Pflaum Gospel Weeklies

  • Thread starter Thread starter BaltoCatechist
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

BaltoCatechist

Guest
Have any of you catechists, CCD, Sunday School teachers, etc., had any experience using the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies program in conjunction with What the Church Believes and Teaches. My parish is switching over to it on the strength of the lectionary-based approach and the explicit combining of grade levels (we don’t have enough pupils to have individual classes for each grade). My age group would be using the Venture materials.

The doctrinal aspect of the material is about as good as one could expect from a major publisher, but I’m curious as to how the program works in practice so I look to the experience of folks who’ve used it.

Please don’t turn this into a ‘religious war’ about your preferred curriculum. There are other things I’d use if I could but I don’t make those decisions.🤷
 
I looked at their website, The Peter Li, Inc, and Media corp which bought the whole works. So apparently the materials you will be using are now under the auspices and control of Media Corp.

That in itself is not unusual in production market for education materials.

But in the 3 or 4 websites I visited, I didn’t see any indication of Nihil Obstat, or Imprimater on their materials. Again not a problem in itself. But I would certainly be looking for them when the materials arrived.

Better yet, if you are in a position to recommend, I would suggest that you get samples of materials and look for the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur.
 
We use them as a supplement to our regular text not as a stand alone program. A neighboring parish uses them and I know the catechists find the lessons difficult to plan and would prefer a textbook. Some of the parents have transferred to our program because the feel there is not enough meat in the Gospel weeklies. I think lectionaries beaded catechesis can work but you need really good catechists and most parishes are lacking in that area.
 
The edition of What the Church Believes and Teaches that I have access to (it is last year’s) carries a nihil obstat and an imprimatur as do the Weeklies and the series is on the list of items approved for diocesan use. They also pass my own sniff test with just a few iuxta modums.😉

The comment about “meat” touches on a concern I raised with the DRE. We suffered badly several years before with an ill-conceived experiment with Generations of Faith. I would hate to have parents think we’re not serious about catechesis. On the other hand when I went to Sunday School as a kid (Methodist, I’m a convert) I didn’t have a book of any kind.

(PS, the spell-check still doesn’t recognize catechesis. It needs to be catechized. :rolleyes: )
 
In a former parish way back I was given a teacher’s lectionary-based resource to use teaching middle-aged students. I think it was Pflaum but I am not sure. It was poor resource.

Lectionary-based catechesis is not organized catechesis. As for teaching concepts of the faith appropriate to the age level, its content is hit and miss. And even liturgically, it doesn’t consider that there is no class on important days of the liturgical year – All Saints Day, All Souls Day, (usually) First Sunday of Advent (because there are no classes on Thanksgiving Weekend), Christmas, Mary Mother of God, Palm (Passion) Sunday, Easter, Pentecost, etc.

I had to be creative, and that’s what I recommend to the OP.
 
BaltoCatechist said:
The edition of What the Church Believes and Teaches that I have access to (it is last year’s) carries a nihil obstat and an imprimatur as do the Weeklies and the series is on the list of items approved for diocesan use. They also pass my own sniff test with just a few iuxta modums.😉
Click to expand...
Keep in mind, those endorsements are saying that the materials don’t teach anything against the Faith. They don’t mean the materials are the best presentation of the Faith or present all you’d like them to.
 
“On the other hand when I went to Sunday School as a kid (Methodist, I’m a convert) I didn’t have a book of any kind.”

My 6th-graders don’t have a book in Catechism class, either. I want them to pay attention to my live teaching, not be fiddling with a book.

“Lectionary-based catechesis is not organized catechesis.”

I agree.
 
I am very interested in this discussion since I coordinate the religious ed program in my parish. I see the benefit of some sort of lectionary-bases catechesis that prepares children and youngters to be fulling attentive to the Holy Mass each Sunday. The other issue is doctrinal catechesis that includes the commandments, sacraments, prayer, and morality. It is a shame no one has come up with a systematic way to include both in a one-hour session. Catholic schools usually have at least 4 half hour sessions plus Mass. Still, there is so much to teach. I also want more family involvement. Part of me says that prayers and lectionary-based catechesis could happen at home. Some families would do a good job with this, while others would just recycle the material because they are so busy. What to do?
 
bcuster said:
I am very interested in this discussion since I coordinate the religious ed program in my parish. I see the benefit of some sort of lectionary-bases catechesis that prepares children and youngters to be fulling attentive to the Holy Mass each Sunday. The other issue is doctrinal catechesis that includes the commandments, sacraments, prayer, and morality. It is a shame no one has come up with a systematic way to include both in a one-hour session. Catholic schools usually have at least 4 half hour sessions plus Mass. Still, there is so much to teach. I also want more family involvement. Part of me says that prayers and lectionary-based catechesis could happen at home. Some families would do a good job with this, while others would just recycle the material because they are so busy. What to do?
Click to expand...
bcuster, you are right – there is so much to teach, and not enough time. How to promote more family involvement is a huge question. Parents, not just students, need to be encouraged and helped – and on a recurring basis.

This is probably the best resource for doctrinal catechesis:
Faith and Life catechetical series:
ignatius.com/promotions/faithandlife/index.htm

I think it is good if each catechist devotes 5 minutes or so each class session reviewing the theme of the readings, or at least the Gospel, and of course more time for the most important feast days and liturgical seasons. It would at least help the students to listen better during Mass, if they know they’re going to be asked what they heard.

If Internet links on the Sunday readings, or coloring pages or other resources, can be provided to parents, with lots of encouragement to discuss with the children, maybe at least a few families might do so. I’ll list a few free Internet resources for catechists and parents.

catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2013-07-14

loyolapress.com/sunday-connection.htm

catholicmom.com/breaking_open_the_word.htm

sites.google.com/site/catholicresourcepages/

archden.org/index.cfm/ID/4225/Breaking-Open-the-Word/
 
Very easy to use with little to no preparation… however, I really can’t stand these. =(
The Pflaum “Venture” weeklies, while very carefully worded to seem doctrinally accurate, have a definite Protestant flavor.

For instance, the word Apostle is avoided at nearly all costs and little to no distinction is made between the special roll of the twelve Apostles and the rest of the disciples. The pope is described as a leader but there is no mention of the Holy Spirit or infallibility.

The Lenten weeklies refer over and over to Lent as springtime, new life, new growth, and the Resurrection. There is virtually no reflection on Jesus’ suffering and death. There is talk of bettering ourselves to become more Christ-like but no talk of sacrifice and dieing-to-self as a way to improve our relationship with Christ.

The Eucharist is referred to as the Body of Christ but the emphasis is on the community aspect and nothing is said of Consecration, grace, sacrifice etc. “Jesus made gathering together to break bread and share a cup of wine the way he asked his followers to remember him.” “…Jesus is really present in this sign. In this sacrament we become what we celebrate gathered in communion with Jesus and one another.” Even 10 year olds can and should understand the Eucharist with far more depth than this! I know mine can.

I am so frustrated with this series, I could go on and on!!! Aargh!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top