Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

Helping Parents BE Their Children’s First Catechists

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Do you find yourself, as a catechist, pulling your hair out trying to get parents involved? Are you facing a group of students who seem to be getting nothing beyond the classroom?

Let me just say: I feel ya.

Helping Parents Be Their Child's First Catechist - Amazing Catechists

I am once again in front of a group of 5th graders every week, as a catechist of a parish religious education class.

And once again, I’m lauded as “knowing more” than others. I’m heralded as “being better” at this. Someone recently called me (much to my chagrin!), “brilliant.”

I can’t help but feel that some of the people who say these things so quickly and so admiringly are hiding a bit.

Because, in the years I’ve been a catechist, I’ve noticed something that I’m still trying to process:

Most parents DO NOT realize **THEY** are their children’s first catechist.

Where’s the first place children learn about anything?

It’s in their own home, and while there will be plenty of other places that they learn things, the primary source is home.

Given that, what can WE, as catechists, do to help these parents? Here are a few ideas from the trenches of catechist-hood:

1. Communicate with them. Again and again and AGAIN.

I send at least one and sometimes two emails to parents of my students. I let them know the topics we’re covering, the “trivia” (it’s not homework, it’s a hunt for the answers…and THEY are the kids are the ones doing the hunting), and other items of note.

Sometimes I mention the liturgical season, tie into the Mass readings, tap into popular events that have happened.

I also don’t hesitate to call or reach out directly to a parent when I feel like something might be up with a student. There was a student not so long ago who just had a distant look in my class; I caught Mom afterward and found out some critical facts about their home life that really transformed how I dealt with him.

Parents are busy. I get that. But…they’re bringing their kids for a reason, and I can’t help but think that, if I help them along, they’ll get excited and have more resources to do their own catechisting too!

2. Invite them in.

In the decade plus that I’ve been doing parish work and volunteering, I’ve noticed something: you can have Bible studies and committee meetings all day long, with or without food, and you may or may not have people show up.

Offer religious education for kids and suddenly people are crawling out of the woodwork.

There’s room to be cynical about this. But I’d like to see this as a sign of hope.

Parents KNOW that this is important. They KNOW that this is critical. They KNOW that it’s something they should do.

They just. don’t. know. how.

So…why not invite them in?

As a 5th grade catechist, I think I’m probably teaching at about the level most adults want. It’s low-impact, mentally, and yet when the kids get going with questions, it can really get them stimulated and thinking.

3. Engage them in their faith.

This is a buzzword in marketing, but don’t let that make you cynical. People want to be welcomed, and they want to connect.

What better connection point than their children? And what better topic than their faith?

A lot of the parents I’ve worked with over the years are insecure about their faith knowledge. They need encouraged. They need to know what tools they already have.

Maybe their own catechesis was nonexistent. Maybe they’ve forgotten what they learned in school. Maybe they didn’t care until recently.

You may think you’re there to teach kids, and you are. But really, you’re there just as much for the parents.

Help them realize their role, and help equip them in whatever small way you can.

And above all, don’t forget to pray for them!

How do you engage with parents?

Helping Parents Be Their Child's First Catechist - Amazing Catechists

Tools to Help Parents Really Be Their Children’s First Catechist

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Tools to Help Parents Really Be Their Children's First Catechist

Last week, Archbishop Aquila released a pastoral letter, “Family: Become What You Are.” Aside from an awesome title, this letter is a shot in the arm for those of us in families. (Oh wait, that’s ALL OF US.)

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So your homework this summer, no matter how busy or distracted or disinclined you are, is to read this…twice. Read it once and then read it again, slowly. What’s God saying to you through Archbishop Aquila’s words? Could there be inspiration for you? How can this letter impact your family?

But wait, there’s more. The Archdiocese of Denver has a few supporting resources that are nothing short of rockin’ awesome. Because how else is your family going to become what you are? These are tools to get you there.

Tips You’ll Use Right Away

First, there’s the video, “5 Ways to a Stronger Family.”

[youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXCCg8zocTU”]

Eating and Faith Go Hand-in-Hand

Next, we have a tool that every parent needs: “A Month of Dinnertime Conversations.” Have you ever wondered how you are supposed to instill faith in your children when you don’t know enough yourself? Do you feel intimidated by the immensity of your responsibility? Are you just plain unsure?

Well, this pdf (available in both English and Spanish) has 31 questions for you to bring up at dinner. They’re not hard or imposing or even crazy. The word “brilliant” actually comes to mind.

Some examples:

  • Name your favorite thing about being Catholic.
  • God gives each of us our own Guardian Angel to guide us through life. How do you think your Guardian Angel could help strengthen our family?
  • What is your favorite prayer?

I plan to share these far and wide. I’ve had so many parents make comments to me about how they so appreciate my work as a catechist. I try to remind them (probably too much) that my work is supplemental, supportive, secondary to the work they do. And here’s a tool for them to use that’s easy and effective. Booyah!

Pray the Family Rosary

And finally, a resource that I appreciate so much it brings tears to my eyes: “Family-Friendly Scriptural Meditations on the Rosary” (in both English and Spanish).

Am I the only one who sees the family rosary as this insurmountable hurdle? Oh, I know, I know. I should be praying it with my family.

And now, now, I just might. This four-page pdf (one page for each set of mysteries) includes short meditations for each mystery of the rosary. They’re written with families in mind. And by “families in mind” I mean “people who aren’t necessarily thrilled to be taking time to do this and who maybe don’t have a clue what these mysteries mean.”

The idea is that someone in your family would read this before you pray the prayers of the decade. They’re easy to read and yet thought-provoking for every age.

For example, here’s what’s included for the second Luminous Mystery, the Wedding at Cana:

The second Luminous Mystery is the Wedding Feast of Cana, where Mary teaches us one of the most important lessons in life. She tells the servants at the wedding feast to do whatever Jesus tells them to do. In our lives, are we willing to do whatever Jesus tells us to do? Let’s ask Mary to pray with us that we might have the graces necessary to do whatever Jesus calls us to do in this life, as well as the ability to trust in Mary’s intercession for us, as Jesus answered his mother’s request that day in Cana.

If you get to the point (or are already at the point) where you want to highlight the fruit of the mystery, they’re also included.

Summer Reading You Deserve

I leave you with this excerpt from the Archbishop’s letter:

When a husband and wife give of themselves and share love and truth with each other, they are able to reflect the image of the Holy Trinity. This sharing in life and love is in turn echoed in the hearts of their children and helps bring the Kingdom of God to earth. God created the world and the human race through the gift of his Word and the breath of the Spirit. In a similar way, men and women are able to participate in creation by bringing children into the world through their mutual consent and one flesh union.

Sadly, our society has lost this understanding of marriage. Instead, the culture has dramatically shifted to promoting the individual and his or her supposed rights, often at the expense of the family. The idea of a “sincere gift of self ” – even in the context of marriage – seems irrelevant
and a distant reality. In contemporary Western culture, marriage and the family have suffered the consequences of this shift, and no one has been hurt more by it than children, who deserve the committed, selfless love of their mother and father.

Seriously, go read it and put these resources to work in your family. You won’t be sorry you did.

3 Great New Books to Help You Teach Your Faith

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I’ve been a catechist for over ten years, and in that time I’ve found a number of helpful books. While nothing beats the essentials, I’ve been thrilled recently with the resources I’ve seen published. Here are three that caught my eye and that I just had to share.

3 Great New Books to Help You Teach Your Faith

Totally Catholic!: A Catechism for Kids and Their Parents and Teachers

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Mary Kathleen Glavich, SND (Pauline Books & Media, 2014)

For adults, there’s the Catechism of the Catholic Church. For teens, there’s the YouCat. And now, for the rest of us, there’s Totally Catholic! I actually read this cover to cover and enjoyed every bit of it. As I prepared for Confirmation Boot Camp and for some other lessons, I found myself referencing it quite a bit.

