Archive for May, 2007
When we use the word catechist, who comes to mind? Typically (at least in the United States), we think of catechists as those volunteers who teach in parish religious education programs as opposed to Catholic school teachers who teach religion classes.
Because of this, Catholic school teachers of religion have resisted the title of catechist because it carries the connotation of volunteer as opposed to professional. This is unfortunate, because to be called a catechist is an extraordinary compliment. Here’s what I say about this in my new book,The Catechist’s Toolbox (Loyola Press):
Throughout this book, I use the term catechist to refer to those who serve in the parish religious education program as well as those who serve as teachers of religion in Catholic schools. If you are a Catholic schoolteacher, you are responsible for teaching a variety of subjects throughout the day. Faith formation, however, is more than a subject to be taught—it is an invitation to a way of life. By referring to you as a catechist, my goal is to recognize and affirm your vocation to form disciples of Jesus. To be referred to as a catechist is an honor that the church bestows only on those who have this vocation.
The truth is, in many parts of the world (especially Africa and South America), the catechist is often the most respected person in the Catholic community, especially in the absence of a local priest. The catechist is seen as a leader; the person who forms disciples of Jesus.
To be a catechist is not simply a form of volunteerism. It is a way of life and a vocation. Catholic school teachers of religion should embrace the title catechist, knowing that, in addition to being professional teachers of a variety of subjects (just as many parish catechists are professionals in other fields), they are also called upon to teach a way of life; to form disciples of Jesus.
Catholic school teachers make far less money than their public school colleagues. That sacrifice and dedication should draw attention to the fact that they are not only teachers, they are catechists who model discipleship of Jesus…a life of selflessness. Like parish catechists, Catholic school catechists are called upon to excel in their profession (in this case, teaching a variety of subjects). But they are first and foremost called to deepen their relationship with Jesus, engaging in ongoing faith formation, in order to be better equipped to form disciples of Jesus.
I encourage readers of this post to send it to the attention of Catholic school teachers and principals as they wind down their school year. My hope is that they will see it as an affirmation of the sacrifice and dedication they make year in and year out.
This morning I’m participating in a wellness exam offered by my health insurance company. It’s a great benefit to have and it helps give a clear picture of where I’m at physically.
As catechists, we often offer spiritual wellness exams for those we teach. What do I mean by that? Basically, we provide opportunities for those we teach to reflect on the status of their spiritual life…their relationship with Jesus. We do this by leading them through examinations of conscience, periodic daily examens, and reflective prayer experiences just to name a few. We walk with our students through Lent which is our annual spiritual wellness exam. We help them in many ways to reflect on their spiritual health.
May the Holy Spirit continue to inspire us to tend to the spiritual wellness of those we teach and may we ourselves be healthy in mind, body, and spirit, so that we can love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength!
Q: Do you know what CCD stands for?
A: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
In decades past, the church did such a good job of teaching us a language of faith formation for children (CCD) that we are still having a difficult time of growing beyond this term.
Since the Second Vatican Council, the church has been emphasizing a new vocabulary in relation to faith formation or religious education. Yet, the words that the church now uses when it comes to faith formation are not new at all. They are actually quite ancient. These words may seem new to many of us, but to the church they are more like antiques:
catechism
catechesis
catechist
catechumen
catechumenate
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that all of these words derive from the same root word—the Greek word katechein, meaning “to echo” or “to sound again.” When one person echoes another, it means that he or she is imitating or reflecting back what that person has said or done.
Catechesis, of course, is the process of transmitting the Gospel. To help us understand this process, the church has given us the General Directory for Catechesis (1997) and the National Directory for Catechesis (2005). These documents help us to understand the how of catechesis.
So, why use the term catechesis when we had just gotten used to the term CCD? The fact is that CCD primarily refers to something that is for children, and something that one “completes” after a given time of study. Today, we have retrieved the notion of catechesis to capture the broader mission of the church. This mission is to proclaim the Gospel to all people: adults, youth, and children, in order to put “people . . . in communion . . . with Jesus Christ” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 426)—a task that is lifelong.
Words are very powerful. The Gospel of John refers to Jesus as the Word made flesh (1:14). The language of faith formation is not just a matter of semantics. By using the most appropriate words to describe who we are and what we do, we deepen our own understanding of our share in Jesus’ ministry. As catechists, we assist pastors and bishops in guiding people to a living faith. This living faith has a language all its own. We can begin to learn the language of faith by referring to who we are and what we do with the proper terms.
