Growing Up Catholic

Session Two: At Home This Week

Session Review

Growing Closer to Jesus

Who are the friends of Jesus? You are!

Jesus has chosen you!
Friends spend time together. Talk to Jesus every day!
We get to know Jesus better through Reconciliation.

The Bible and the Holy Spirit

The Bible tells us how to live as friends of Jesus.
The Bible gives us Rules of Love to live by: To know what to do to be good, to choose love, and to avoid sin.
The Holy Spirit is a special helper who helps us stay close to Jesus, be sorry, and know right from wrong.

Rite of Reconciliation

We get ready to make our confession by spending quiet time considering what we are sorry for, asking God to help us be honest, and trusting the priest to help us.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation often includes a reading from the Bible.

Intro to the Sacrament of Reconciliation

Here's a creative and fun little introduction to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, in just 4 minutes. It explains the basics in a way that makes it easy for both children and adults to understand.

Watch it together with your child.

Do You Have a Family Bible?

This is an excellent week to make sure that your family has one or more Bibles available for study at home. We recommend that your family have two kinds of Bibles: one full Bible in adult language and one that is easy for children to understand.

Why Have a Bible at Home?
And How Will You Use It?

The Bible is the top-selling book of all time. Despite what some of us may have seen in our families growing up, the Bible is meant to be used, not just sit on a shelf and collect dust.

Sacred scripture is one of the best ways for us and our children to get to know Jesus and God. It can help us direct our lives and pray more effectively. It is not only the story of people thousands of years ago, but it is our story: it helps us understand our relationship with God: how God gifts us, how we are challenged, how we fail, and where our hope comes from.

Certain Bibles are better suited for different purposes. Here are some common ways families use Bibles in their homes:

To learn the most important stories, and teach them to our children.
To reflect on one or more of the readings we hear at Mass that week (and/or help our children understand it).
As a starting point for prayer.
To find support or insight around an issue happening in your life.

Types of Bibles

There are a variety of formats in which you can find Scripture published.

Full Bibles

Bibles meant for adults or older children will have verse-by-verse translations of Scripture. You can find these variations:

Study Bibles: These have added features such as introductions to each book, articles, footnotes, maps, and more. If you are purchasing a new Bible for your family, we recommend a study bible.
Catholic Bible: There are a small number of books that Catholics consider part of the Bible, but most Protestants do not. Some Bibles exclude these books, so be sure to get one that is Catholic or has the "Apocrypha" or "deuterocanonical books."
Children's Bibles: Some Bibles are designed for children, with features such as color-coded pages and pictures.

Children's Story Bibles

Since it is difficult for younger children to understand the language in an adult Bible, it can be helpful to use a story Bible with them. These re-tell stories that are in the Bible in kids' language and with accompanying pictures. Sometimes they add creative details to engage their imagination. We recommend getting a good story Bible to help your children learn the Biblical stories and come to love them as much as other stories they read.