Archive for August, 2007
Yesterday, I received a letter from my DRE reminding us about our first catechist meeting on August 27. In the letter, she included the following which I thought I’d share with you.
Gifts for you to give to your students:
- CARE - Before beginning your planned lesson, ask your students about their week and how they’re doing. Listen carefully and caringly.
- HOPE - Tell your students about the good things that are going on in our world. From news in your parish community, your own life, or in the world, share examples.
- PRAYER - There are 2 special gifts here: your own prayer for your students, and your efforts to teach them to pray.
- IMAGINATION - Introduce your students to the power of their own imagination. Read Luke’s accont of the visit of teh shepherds to see the infant Jesus lying in a manger (Luke 2:15-20) and ask your students to imagine themselves as one of the shepherds.
- PRESENCE - When you gather with your students, set aside distractions and other agendas.
- ENTHUSIASM - You are sharing the exciting and life-giving message of the Good News. Let it show!
- COMMUNITY - your classroom is a small community within the larger faith community of your parish. Give your students the gift of experiencing the loving community that surrounds them.
Last night, I spent the evening with about 50 catechists from the O’Hare cluster of parishes (northwest side of Chicago and northwest suburbs) and had a wonderful time talking about the Old Testament with them.
In the course of the evening, I met 2 catechists who have been serving in this ministry for over 30 years each! One had been a catechist for 33 years and another for 38 years! What a wonderful witness they were to the half-dozen or so brand new catechists who were there. It was especially inspiring to see that, after all these years, they were present at a catechist formation event, eager to learn, modeling the fact that faith formation is life-long!
Thanks to the DREs and catechists of the O’Hare cluster for a wonderful evening of faith formation…the Spirit was truly present and active!
My wife and I took our daughter to college today. Everything went well but needless to say my mind is not on catechesis at the moment. I’ll post tomorrow. God bless all of our children going back to school.
Here’s my quick review of a little booklet for new catechists titled Teaching the Faith: A Catechist’s Guide to Classroom Management by Kim Duty (Paulist Press).
This is a handy little guide that gives new catechists an opportunity to become acquainted with the world of classroom management. What I like about it is its “You can do this!” approach to the task of catechesis.
In the Introduction, “From Me To You,” Duty offers a heartfelt message to new catechists to put them at ease if they are experiencing trepidation. What bothered me about this section, however, was that it dwells excessively on the negative feelings a new catechist may have and ignores the deep notion of the vocation of the catechist that the GDC and NDC emphasize.
Chapter 1: What Will The Children Be Like?
- This chapter offers a nice breakdown of the various age groups that catechists find themselves teaching along with the characteristics of these age groups.
Chapter 2: How Do children Learn?
- This chapter provides a good description of various learning styles: visual, auditory, kinesthetic and gives a succinct overview of multiple intelligences.
Chapter 3: How Should I Organize My Teaching Space?
- In attempting to provide an overview of how to organize a teaching space, Duty asks too many questions instead of just giving tips. New catechists already have these questions and are looking for suggestions and tips.
Chapter 4: How do I Manage My Class and Plan My Lessons?
- Here, Duty offers good tips for how to use a student text and catechist manual. What is missing is a brief explanation that the steps of a lesson constitute a catechetical process. Also, the chapter focuses on goals and objectives (what the catechist will do in a lesson) with no mention of learning outcomes (what the learners will do in a lesson)
Chapter 5: What Kids Wish You Knew?
- This chapter describes a variety of things that children need…it comes across as kind of a general pep talk for catechists.
Chapter 6: And Finally…Teaching
- Duty ends the booklet with a list of ABCs for new catechists. It contains some nice thoughts but overall, the whole ABCs thing is overdone and continues to reinforce the notion that being a catechist is a “cute” activity while missing the profound nature of the vocation of the catechist.
Overall, Kim Duty offers new catechists a handy little booklet that will help them to feel more at home in their new role while picking up some helpful hints for classroom management.
Finally, be aware that the booklet, at only 68 pages, sells for $8.95…not exactly a bargain for such a short work.
There are 2 other books in this series: Praying with Young People and Connecting with Parents which I’ll review in the days ahead.
Take a look at the very nice review of The Catechist’s Toolbox by Dan Pierson who has a blog named eCatechist. Thanks, Dan, for giving my book such a nice plug! I look forward to visiting your blog!
I hope that as people dig into The Catechist’s Toolbox, we can discuss a myriad of issues here on my blog. The book is a starting point for ongoing discussion of our ongoing ministry. Please share your insights, comments, and questions here so that we can walk with (and “talk” with) one another on this wonderful journey!