The above is an excerpt from my new book, The Catechist’s Toolbox: How to Thrive as A Religious Education Teacher (Loyola Press). The book will be out soon but orders are being taken through customer service: 800-621-1008.
Yesterday was quite interesting in terms of contrast.
On the one hand, I was part of a First Communion celebration, rejoicing with my young nephew and his family as he received Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time.
On the other hand, I was part of a Eucharistic celebration in the evening at my mother-in-law’s retirement home where I was about 40 years younger than most people there.
It struck me that the folks at the retirement home were receiving the same Jesus in the Eucharist that my nephew was receiving for the first time. How many times had these people received the Eucharist in their lives since their First Holy Communion? Thousands I’m sure. And for some, the comunion they were receiving yesterday will be very near to their last on earth.
As I watched the folks at the retirement home receive communion, I wished that my nephew could be there to see them, still receiving Jesus in the Eucharist decades after their First Communion. They were profound witnesses to the fact that Jesus and Jesus alone is the Food for the journey…the only true source of nourishment.
I was inspired by both ends of the spectrum: by my nephew’s excitement over his First Communion and by the life-long commitment to the Eucharist by my mother-in-law and the folks at the retirement home.
And I’m right in the middle hoping to maintain the excitement about the Eucharist that my nephew has as well as the enduring commitment to the Eucharist that the folks at the retirement home have.
On this Mother’s Day, may our Blessed Mother lead all of us to a deeper commitment to her Son, Jesus, who is Food for the Journey.
Happy Mother’s Day to all moms, grandmothers, godmothers, and those who are like-a-mom!
A few days ago, I posted about the Easter Season being a “festival of sacraments.” Well, today is one such day as we celebrate my nephew’s First Communion. It is a beautiful bright and sunny spring day…a “storybook” First Communion-type day. Of course the weather has nothing to do with the encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist, but God IS revealed through the beauty and wonder of creation and the nice weather serves to reinforce the reality of God’s presence that is revealed most wonderfully in the Eucharist.
We’ll be gathering at my brother’s home to celebrate my nephew’s First Communion…an opportunity to show him how happy we all are that this day has arrived. Then, of course, we will all engage in the strange ritual of giving him cards containing money. I never quite understand this part of the “ritual” in our culture and I’ve often wanted to opt out of it and present a gift that is more spiritual. At the same time, I understand the reality that, if I did so, a young child can draw the conclusion that “Uncle Joey is cheap” and doesn’t love me as much as so-and-so who gave me $xx.” So I don’t fight it. The important thing is that he knows how much we love him and how meaningful this day is to him and to us.
Congratulations to all those celebrating First Communions and to all those catechists who prepared them!
If we want our young Catholics to grow into adult Catholics, then maybe we ought to start treating them like “equals.” As catechists, those we teach are typically baptized and in full communion. They may not yet be confirmed but they are no less a disciple of Christ than any of us adults. Perhaps that’s why Pope Benedict XVI spoke to the youth of Brazil in the following terms:
“You are the youth of the Church,” the Pontiff said. “I send you out, therefore, on the great mission of evangelizing young men and women who have gone astray in this world like sheep without a shepherd. Be apostles of youth.”
The pope spoke to them as full members of the Church (because they are) who have a job to do.
Children love to feel trusted with responsibility. I think that as catechists, we can help our Catholic children grow into Catholic adults by entrusting them with the responsibility that is rightly theirs…to participate in the mission of the Church. Let’s not keep them on the sidelines drawing pictures and making crafts. Like the pope, let’s send them forth with a job to do!
I doubt that the average catechist is going to read Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Charity), Pope Benedict XVI’s Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Eucharist. For one, the document is nearly 27,000 words long. For another, most catechists and average Catholics for that matter don’t make a habit of reading Apostolic Exhortations.
For the most part, it is a beautifully written document, presenting the truths about the Eucharist in language that speaks to our times. In other words, there’s very little that’s new here, but there doesn’t need to be. The Pope is simply teaching about the summit and source of the Christian life and its connection to our daily lives. That’s what popes do.
