• Art
  • Book Reviews
  • Catechism
  • Games
  • Music
  • Special Needs
  • Technology
  • Theology

Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • Patron Saint of Amazing Catechists
    • Donations
  • Lisa Mladinich
  • Columnists
    • Browse by Topic
      • #giveaway
      • Art
      • Campus Ministry
      • Catechetics
      • Catechism
      • Catechist Training
      • Catholic Spirituality
      • Church Documents
      • Columnists
      • Culture
      • Elementary School
      • Evangelization
      • Family Life
      • Featured
      • Games
      • General
      • Grief Resources
      • High School
      • Homeschooling
      • Liturgical
      • Mary
      • Middle School
      • Music
      • New Age
      • NFP/Chastity
      • Prayer
      • RCIA & Adult Ed
      • Reader Suggestions
      • Sacraments
      • Scripture
      • Special Needs
      • Spiritual Warfare
      • Technology
      • Theology
      • Therapeutic
      • Video
      • Vocations
    • Browse by Author
      • Alex Basile
      • Alice Gunther
      • Amanda Woodiel
      • Cay Gibson
      • Christian LeBlanc
      • Christopher Smith
      • Deanna Bartalini
      • Dorian Speed
      • Elizabeth Ficocelli
      • Elizabeth Tichvon
      • Ellen Gable Hrkach
      • Faith Writer
      • Father Juan R. Velez
      • Gabe Garnica
      • Jeannie Ewing
      • Jennifer Fitz
      • Justin Combs
      • Karee Santos
      • Lisa Mladinich
      • Marc Cardaronella
      • Maria Rivera
      • Mary Ellen Barrett
      • Mary Lou Rosien
      • Maureen Smith
      • Msgr. Robert Batule
      • Msgr. Charles Pope
      • Pat Gohn
      • Peggy Clores
      • Robyn Lee
      • Rocco Fortunato
      • Sarah Reinhard
      • Steve McVey
      • Tanja Cilia
      • William O’Leary
  • Resources
    • Bible Stories
    • Book Reviews
    • Catholic Cartoons
    • Catholic Links
    • Interviews
  • Speakers
  • Contact us

Interview: Columnist Christian Leblanc

By Lisa Mladinich

Christian LeBlanc is a catechist at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenville, S.C., and an AmazingCatechists.com columnist.

AC: Please tell us, briefly, a little about yourself, your faith and your family.

Christian: I’m a revert whose pre-Vatican II childhood was spent in South Louisiana, where I marinated in a Catholic universe. Thought/studied my way back to the Church after a Prodigal phase. Married the perfect wife, Janet; we have 5 kids, one grandchild, and one more on the way.
AC: What motivated you to teach the Faith?

Christian: I was a member of my parish’s adult class, taught by the deacon. When the deacon’s energies became absorbed by his wife’s serious illness, I was asked to take over the class cold-turkey. Fortunately, my fellow-students were supportive that first year. The next 3 years were great, and my wife & I also taught RCIA. After 4 years of adult classes, I was asked to teach 6th grade, which I felt was a demotion. How wrong I was – this is my 6th year!
AC: Who or what have your inspirations been?

Christian: Sisters Celine, Alphonsus, Mary James, Johanne, and Helena, grades 1-8; Father Robert Berggreen, grades 9-10. They knew their faith, believed it, and provided firm, benevolent leadership in the classroom. They loved me like I was their own child, which in many ways I am.
AC: Where have you found encouragement?

Christian: In the faces of the kids when they figure something out on their own.


AC: Can you describe your teaching style?

Christian: 6th grade Socratic method: prepared notes, blackboard, lots of questions and answers, virtually no reading in class. No pencils, no paper, no books, no crafts, no games. I promise you: the kids thrive.


AC: What are the most important lessons you have learned about sharing the Faith, which you would like to share with our readers?

Christian: To share it you must know it. To know it at an adult level will likely require self-directed continuing education. And at least in South Carolina, you have to know it Biblically.


AC: Can you share an anecdote that shows one or more of the following: how rewarding it is to teach the Faith, or how funny it can be, or how inspiring, or how teaching has taught you an important lesson?

