Why is Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) so awesome? Two reasons: it respects the intelligence of the child and the catechists are awesome (I'm not tooting my own horn. Really.)
I'll start by highlight a "problem" with regular religious education programs in parishes. Most programs rely on volunteers who in the goodness of their hearts offer their time to the children of the parish - this is NOT the problem. The problem comes down to training and the books. A lot of the people I know who teach religious education have had the moment where they think, "What the heck am I doing?" This is the problem.
When I was younger - long before a theology degree - I volunteered to be a catechist at my parish. I was excited about my faith, but I didn't always know how to convey it to the 8th graders in my care. Worse yet, I didn't even have a text to work from. I was told to discuss topics which I was not informed of until the moment I arrived. On top of this scary scenario, the Director offered no help. I don't doubt the power of the Holy Spirit to swoop in a fill in all the many gaps, but this was a recipe for disaster. I managed to flounder through the first part of the year and then I "resigned". I felt the kids deserved better. Looking back with the benefit of experience and education, it was a huge mistake that I was even placed with that class. A significant background check was run on my non-existant criminal history, but there wasn't a background check on my theological and religious knowledge or my ability to teach.
Don't even get me started on the "textbooks" that are out there. My biggest beef with the textbooks is that the writers don't respect the intelligence of the child and the faith is watered down. And, this is why CGS will trump textbook religious education classes everyday of the week. CGS respects the fact that kids, especially little kids, are sponges. They delight in learning the proper names for the articles of the Mass or learning a song in Latin. Furthermore, CGS actually fosters religious experience - communing with God - that a classroom setting can rarely create.
CGS catechists are often volunteers, but they have to make the commitment to complete training. Each catechist goes through intensive training that is approved by The National of the Association Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA. The training is either a 2 week intensive format or a weekend format meeting several times in a year. Level I training (3-6 year olds) focuses on the most essential elements of the faith: the Mass, the Infancy Narratives, Baptism, several parables of Christ, the Good Shepherd, some of the Old Testament prophecies about Christ, and laying the foundation for the moral life. Each catechist then creates an album page (lesson plan) for each presentation (lesson) and creates an album (lesson book). Essentially, each catechist writes her own book that is used to teach the children. The process of writing each album page helps the catechist to internalize the teaching.
It is a huge undertaking for a parish to being CGS, but it is definitely worth the effort. I have written before that Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) would start a revolution in the Church. I am part of what I like to call the "Rainbow and Sunshine Jesus" generation. American Catholics, of a certain age, were not taught the foundational theology and dogmas of Christ and His Church, rather we got a watered down, feel good, hippy-dippy catechism that had no substance to make us crave Christ and no backbone to support us when life got hard. An entire Catholic generation was lost under the banner of "experimentation".
The Church doesn't need any more experiments; it needs children who know the Good Shepherd.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Ash Wednesday 2013
If you've ever gone to Mass on Ash Wednesday, then you have probably caught the incongruity of the readings with our actions at Mass. Jesus tells us to wash our faces and not look glum in Matthew 6:17-18. And what do we do as soon as the homily is over? Smear a cross of ashes on our foreheads! Why the heck do we do that?
At Mass today my pastor shared a good explanation, but I had a squirrely three year old with me so I can only share the gist of what he said:
The ashes are an outward sign of my sinful ways. The ashes represent the parts of my soul that have been scourged due to sin and/or neglect. The ashes represent the areas that need the life-giving waters of Christ.
Whatever I give up or take up this Lent should help me to grow and to tend to the ash-like parts of my soul. For instance, I'm horrible, and I mean horrible, at fasting. I'm a great big baby when it comes to fasting - and the Church doesn't ask us to do it very much. I wind up being miserable just like the gloomy hypocrites that Jesus talk about (yikes!) For years I have flirted with trying to "improve" my fasting. Guess what? Flirting with fasting is not fasting. So, this year one of the things I'm going to focus on is fasting because I like food way too much; it is a crutch for me. Prayer should be my crutch.
If you're still trying to figure out what you're going to do for Lent, allow me to suggest Fr. Jonathan Morris' Lent Challenge 2013. He lays out a great plan that helps to think through the areas of mind, body, and soul. Because Lent isn't about denying ourselves for the sake of denying, it's about growing closer to our Lord and Savior.
I pray you have a good Lent. Remember, ashes are excellent fertilizer. I pray that on Easter morning you find grass growing in your soul where once there were ashes.
