Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

Making Recitation a Tool for Success, Part II

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Introduction

Recitation, referred to in the catechetical tradition as “catechism,” is a powerful tool, albeit not the only tool, for passing on the faith to young children. Discover my first article arguing for the necessity of its restoration. In my last article on recitation, I examined the first installment of the series Making Recitation a Tool for Success, Part I. That article reviewed the practical steps to initiating recitation within the catechetical classroom. This article will round out the practical tips to making recitation a success in its execution.

 

Recitation as an Immediate Assessment

The cumulative recitation experience at the beginning of class provides the Catechist with an immediate assessment of their child’s attitude for that day, their overall abilities, and current level of comprehension. The overall recitation should

be the class standing up and reciting a rhythmic harmony. Yet, in each class there should be a few questions that focus on a particular grouping of students in the classroom. For example, the Catechist might have a question that is just for each row, another question that is for boys, and another for girls.

Catechists may notice issues with a student during the group recitation, but the above examples of smaller groups will make it more challenging for a struggling student to hide it from the Catechist. Take note of any students not participating, not saying it proficiently, or overly distracted. Their struggles may be due to stressors at home or in school, but they might also inform the Catechist that the child has learning challenges or is falling behind in class.

You will not know all that is going on with a student from recitation, but it will provide you an idea of who you need to keep an eye on or follow-up with.

 

Recitation as a Foundation

Conducting recitation is not the same as a lesson. This tool will help your lesson and future lessons. It will provide the class with common vocabulary; everyone will be able to speak the same language and hopefully it will be a language that matches the Church. This is necessary in our age when many kids grow-up without many of the same cultural staples of Catholicism and mechanisms that helps one become accustomed to words like: Mass, Eucharist, Consecration, Confessional, Genuflect, Sacrifice, etc. Many of us have experienced the challenge of students that refer to the Eucharist as the “bread and wine” or confuse “Confirmation” with “Confession.”

Some Catechists struggle with needing to cover too much in the limited amount of time for sacramental preparation. Some communities have students entering into sacramental prep needing the basics as well. Where do you start? What do you do if there is not enough time? Rely on recitation to cover some of the foundational elements in order to ensure the core elements for sacramental preparation are covered.

 

The Struggle to Make Recitation a Habit

Whether its recitation or any other catechetical component, a once a week catechetical gathering is not sufficient to offer the ideal formation experience. Recitation requires habitual use to actualize its potential. It is a struggle to only have recitation drills once a week. The challenge is to attempt ways to get some or all of the students to review their recitation at home.

Let parents know about the importance of recitation. Provide them a copy of your recitation questions and invite them to review them 1-3 times a week outside of class. You can also provide children a notebook and ask them to copy the new recitation phrase for the week a handful of times in their notebook outside of class. Students can also review their recitation with not just parents but also godparents or siblings; relatives can sign a paper to witness to the practice at home.

Communicate well and communicate often with parents. Let them know what you expect and how it will impact the end of the year event (see below).

 

A Closing Recitation Event

Invite parents, godparents, and clergy to enjoy a formal last recitation to end the year. Think of it like a RECital or performance of the year’s cumulative recitation. Try to create a true celebration spirit for those attending to see their child showcase their mastery of catechetical formulas and increased memory capacity. The benefits of such an event include:

  • Students will have a chance to discover a sense of accomplishment towards their hard work.
  • Parents and members of the community get to see an example of something that the kids worked on during the year.
  • The buildup towards this annual event may inspire some of the parents and students to review it outside of class and help cultivate the habit.

 

While I am passionate about the importance of recitation in catechesis, I am under no impression that recitation alone is what these kids need. It is simply a component that assists their overall catechetical formation and child developmental skills.

Making Recitation a Tool for Success, Part 1

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Introduction

I have previously written about the importance of restoring the use of recitation within Religious Education Programs, referred to in the catechetical tradition as “Catechism.” With the near disappearance of this essential tool within the contemporary educational systems, both public and private, and current catechetical programs, most of us have not experienced a mentor utilizing the tool of recitation in a skillful manner. For most of us, it sounds like a relic of the past that stirs up a wide array of reactions. It is my hope to offer a few words on how to use recitation well.

