“Anointed”

Catechist Summary * Slides

• Track A: Monday 12/15/2025, 6:45-8:30 p.m. in Mission Hall at the Parish Center
  • with continuing Advent Confessions in the kitchen off the gym
• Track B: Wednesday 12/17/2025 and Thursday 12/18/2025 in 8th Grade Religion class (may need to be flexible around Advent Confessions at St. Matthias and pageant/music rehearsals at Queen of Angels)

Timed Icebreaker (2 min.)

List ways you can help people using your hands. Groups can use the notepads provided during class. Students making up the session later can use a blank page at the end of one of the sections in their Journal.  

Opening Prayer (5 min.) for Advent

Responsory for Late Advent and Lighting of Wreath

Drop down dew, ​O heavens: ​Let the clouds rain down the Just One.​
Let the earth be opened: that a Savior ​may bud forth.
On that day the mountains will stream with sweetness: ​And the hills will flow with milk and honey.​
​Come, Lord Jesus! ​ Come soon!

Intro to the Confirming Bishop (20 min)

See slides presented by Ms. Hohner on Monday evening (or Mr. Rosales/Mr. Howell in Religion during the week), with the slide Notes pages for the presenter.

• “Who Am I?” guessing game
• Bishop Turley interesting facts (many of which are connections to Pope Leo!)
• What do bishops do?
• The Bishop in the Confirmation Mass
• Letter to the Pastor

Writing Letters (60 min)

As we prepare to give and receive gifts this Christmas, ​let us take a moment now to give thanks for our greatest gift​ which came to us from God in a most unexpected package.

Option to first look at “Who Is My Neighbor?” box at the top of p. 1340 in Catholic Youth Bible​

“He Came” video – formerly available on YouTube from Thrive Media, now embedded in the slides

One night, long ago, he came. 
God took on flesh and lived among us.
He came quietly, miraculously, humbly, willingly.
He came to love, to heal, to serve.
He came to redeem, to renew, to save.
He came for everyone.
He came for you.
He came.

Christmas Prayer

Lord, in this holy season of prayer and song and laughter, we praise you for the great wonders you have sent us: ​for a shining star and the angels’ song, for an infant’s cry in a lowly manger. We praise you for the Word made flesh in a little Child, and we thank you for the Son you sent to us to be our Savior and King. We behold His glory, and we are bathed in His radiant light. Be with us through the contradictions of Christmas – the incomprehensible comprehended, the poetry made hard fact, the helpless Babe who cracks the world apart. We kneel before you as humble shepherds, reluctant innkeepers, world-weary Magi. Help us to rise bigger than we are, with more hope and faith to help heal our world.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Closing & Dismissal (5 min)

HOMEWORK

• If not done already:
  • catch up on Journal pages vi-xii, 2-4, 22-25, 32-34, 44-47, 52-56, 64 previously assigned
  • finish and send in your Confirmation Name Reflection which was due in November!
• Next class session:
  • Track A (Religious Ed.): Monday, January 5 from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Mission Hall at the Parish Center, 4412 N. Western (no school for CPS that day, but you are supposed to be back in school the next morning)
  • Track B (Catholic Schools): Wednesday, January 7 and Thursday, January 8 in 8th Grade Religion
  • Letters being taken home to finish are due the week we come back!
    • Track A: due Monday, January 5
    • Track B: due Thursday, January 8
• Merry Christmas!  See you in 2026!

Note for later on:

• Letter to the Pastor assigned as classwork in mid-December, due when come back in January:
• Interviews to be scheduled in January and February
  • 15-minute interview with parish staff member (Father Jason Malave, Mr. Tom Houlihan, Mrs. Nicole Pacholski or Ms. Rachel Hohner)
  • options for after-school, evenings or Saturday morning
  • sign up online through SignUpGenius in early January when we come back from break
  • to foster connections with those you do not already know well:
    • Track A should NOT choose an interview appointment with Ms. Rachel Hohner, Coordinator of Religious Education
    • Track B should NOT choose an interview appointment with their own school’s Principal (but the other school’s Principal would be OK)
    • anyone can choose an interview appointment with Father Jason
• Retreat II with Reconciliation on Friday, January 30 for Track A & B (all 2nd Year students)
  • candidates 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at our St. Matthias site
  • parents & Sponsors invited to join for dinner & second half of retreat (6:30-8:30)
  • probably beginning at St. Matthias Gym, 4910 N. Claremont
  • ending at St. Matthias Church, 2310 W. Ainslie
• Service Hours due in early February