Glavich has a knack for making things applicable and relevant. She describes complicated matters of faith in a way that is fun and interesting. For example, in the chapter on the communion of saints, there’s this:

The people in the Church’s three states, like a family, lovingly help one another.

Saints on earth. Did you ever say to someone, “I’ll pray for you”? We can pray and offer our good works and sufferings for people on earth, and they can do the same for us.

Saints in purgatory. We can also pray and offer good works and sufferings for people in purgatory in order to hurry their purification. That is why after someone dies, we have Masses said for them. You can pray for your deceased relatives or even for people in purgatory who might not have anyone to pray for them. Those in purgatory (sometimes called poor souls) can also pray for us.

Saints in heaven. Likewise, we can turn to the saints in heaven and ask them to intercede, or pray for us. Friendship with the saints can help us grow closer to Christ.

There are 39 chapters, two appendices, and an index. It’s arranged much like the big green Catechism, and it’s written for a younger crowd (I would call it middle grade). Each chapter starts with a reference from the Catechism and an introduction. There are “Did You Know?” callout boxes, “BTW” facts, and a “Catholic VIP” highlighted in each chapter. Each chapter has a “Scripture Link,” with a relevant passage from the Bible, “Brainstorm” activities that aren’t hard or weird, and ends with a “From My Heart” and “Now Act!” that could well be assignments.

In fact, I think this is maybe the closest I’ve found to a perfect “textbook” for grade school age kids. (And you should know this: I’m NOT a fan of textbooks for religious education.)

Each chapter has a short bulleted “Recap” list, and it’s laid out in a way that I can only call brilliant. It’s fun to look at and read, and it sure doesn’t hurt that the content is stellar.

The Faith: A Question-and-Answer Guide to the Catechism of the Catholic Church

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Fr. John Hardon, S.J. (Servant Books, 2014)

If you’re anything like me, you looked at the Catechism and thought, “There’s NO WAY I can read that and understand it, retain the information, have any luck at all.” I was shocked when I started reading the Catechism (after my spiritual director had encouraged me for, oh, three years or so) and it was NOT SO BAD!

Even so, there’s a lot in the Catechism. It’s really more of a reference than a fun reading adventure (though it can be that, don’t get me wrong). What Servant has pulled together here is a great companion to your reference shelf. I caught myself diving into this when I was looking for additional information on different topics for Confirmation Boot Camp, and I know I’ll use it in preparing talks and columns.

This book is designed and arranged to be a companion to the Catechism. It’s easy to use and it’s cross referenced with paragraphs in the Catechism.

Here’s a little excerpt, from Part Two, Chapter Four: Other Celebrations of the Liturgy.

ARTICLE 1: SACRAMENTALS

The Church’s liturgy is primarily the sacraments, which directly confer the grace they signify. Besides the sacraments, however, there are also sacramentals. Both should be seen together, because both are sources of divine grace. But sacramentals were not immediately instituted by Christ. They were, and are, instituted by the Church, which is guided by her Founder, Jesus Christ.

663. What are sacramentals?

Sacramentals are sensibly perceptible prayers, and often actions or things, which resemble the sacraments and which signify spiritual effects obtained through the intercession of the Church. (1667)

664. How do sacramentals differ from the sacraments?

They differ from the sacraments in not being instrumental causes of grace. Rather, they arouse the faith of believers to better dispose themselves for the reception of grace from the sacraments.

665. What is the characteristic of all the sacramentals?

They always include a prayer and normally an object or action that signifies some profession of faith, such as the Sign of the Cross recalling Christ’s crucifixion, or holy water recalling our baptismal incorporation into the Church. (1668)

This is an indispensable guide for all Catholics. Whether you want to learn more about your faith, need a boost in teaching it, or are just curious, this book is sure to provide clear and concise information.