Initial Habits for Successful Recitation

Recitation begins with the Amazing Catechist. The catechist must know the content of recitation. If the children are asked to memorize their recitation, they need to see that it is possible by seeing the mastery commanded by their guide and mentor in the catechetical enterprise. The catechist also needs to prioritize the use of recitation so that the children will be given a chance of making it a priority for themselves. Lastly, the catechist must properly plan for the classroom and designate the appropriate amount of time for recitation.

Recitation must become a habit that children come to expect in each class. Recitation is not like a craft, trivia game, or showing a video. These things can be used during some classes but are not typically found in all classes for the given year. Recitation is needed for every class. The habit of recitation creates a sense of universality, a sense that regular use of recitation is normative, and its absence is unnatural to their experience.

Catechetical recitation should have a degree of formal solemnity, or ceremony, within its place in a class. The way the catechist calls students to the beginning of recitation, standing, beginning, the rhythm, handling problems, and concluding should have a feel of joyous ceremony. This will create a healthy environment for enriching their ability to memorize and recite.

 

Introducing Recitation

Recitation possesses the ability to strengthen a child’s memory, provide essential content and vocabulary for the day’s lesson, give them catechetical formulas that will remain with them for years to come, and allow catechists to see how their students are doing. How should the new recitation for the week be introduced? After reciting the recitation from previous weeks, since part of the power of recitation is its cumulative nature, the new recitation is offered at the conclusion of the previous weeks, “Now I will introduce our new recitation.” For example, the new recitation for a class of 1st graders might be:

Catechist: “Who made the world?”

Class: “God made the world.”

Catechist: “Who is God?”

Class: “God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

 Each catechist needs to find their own way for introducing the new content. I find that it is helpful to simply have it written on the board when the class arrives. Repeat it several times together. Then begin erasing a word or two while continuing to recite it together. For example, the board may look like the above points and then slowly erase the word “God”, then “made the”, and then finally “world.” Doing the recitation in rapid succession will motivate them to retain the original phrase within their minds while observing the remaining words to be found. I know other catechists that simply put it on the board and do not erase it. Others give it to their children on a sheet of paper.

 

Conclusion

The more a catechist perfects their artform of teaching and guiding recitation, the easier it will become for the catechist and students. This will allow recitation to move smoothly within a class, allow more time for the subsequent catechetical lesson that often follows, and allow the potential of “catechism”/recitation to be actualized within our classrooms and programs.

Classroom Management with Eager Children

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We have all been there. We, the Catechist, ask a question in the classroom. Several eager students raise their hands in a manner that sounds like a miniature version of the clamoring shoppers on Black Friday. These students want to be called upon and share their insight. Stopping the eagerness may, or at least we think it might, discourage them from volunteering their answer in the future.

The Question and Answer approach in the classroom is a favorite of many, wherein the Catechist lectures or writes something upon the board and asks a question to get the classroom to engage in the lesson. This approach can truly become chaotic in the classroom. I have sat in the classroom of many catechists that I mentored, and some have offered me this question: “Did you notice how they got really noisy whenever I asked them a question?” This is a chronic problem for classrooms full of small children. It is only natural for a child who loves truth to desire to share the answer to the Catechist’s question.

Here is a very simple set of ideas for maintaining the focus on the lesson while inviting students to offer answers or ideas:

  • Call on a student before asking the question. For example, “Joe Smith, who created the world?”
  • Call on a specific row. For example, “Can someone in the first row tell me what Ex Nihilo means?”
  • Call on a specific group. For example, “Girls, can one of you tell me how many books are in the Old Testament?”

These simple ideas, especially the first, will maintain order in the classroom and allow Catechists to continue to invite students to offer answers during the catechetical lesson.