“Immaculate Mary”

Session Overview for Catechists
Slides (WORK IN PROGRESS) * Catechist Summary

• Track A (Religious Ed / catecismo): Monday 12/8/2025, 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Queen of Angels Church and Holy Family Hall, with families present
  • 6:30 p.m, Bilingual evening Mass at Queen of Angels Church
  • after Mass to 8:30 p.m. activities in Holy Family Hall
• Track B (Catholic schools):
  • Monday 12/8/2025: Morning Mass with each school community (8:30 a.m. Queen of Angels, 10 a.m. St. Matthias)
  • Wednesday 12/10/2025 OR Thursday 12/11/2025 in 8th Grade Religion Class

Mass for Immaculate Conception (45-60 min)

Transition to Holy Family Hall  (0-5 min)

• Walk downstairs after Mass to church basement hall
• Name tag pick-up for candidates
• Sign-in and name tag-making for family members
• Light refreshments offered to all

Marian Learning Stations (15-20 min)

“IMMACULATE” STATION

• Learn: about how Mary was conceived without original sin as preparation for bearing the Savior (Immaculate conception info handout)
• Do: Reflect with a partner (or your family) about the special gifts you have been given and how you are called to put them into the service of Jesus.
• Pray: Morning Offering, version invoking the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and for the intentions of the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV (Morning Offering bilingual with IHM)
  December 2025 monthly intentions to pray for the Holy Father:
  • For Christians in areas of conflict
    Let us pray that Christians living in areas of war or conflict, especially in the Middle East, might be seeds of peace, reconciliation, and hope.
• Materials: Reflection Guide with questions adapted from Family tab here; images of the Immaculate Heart of Mary symbol, Morning Offering prayer cards, info handout

“SIGN” STATION

• Learn: what Mary and a tabernacle have in common, and how the Our Lady of the Sign monstrance at St. Stanislaus Kostka combines both
• Pray: shortened Litany of Loreto with several titles of Mary related to her immaculate conception or being the vessel that bore the Savior
• Do: choose a favorite title of Mary and write a short prayer intention requesting her intercession, staple it to one of the paper spirals
• Materials: packet about Our Lady of the Sign (adapted from this article) with shortened Litany of Loreto (in English and Spanish?), images of tabernacles and sacred vessels at our parish churches

“GUADALUPE” STATION

• Learn: Story of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego and the miracle of the roses in 16th century Mexico
• Do: Identify and color each of the symbols in the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that have such a powerful message for the faithful
• Pray: Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe in English or Spanish, at the bottom of the handout with the table of symbols
• Materials: handout with story and image to color, handout with table of symbols, various images of Our Lady of Guadalupe

“LADYBUG” STATION

• Learn: Why the ladybug is called a “lady”bug and what this has to do with the Virgin Mary.
• Pray: Hail Mary in English or Spanish (Hail Mary bilingual with Ladybug)
• Do: Glue a black spot onto one of the paper ladybugs as a symbol of your prayer.
• Materials: half-sheet handouts about Our Lady’s Bug; giant paper ladybug(s), black circles in 2 sizes, glue sticks; printed prayer cards

Mary gives her example to us with the few short phrases we hear from her in the Bible, e.g.

• “Let it be done…”
• “My soul proclaims…”
• “Do whatever he tells you…”

In a similar way, the Mass we’ve (just) experienced together speaks to us through its actions and the ideas expressed.  It’s like learning about Marian symbols.  Lots there to be understood, we just have to decode it and be mindful/reflective as it is happening!

So let’s try to better understand what our role is in the Mass, by thinking of Mass not just as something we go to, but as an action we participate in doing.

Breakout: Questions on Mass Verbs Cards (25 min)

A verb is a word that shows actions, states of being or relationships.  There are many verbs that describe the actions and relationships of the community celebrating Mass together.

Each pair (or family group) should choose one of the verbs and together complete the question sheet (p. 1 English | p. 2 español).