Tackling Tough Topics with Faith and Fiction

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Diana Jenkins (Pauline Books & Media, 2014)

There are topics that make parents and catechists shudder and quake, and Diana Jenkins has gathered them all in the covers of this book. She’s addressed them with the fearless face of faith and her approach is unique and more than a little brilliant.

“Today’s young teens will face many challenges before they reach adulthood,” she writes in the introductory section, “and they’ll need faith to guide them along the way. But it’s not easy for kids—or adults—to apply Catholic principles to real life when they’re overwhelmed by temptations, peer pressure, media influences, stress, family issues, physical changes, society’s problems, and a culture that is increasingly out-of-sync with Christian values.”

Each chapter includes seven elements:

The Facts: This is the statistical informational part. As a teacher or parent, you may or may not actually share this with students.

Scripture and the Catechism: While this too is designed for the adult leader, many times it will be helpful for the students.

The Story: Each chapter is centered around a fictional story. Depending on your set-up, you might decide to read it aloud, to have students read it on their own, or to rework it a bit.

Discussion Questions: Though I roll my eyes at the plethora of discussion questions in everything these days, in this application, they’re not only helpful, but they’re well done.

Activity: While there’s an activity for each topic/chapter, there’s also an index with ideas for adjusting them too.

Prayer: These are great. GREAT. And let’s not forget that, among the many teaching tools we have as parents and catechists, that prayer is the most powerful.

The Message: This is a round-up of practical suggestions for students to apply the chapter’s issue.

All in all, this is a resource I am glad to have on-hand and which I’ll be sharing with all the parents and catechists I know.

Two Books for Praying Stations of the Cross with Children

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You know what I love about our Catholic faith? There’s always next year. Or next week. Or, hey, the next hour!

Here it is, Good Friday. Have I prayed the Stations? No, I have not, and don’t even ASK if I’ve prayed them with my children. My litany of excuses is long and impressive, but it’s still just a list of excuses.

I love the idea of the Stations, but I’m not very comfortable with them. Blame my convert status, though I suspect it has more to do with my laziness.

But, thanks be to God, in my basket of review materials, I have two new books that will help me.

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I love that both of these books are beautifully hardbound and illustrated. They’re not dumbed down, but they’re also written at a level that I know my children will be able to understand.

The Garden Way of the Cross

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Based on the writings of Father Thomas A. Stanley, Illustrated by Louise Tessier (Novalis, 2013)

Oh, how I love my garden. And so do my children. And that makes me love it all over again, even more.

This book is an approach to Stations that speaks to my garden girl mentality. The opening encourages the reader, “As you meditate on each station along The Garden Way of the Cross, imagine yourself walking slowly in a quiet garden.”

And isn’t this appropriate in so many ways? Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemene. Gardens are quiet and naturally lend themselves to prayer.

At each station, as you pause in your quiet garden walk with Jesus, there’s the traditional opening prayer (“We adore you, O Christ”), a passage of Scripture, and a meditation based on a plant or a flower. The plant is illustrated on the facing page.

The way the plants and stations are interwoven is a beautiful experience. I think I’ll be doing some adding to my flowerbeds based on what I’ve prayed in this book.

Walking with Jesus to Calvary: Stations of the Cross for Children

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By Angela M. Burrin, Illustrated by Maria Cristina Lo Cascio (Word Among Us Press, 2014)

This is a book that can read like a storybook, which I know will engage my younger kids. The story’s told at each station, and it’s followed by a four- or five-line prayer.

The book opens with an explanation of what the Stations of the Cross are and how to pray them.

It’s appropriate for ages 5-10, and I can see where this would be a great resource for catechists of all ages, though with older kids you might just use the explanations and not the pictures (though don’t discount the power of pictures).

3 Ways to Use the Youcat to Teach Your Class

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I’ve been a fan of the Youcat since it came out a few years ago during World Youth Day in Madrid.

In fact, I was so inspired by it that I stopped using the textbooks and started relying on it as one of the 3 essential texts of my classrooms.