At Mass today my pastor shared a good explanation, but I had a squirrely three year old with me so I can only share the gist of what he said:
The ashes are an outward sign of my sinful ways. The ashes represent the parts of my soul that have been scourged due to sin and/or neglect. The ashes represent the areas that need the life-giving waters of Christ.
Whatever I give up or take up this Lent should help me to grow and to tend to the ash-like parts of my soul. For instance, I'm horrible, and I mean horrible, at fasting. I'm a great big baby when it comes to fasting - and the Church doesn't ask us to do it very much. I wind up being miserable just like the gloomy hypocrites that Jesus talk about (yikes!) For years I have flirted with trying to "improve" my fasting. Guess what? Flirting with fasting is not fasting. So, this year one of the things I'm going to focus on is fasting because I like food way too much; it is a crutch for me. Prayer should be my crutch.
If you're still trying to figure out what you're going to do for Lent, allow me to suggest Fr. Jonathan Morris' Lent Challenge 2013. He lays out a great plan that helps to think through the areas of mind, body, and soul. Because Lent isn't about denying ourselves for the sake of denying, it's about growing closer to our Lord and Savior.
I pray you have a good Lent. Remember, ashes are excellent fertilizer. I pray that on Easter morning you find grass growing in your soul where once there were ashes.
Monday, February 11, 2013
It's not April Fool's Day
Pope Benedict XVI is resigning.
If you told me this in about two months, then I would laugh and say, "Very funny, Happy April Fool's Day." Today is not April Fool's Day. It's a Monday in February.
There are a ton of questions to be asked and answered in the next few weeks. All the i's will be dotted and t's crossed, but the most important thing for Catholics to do right now is pray.
Pray for Benedict XVI - for his health, peace of mind, thanksgiving for his service. Pray for the Catholic Church - for a smooth transition of the papacy, for unity among all Catholics, and for a renewal of faith for everyone.
The Holy Spirit has promised never to abandon the Church. Hold this promise close to your heart and pray to be the Spirit's conduit of grace to a broken world.
If you told me this in about two months, then I would laugh and say, "Very funny, Happy April Fool's Day." Today is not April Fool's Day. It's a Monday in February.
There are a ton of questions to be asked and answered in the next few weeks. All the i's will be dotted and t's crossed, but the most important thing for Catholics to do right now is pray.
Pray for Benedict XVI - for his health, peace of mind, thanksgiving for his service. Pray for the Catholic Church - for a smooth transition of the papacy, for unity among all Catholics, and for a renewal of faith for everyone.
The Holy Spirit has promised never to abandon the Church. Hold this promise close to your heart and pray to be the Spirit's conduit of grace to a broken world.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
The silence of 25 children
Sunday was a success! The first meeting of the Atrium at St. Brigid's in Memphis was fantastic. We have a rather unusual set up because we have 3 Atrium sessions happening simultaneously. The ages range from 3-8 and if you know anything about children, then you know there's a huge difference between a 3 year old and an 8 year old. I wasn't sure how it was going to work, but we did our best to divide the children up by age, and the Holy Spirit took care of the rest.
The children were so attentive and quiet; they knew in their hearts that this special place was for them. We ended our time together at the prayer table and I reminded the children about how to sit quietly without fidgeting. It was beautiful! The children closed their eyes and sat in silence. Complete silence. No one moved, no coughed or sneezed, no giggles, just silence. We could hear the wind blowing outside, the tick-tick-ticking of the clock, the buzz of the fluorescent lights. I taught them two versions of the Alleluia. They were so joy-filled with smiles all around. One of my fellow catechists told me that her kids were singing Alleluia for the rest of the day.
It was so wonderful to be in an Atrium again. I have 5 and 6 year olds and they learn things a lot faster than 3 year olds - I used to work in a 3 year old Atrium. I have spent the last week furiously reviewing and editing my "album pages" (lesson plans) and planning out the coming weeks for my class. I can't wait for Sunday to get here.
The children were so attentive and quiet; they knew in their hearts that this special place was for them. We ended our time together at the prayer table and I reminded the children about how to sit quietly without fidgeting. It was beautiful! The children closed their eyes and sat in silence. Complete silence. No one moved, no coughed or sneezed, no giggles, just silence. We could hear the wind blowing outside, the tick-tick-ticking of the clock, the buzz of the fluorescent lights. I taught them two versions of the Alleluia. They were so joy-filled with smiles all around. One of my fellow catechists told me that her kids were singing Alleluia for the rest of the day.
