Archive for October, 2007
I had a great evening in Naperville, IL, yesterday, with 150 catechists at St. Raphael Parish! We talked about the tools that catechists need to be more effective and the DRE, Jane Ehrlich, had copies of my book, The Catechist’s Toolbox available for sale. She also went out of her way to prepare a focal point that featured a couple of tookboxes, including a giant multi-drawer toolbox! To top it all off, she also placed tools on the tables where the catechists were sitting! What a hoot!
We had a great time talking about our experiences and sharing our insights and suggestions for being more effective. I found it (as I always do) very energizing, inspiring me to want to do my best in my next session.
I think that catechists really enjoy hearing about some of the struggles that I have in my sessions and how I try to deal with them. It helps them to realize that the challenges they face with their own classes are universal and that we’re all in this together, so we need to keep positive and strong and find ways to be more effective.
My best wishes to all of the good folks out there who made the evening so enjoyable and my prayers that each and every one of you continue to find such rich support in your catechetical community!
Last night was a night of ups and downs. We began by reviewing how to pray the Rosary and then we moved into our reflective prayer and prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, connecting this to our last class when we learned about the Cross of Jesus. A couple of the young people were pretty hyper and couldn’t sit still. I even had to pause at one point to ask one of them to apologize to the group for interrupting the prayer with various noises and comments.
It was frustrating for a while but eventually toward the last third of the prayer, they had achieved a calm. This allowed me to use a few minutes after the Rosary to invite them to talk to Jesus in the silence of their own hearts which they did very nicely for about 5 mintues.
We then moved into a review of the material that we have covered over the past 6 weeks. This did not go as well as planned since they were not able to keep their focus. I think my mistake was not giving the review to them as a quiz first and then going over the answers.
Finally, in the midst of that review, one of the young people who had been acting up throughout the evening (and for several weeks) finally pushed me too far and I had to firmly confront his behavior and challenge him to act more maturely. I never enjoy doing this but at the same time, I reminded the entire group that it’s my job to make sure that they begin to grasp an adult faith and that I will never hesitate to challenge behavior that is not conducive to doing so.
I also realize that the well-behaved kids appreciate it when poor behavior is clamped down on. They are annoyed by the bad behavior and feel that their time is wasted if such behavior is allowed. We do the entire group a favor by keeping discipline. It’s just not our favorite thing to have to do, right?
All in all, last night was not one of my best experiences but I think the tone is set for next week and I feel compelled to step up my efforts to facilitate an engaging session!
A colleague of mine attended a workshop on adolescent ministry given by Dr. Robert McCarty, executive director of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry. She shared her notes with me and I was struck by one thing that Dr. McCarty emphasized over and over again: he said that we must teach our young people to live deep, not fast.
I absolutly love that notion and I plan to share it with my young people when we prepare for our next meditation on Monday evening. Our society teaches us to live fast. The Catholic Tradition teaches us to live deep. We do this in a variety of ways, not the least of which is through our life of prayer.
As we approach this week, let’s help our young people to put down roots and to slow down and to savor the gift of God’s grace: to live deep!
I mentioned in my post yesterday that I thought the Holy Father used a poor word-choice in speaking about catechists, saying,
“Educators of the faith,” said the Pope, “cannot run the risk of looking like some sort of clown, who is simply playing a role.”
I neglected to include the link to the whole story. Click here for it.
I mentioned in one of my comments yesterday that I don’t think for a minute that the Holy Father lacks appreciation, gratitude, and respect for catechists. I just think that the use of the word clown detracted from his core message. I think that it would have been more effective to evoke the image of the actor who in Greek tradition, wore a mask, hiding his true identity. This is the meaning and origin of the word hypocrite and Jesus certainly challenged us to not be hypocrites. I think we can all relate to the notion of a gap between how we present ourselves to others and who we really are and we strive to overcome or eliminate this gap. The imagery of a clown, however, while also pointing to someone who conceals his or her true identity, suggests total frivolity and foolishness.