When choosing a card, try to pick something where the word means something to you, or the picture captures your attention, or both. The complete list of verbs is in the table below:

“One Word At A Time” Mass Verbs Reflections from the Archdiocese of Chicago, Strategic Pastoral Plan Photos by John Zich, James Hohner and the Catholic New World
acclaim	adore	believe	bless
bow (inclinarse)	break	call	deepen
die	direct	drink	eat
feed	forgive	gather	give
go	hear	hope	invoke
join	keep (conservar)	kiss (besar)	know
lift	link	love	open
point	praise	pray	prepare
quiet	recognize	remember	rise (levantarse)
see	send	serve	share
sign	sing	sit	stand
support (apoyar)	take	thank	think
unite	wait	walk	witness

Homework, Reminders and Closing Prayer (10 min)

HOMEWORK

• Textbook pp. 28 and 64-65

REMINDERS

• Next class session will be our last before Christmas break, in which we will be writing letters to Father Jason
  • Track A: Monday 12/15
    • bring a charged device if you would like to type in class to turn in your letter electronically
  • Track B: In Religion class on Wednesday 12/17 and Thursdsy 12/18 or some other arrangement, per Religion Teacher

CLOSING PRAYER

Responsory for Early Advent

The night passes on; ​it will be morning soon.​
The hour has come, Lord:  ​wake us from our sleep.
Allow us to ​ walk with children of light ​toward your coming dawn.​
​Come, ​Lord Jesus! ​ Come soon!​

La noche está pasando;​ pronto será​ de día.   ​
La hora ha llegado, Señor: despiértanos​del sueño.
Permitenoscaminarcomo​hijos de la luz ​hacia la llegada​de la Aurora.​
​¡Ven, ​Señor Jesús! ​¡Ven, ya no tardes!​​​

Holy Family slideshow: Who are YOU in the Holy Family? 

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn6Snr2sppk)

​Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph… ​ pray for us! ​

Sagrada Familia de Jesús, María y José… ​ oran por nosotros.

Note for later on:

• Letter to the Pastor due in early January, to be assigned as classwork at the next class during the Anointed lesson
• Service Hours can be done and turned in now; due finally in early February

Advent (with seasonal Confessions)

Session Overview for Catechists
Slides * Catechist Summary

• Track A (Religious Ed / catecismo): Monday 12/1/2025, 6:45-8:30 p.m. in Mission Hall at the Parish Center
  The middle of the session with the actual Advent Confessions (7:30-8:15) will take place at Queen of Angels Church.  
• Track B (Catholic schools): Wednesday 12/3/2025 and/or Thursday 12/4/2025 in 8th Grade Religion class
  Preparation for Confessions and group prayer will take place during Religion class time, but the actual Advent Confessions for Track B will be during the following week:
  • Queen of Angels School (with 6th-8th Gr.): TBA, maybe on a Wednesday morning in Queen of Angels Church
  • St. Matthias School (with 3rd-8th Gr.): TBA, maybe on a Friday afternoon in St. Matthias Church

Gathering Icebreaker (10 min.)

Catechists should check in with students about their their family’s Advent & Christmas traditions.

Opening Prayer (5 min.) for Advent

We pause to reflect briefly on the meaning of the Advent candles and choose a student to “light” the wreath (normally with paper flames). The wreath is a ring of evergreens, a symbol of eternity (a circle has no ending) and a sign of life for us in the depths of winter.  The 4 candles stand for the 4 Sundays or weeks of Advent, with themes (sometimes called virtues) related to the Sunday readings:

• 1st week: Prophecy / Hope [violet]
• 2nd week: Bethlehem / Peace [violet]
• 3rd week: Shepherd / Joy [rose]
• 4th week: Angel / Love [violet]

Blessing of the Advent Wreath

Lord our God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ: he is Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples,​ he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us, he is the Savior of every nation.​ Lord God, let your blessing come upon us as we light the candles of this wreath.​ May the wreath and its light be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring us salvation.  May he come quickly ​and not delay.  We ask this through ​Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Advent Hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ley1aOPDHCE&t=19s)

Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas (20 min.)