The 4 Key Questions for Lesson Plans

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I. Introduction: Planning

It has been my experience that the two most common pitfalls for Catechists, for myself and others, are prayer and planning. I will only speak briefly on prayer since this article is about planning. We get busy. We all get busy. There is a temptation to sacrifice times of prayer in preparation for a catechetical class. Instead of our ministry as a Catechist being the fruit of prayer, we can sometimes rush in and catechize from a place of our own energy. This temptation is even more common among volunteer catechists. Our catechetical ministry must always have enough foresight to prioritize times of prayer for our students, their parents, their godparents, our parish, and the particular class in the coming day or week.

We also have the temptation to not spend sufficient time planning for future classes. We may be able to say, “I am teaching First Confession and First Communion class. This year is about Confession and the Eucharist. First semester is on Confession and second semester is on Holy Communion. I have my textbook. And I know what subject I want to cover next week.” This is all well and good but is lacking the preparedness that makes for an Amazing Catechist. If we move from subject to subject or week to week, we have no real means of monitoring growth and catechetical learning. There is no synthesis throughout the overall year.

The common objection that may arise is: “I can tell you want to encourage lesson plans. But lesson plans get in the way of the Holy Spirit. If I plan too much I will not be going where the Holy Spirit wants me to go.” First, I would say that keeping prayer as the context for our motivation and planning for the classroom will keep the Holy Spirit involved in the process. Second, just as the Spiritual Masters teach us regarding prayer, planning and methods are good but we can make alterations if the prompting of the Holy Spirit arises (in accord with proper discernment).

 

II. The 4 Key Questions

I would not dare to compel you to create lengthy lesson plans like those used in schools. All I invite you to do is to answer four questions with each unit. A unit may span the time of a month or two.

  1. What is the theme of this unit?
  2. By the end of this unit, what should my students know?
  3. By the end of this unit, what should my students love?
  4. By the end of this unit, what should my students be able to do?

These questions can work for small children, teens, or adult participants. Answering these questions provides a system, rooted in prayer, that allows us to evaluate all decisions we make in the classroom. Will this lecture or activity or project help to catechize on the theme of the unit? Will this lecture or worksheet or coloring page or discussion help my students achieve the three categories of goals for this class unit? This prevents us from making decisions “just because it seemed right.”

Perhaps it may be helpful to provide some examples of answers for the four key questions for lesson plans.

EXAMPLE 1:

  1. The Sacrament of Confession for 7 year olds. (Unit Theme)
  2. They should know the biblical foundations for Confession, the role sin and reconiliation play in our relationship with God and others, what happens when we go to Confession, and the form and words of Confession.
  3. They should love forgiving others, love receiving forgiveness, and love the opportunity to encounter the Good Shepherd in the confessional.
  4. They should be able to summarize the Sacrament of Confession to others, be able to make an examination of conscience, and tell me what they need to say/do when in Confession.

EXAMPLE 2:

  1. Oil and Laying on of Hands in Confirmation for teens. (Unit Theme)
  2. They should know the Old Testament and New Testament uses of oil/anointing and the laying on of hands as they pertain to Confirmation.
  3. They should develop a love for the Holy Spirit.
  4. They should be able to pray to the Holy Spirit, articulate to their peers the meaning of the sacramental signs of Confirmation in relation to Scripture, and be able to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in their life.

 

III. Conclusion: Be an Amazing Catechist

As you can see, this 4 Question approach prevents that catechetical classroom from being solely intellectual. Worksheets, crafts, and presentations will not accomplish all the goals for the unit. The traditional assessments of a quiz or test or worksheet will only accomplish assessing one category of goals: What they should know. The other categories require the use of discussions, reflections, meditation, mentoring, presentations, and guided prayer. This is the recipe for an Amazing Class, made possible by an Amazing God, and made possible because of the prayerful preparedness of an Amazing Catechist.