The Holy Father’s core message is well-taken and let’s end by focusing on that: our lives should be seamless, with no separation between how we live and the message we proclaim.
Over the last few days, a few comments about catechists have come from the Vatican. I have to admit to finding neither of them particularly inspiring.
First, the Prefect for the Congregation for Clergy said that catechists are an “asset to parishes and a promising sign for the Church today.” He went on to express gratitude to catechists and to exhort them to a deeper relationship with God. That’s all well and good, but I think it is underwhelming to call catechists “an asset to parishes.” An asset is something that is useful. Catechists are not just useful, they are inexpendable!
Now, Pope Benedict has spoken about catechists as well, saying that being a teacher of faith is more than just a job but is something inseparable from living a Christian life. I couldn’t agree more. But then he went on to say this:
“Educators of the faith,” said the Pope, “cannot run the risk of looking like some sort of clown, who is simply playing a role.”
I’m sorry, but I don’t know any catechists who are clowns. Catechists are extremely dedicated people seeking to live a life of discipleship and impart it to others. I know what the Pope is trying to say - we do not act a part - we live it. But I don’t think his choice of the word clown is very wise. In fact, I find the suggestion that some catechists may simply be acting a part to be insulting to catechists in general.
Let me know what you think.
For next week’s session, I plan to do a review of what we have covered so far. We’re at a transition point between units and I’d like to be able to reinforce some of the important concepts that we’ve covered so far.
The Finding God Catechist Guide that I’m using comes with Blackline Masters that include unit tests. The program I teach in does not do testing per se (except for an assessment at the end of the program) so I plan to use the tests from units 1 and 2 as a review.
Repetition is very important in any form of education. Education experts tell us that it is rare for people to effectively learn something new with only one exposure. Research shows that repetition is crucial to the “wiring” of the brain. In other words, it is through repetition that the forming of connections (synapses) between brain cells takes place.
Centuries ago, St. Ignatius of Loyola understood the importance of repetition in learning. In fact, repetition is considered a hallmark of Jesuit education. In 1599, the Jesuits published a handbook, Ratio Studiorum, to help teachers and administrators in Jesuit schools. The Ratio identifies repetition as key to Jesuit methodology. Here’s how one Jesuit website describes the role of repetition:
Repetition is the time afforded to reviewing a subject. Repetition, however, is not simply review or rehashing already learned material. Repetition always carries with it the idea of deeper appropriation and understanding of the material already learned.
I know that many of us catechists feel pressure to “move on to the next topic” so that we can be sure we’ve “covered it all.” However, it does little good to cover it all if none of it has sunk in. Take a pause occasionally to reveiw - to do some repetition - so that new learnings are reinforced.
Last night’s session was excellent. We focused on the Cross of Jesus and how Catholics understand the role of suffering in our lives. Lots of good questions including one that stumped me momentarily.
I had asked the young people what could possible transform the image of a crucified man into a symbol of victory. Eventually one of them responded correctly that Jesus’ Resurrection transformed the Cross into our symbol of victory over sin and death. I emphasized that this makes all the difference in the world because the person we are entrusting our lives to - Jesus - is alive. I said that Abraham Lincoln was a great person and we remember him and talk about him but he is dead. Jesus is alive and that’s why we can and should take time to pray. Then came the question…a very good one.
A young lady asked, “Then why do we pray to Mary and the saints? Aren’t they dead?” I explained our belief in the Assumption of Mary and the Communion of Saints and the notion that Mary and the saints are alive in a different way than we are alive here on earth. Mary, of course, is alive bodily in God’s presence however, for the just - the Communion of Saints - that living is incomplete…until the resurrection of the body.”
I realized that in answering her, I had contradicted myself. I first said that Abe Lincoln was dead and now I was saying that those who are just in the eyes of God are alive in the Communion of Saints. I could see the look of confusion on her face and I felt confused myself at the moment asking myself, “Then are people in the Communion of Saints alive in a different way than Jesus is alive?” At the moment, I couldn’t delve any further into the subject, so we moved on to the rest of the lesson.
