Growing Up Catholic Doorways to Faith Doorways to Faith / Puertas a la fe: Year 1 Parent-Centered Family Catechesis Sessions

Mary Kathleen Glavich, SND, is an editor, speaker, and the author of eighty-plus books on religious education and spirituality, including a novel, The Fisherman's Wife: The Gospel According to St. Peter's Spouse.  A Sister of Notre Dame, of Chardon, Ohio, she was a pastoral associate at St. Dominic Church in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She has taught every grade from first to twelfth and has been vocation director for her community and for the Cleveland Diocese. Learn more about Sr. Kathleen at http://www.kathleenglavich.org.

View all resources by Sr. Mary Kathleen Glavich, SND

As a religious educator, PHYLLIS VOS WEZEMAN has served as Director of Christian Nurture at a downtown congregation in South Bend, Indiana; Executive Director of the Parish Resource Center of Michiana; and Program Coordinator for ecumenical as well as interfaith organizations in Indiana and Michigan.

In academics, Phyllis has been Adjunct Faculty in the Education Department at Indiana University South Bend and in the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. She is an "Honorary Professor" of the Saint Petersburg (Russia) State University of Pedagogical Art where she has taught methods courses for extended periods on several occasions. She has also been guest lecturer at the Shanghai Teachers College in China.

As founder of the not-for-profit Malawi Matters, Inc., she develops and directs HIV & AIDS Education programs with thousands of volunteers in 200 villages and more than 1,500 schools in Malawi, Africa including “Creative Methods of HIV & AIDS Education,” “Culture & HIV-AIDS,” and “Equipping Women/ Empowering Girls.”

Author or co-author of over 2,000 articles and books, she has written for over 80 publishers.

Phyllis served as President of Active Learning Associates, Inc.; a consultant or board member to numerous local and national organizations such as the American Bible Society, Church World Service, LOGOS, and the Peace Child Foundation; leader of a six- week youth exchange program to Russia and Ukraine; and Project Director for four Lilley Worship Renewal grants. She is the recipient of three “Distinguished Alumni Awards," the Aggiornamento Award from the Catholic Library Association, and the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE).

Wezeman holds undergraduate degrees in Business, Communications, and General Studies from various institutions and an MS in Education from Indiana University South Bend.

Phyllis and her husband Ken (who met when they were in second and third grade in elementary school) have three children and their spouses, Stephanie (Jeff), David, and Paul (Deha); five grandchildren, Quin, Ayle, Lief, Ashley, and Jacob; and two great-grandsons, Maddox and Troy.

View all resources by Phyllis Vos Wezeman

Patricia Mathson was Director of Religious Education at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Des Moines, Iowa and holds a Master's Degree in Religious Education from the University of Dallas. She contributed to the popular Celebrating Saint column for Catechist magazine and is the author of numerous resource books for religious educators, including Faith Activities on Service and Time to Pray.

View all resources by Patricia Mathson

Sr Catherine Stewart OP is a Springfield Illinois Dominican sister. She taught grades 1-3; 6-9, was an administrator in Catholic schools, and taught pre-service teachers at Blackburn College. She is currently the principal at Father McCartan School in Marceline, Missouri. She teaches many of the methods courses and enjoys applying many general instructional strategies to religious education classes. She has a variety of interests and has presented at several conferences. She enjoys writing and has published in the Liguorian, Today’s Parish Minister, RTJ's Creative Catechist, The Catechist’s Way, and the National Social Science Journal and she has co-authored a book,Tools For Conflict Resolution. She has a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Argosy University.

View all resources by Sr. Catherine Stewart, OP

Janet Schaeffler, OP—an Adrian Dominican Sister—has spent many years in parish and archdiocesan catechetical ministry (most recently as Director of Adult Faith Formation for the archdiocese of Detroit). The author of hundreds of articles and several publications in catechetical and parish ministry, her articles can be found in The Priest, Catechetical Leader, Catechist, Ministry and Liturgy, etc. Janet currently accompanies others on their faith-journey through days of reflection/retreats, parish missions, workshops, catechist formation opportunities, adult faith formation opportunities, Myers-Briggs explorations, and online courses.