Sacred Art and Assessments for Small Children

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Whether it’s a weekly catechetical class or catechesis delivered within a daily Catholic education environment, it can be a challenge to know what new students know and what they don’t. Knowing their status is crucial before covering new material. The common approach for older kids is to offer a beginning of the year quiz, trivia game, or oral questioning. What can be done to assess, whether it is the beginning of the year or the end of the year, small children? The answer: Sacred Art and Word Association.

In an ideal world, baptized students would enroll in our classes and have a firm catechetical foundation from home as the Church calls parents to be the “first” teachers of the faith and the “best” teachers of the faith (see the Rite of Infant Baptism). Yet, this is not always the case. We cannot take for granted that the kids entering our classroom have a firm grasp of the major figures and events within the grand story of our salvation.

Small children are often shy and quiet when they feel they are being assessed. A direct line of questioning may damage the bridge building that the opening class sessions are meant to finalize. Yet, Sacred Art provides an easy path to building the bridge of trust with small children and assessing their current knowledge of the figures and events of Salvation History and the Sacraments.

Displaying a Holy Icon or a reprint of a painting can provide small children, or individuals of any age, a sense of awe and wonder as they take their seats. Allow them the opportunity to enjoy the Sacred Art. Allow them to get close. Encourage silence during this process. Then ask the students questions about the image. Let us use two examples. The Crucifixion Icon of Meister der Schule von Nowgorod (Wikimedia commons).

  1. Who is the central figure in this image? (Jesus)
  2. What is He on? (a Cross)
  3. Is he alive or dead? (answers may differ)
  4. How many figures have a Halo? (3)
  5. Who is the woman with a halo? (Virgin Mary)
  6. Who is the man with a halo? (John the Apostle)
  7. Why did Jesus die on the Cross? (for our sins)

If a child struggles with this, you can choose to ask them to point at Jesus, find the golden halos, find the Cross, etc. This is not as effective since the child can guess and get it right. The seven questions above are more like a child version of short answers, while the “point and find” method is more like a multiple-choice question.  This next example comes from Adoration of the Child by Sebastiano di Bartolo Mainardi (Wikimedia commons).

  1. What is this an image of? (Christmas/Nativity)
  2. How many animals are in this picture? (2)
  3. What animals do you see? (donkey and ox)
  4. Who is the child? (Jesus)
  5. Who is the woman? (Mary)
  6. Who is the man? (Saint Joseph)
  7. Why are they with animals? (There was no room for them in the Inn).

This may seem like simple stuff, but most of us catechists have had the heartache of having a kid that knew nearly nothing about the faith and we found out too late in the year. This Sacred Art assessment is simple, fun, and nearly exact in its ability to assess their basic knowledge of the faith. Feel free to use other images or use more. You can then choose new images at the end of the year and see if they can improve their ability to recognize the individuals and events depicted in the Sacred Art.

To make sure the class is not merely an assessment, have the kid’s work on a corresponding coloring picture while they wait for their turn to sit with the Amazing Catechist. If the image you are assessing them with is on the Crucifixion, have them color a crucifixion page. After the children have been assessed, discuss the image as a class. Then end the class by inviting students to draw and color on a blank page while trying to imitate/copy the image used for the assessment by matching colors and figures the best they can given their age. This too will allow you a better window into the abilities that fall under the category of developmental skills.

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

Getting Noticed, Looking Good

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No, this is not a post on fashion for Mass or dressing for faith formation classes.  I want to introduce you to a great way to make an impact in your marketing materials for the programs, classes, and events you promote.  In this day of almost constant visual and auditory input, the same old thing won’t be noticed.

About a year ago I discovered Canva.com.  Canva is an easy to use tool to create beautiful  designs and documents.  You sign up and have access to layouts and design elements for posters, Facebook posts, Twitter, blogs, postcards, and more.  There are both free and for fee elements you can use, all clearly labeled.  Since I have been using Canva I have never purchased anything I have used.

Let me show you some of the work I have created.

block party

This is a postcard we handed out after Mass to generate interest in our first event. It also went in the bulletin. FYI, we had a great turnout!

 

precepts of the church

This is an 11×14 poster I created for a bulletin board.