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The Youcat is approachable in its design and its content. Whether they’re 5th graders or Confirmation classes, every kid in every class I’ve had has “gotten” the little flipbook aspect at the bottom that adults rarely even notice.

While that’s not really a selling point for its content, it does speak to the fact that this book is designed with youth in mind. And that makes it a resource that catechists can turn to.

I’ve written my rave reviews of the Youcat in other places, so check those out if you’re not sure about it: commentary about our Confirmation Boot Camp at my blog and reasons I started using it at CatholicMom.com).

Today I’d like to share three ways you can use it in your religious education classroom.

I think you could use it for classes as young as 4th grade and all the way up to adult (or, as I like to think of myself, “older than young youth”).

1. Begin learning your topic.

Much of the beginning part of my own preparation to teach has to do with learning the topic myself, or at least learning it well enough to teach it. To that end, I used to read the material provided in the textbooks. Now I start with the Youcat and follow the references it presents to the Catechism and the Bible.

2. Answer the question as part of your class discussion.

There are times that students have questions about topics. Sometimes they’re not brave enough to ask the question (i.e., “What about gay marriage?” or “Is divorce okay, then?”) or don’t really know how to formulate it. Because the Youcat is a Q&A format, it gives you a way to bring up discussion points and maybe even get the kids talking.

3. Use it as an organizational tool.

Our religious education year is organized around the four pillars of the Catechism, and so is the Youcat, so it fits very nicely with the topics we already have lined up. For Confirmation, we use a different timeline, and the Youcat gives us a starting place for organizing our classes and topics. Whether you’re looking at it for a class or for the whole year, it can be a guide for you.

Do you use the Youcat? I’d love to hear how others use it in their classes!

3 Essential Texts Every Catechist Should Have (and Use)

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In the years I’ve been a catechist, I’ve come to realize that there are only three texts that are essential. There are plenty that are nice, some that are even helpful, but only three that I would call “must have.”

3 resources every catechist should have and use

The Holy Bible

Make sure it’s a Catholic version with all the “extra” books.cover-bible-catholicheritage make sure you’re familiar with it. Don’t be afraid to read right out of the actual Bible.

Don’t be ignorant of Scripture. And help your students not to be ignorant either.

I have a lesson that I do that involves half the class using the missalette and half the class using the Bible. It’s a visual way of showing them that what’s in the missalette is the same as what’s in the actual Bible.

One of my goals when I teach weekly religious education classes with 3rd grade and older is to have them open their Bibles at least once during the hour we’re together. It’s not an easy goal and I don’t always get to it.

All the same, this is the most important book we have at our disposal.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

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You can find it online for free and in searchable formats, but there’s something to be said for the good ole brick version. I like to read things out of the actual Catechism every so often, and with the older kids, especially the Confirmation class, I make them all turn to the paragraph.

It’s important to know how the Catechism works, because it’s how all Church documents work. Numbered paragraphs are weird, but they sure are nice when it comes to finding something specific.

And who knew there was so much good stuff in the Catechism? And that it was so easy to read?

Youcat

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I use the Youcat with nearly every single class I teach. It’s indispensable and it’s something that even adults can understand. I tell parents, whenever I can get their attention, that this is a resource they too need to have in their home, one they need to also be familiar with.

The topics are set in question-and-answer format, so everyone who’s a fan of the old Baltimore Catechism can perk up and get on board. The phrasing is modern and there’s an index (which I hope to see improved and expanded).

Best of all, the Youcat cross-references with both the Bible and the Catechism, so you can read more about every topic. It’s a sort of introductory text, but it’s where almost everyone I know (myself included) need to start. If you haven’t already checked it out, I encourage you to do so!

The Challenge of Adults

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challenge of adults

Adult education has been on my heart in a growing way over the last few years. Of course, if you had told me ten years ago, when I was first roped in began my volunteering as a catechist that I would be leaning toward adult education, I would have laughed so hard I would have fallen over.

