We are excited to announce that the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis has been awarded a generous Faith in Our Future grant to enhance faith formation for diverse learners across all parishes and parish clusters.
🌟 Diverse Abilities in Faith Formation
Every child brings unique talents and learning styles. Recognizing and nurturing these differences is essential, especially for diverse learners. To support this, Loyola Press offers the Adaptive Finding God program and Adaptive Sacrament Preparation Kits, designed to provide inclusive catechesis for children with diverse abilities.
📚 Curriculum and Resources Provided
Through this initiative, each parish and parish cluster will receive the following resource at no cost:
1. Adaptive Finding God Kit
A comprehensive program adaptable to various settings, including parishes, schools, and homes. Developed in collaboration with the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD), it offers:
Two Levels of Instruction:
- Hands-On Level: Ideal for one-on-one catechesis without grade-level identification.
- Adapted Grade Level: Modifies the Finding God Grades 1-8 curriculum for multisensory learning.
Components Include:
- Catechist Guide with lesson plans and modification charts.
- 177 Lesson Cards covering various themes.
- Parent Group Facilitator Guide and Program Coordinator Guide.
- Loyola Learning Tools: music CDs, puppets, puzzles, and flip books.
For more details, visit the Adaptive Finding God Kit.
2. Adaptive Sacrament Preparation Kits
Designed for children with autism and other special needs, these kits prepare learners for the sacraments: store.loyolapress.com
- First Reconciliation Kit: Includes tools like the Reconciliation Flip Book, "I'm Sorry" cards, and the "I Am Forgiven" sequence puzzle.
- First Eucharist Kit: Features the My Picture Missal Flip Book, sequencing cards, and a helper guide.
- Confirmation Kit: Contains interactive materials to engage learners in understanding the sacrament.
Explore the kits at Adaptive Learning Kits - Loyola Press.
🛠️ Support and Training
To ensure effective implementation:
- In-Person Orientation: Join us at the upcoming Catechetical Conference on August 21-23, 2025, for hands-on training.
- Instructional Video: Watch presenters Maureen Burriesci and Kathy Donnelly unpack the adaptive sacramental preparation kits and Adaptive Finding God lessons from Loyola Press.
📦 How to Receive Your Free Curriculum
Parishes and parish clusters can pick up their curriculum boxes from the Mary, Mother of the Church Pastoral Center (MMCPC), Please schedule a pickup time by filling out this form. Note: The curriculum boxes will occupy the space of a standard car trunk.
🙏 Embracing Inclusive Catechesis
By embracing these resources, we affirm our commitment to providing meaningful catechesis for all children, recognizing and celebrating their unique gifts and abilities.
For further information or assistance, please contact Anh Clausen, [email protected], of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.