 

-Blessed be God who filled my soul with

I used a photo from Morguefile.com and then added the text.

These are just a few examples.  The possibilities are endless and the price is definitely right for ministry which often have to watch the bottom line.  The finished product can be downloaded as a standard or for print PDF or as a JPEG or PNG image.  Once you create your work, it is yours without copyright restrictions.

There are tutorials to learn how to use Canva, but I found it easy to use without instruction.  You can also see other people’s work in the Design Stream or follow friends by putting in their email address or pulling gmail contacts.  A blog gives you tips on everything from color to fonts.  And of course, you can follow them on Pinterest.

Canva has recently come out with a new product, Canva for Work, which has various pricing plans.  I plan to try it during the trial period and then decide if I’ll make the switch.

I cannot encourage you enough to try out this tool for yourself.  If you are posting “out there” on the internet for your parish, keep in mind that more and more, posts everywhere  benefit from a graphic to catch people’s attention.  By creating visually appealing graphics we let those we are trying to reach that not only do we have an awesome message, we know how to present it.

Go try it, play around and create something lovely.  Leave a link to where it is in the comment section; I’d love to see what you made!  I hope you enjoy Canva as much as I do.

Copyright 2015, Deanna Bartalini

FYI: I may sound like a paid advertisement, but it’s not.

The Father’s Love

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165px-Gabe-birthday-partThis Lent I have found that my prayer has led me to strengthen my relationship with God the Father. The Liturgy and the various traditions of this Holy Season draw me into solitude and I have become mindful of my dependence on Him, who cares for His little daughter.

I do not think it is a coincidence that my (earthly) father’s birthday is today, Friday of the First Week of Lent. As I reflect on the gift that my father is to me, I am reminded of how the Lord is at work in my life during Lent – particularly how God the Father is pursuing a more intimate relationship with me, His daughter. These are just a few ways that I see parallels in the relationships with my two Fathers, with a special Lenten focus.

1. My Father loves to look at me.dad

There are few things more precious than watching a new parent hold his or her child. It is easy to think that after we grow up our parents stop looking at us this way, since we have exhausted their capacity to look tenderly upon us. But I know for a fact that my Dad still likes to see me. I know that between the hours of 4 pm and 8 pm each Sunday I will receive a voice mail from my him, asking when I will be able to visit again. And ever time I do visit, his last words are, “…So when are you coming back?”

In the same way, as I enter the silence of Lent, I see that my Heavenly Father is overjoyed that I have committed to increase my time of prayer, not so that I can “do” anything for Him, but so that He can just look at me and be with me.

2. My Father watches out for me, even when I’ve done something wrong.

Guercino_Ritorno_figliol_prodigoOften times when I fail to meet expectations or am struggling in life, I hesitate to tell my dad. It took me a long time to realize that he doesn’t judge me as I judge myself, and that he cares for me even when I come to him with my failures and brokenness. When I spoke to him recently about my Guercino_Return_of_the_prodigal_sonstruggles with depression and my eating disorder, and my plans to help others in recovery, I was incredibly nervous. Up until then I would usually pretend I had it all together. After I finally revealed my life the way it truly was, rather than putting up a happy-go-lucky facade, I saw my dad’s face prouder than I’ve ever seen. Even though I was admitting my brokenness, without the illusion of self-sufficiency and autonomy, I felt more than ever that I belonged to my father, and that he would always care for me and support me.

This reminds me of the story of the Prodigal Son, who was embraced by his father upon his return, who was waiting for him. He did not punish him for squandering his inheritance, rather, the father meets him with a heart full of mercy and forgiveness, in his poverty and humility – and draws him into the intimate bond of sonship. This reminds me of the words of the Attende Domine, a hymn sung during Lent, “Draw near, O Lord our God, graciously hear us, keep us from sinning before you…”

We who are sons and daughters of God can be confident in the fidelity of the Father’s love. He is always ready to forgive us and capture us in his loving arms despite our fear of disapproval. Lent reminds us of this truth, that we can turn back to Him and that we belong to Him regardless of our past.