Upon reflection afterwards, I realized that I missed an opportunity to make a few important clarifications. First, the main difference between Jesus and other just people who have died, including Mary (who has tasted the resurrection of the body), is that JESUS IS GOD! That’s why we pray to him and not to Abe Lincoln. Secondly, we could, if we wanted to, pray to Abe Lincoln, or any other just person who is deceased, for their intercession (if we believe that this person is redeemed in Christ).
Next week, I look forward to beginning the session by making these clarifications. I think they will be very helpful for the young people to understand just why we pray and how we pray.
This is one of the wonderful things about being a catechist. From time to time, we find ourselves at a loss for answering a question. What do we do? We do what disciples do…we learn! I went to a colleague of mine and chatted about this issue and he helped to clarify the main issues at work here. By returning to this issue next week, I hopefully will be modeling for the young people how we are to be continually seeking clarity in our faith so that we can grow closer to our Lord.
For my session tonight, I’m bringing in the one and only trophy I ever won in my life: a 2nd place trophy for floor hockey, earned when I was in junior high. My brother John and I ventured over to the Boys’ Club in our neighborhood and joined a team there and went all the way to the finals, coming up just a little bit short. The little 10-inch trophy stands proudly in my basement with my sports collectibles.
I plan on asking the young people to share examples of trophies that they have won in their lives. A trophy is a symbol of victory - of great accomplishment. When champions win a trophy, they typically parade with it, showing off the symbol of their victory.
I then plan on asking the young people if they know what our Christian “trophy” is…our symbol of victory. At that point, I will show them a crucifix and we’ll talk about how this could possibly be our symbol of victory. We’ll talk about how we display it and how we parade with it (every procession in church is led by a server “hoisting” our trophy…the processional Cross).
From there, we’ll enter into the text of our book that teaches us about the Cross of Jesus. Toward the end of the session, we’ll focus on the Stations of the Cross and then end with prayer by meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, that allow us to walk with Jesus and Mary to the Cross.
As always, I pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit for tonight’s session and I pray that each of you are guided and inspired in your teaching this week!
I’m interested in picking up a new book titled Passing on the Faith: Transforming Traditions for the Next Generation of Jews, Christians, and Muslims (edited by James L. Heft, S.M., Fordham University Press).
The book is reviewed by Thomas Groome in the October 15, 2007 issue of America magazine. it is a collection of essays from a symposium held at the University of Southern California that asked the question, “how do we pass on religious tradition to youth in the context of the contemporary culture of the United States.”
Groome says that the formulas for success described in the essays are surprisingly obvious and he identifies them as the needs for young people to:
- have a life-giving faith community in which they feel included and respected and in which they can actively participate;
- have a sense of ownership and to be met where they are;
- participate in both personal and communal religious practices;
- have a thorough grounding in their own faith tradition;
- be able to bridge in an open and dialogical way the ever-increasing pluralism of the contemporary world;
- participate in the works of justice and compasion;
- have parents who reinforce all of the above.
I’ll have more to say when I get my own copy and read it (I’m a slow reader so don’t hold your breath waiting!)
Tomorrow I’m off to Milwaukee for their Lifelong Faith Formation Conference…I’m presenting a session on the Old Testament.
I did a quick look ahead to this coming Monday’s session and I find that we will be focusing on the Cross of Jesus and our understanding of suffering. Our textbook points out the fact that vivid portrayals of the Crucifixion did not become commonplace until Middle Ages when suffering was so prevalent in the lives of so many people because of disease and wars. St. Francis of Assisi and his followers, the Franciscans, were responsible for promoting devotion to the Cross of Jesus, especially through the practice of praying the Stations of the Cross.
I’m thinking that this Monday will be a good time to introduce the young people to the Rosary during this Month of the Holy Rosary. In particular, we will pray the Sorrowful Mysteries since we will be focusing on the Cross of Jesus. I hope to help the young people recognize the Rosary as a form of meditative prayer that brings us closer to Jesus through his Mother, Mary.
I’ll be back on Friday!