There are 3 dimensions of Christ’s “coming” as we sing this ancient song to invite Jesus “Emmanuel” (“God with us”) and ask him to come and free us:

1. past Incarnation (born in Bethlehem 2000+ years ago)
2. now (in our hearts)
3. future return (Second Coming, “…until you come again”).

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ coming, especially of his birth, yes, but all 3 dimensions should be celebrated.  We might set up a Nativity scene in our homes or yards, to remind us of his humble birth in a stable in Bethlehem.  We heard Jesus’ own words about his future return in the Gospel for the First Sunday of Advent this past weekend.  But what do we do to prepare for Jesus to come into our hearts?

We prepare our homes and our lives for celebrating Jesus’ birth at Christmas (gather ideas from students based on icebreaker): cleaning, decorating, cooking, baking, shopping.  Let’s also take some time to prepare our hearts since that is where we want Jesus to come now!

The best way to prepare our hearts is to go to confession, so our hearts can be free from the burden of sin that weighs us down.  It may have been a while since our previous time going to confession, or we may go and receive this sacrament frequently. Reconciliation is not just something we do once before our First Communion, it is something we should do often, at least once or twice a year.  And Advent, as a season of preparation, of hope, peace, joy, and love, is a great opportunity for that!  We will also need to go to confession a little closer to Confirmation day, so we are prepared for the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in the sacrament.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvpiu-AE5n8)

Advent Confessions Guide handout with wreath-based graphic organizer and steps to confession

• Pray for Guidance from Jesus and the Holy Spirit
• Make an Examination of Conscience
  • to find the sins you have committed that you are sorry for – not accidents!
  • reflection questions themed around failing to live with Hope, Peace, Joy and Love
• Be prepared with the Act of Contrition – “contrition” means being sorry
• Review the steps to Confession – knowing what to say, do and expect in each step of Confession will help you not to be so nervous!

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Transfer to church (10 min)

Confessions (45 min)

Track A: After going to Confession and praying quietly in the church, students who need a different activity can come to the gathering space for a worksheet about Advent saints.  Catechists will help direct students so that we maintain a prayerful atmosphere in the worship space, out of respect for Jesus in the tabernacle, the penitents in confession, and those quietly praying before or after their own Confession.

Track B: Students will have the opportunity to go to Confession next week with their schoolmates.  The worksheet about Advent saints could, at the discretion of the Religion teacher, become an in-class activity during the second half of the designated Confirmation Prep time in Religion class this week.

Transfer from church (10 min)

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Homework & Reminders

HOMEWORK (due next week)

• Textbook pp. 66-69
• Journal pp. 55-56

REMINDERS

• Next class session is next week – this is when your book/journal homework will be due!
  • Track A (Religious Ed): BRING YOUR FAMILY on Monday 12/8!
    • Holy Day of Obligation (go to Mass!) for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, honoring Mary as the Mother of Jesus conceived without original sin and asking for her prayers as the patron saint of the U.S.A.
    • Come earlier than usual for 6:30 p.m. Mass at Queen of Angels Church in English and Spanish
    • Students and families stay until 8:30 p.m. downstairs in Holy Family Hall, discussion and activities related to Mary and Mass
  • Track B (Catholic schools):
    • All-school Mass on Monday morning 12/8 for Immaculate Conception
    • Shortened class session (1 day instead of 2) on Wednesday 12/10 OR Thursday 12/11 in 8th Grade Religion class

Closing Prayer

“People, Look East” (Eleanor Farjeon)

This is Ms. Hohner’s favorite carol – an Advent carol rather than a Christmas carol.  It has a bounce and a joy to it, but this song is definitely for the Advent season when we prepare because Jesus is still “on the way”.  If time permits, a litany of the Advent saints from the worksheet may be included. 

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkG1Zls71KM)

Saint Andrew the Apostle, pray for us!
Saint Francis Xavier, pray for us!
Saint Nicholas of Myra, pray for us!
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!
Saint Lucy of Syracuse, pray for us!
Saint Mary di Rosa, pray for us!
Saint John Cantius, pray for us! 

Note for later on:

• Service Hours can be done and turned in now; due finally in early February. 
• Letter to the Pastor due in early January, to be assigned as classwork in December during the Anointed lesson.