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I Don’t Care Anymore

By Christian LeBlanc

The Catechetical season begins again in a couple of weeks…let me catalog a few of the things that discourage catechists year after year:

The parents aren’t “their child’s primary catechist.”

They only care about getting their kids over the sacramental hurdles.

They will let their kids miss a class or two…some classes….most classes.

The kids don’t know the faith very well…or at all.

They don’t get taken to Mass regularly…if at all.

They haven’t been to Confession since 1st Communion.

They don’t like to come to class.

They are tired after a day of school.

They won’t do any homework.

The classroom layout doesn’t suit me.

Etc.

I don’t care anymore about any of that because I can’t do anything about any of it.

But:

I have the support of my DRE.

And I have the kids for 28 hours this year if they are brought to every class. 28 hours is practically an eternity.

And if they only come to a few classes- then I have them for those classes. I can plant several mustard seeds in an hour.

As Marshal Foch said at the Marne: “Pressé fortement sur ma droite, mon centre cède, impossible de me mouvoir, situation excellente, j’attaque.” [Pressed hard on my right; my center yields; impossible to maneuver. Situation excellent, I shall attack.]

And as James Brown sang pretty much all the time: I Feel Good.

So bring on a new year, ’cause like the apostles at Pentecost, I am fired-up again.

P.S. Of course my gripes don’t describe all the parents or children.

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Read all posts by Christian LeBlanc Filed Under: Catechetics

About Christian LeBlanc

Christian LeBlanc is a revert whose pre-Vatican II childhood was spent in South Louisiana, where he marinated in a Catholic universe and acquired a Catholic imagination. During his middle school years in South Carolina, Christian was catechized under the benevolent dictatorship of Sister Mary Alphonsus, who frequently admonished him using the nickname "Little Pagan." After four years of teaching Adult Ed and RCIA, he returned to Sr. Alphonsus' old classroom to teach Catechism himself. This is his tenth year of teaching sixth grade. Married to Janet, the LeBlancs have five children and two grandsons. Christian and Janet belong to St. Mary's Parish in Greenville, South Carolina.

Check out Christian's book on Bible-based catechesis at:

https://www.createspace.com/3835986

Comments

  1. Cay Gibson says

    August 20, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    Excellent! Wish I had had this to share at my catechists meeting last night.

  2. Christian LeBlanc says

    August 20, 2012 at 1:39 pm

    Ha! And I was prompted to write this after attending our catechists’ meeting last Tuesday.

  3. Dorian Speed says

    August 20, 2012 at 4:21 pm

    This is terrific! I’m in complete agreement.

  4. Jennifer Fitz says

    August 20, 2012 at 4:35 pm

    Yep. I’m just happy when I have a chance to proclaim the faith. And sheesh, if the kids knew everything they needed to know . . . what sense coming to my class?

  5. Lisa Mladinich says

    August 23, 2012 at 7:24 am

    I’m going to be singing, “I feel good” for the rest of the day. And that’s a good thing!

  6. Frank Koob says

    August 23, 2012 at 9:32 am

    Just posted this on my catechists Facebook Group. How can I keep from singing!

  7. William O'Leary says

    September 1, 2012 at 9:35 am

    Christian,
    Great post!

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