View all resources by Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP

ANNA LIECHTY taught English to high school students and served as adjunct faculty for Indiana University South Bend for many years. Anna also worked as a mentor trainer and teacher coach with adult learners for the Indiana Department of Education. She won numerous educational classroom grants, including the Eli Lilly Teacher Creativity grant.

As a life-long church educator, Anna worked with all age levels, directing Sunday morning and youth programming, consulting with congregations about their educational ministry, and writing a wide variety of religious education materials. She served as Vice President of Active Learning Associates and co-authored four Lilly Worship Renewal grants.

Anna’s undergraduate degree is from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and her Master’s degree from Indiana University South Bend. She was certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in Adolescent and Young Adult English Language Arts.

In retirement, Anna continues to pursue a variety of writing projects, receiving an Individual Artist Grant in Literature from the Indiana Arts Commission. Now living in Florida, Anna enjoys traveling with her husband Page Foster, a retired pastor, and counting the days between visits with six children, twelve grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

View all resources by Anna L. Liechty

Sister Kieran Sawyer, SSND, is nationally known for her creative work in youth ministry and catechesis. She is an acclaimed author and lecturer on youth ministry and character formation, with a special focus on chastity education. Over the years she has taught religion at all grade levels in Catholic schools and in religious education programs, and has presented workshops and programs for religion teachers and youth ministers across the country and abroad. Her theological degrees are from Marquette University, St. John’s University in Collegeville, and Catholic University

Sister Kieran was the founder and director of the TYME OUT Youth Center in Stone Bank, Wisconsin, where for many years she directed retreats and character education programs for the teens and pre-teens of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Her current ministry includes promoting family-based chastity education and abuse prevention programs and conducting training workshops for catechists, youth ministers, and L.I.F.E. facilitators. She was honored by the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry as a recipient of the 2006 National Youth Ministry Award.

Sister Kieran is a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Central Pacific Province.

She has written and contributed to many published works, including:

• LoveEd (Saint Benedict Press, 2018.) A video-discussion series on puberty, sexuality, and pregnancy.  Sister Kieran worked with author Coleen Kelly Mast to create the videos and parent-child discussion materials in this program.
• Sex and the Teenager: Choices and Decisions (Ave Maria Press, 1990, 1999, 2008), a teachers’ manual and student text on adolescent relationships and sexuality.
• Confirming Faith (Ave Maria Press, 1980, 1994) Teacher’s manual and student book designed to prepare high school students to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation.
• Youth Ministry Access (Center for Ministry Development, 2009 to present) Lesson plans for middle school and high school youth ministry programs.

View all resources by Sr. Kieran Sawyer, SSND

Dr. Kathie Amidei has served for many years as Pastoral Associate at St. Anthony on the Lake Parish in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Before that she was the associate director for Catechesis and Child Ministry for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and served in a number of parishes as primary teacher and director of religious education. She holds a B.S. in Education, an M.A. in Theology, and a Doctorate in Education and Leadership. A national speaker and writer, she offers many presentations and workshops for catechists and catechetical leaders in parishes and dioceses.

Kathie is a wife, mom, and grandmother. She lives with her husband, Jim, in Nashotah, WI. She enjoys being with her family, exploring how people learn, and encouraging growth in faith. Her passion is to help families engage in their journey of faith in meaningful and practical ways and to infuse parish catechetical ministry with effective and relevant programming.

She has written or contributed to: 

• Forming Families: a Faith Resource on Catholic Identity (OSV, 2019)
• From Generation to Generation: A Case Study on Factors in Faith Community Impacting Faith Development, (Doctoral Dissertation, 2012)
• Generations Together: Caring, Praying, Learning, Celebrating and Serving Faithfully (Lifelong Faith Associates, 2013)
• The Journey: A Guide for Persons, Partners, and Parents (R&R Communications, 2013)

View all resources by Dr. Kathie Amidei