November 9, 2025
November 9, 2025
Catechesis for Catholic Teens
Catechesis for Catholic Teens
The Religion
Teacher
JARED DEES provides practical resources and teaching strategies to religious educators.
Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
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These study guides are the fruit of over a decade of working with students. They are a great resource for classroom group discussion.
Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
Group / Classroom Discussion
Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
Teen Slang Key
BFD: "Big F-ing Deal." (Slang for "something that is very important.")
TL;DR: "Too Long; Didn't Read." (A short summary of a long text.)
411: "Information." (From the old directory assistance phone number.)
Crib: "House" or "Home."
OG: "Original." (The first or most respected version of something.)
This Week’s Tips for Catechists
Be Real and Relatable
- Authenticity is Key: Don’t try to be someone you’re not or use slang you don’t know. Youth can spot inauthenticity immediately, so be yourself.
- Be You: Let your personality shine through to make your sermon more relatable and impactful.
- Meet them in their world: Understand the cultural context of the young people you’re speaking to.
Structure for Engagement
- Have One Big Idea: Focus your sermon around a single, clear point to help students remember it.
- Use a Clear Outline: Provide a simple, three-point outline with an introduction, body, and conclusion to help them follow along.
- Keep it Concise: Shorter messages are generally more effective for maintaining engagement and focus.
Make the Message Stick
- Tell Stories: Like Jesus, share stories that illustrate biblical truths and help make personal connections between the message and their lives.
- Use Visuals and Interaction: Engage multiple senses by using movie clips, objects, or games to make the message more memorable.
- Encourage Participation: Involve the audience through actions like raising hands, shouting answers, or taking polls to foster interaction.
Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
Unpacking the Scripture
Synthesis:
The Lateran Basilica is the symbol (Mother Church) of the real “living temple” (us, the people), which is built on the foundation (Jesus’s body), and our mission is to bring God’s life, healing, and “fresh water” to the world.
Activities & Discussion Starters
Discussion (Gospel): “Jesus flips tables. This isn’t ‘gentle Jesus, meek and mild.’ What makes him so angry? What are the ‘money-changers’ in our world that distract us from what’s really important? (e.g., gossip, social media obsession, judging others).”
Activity (1 Cor): Jenga® or LEGO® Church
Bring a Jenga tower or a pile of LEGOs.
Say: “Paul says we are ‘God’s building.’ Let’s build it.” Have them build a tower.
Ask: “What’s the most important piece?” (The foundation). “Paul says our foundation is Jesus. What does that actually mean?”
Ask: “What happens if I pull one of you (a block) out?” (The structure gets weaker). “What does that tell us about our role in the ‘living temple’ of the Church?” (We all matter; we all support each other).
Discussion (Ezekiel): Whiteboard Brainstorm
Draw a simple church building on the board. Label it “Us, The Living Temple.”
Draw a river flowing from it.
Ask: “Ezekiel said the temple’s river brought life, food, and healing. If we are the temple, what ‘living water’ should be flowing from us into our school? Our homes? Our teams?”
(Write down their answers: e.g., Kindness, Standing up for someone, Forgiveness, Charity, A food drive, Listening to a friend, etc.)
The Takeaway: Make It Practical
The goal is to move from “bricks in Rome” to “my life on Monday.”
- The Core Message: Don’t just go to church; be the Church.
- The Challenge: “This feast isn’t just about a building. It’s a celebration of us as the ‘living temple’ of God. The building in Rome is just the family portrait that reminds us who we are.”
- The Action: “Your mission this week is to be the temple from Ezekiel’s vision. Your challenge is to be a source of life for one person. How can you bring ‘fresh water’ to a ‘dead’ or ‘salty’ situation? How can you be ‘fruit for food’ or ‘leaves for medicine’ to someone who is hurting?”
- Closing Prayer: “God, thank you for giving us a place to gather. Help us to remember that we are your living temple. Make us strong like a building, and send us out like a life-giving river to heal the world. Amen.”