“True,” I might have said, “I enjoy older kids. But adults? I don’t know enough to teach adults!”

And that would have just been the beginning of the conversation.

It didn’t take long as a catechist, back when I taught 3rd grade, to see that the connection was really with parents. My role, I quickly saw, was as more a farmer or gardner than a harvester.

I planted seeds, and I wasn’t even the primary planter. I was just helping.

That’s come home to me over the years, as I’ve worked with various age-groups (now primarily 5th grade and our 8th grade Confirmation class). Much of the time, the parents don’t know more than the kids. Many of them are almost terrified to take the reins, to teach, to take the lead.

I understand that. I do.

And it also breaks my heart.

I’ve been a catechist almost as long as I’ve been Catholic. I don’t know more than many of the people around me, but I do have this gift of teaching.

And the longer I teach, guide, and work with the kids, the more I’m convinced that we need something for adults.

But there are at least three huge hurdles, and I face them myself:

1. Lack of Time

I haven’t been to a parish Bible study or faith formation program in years. I’m in the season of small kids, and my husband works long hours.

2. Lack of Childcare

In our small parish, babysitting isn’t an option. I’m not saying it should be—coordinating childcare presents a whole other set of challenges, and I speak as one who’s tried to coordinate that for parish programs in the past).

3. Lack of Inclination

I also find that I’m done in the evenings: I don’t even want to leave the house or cut into the hour or so of awake time I might be lucky enough to get with my husband or a book.

So what can we do?

Recently, I reviewed a new Bible study program from Ascension Press over at CatholicMom.com. At the end of the post, I mentioned that if anyone was game for an online study, leave a comment.

We received so much feedback so quickly that we’re going to be organizing something to meet that need. And it made me think of the truths I’ve learned about adult catechesis in the years I’ve taught kids:

First, meet them where they are.

It might be the backyard, it might be via email, and it might be online. Everyone’s busy. In fact, saying you’re busy doesn’t even catch my attention anymore, because everyone I know is busy.

You might share a book or a talk. You might invite them to pray the rosary at a certain time tomorrow for a certain intention. You might have an online post to share.

This year, I’ve made a commitment to email every single lesson to the parents of my 5th graders the night before our class. I also make it available via a Facebook page I’ve set up for our class. And you know what? They read it. I know, because the kids have told me in various ways. I know, because although I never ever get a reply, I see the fruits of it in my class.

If the only catechesis those parents are getting is that email, then it’s better than nothing. If all they know is that their child is working on a trivia question and needs some help from them so they can get candy at the end of class, maybe it’s something they will learn too.

Second, be persistent.

Don’t give up. And don’t count low attendance as a reason to quit. If only one person attends or participates or gives you feedback, your efforts still matter. 

Measuring isn’t a bad thing, but it is something that I often find discouraging, especially when I use metrics that remind me that the effort I’ve put into something far exceed the “payoff” I think I’m supposed to get.

In our parish, we’ve had a Lenten Soup Supper program for five years. It’s a simple program: a meal of soup, bread, and fruit, along with a brief program. This year, we had turnout that shocked everyone. But two years ago hardly anyone attended. Had our organizer not stuck with it, she would have never had a chance to be shocked at running out of chairs and needing another set of bowls.

Third, smile.

Why do I need a reminder to enjoy myself? Maybe it’s that I take myself too seriously. Maybe it’s that I forget that the Catholic Church gives me more reasons to smile than almost anything else in my life. (Without the Catholic Church, I wouldn’t have met my husband or had my kids, and those kids crack me up hourly.)

Our faith is JOYFUL. It’s not always fun. It’s not always happy. It’s not always feel-good. But it should inspire a smile.

And smiles are contagious. They make people want to jump in.

All that said, I’m still looking.

There are some tremendous online programs, such as Living the Beatitudes, which starts today. I suspect this is where the future of adult education lies, but I also know from personal parish experience that people are looking for that local connection and relational opportunity.

What are your thoughts?