So what should catechists know about this document? In a sentence, the Pope is emphasizing to us that there is a profound unity between what we believe (the mystery of our faith), what and how we worship (the mystery we celebrate; liturgical action), and how we live (the mystery we live; the “new” worship). In my own words, I would say that this document tells us emphatically that the Mass makes it possible to live as we believe.
I think the key line for catechists to recall and to teach emphatically is paragraph 86 in which the Pope states that the Eucharist is “not just a theory or a way of life inspired by Christ, but the gift of his very person.” In other words, we are not teaching ideas about Jesus or ideas from Jesus but rather, we are inviting those we teach to ENCOUNTER JESUS. We are teaching a person and to encounter this person is to be transformed and to live in a way that conforms us to this person.
I don’t want to oversimplify a rather complex and profound document (and I encourage you to read it for yourself). However, I think it is nice to know what the core message is and how it affects our teaching. The Eucharist is the gift of Jesus giving himself to us. As catechists, we help others to recognize this invitation, embrace it, and be transformed by it.
Tonight I have the privilege of attending the Catechetical Ministries Awards Banquet sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry. The banquet is a wonderful way for parishes to show their appreciation to catechists, especially those who have served with longevity. In addition to several archdiocesan-wide awards, each parish is invited to recognize catechists (who meet archdiocesan criteria) as a Parish Recipient of the award.
Usually, Cardinal George is present although with his health problems, I’m not sure he will be able to be present tonight. His presence and the presence of the auxiliary bishops is a strong statement to the catechists that their vocation is supported and appreciated.
I look forward to applauding all of the awardees this evening and I congratulate and thank them and their catechetical leaders for their dedication to proclaiming God’s Word!
I remember with great fondness the May Crownings of my childhood…nothing said “spring is here” more powerfully than a good May Crowning.
Are May Crownings passe? Hopefully not. As catechists, a May Crowning is a good opportunity for us to help those we teach understand that Catholics do no worship Mary but rather honor her.
May Crownings may be considered out of date by some but, with the proper catechesis, they can continue to be a wonderful devotion and a way to bring us closer to Jesus. So what makes for “sound” Marian devotion? In his apostolic exhortation on Mary, Marialis Cultus (To Honor Mary), Pope Paul VI outlined 5 characteristics that are required, saying that sound Marian devotions and good Marian theology must be:
- Biblical - rooted in the testimony of Scripture.
- Liturgical - in tune with the great liturgical seasons. (Paul VI named especially Advent, where Mary joins the Church in expecting the birth of the Messiah, and then Pentecost, the coming of the Spirit of the Church)
- Ecumenical - in harmony with the agreements we have reached with fellow Christian Churches.
- Anthropological - be sensitive to the changing role of women in society (i.e. to present Mary as a woman who was passive and subservient does not resonate with the perception of women in today’s society).
- Theological - have God at the center—with Mary placed in relation to Christ and to the Church.
You can celebrate a simple May Crowning with those you teach by doing the following:
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place a statue of Mary on a pedestal
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sing a hymn honoring Mary
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read a Scripture passage about Mary such as Luke 1:26-38 (the Annunciation); Luke 1:39-45 (the Visitation); Luke 2:6-12 (the Nativity); Luke 2:41-50 (the boy Jesus in the Temple); Luke 23:27-29 (Mary meets Jesus carrying his cross); John 19:25-30 (Mary at the foot of the cross)
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offer a brief reflection on the role of Mary as the first disciple
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walk in procession while singing or playing a Marian hymn.
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place a garland of flowers on the head of the statue.
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pray the Hail, Mary, the Hail, Holy Queen, or the Memorare.
By the way, click here for a good list of other Marian resources for catechists. Also, if you are looking for a good explanation of why May is considered the month of Mary, click here.
This Sunday’s first reading (Acts 14:21-27) is an inspiration for all of us catechists. Paul and Barnabas, those pioneer catechists, exude such great zeal and energy, travelling from place to place and proclaiming the word of God. Here’s the line I find most inspiring:
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the kingdom of God.”
Paul and Barnabas did not go about promising that life would be a rose garden. Rather, they offered the only true source of sustenance for life’s journey: the Risen Christ. All of us undergo hardships. As catechists, we can strengthen the spirits of those we teach and exhort them to persevere in faith.
May we take inspiration from Paul and Barnabas to be zealous catechists!