Christian: Pretty much every class is rewarding & funny & inspiring….I suppose I’ve learned that it’s a very big privilege to be entrusted with teaching these kids their Catholic faith.
AC: What’s the toughest lesson you teach?

Christian: Uh-oh….none are tough. But then I’m dealing with 12 year olds, and I’m 52 with a bunch of my own kids…heh.
AC: What are your favorite lessons to teach?

Christian: Anything to do with marriage and kids. The Mass. Baptism. Confirmation. Miracles.
AC: Where do you still struggle as a teacher?

Christian: Covering the right amount of the right material at the right pace. Keeping the least-churched kids engaged without boring the better-churched ones.


AC: What have you learned from your students?

Christian: 6th graders are very nimble-minded, are curious about God, and like it when they can meet high standards. I respect them as thinkers, and they respond to that with real effort.
AC: What contribution would you like to bring to Catholic catechesis?

Christian: To show how to use an adult understanding of Catholicism to teach 6th graders, such that they’ll have a firm framework that future learning can attach to.


AC: What resources do you find yourself using and recommending?

Christian: The New American Bible for its notes; the RSV Catholic Bible for its text; the Catholic Internet, especially the Catholic Encyclopedia at New Advent; the Catechism (although not so much with kids); the newspaper (current events).


AC: Any closing comments?

Christian: What could be more exciting than this opportunity to shape the future?

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Read all posts by Lisa Mladinich Filed Under: Interviews

About Lisa Mladinich

Lisa Mladinich believes that living boldly in the love of Christ makes every day an amazing adventure. She is thrilled to be a Gallup-Certified Professional Strengths Coach and a professional Life Coach certified by the International Coaching Federation. She is dedicated to helping clients discover and live powerfully into their natural talents, for God’s glory and their lasting joy. She coaches privately with individuals, ministry and business leaders, dating and married couples, and leads mastermind groups for Catholic creatives and those seeking to accelerate their growth through an awareness of natural talent. Lisa is a veteran speaker and webinar instructor, with online courses for teen and tween girls about authentic beauty and femininity, experienced through the liberating lens of the Catholic faith. (Find her classes live or recorded at HomeschoolConnections.com.) Lisa is a best-selling author and host of the Homeschooling Saints Podcast, dedicated to supporting the rapidly growing homeschooling community. She is in pre-production planning on two new Catholic media endeavors: an internet-TV program called, “Wonderfully Made: Your Talent. God’s Purpose,” and a new podcast, “Faith Focused Forward,” which she will cohost with Allison Ricciardi and Chantal Howard. Lisa is passionate about marriage, family life, promoting the Sacraments and the Holy Rosary, and teaching on the RCIA team at St. Patrick’s Church in Huntington, NY. Contact: lisa@mladinich.com.

Follow Us!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

What’s New?

microphoneNEED A SPEAKER FOR YOUR NEXT IN-SERVICE?

Amazing Catechists can help!

Visit our Speakers page to access our available speakers and topics. And if you don't see what you are looking for, send a comment through the website, and we will get right back to you!

Catholic CD of the month club

Sign up for our Newsletter!

Columnists

Alice Gunther

Amanda Woodiel

Cay Gibson

Christian LeBlanc

Christopher Smith

Deanna Bartalini

Dorian Speed

Elizabeth Ficocelli

Elizabeth Tichvon

Ellen Gable Hrkach

Faith Writer

Father Juan Velez

Gabriel Garnica

Jeannie Ewing

Jennifer Fitz

Karee Santos

Lisa Mladinich

Marc Cardaronella

Mary Ellen Barrett

Mary Lou Rosien

Maureen Smith

Monsignor Robert Batule

Msgr. Charles Pope

Pat Gohn

Peggy Clores

Robyn Lee

Rocco Fortunato

Sarah Reinhard

Sherine Green

Sr. Teresa Joseph fma

Steve McVey

Tanja Cilia

William O’Leary

Archives

Share Amazing Catechists at your website!

Amazing Catechists

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2022 Amazing Catechists. · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.