Sin Dims the Candle: An Object Lesson for Confession

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sin dims the candle

We were sitting in the church pews with no lights on. It was early evening in late January, and dark was coming quickly.

In the front, on the step leading up to the altar, there was a candle burning in front of a mirror.

Our First Communicants were gathered on the floor in front. They weren’t looking too nervous, considering that they were moments from their First Reconciliation.

“See the candle burning brightly?”

The kids nodded. And, in some cases, they leaned forward or jumped a little to show their enthusiasm.

“That candle is our soul, with Jesus making it burn. When we’re baptized, the candle is lit.”

It made me pause, that image of the baptismal candle. I remembered my own daughter’s baptism, holding the candle as I balanced her body in my arms.

“But sin is so easy sometimes.” Here the leader held up a glass mason jar. She started lowering it gently over the candle.

“It doesn’t seem to be making a big difference. See how the candle is still burning?”

And it was. The kids could see it and so could I. What’s the big deal about sin anyway?

“But we keep doing it. We keep stepping away from God. We slowly give in to sin again and again, in small ways, ways that seem invisible and unimportant.”

The candle was almost covered by the jar but still going. It was starting to flicker a bit, and as she ended her sentence, setting the jar down on top, it dimmed quite a bit.

“What’s happening?”

There was, of course, a budding scientist in the crowd. “There’s no oxygen!” he announced.

“That’s what sin does! It takes away our soul’s oxygen!” She pulled the jar off just before the flame went completely out. “And that’s what Reconciliation does! It lets the flame glow strongly and brightly!”

There was a stampede of kids to the confessional, and it made me want to go, too. I used the same lesson a few days later with my fifth-grade class, with the lights out. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a way for them to go to confession, though I did find out later that at least one of them did go to confession.

What object lessons do you use to teach about confession?

Two Little Words, Much Appreciated

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It was a strange-looking envelope, made even more so by the fact that no one in the house has a birthday in early May.

Who could be sending a card?

I didn’t recognize the return address, though the name was ringing a distant bell.

To top things off, there was a lump in it.

My surprise was made sweeter when I saw that it was a thank you card from one of my fifth-grade students. Our religious education year just finished, and she had missed the last class.

Her mom, I’m sure, is responsible for the card that’s still on my counter. And her mom took the time to write a little note in the card, too.

Being a catechist is a huge commitment. It’s often thankless. You have to have lessons and materials prepared, go with the flow when things don’t turn out as they should, and rely heavily on the Holy Spirit.

What gets me through is that I really enjoy teaching and I do so love the ages I work with. Even so, getting that thank you card sure makes it easier to sign up for another year.

image credit: MorgueFile

Calling In Sick

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When I started as a catechist, in my pre-married, pre-motherhood days, I had no thoughts about sick days.

I stopped serving as a catechist not long after my first daughter was born, so I have found myself learning some new things this year, my first year back in the saddle in my new role as wife/mom/catechist.

One of the most important lessons I have learned this year is that sick days are part of the deal, especially if you’re a parent with young children. Just last week, I found myself so sick that I could barely leave my bed, much less make it to my class.

Here are my tips for staying ahead of the inevitable sick days:

Communicate. When you think you’ll be missing, be sure to let the person in charge know. In our parish, finding subs is always a special challenge: more time to find them is always better.

Have a team. I’m blessed to have a great pair of aides for my class: they have no fear with stepping in to teach and will fill me in with the details afterward. The students see familiar faces and the experience, all around, tends to be pretty good as a result.

Plan ahead. I’m trying to get better about this, but I keep reminding myself that the first year is the hardest (I don’t have a file of “tried and true” lessons behind me). I always try to have my lesson done at least a few days early, and I send it to our religious education director and my teaching team. That way, if and when I’m not there, they have what they need.

Smile. It’s not the end of the world. And when the kids hug you when you return, you’ll know how important you really are!

What tips do you have for calling in sick as a catechist?

image source: MorgueFile