3. My Father loves to give me presents.

I remember as a kid, being so excited when my dad would return from his business trips. Aside from the fact that I missed him, he usually used to bring home presents for me and each of my siblings. Even when I entered religious life for two years he would send me gifts, and to this day he still has a great desire to give me things. Last year he gave me his extra car (!) so that I can visit more often. It is not the gift itself but the love that is expressed in the act of giving that I treasure so much.

My Heavenly Father does the same for me. Lent is a time when we “give up” consolations, but the stripping away of those earthly comforts reveals those spiritual gifts we so often neglect to see. Each day He nourishes me with the gift of His Son in the Word and in the Eucharist. In Confession He strengthens, heals, and forgives me. Many of His presents are not so tangible, but with the eyes of faith I can see how His grace surrounds me.  Each day brings with it so many little miracles that remind me of God’s love and affection. Many of these go unnoticed, for example, the smile of a stranger, the Scripture verse that struck my heart, the flower that blooms in the middle of winter. These are all reminders of what the love of my dad points to – the eternal, never-failing, inexhaustible, and unquenchable love of Our Father in Heaven.

I realize that there are many who are not blessed with a father like mine, and so this inspires gratitude in my heart to God for this great “present.” It also reminds me that no matter who we are, no matter what our relationship is like with our father, we all have a God in Heaven that we can call Father. I pray that each of us this Lent will be strengthened in the relationships with our father and father figures, and most importantly with Our Heavenly Father, Who looks upon us with great love, Who protects and forgives us, and Who gave us the best gift of all – salvation by the Death and Resurrection of His Son which we commemorate during this Holy Season.

1280px-2011-07-17-hechingen-by-RalfR-045

Do We Need A Paradigm Shift?

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bored studentIf in 1990 you would have asked people if they would buy bottled drinking water they would have laughed at you or rolled their eyes.  But today 9.67 billion gallons of bottled water is consumed in the United States alone (according to the International Bottled Water Association’s 2012 report).

In the same vain if in 1990 you would have said that the paradigm for religious education will not be the best means of forming children in the 21st century few would have listened.

I could write an educational catechetical dissertation (maybe I should) on how we got to the place we are at in the realm of catechetical formation of young people.  I will spare you, at least for now, a lengthy introduction to the state of education and catechesis today. However, let me share that neither in public education or in catechetical formation is the factory model working as an effective model for catechetical formation.

I don’t think it is a complete failure but I wonder if there are better models that need to be considered today.  The factory model has been defined in various ways, but here is one definition: “In the “factory” school, all students were grouped chronologically, were taught the same material from the same textbook, and were expected to function in an obedient, non-questioning manner (Schrenko, 1994).”   This method allows teachers to teach the same way all subjects at the same pace to all the children in the classroom.

Our catechetical classrooms today follow this model to a great degree although with some variation.  Technology is driving much of education and there are many attempts to reconsider the 150 year old factory model that has impacted all education.  religious ed

In parish religious education/catechetical formation we have a number of current obstacles that I’ve encountered through using this factory classroom model:

1) Catechizing is more challenging today because you have students who have been sacramentalized but have a very limited knowledge and understanding of the faith, and students who know the facts but have not come to a place where they are in a deeper relationship with Christ (not meaning to make any judgments on where they are in that relationship).

2) Students are coming to class with little encounter with Christ at Mass (usually because they are not being taken by their parents).

3) Many catechists aren’t trained teachers and do not have the ability to facilitate the learning needs of each student.

4) Catechetical formation happens only once a week and for only a short amount of time.