It was so wonderful to be in an Atrium again. I have 5 and 6 year olds and they learn things a lot faster than 3 year olds - I used to work in a 3 year old Atrium. I have spent the last week furiously reviewing and editing my "album pages" (lesson plans) and planning out the coming weeks for my class. I can't wait for Sunday to get here.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Opening an Atrium
This Sunday will be the first session of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) at St. Brigid's Catholic Church in Memphis, TN. I have had nothing to do with the planning, assembling, and setup of the Atrium (the room where the Catechesis is taught), I just happening to show up along the way and said, "Hey, can I get in on this?"
Late last summer my family decided to go to Mass at a different parish, sometimes a change is good. We had been floundering a bit at our parish, me especially. Mass at this new parish was lovely and reverent and then, at the end of the Mass, the pastor announced that CGS would be starting up in a few months. I had to contain my scream of excitement! My son would be three by the time the Atrium opened. I was elated and quickly asked my husband if he would mind if I volunteered with the program. Being that he's awesome, he said I should do it. And, before we had even talked about it, my husband grabbed a parish census form so we could join. "I figured," he said, "it was a done deal."
It has taken a little bit longer to get the Atrium together than hoped, but it's finally starting. It has been over 10 years since I have had the chance to work in an Atrium. Yesterday I met with the other two catechists who are newbies and I got a chance to walk around the Atrium. We will have about 28 children in the Atrium at one time - that's a lot! There are plenty of questions to be worked out, but I can't wait for Sunday morning.
The role of the catechist is serious and important. We don't watch movies or color cheesy pictures of Jesus. You can't just volunteer to be a catechist; you have to complete the CGS training. The children learn about the chasubles (the robes worn by the priest), the chalice and paten (used by the priest during consecration), the liturgical colors and calendar, the Good Shepherd, and the altar just to name a few things. The catechist helps to form the child to participate at the Mass - even at three years old.
It's hard to explain what an Atrium is like, you just have to see it (I'm hoping to get pictures up in a few weeks). Everything is at the level of a small child. Everything is smaller than child-size. The Atrium is not a nursery or a play area; it is the workspace of the child and the work is to encounter God. As the catechist, my job is to journey along with the children to meet God. I'm a fellow Catholic Christian seeking the Good Shepherd who knows me by name.
It is a very beautiful place. It's a mini Kingdom of God.
Late last summer my family decided to go to Mass at a different parish, sometimes a change is good. We had been floundering a bit at our parish, me especially. Mass at this new parish was lovely and reverent and then, at the end of the Mass, the pastor announced that CGS would be starting up in a few months. I had to contain my scream of excitement! My son would be three by the time the Atrium opened. I was elated and quickly asked my husband if he would mind if I volunteered with the program. Being that he's awesome, he said I should do it. And, before we had even talked about it, my husband grabbed a parish census form so we could join. "I figured," he said, "it was a done deal."
It has taken a little bit longer to get the Atrium together than hoped, but it's finally starting. It has been over 10 years since I have had the chance to work in an Atrium. Yesterday I met with the other two catechists who are newbies and I got a chance to walk around the Atrium. We will have about 28 children in the Atrium at one time - that's a lot! There are plenty of questions to be worked out, but I can't wait for Sunday morning.
The role of the catechist is serious and important. We don't watch movies or color cheesy pictures of Jesus. You can't just volunteer to be a catechist; you have to complete the CGS training. The children learn about the chasubles (the robes worn by the priest), the chalice and paten (used by the priest during consecration), the liturgical colors and calendar, the Good Shepherd, and the altar just to name a few things. The catechist helps to form the child to participate at the Mass - even at three years old.
It's hard to explain what an Atrium is like, you just have to see it (I'm hoping to get pictures up in a few weeks). Everything is at the level of a small child. Everything is smaller than child-size. The Atrium is not a nursery or a play area; it is the workspace of the child and the work is to encounter God. As the catechist, my job is to journey along with the children to meet God. I'm a fellow Catholic Christian seeking the Good Shepherd who knows me by name.
It is a very beautiful place. It's a mini Kingdom of God.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Forgive and Forget?
I'm still making my way through Set Free: The Authentic Catholic Woman's Guide to Forgiveness. It's a profound, thoughtful book that has led me to some serious introspection and I take it in small doses. Also, active three year olds aren't exactly understanding of the need for introspection. If you haven't gotten this book yet, then please do.
Genevieve Kineke addresses one of the most often quoted thoughts about forgiveness: forgive and forget. But, is that really possible? Kineke makes an excellent distinction on forgetting. In small, trifling matters I should forget the hurt, but for bigger, habitual, or traumatic injuries forgetting is not wise.
