Great stories and comments being shared about becoming a catechist in response to my May 26 post Becoming a Catechist: What’s YOUR Story? Please join in!

At this time of the year, many people are being asked to consider the possibility of becoming a catechist for next year. This is a monumental responsibility of the catechetical leader: to discern which individuals God may be calling to this privileged vocation. By the same token, those who are invited to serve as catechists are faced with discerning whether or not this is their vocation.

Part of that discernment is listening to the stories of other catechists. You and I can assist by sharing our stories of how we were called to become catechists. No story is too mundane to share: God works through the ordinary experiences of everyday life to create extraordinary opportunites!

So WHAT’S YOUR STORY?  How did you become a catechist? What went through your head and heart as you discerned this call?

I just heard from a colleague of mine, a DRE who was a student at Quigley South high school when I taught there back in the 1980s! Patrick says, “Hello Joe! All is well at the parish. We finished a great year on May 3 with a May Crowning with all of the students.”

Yes, May Crownings still happen!

I remember with great fondness the May Crownings of my childhood…nothing said “spring is here” more powerfully than a good May Crowning.

Are May Crownings passe? Hopefully not. As catechists, a May Crowning is a good opportunity for us to help those we teach understand that Catholics do not worship Mary but rather honor her.

May Crownings may be considered out of date by some but, with the proper catechesis, they can continue to be a wonderful devotion and a way to bring us closer to Jesus. So what makes for “sound” Marian devotion? In his apostolic exhortation on Mary, Marialis Cultus (To Honor Mary), Pope Paul VI outlined 5 characteristics that are required, saying that sound Marian devotions and good Marian theology must be:

1. Biblical - rooted in the testimony of Scripture
2. Liturgical - in tuen with the great liturgical seasons
3. Ecumenical - in harmony with the agreements we have reached with fellow Christian churches
4. Anthropological - be sensitive to the changing role of women in society (i.e. to present Mary as a woman who was passive and subservient does not resonate with the perception of women in today’s society)
5. Theological - have God at the center - with Mary placed in relation to Christ and to the Church

You can celebrate a simple May Crowning with those you teach by doing the following:

• place a statue of Mary on a pedestal
• sing a hymn honoring Mary
• read a Scripture passage about Mary such as Luke 1:26-38 (the Anunciation); Luke 1:39-45 (the Visitation); Luke 2:6-12 (the Nativity); Luke 2:41-50 (the boy Jesus in the Temple); John 2:1-12 (the wedding feast at Cana); Luke 23:27-29 (Mary meets Jesus carrying his cross); John 19:25-30 (Mary at the foot of the cross).
• offer a brief reflection on the role of Mary as the first disciple (or, if you do this May Crowning for catechists, reflect on Mary as the model catechist)
• walk in procession while singing or playing a Marian hymn
• place a garland of flowers on the head of the statue
• pray the Hail Mary, the Hail, Holy Queen, or the Memorare

By the way, click here for a good list of other Marian resources for catechists. If you are looking for a good explanation of why May is considered the month of Mary, click here. Finally, if you’re looking for a good resource to better understand the role of Mary in the Church, consider getting a hold of Jim Campbell’s Mary and the Saints, part of the Catholic Basics series.

Have you recently experienced a May Crowning? Tell us about it!

Near the end of the great movie, The Wizard of Oz, there’s a wonderful moment when the key players in the story reflect on what they’ve learned:

The Tin Man: What have you learned, Dorothy?

Dorothy: Well, I - I think that it - it wasn’t enough to just want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em - and it’s that - if I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own back yard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with!

In faith circles, we call this theological reflection - the act of looking back over an experience to discover meaning that draws from the Christian Tradition.

Theological reflection is a good exercise for catechists to engage in after every class and especially at the end of a year of teaching. Here’s a good example of a catechist sharing his reflections on his year as a catechist:

http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/05/lessons-learned/

Now there’s another place where you can go to ask questions, share resources, grow networds, and develop relationships around the topic of the Catholic faith. You can find it at http://forums.loyolapress.com. Be sure to check it out.

Faith Formation Forum is an online community for anyone engaged in teaching the Catholic faith and inspiring people to be conscious of God in their everyday life. Whether you are a veteran catechist or teacher, a director of religious education, or a parent who wants to help your child grow in faith, the Faith Formation Forum is your place to swap good ideas, connect with friends old and new, and grow together in faith.

All are welcome! Start or join a discussion around your questions and concerns, or respond to others with your ideas and experiences. Give and find encouragement and inspiration to help others find God in daily life.

Faith Formation Forum is hosted by Loyola Press, a ministry of the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesuits, commonly known as the the Jesuits.

Over the past year, I have picked up a number of handy suggestions from various catechists…little things they do in their classes that I think make a BIG difference. Here are the “top ten” things that you can do on a regular basis to help you become a more effective and engaging catechist right now without adding tons of additional planning time to your preparation for class!