The other day, I wrote about leading children in reflective prayer or meditation. People often ask just what this “looks like.” I thought it would be helpful to share an example.
The following guided reflection is from Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts, Grade 5 (Loyola Press):
Called to Holiness
Time: approximately 10 minutes
We all have imagination. Imagination allows us to go places and to do things that might otherwise be impossible. Today we are going to use imagination to help us pray. (Pause.)
Now before we begin, find a position that feels most comfortable to you. (Pause.) If you like, close your eyes. (Pause.) Now relax your entire body—your neck . . . your shoulders . . . your arms . . . your legs. (Pause.) Feel all the tension flowing out of your body, into the air and away.
(Pause.) Now be very still and listen to the rhythm of your breathing. Listen. (Pause.) Feel your breath go in and out, in and out, in and out. (Pause.) Now let’s begin. (Pause.)
In your imagination see yourself in a place where you’d like to be. Maybe it’s a place where you’ve met Jesus before, maybe it’s a different one. You choose, because anything is possible in imagination. Why not make it your favorite time of year? (Pause.) Make the weather suit you today. (Pause.) Be there in your imagination. Wait for Jesus to join you. (Pause.)
He does almost right away. As he comes in sight, you go to meet him. He’s obviously glad to see you. Hear him tell you how glad he is to be with you again. (Pause.) As usual, he asks you what you were just doing. Sometimes your answer to that question would be, “Not much.” But today it’s different. He asks if you’ve been thinking about a verse from the Bible: “For I, the LORD, am your God; and you shall make and keep yourselves holy because I am holy.”*
Now that’s not your usual line of thought. But there’s something in this verse that puzzles you. You don’t have trouble with the idea of God being holy. But the idea of you being holy, of making and keeping yourself holy, well that needs a little more explanation.
Perhaps Jesus asks you to think of qualities that you would use to describe God—maybe qualities such as loving, forgiving, patient, understanding, generous, and so on. Let’s call these “God qualities.” Then he asks you to think of someone you know who has some God qualities. Who is it? Tell Jesus about this person. (Pause.)
Jesus, a great storyteller himself, might ask you to share a story about this person. It may take some time to choose just one story, but that’s OK. Take the time to remember and then share your story with Jesus. (Pause.)
Jesus explains that God is all-holy. He tells you that you are holy when you act in a God-like manner. When you live your life with generosity, understanding, patience, then you are holy. Yes, you! You are holy.
What an awesome statement. Now think about that. (Pause.) Do you tell Jesus that being holy is what you want, but you’re a little bit worried about being able to live up to that calling? (Pause.)
As usual, Jesus is reassuring. He wants you to know that you don’t become holy all at once. You grow in holiness. You’ll make mistakes but that’s OK. You can always learn from them and try again. He reminds you that the Holy Spirit is always with you to guide you. Jesus says that he himself will help you anytime you need him. (Pause.)
Does that make you feel better? (Pause.) Go with Jesus now deep down into your heart. You’ve discussed a lot with him already, so now just rest in his love. Words are no longer needed. Be still together. Know how much he cares for you. (Pause.)
You recognize that it’s time to go now. If you want a special blessing from Jesus, just ask for it. Remember to thank him, and then say good-bye. (Pause.)
Gradually bring yourself back to the room. (Pause.) Straighten up. (Pause.) Stretch. (Pause.) Plant your feet firmly on the floor. (Pause.) Look all around you. (Pause.) Everyone’s here. We’re all back.
* Scripture citation in this reflection is Leviticus 11:44
We hear time and again that parents are the first catechists of their children…and rightly so.
I try to remember this when I am teaching, reminding myself that I am an ally of parents. Of course some parents are more invested in their children’s religious formation than others. My job is to do all that I can to provide parents with opportunities to embrace their role as the primary catechists of their children.
Having said all that, allow me to take a moment to salute my first catechist - my mom - as we celebrated her 80th birthday last night! Mom (and Dad, who is with the Communion of Saints), you did such a wonderful job of sharing the light of Christ with me…thanks so much! Happy birthday Mom! Love ya.
I came across an online adverstisement for “Life Coaches” that emphasized in big letters, “It’s about time you had someone focus entirely on YOU!” The ad goes on to say that, “You will be the center of attention of your life coach because life coaching is all about YOU!”
Talk about narcissism!
We sometimes bring this approach to our spiritual lives. I’ve often reminded students and their parents, especially when preparing for the sacraments, that “this is not about what YOU’RE doing but about what GOD is doing in your life!”
