest Christian creed followed closely by fallen away Catholics. America’s religious decline is not new. Experts claim, “Christianity has been on decline since the removal of prayer from public schools in 1962.” Catholic school enrollment declined concurrently. Yet prayer was not removed from Catholic schools. Predictably, Mass attendance followed. What changed? Catholic authorities proffered explanations and recommendations; none of which stemmed the tide . . . a sure sign the root cause was not rightly identified. As a cradle-Catholic father, grandfather, and amateur student of Mass, I offer an assertion supported by my love of Catholicism, logic . . . and a book! “What changed” was the equivalent of removing the pillar of prayer from public schools . . . Mass was removed from Catholic catechesis - school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation, ambo, and domestic church. A cursory look at a Baltimore Catechism, the 1950-60s field manual for Catholics, reveals a 30-page segment, “Catechism of the Mass,” immersing students in liturgical details. A cursory look at current Catholic curricula reveals a paucity of information on Mass ranging from a few paragraphs in school texts to “take home” trifolds for CCD, RCIA, etc. Is Mass that important? Did you know Mass . . . · Is the most perfect way for man to praise and give thanks to God? · Is the only sacrifice perfect, pleasing, and acceptable to God? · Is the most sacred function of the Church, surpassing all others in efficacy? · Is the Church’s greatest prayer? · Is an offering for the whole Mystical Body of Christ? · Is the highest form of prayer for the faithful? · Is the Church’s #1 effort to save souls? · Is the same sacrifice Christ made on the Cross? · Is the perfect answer to prayer as it brings mercy and salvation Christ won for us? · Is required attendance every Sunday and six Holy Days a year but Communion only once? · Is the Source and Summit of our Faith? Seemingly, Mass is the answer to everything integral to Catholicism. Why is it not taught in Catholic education settings? How do we reverse the tide? Pope John Paul II: “Mass is Heaven on Earth. What we celebrate on Earth is a mysterious participation in the heavenly liturgy.” If Catholics realized Mass is tantamount to Heaven on Earth, would we be witnessing “the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church?” Emphatically, “No.” As one Priest opined, “We’d have to double Masses and they’d be SRO.” We would witness the greatest flood of student enrollment and Mass attendance since the inception of Catholicism in America. We would have to double Catholic school classes and reopen shuttered schools and churches. Catholics must re-assess school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation and domestic church catechesis to make space for a deep dive into Mass. To fulfill the need, I submit a book series, “Heaven on Earth: The Order and Meaning of Mass:” · “Heaven on Earth” second edition text for adults. · “Curriculum” for students and educators. · “Workbook” of lesson reviews for students. “Heaven on Earth” is not a theological or academic treatise but a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to Mass for the faithful unlike anything available elsewhere. Author’s Promise: “You will never ever go to church, attend Mass, or receive Communion the same way again.”
Author: Ralph Barnett
Publisher: eSoup Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 81
Get Book
Book Description
The Catechism of the Catholic Church encourages parents to catechize their children: · Parents’ duty to educate their children is instinctive and inalienable. · Parents have the first responsibility for educating their children. · Parents’ role in education is so important it is near impossible to offer an adequate substitute. · By marriage, parents receive the responsibility of evangelizing their children. · Parents educate their children to fulfill God's law. · As “first heralds," parents should initiate their children into the mysteries of the faith. · Education in the faith by parents should begin in the child's earliest years. · Family catechesis precedes other forms of religious instruction in the faith. But . . . catechize on what and how? As a cradle Catholic, father, grandfather, layperson, and ardent student of our Faith, I offer a suggestion based on common sense . . . and a book series. “We’re living through the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church,” a refrain reverberating thru Catholic America. Likely, you are familiar with the statistics: · 25% percent decline in Mass attendance. · 15% of churches closed and/or consolidated. · 65% of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence. · Catholicism, the largest Christian creed followed closely by fallen away Catholics. America’s religious decline is not new. Experts claim, “Christianity has been on decline since the removal of prayer from public schools in 1962.” Catholic school enrollment declined concurrently. Yet prayer was not removed from Catholic schools. Predictably, Mass attendance followed. What changed? Catholic authorities proffered explanations and recommendations; none of which stemmed the tide . . . a sure sign the root cause was not rightly identified. “What changed” was the equivalent of removing the pillar of prayer from public schools . . . Mass was removed from Catholic catechesis - school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation, ambo, and domestic church. A cursory look at a Baltimore Catechism, the 1950-60s field manual for Catholics, reveals a 30-page segment, “Catechism of the Mass,” immersing students in liturgical details. A cursory look at current Catholic curricula reveals a paucity of information on Mass ranging from a few paragraphs in texts for schools and homeschool to “take home” trifolds for CCD, RCIA, etc. Is Mass that important? Did you know Mass . . . Is the only sacrifice perfect, pleasing, and acceptable to God? Is the most sacred function of the Church, surpassing all others in efficacy? Is the Church’s greatest prayer? Is the Church’s #1 effort to save souls? Is the same sacrifice Christ made on the Cross? Is the perfect answer to prayer as it brings mercy and salvation Christ won for us? Is required attendance every Sunday and six Holy Days a year but Communion only once? Is the Source and Summit of our Faith? Is Heaven on Earth? Seemingly, Mass is the answer to everything integral to Catholicism. Why is it not taught in Catholic education settings? How do we reverse the tide? Catholics must re-assess school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation, school and homeschool catechesis to make space for a deep dive into Mass. To fulfill the need, I submit a book series, “Catechism Curriculum for Catholic Homeschool,” which includes a 163-page text accompanied by a workbook with fifty-one lesson reviews containing 1,600+ questions. The series is not a theological or academic treatise but a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to Mass for homeschool catechesis unlike anything available elsewhere. Author’s Promise: “Your family will never ever go to church, attend Mass, or receive Communion the same way again.”