Today there is a great need to begin considering what we can do to shift the current predominant paradigm in our religious education classes.  As students get older they do not desire to learn in the way we are teaching them (this goes for both public education as well as catechetical formation).  “The specific aim of catechesis”, according to St. John Paul II is to:

to develop, with God’s help, an as yet initial faith, and to advance in fullness and to nourish day by day the Christian life of the faithful, young and old…Catechesis aims therefore at developing understanding of the mystery of Christ in the light of God’s word, so that the whole of a person’s humanity is impregnated by that word. Changed by the working of grace into a new creature, the Christian thus sets himself to follow Christ and learns more and more within the Church to think like Him, to judge like Him, to act in conformity with His commandments, and to hope as He invites us to. (Catechesis in Our Time #20).

The Church’s mission to hand on the faith has always been the same, but it seems that at least some kind of shift is in order for 21st century catechetical formation.

3 Questionsquestion1

1) How can we proclaim to Gospel Message to those we encounter in our classrooms and best hand on the faith today?

2) What obstacles are you encountering in today’s religious education classroom?

3) Do you see any possible solutions to how we can make a shift?

 

 

Originally posted at relevantcatechesis.com

 

 

Forming Missionary Disciples

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In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples (cf. Mt 28:19). All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization, and it would be insufficient to envisage a plan of evangelization to be carried out by professionals while the rest of the faithful would simply be passive recipients. The new evangelization calls for personal involvement on the part of each of the baptized. Every Christian is challenged, here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelization; indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love. Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus: we no longer say that we are “disciples” and “missionaries”, but rather that we are always “missionary disciples”.  – Pope Francis in EG #120

Pope_Francis_selfie

 

The Church at this very moment is in great need of missionary disciples willing to say yes to not keeping their faith too close to the vest but to share and live the faith with boldness and with the confidence that human happiness is found most fully in modeling Christ and giving our lives away in service and sacrifice.

What does this mean for Catechesis?

 

1) Christ came to seek and save the lost — we have to go and search for the lost.  And as Pope Francis numerous times in his apostolic letter, we must invite “everyone” into the fold. Pope Francis said: “The Church is called to be the house of the Father, with doors always wide open” ( EG #46).

One of the most profound statements in Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter is paragraph#49:disciples in upper room

Let us go forth, then, let us go forth to offer everyone the life of Jesus Christ. Here I repeat for the entire Church what I have often said to the priests and laity of Buenos Aires: I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security. I do not want a Church concerned with being at the centre and which then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures. If something should rightly disturb us and trouble our consciences, it is the fact that so many of our brothers and sisters are living without the strength, light and consolation born of friendship with Jesus Christ, without a community of faith to support them, without meaning and a goal in life. More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us: “Give them something to eat” (Mk 6:37).

We must never tire of welcoming the weak, broken, sinners into the loving arms of the Church which is an icon of Christ Himself.”

 

2) When we transmit the Faith, the Pope calls for a “missionary style” in Proclaiming/announcing the Gospel Message.  It must be with joy, it must be with vigor and it must communicate the crucified and risen Lord (Cf. EG #11).  It’s the basic Gospel message which we should never assume that those we teach have embraced. Our style is always missionary in order to announce with joy the Good News of Jesus Christ and it’s always drawing people more fully into the riches of Christ.Pope Francis3

3) Inculturate the Gospel.  Finding new expressions of announcing the Gospel so that it will be received is vital for the handing on of the Faith in the Third Millennium.  Pope Francis said:

69. It is imperative to evangelize cultures in order to inculturate the Gospel. In countries of Catholic tradition, this means encouraging, fostering and reinforcing a richness which already exists. In countries of other religious traditions, or profoundly secularized countries, it will mean sparking new processes for evangelizing culture, even though these will demand long-term planning. We must keep in mind, however, that we are constantly being called to grow. Each culture and social group needs purification and growth. In the case of the popular cultures of Catholic peoples, we can see deficiencies which need to be healed by the Gospel: machismo, alcoholism, domestic violence, low Mass attendance, fatalistic or superstitious notions which lead to sorcery, and the like. Popular piety itself can be the starting point for healing and liberation from these deficiencies.

 

The three points specify ways we can be missionary disciples today in our world and to our students.  May Our Lady be our model and intercede for us to bring forth the Good News of her Son!