We often think that First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and Holy Orders are all about the individual receiving the sacrament. How often do we say about a bride, “This is HER day” or first communicants, “This is THEIR day!” Scripture reminds us that “This is the day the LORD has made! Let us rejoice and be glad!”
The first step to a healthy spirituality is to recognize that it’s all about what God is doing in my life and in the lives of others. My role - our role - is to respond to God’s action.
There’s no such thing as being proactive in spirituality. To be proactive is to initiate action. God has already taken the initiative. It’s up to us to respond.
Our model in all of this is Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who, even though she was chosen to bear the Son of God into the world, responded by magnifying, not herself, but God!
As catechists, we help those we teach to recognize God’s action in the lives of God’s people and to respond as Mary did, by giving praise to God and by bringing Christ to others.
We sometimes think of meditation as something reserved for mystics and monks. Meditation, however, is simply prayer that focuses attention on God so that we can recognize his presence in our daily lives and respond to what he is asking of us. Meditation, also called reflective prayer, involves the imagination. Kids have great imaginations and, as a result, they love to pray in this way. Here are some tips about leading reflective prayer (meditation) from my book, The Catechist’s Toolbox:
Reflective prayer (meditation) uses an approach inspired by St. Ignatius of Loyola. It invites us to pray by using the senses of imagination—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. We thereby create a setting in our minds: a welcoming place—whether it is a biblical setting or a place of our own choice—to enter into conversation with Jesus. St. Ignatius said that such conversation should resemble the way “one friend speaks to another” (The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius, 54).
As we share reflective prayer or meditation, we lead participants to use reflection and imagination, to engage in prayerful conversation with God, and to recognize his presence in their daily lives. Here are some basic steps for leading reflective prayer.
Getting Ready for Reflective Prayer—Invite the participants to focus on God’s presence. Establish a quiet, prayerful, and comfortable environment and mood to help them overcome the distractions. This first step may take anywhere from three to five minutes. Consider the following as you join them in reflective prayer:
- Encourage a Comfortable Posture—If possible, move your participants to the prayer center and invite them to find a position in which they can be comfortable yet alert. If space is limited, invite them to get comfortable in their seats. Encourage your participants to close their eyes or to focus their attention on a symbol or a picture.
- Invite Deep Breathing—Take two or three minutes to help the participants to relax and breathe deeply. Ask them to rest their hands and to slowly and silently breathe in deeply and then breathe out gradually. Help them establish a rhythm to their breathing by having them count slowly to three as they breathe in, and asking them to breathe out as you count to three.
- Use Reflective Music—Reflective (instrumental) music can help by covering distractions and providing a soothing setting.
Leading the Reflective Prayer—Begin the reflective prayer with an invitation to reflect or meditate on an aspect of the theme that you are teaching—often a Scripture passage or a traditional prayer. Reflection time with your participants can range from just a few minutes to a half hour depending on the age of your group and the circumstances.
- Step-by-Step Directions—Through a series of age-appropriate “directions” that you have prepared or are following from a resource (such as a book of guided meditations for children, teens, or adults), you invite your participants to engage their imagination and enter into a setting where they can encounter Jesus, dwell on his words, and converse with him.
- Speaking Slowly and Pausing—By speaking slowly and pausing for emphasis after each line of the reflection, you invite the participants to pray more reflectively.
Allowing Quiet Time with God—In closing, invite the participants to spend time in silence with God, while being aware of God’s presence. This is called contemplation. This last step may take anywhere from three to five minutes.
Silent Prayer—Invite your participants to rest in God’s presence. Allow one or two minutes for silent prayer, depending on the responsiveness of the group.
- Transition—A few gentle words provide a gradual transition of inviting the participants into the next activity.
- Respect—Your participants’ thoughts and reflections in prayer are theirs alone. You show respect for their conversation with God by letting them keep these thoughts to themselves.
I mentioned yesterday the comment from a catechist (Fran) encouraging folks who are in their “golden years” to consider serving as catechists. Here is the latest from Fran:
Hi Joe,
I am going on 61 in October. I have no formal training to work with youth, but have always found a love for them and believe in their future. I feel, if I can help in any way, that is what we are here for. I am youth coordinator, at Our Lady of Grace, but find that all you need is a heart for kids. Kids are basically good and looking for direction.
God Bless!
Fran
I told Fran that parents have no formal training in parenting but, with love, figure out how to raise their kids properly. As catechists, we need not have a PhD in theology or psychology to succeed (although we certainly need formation and “basic” training in catechesis) but, with love, common sense, and help from our colleagues, we can help young people embrace the Catholic way of life.
Thanks, Fran.