In the case of habitual hurts, say at the hands of an abusive parent, it would be stupid to "forget" the injury after forgiveness. Why? Because you set yourself up to be hurt over and over and over again. Protecting my heart from someone who has been known to trample on it is not selfish or un-Christian, it is wise. Sometimes I have to end a relationship because it is damaging to the soul and other times I have to be a little smarter in how much I trust or what I share.
In the case of traumatic hurts, forgetting is practically impossible and certainly not normal. Kineke shares a powerful story of a rape victim and her search for forgiveness, but you'll just have to buy the book to get the story. I'll share a quote though,
"We should not ask for the ability to forget the sins against us but rather to remember them in a way that we can manage, that will give glory to God for his great mercy..." (page 84)
Genevieve Kineke addresses one of the most often quoted thoughts about forgiveness: forgive and forget. But, is that really possible? Kineke makes an excellent distinction on forgetting. In small, trifling matters I should forget the hurt, but for bigger, habitual, or traumatic injuries forgetting is not wise.
In the case of habitual hurts, say at the hands of an abusive parent, it would be stupid to "forget" the injury after forgiveness. Why? Because you set yourself up to be hurt over and over and over again. Protecting my heart from someone who has been known to trample on it is not selfish or un-Christian, it is wise. Sometimes I have to end a relationship because it is damaging to the soul and other times I have to be a little smarter in how much I trust or what I share.
In the case of traumatic hurts, forgetting is practically impossible and certainly not normal. Kineke shares a powerful story of a rape victim and her search for forgiveness, but you'll just have to buy the book to get the story. I'll share a quote though,
"We should not ask for the ability to forget the sins against us but rather to remember them in a way that we can manage, that will give glory to God for his great mercy..." (page 84)
The Sacrament of Reconciliation was part of my grad school studies, but it had more to do with the history of the sacrament, Biblical theology, and the nuts and bolts of the sacrament. Unfortunately, we didn't spend much time talking about the "how-to's": how to help people see the need for forgiveness and the Sacrament; how forgiveness is a process; how to pray to be able to forgive; how to know my forgiveness is earnest.
I'm glad I've got Set Free now, not only for myself, but to help me in ministry.
I'm glad I've got Set Free now, not only for myself, but to help me in ministry.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Firing Squads
55 million souls...
That's more than the total population of the 20 biggest cities in the U.S. Imagine that tomorrow no one lives in New York, LA, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonia, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Austin, San Francisco, Columbus, Fort Worth, Charlotte, Detroit, El Paso, Memphis...(which is only about 32 million...I stopped adding after the top 20 cities). Imagine that all those people are suddenly gone. Now instead of these people disappearing, imagine that they are murdered by firing squad with the blessing of the federal government.
If you lived outside of one of those cities, what would you do? Would you go on with your day? Would you stand up to the injustice? Would you pray for the firing squads to stop? Would you cheer on the firing squads? Would you pay the salary of the firing squads? Would you vote in favor of more firing squads with the power to increase the numbers of people shot?
I have to admit that I haven't done much to stop abortion other than vote for life, pray outside abortion clinics a few times, and pray for the end of abortion. Every prayer is efficacious and every prayer matters, but action is necessary. Somehow, some way, I'm going to find more ways to be involved to stop abortion.
A nation that kills babies shouldn't be surprised that other things in the culture aren't so rosy.
That's more than the total population of the 20 biggest cities in the U.S. Imagine that tomorrow no one lives in New York, LA, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonia, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Austin, San Francisco, Columbus, Fort Worth, Charlotte, Detroit, El Paso, Memphis...(which is only about 32 million...I stopped adding after the top 20 cities). Imagine that all those people are suddenly gone. Now instead of these people disappearing, imagine that they are murdered by firing squad with the blessing of the federal government.
If you lived outside of one of those cities, what would you do? Would you go on with your day? Would you stand up to the injustice? Would you pray for the firing squads to stop? Would you cheer on the firing squads? Would you pay the salary of the firing squads? Would you vote in favor of more firing squads with the power to increase the numbers of people shot?
I have to admit that I haven't done much to stop abortion other than vote for life, pray outside abortion clinics a few times, and pray for the end of abortion. Every prayer is efficacious and every prayer matters, but action is necessary. Somehow, some way, I'm going to find more ways to be involved to stop abortion.
A nation that kills babies shouldn't be surprised that other things in the culture aren't so rosy.
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