1. Greet your students at the door each week with a task they need to complete (e.g. hand them an index card and have them write down the most significant event/experience of their past week). Keeping them on task from the moment they enter is a form of “preemptive” discipline.
2. If your class is reading a long block of material from the text book, call on the first volunteer to read and then tell him/her to pick the next reader and so on…it adds a little twist that kids find fun.
3. If you’re leading a class discussion, bring in a foam ball and toss it to someone as a prompt for him/her to respond to a question you’ve asked. Invite him/her to toss it (gently) to the next student they wish to have respond.
4. Begin class by asking the young people to mention something good that happened in the past week (use the foam ball mentioned in #2!)
5. Follow that up by asking them to mention someone or some situation that needs our prayers. “Gather” all of these thoughts into your opening prayer.
6. At the end of class, go around and ask each young person to name at least one thing they learned before they leave (wow, you can use the foam ball again!)
7. As the young people leave your class, stand at the doorway with a bowl of holy water and have them bless themselves (or you can bless them) .
8. Create a simple Prayer Box (a shoe box, wrapped in nice paper, and a slit cut on the top) and place it in the room. Invite the young people to write prayers at any time on small slips of paper and to drop them into the box. Designate a time for reading the prayers out loud.
9. Have the young people set up your prayer center at the start of every class (table, cloth, Bible, crucifix, candle, flower, etc). Make a ritual out of it.
10. Invite the young people to bring their own symbols to add to the prayer center as the year goes on.

What other LITTLE ideas would you suggest that catechists can do on a regular basis that can make a BIG difference in their teaching?

This evening is our end-of-the-year catechist meeting. I was asked by our DRE, Arlene, to lead the other catechists in a reflective prayer (meditation). I will be using a meditation that I wrote a couple of years ago for this very blog. You’re welcome to use this for your own reflection or with a group of catechists.

We often tell our learners to use their imaginations. Now it’s your turn. Use your imagination to reflect on this past year as a catechist.  (Pause.)

First, find a position that feels most comfortable to you. (Pause.) If you like, close your eyes. (Pause.) Now relax your entire body—your neck . . . your shoulders . . . your arms . . . your legs. (Pause.) Feel all the tension flowing out of your body, into the air and away. (Pause.) Now be very still and listen to the rhythm of your breathing. Listen. (Pause.) Feel your breath go in and out, in and out, in and out. (Pause.) Now let’s begin. (Pause.)

In your imagination see yourself in the place where you’ve been teaching this past year. (Pause.) Imagine that you are there all alone, slowly walking about the room, recalling the times that you were teaching. (Pause.) Imagine that you can hear the echoes and see the shadows of the experiences you shared with your participants over the weeks and months. (Pause.)

Imagine that in the midst of this remembering, Jesus enters the room. As he comes in, you go to meet him. He’s obviously glad to see you. Listen to him tell you how glad he is to be with you. (Pause.)

Jesus asks you what you were just doing. Tell him that you’ve been thinking about this past year and your service as a catechist.

Listen as Jesus thanks you for being his disciple and for sharing his Good News with others. (Pause)

Jesus asks you, “What moments in your teaching this past year do you feel best about?” (Pause) Take some time to recall these moments and share them with Jesus. Tell him why these moments were special. (Pause)

Tell Jesus what you are most thankful for as you recall this past year. (Pause)

Jesus asks you, “What were your biggest struggles this year?” (Pause) Take some time to share with Jesus what you struggled with. (Pause) Listen as Jesus responds. (Pause)

Talk to Jesus about specific individuals in your group. Tell him about the gifts you recognize in them. Tell him what special needs some of them have that you are concerned about and how you tried to reach them. (Pause)

Jesus asks you how you are doing with your own faith life. Talk to him about where you feel your relationship with him is at this point in your life. (Pause)

Ask Jesus for the grace to grow closer to him. (Pause)

Jesus asks you if you will consider serving as a catechist again. Thank him for this special invitation and calling and talk to him about how you would like to respond at this time. (Pause)

If you feel ready to respond to this call, tell Jesus what specific help you will need to grow as a catechist in the coming year. (Pause)

If you are not ready to return as a catechist, ask Jesus for his help in discerning how you can best use your gifts to serve others. (Pause) Listen as Jesus speaks to you. (Pause)

Jesus reminds you that the Holy Spirit is always with you to guide you.(Pause.)

You’ve discussed a lot with Jesus already, so now just rest in his love. Words are no longer needed. Be still together. Know how much he cares for you. (Pause.)

You recognize that it’s time to go now. Thank Jesus for the gift of this past year and for this time you just spent together. (Pause.)

Gradually bring yourself back from your reflection.(Pause.)

End this prayer time by giving praise to the Trinity: “Glory be to the Father…”

I have an article appearing in the current issue of Today’s Catholic Teacher magazine! It is directed to religion teachers in Catholic schools however I’m sure that catechists in parish RE programs can benefit as well. Enjoy! (click on the link below)

http://www.catholicteacher.com/archive/articles_view.php?article_id=2174

I wish you a very Blessed Easter season!!! May the grace of the Risen Lord be with you always!

Experiencing the Triduum was a blessing as always. Holy Thursday and Good Friday were at St. Julie Billiart parish in Tinley Park and the Easter Vigil was at St. Clement in Chicago. All were celebrated with great reverence, style, and grace, and the the richness of the sacramentality of these days filled all of my senses.

I wish I could say that my class last Monday put the kids into the right frame of mind for Holy Week but it was less than successful. First, we went to church for the Living Stations of the Cross, “performed” by 8th graders. The kids involved did a nice job and, for the most part, were reverent. Keeping the others quiet and attentive was a task. They have trouble getting over the giddyness of seeing classmates in costume and resisting the temptation to make them smirk, smile, or laugh. Keeping them attentive and well-behaved for the remainder of the Stations required a great deal of vigilance.

When we got back to class, we had about 20 minutes remaining so I did a lenten activity that I had posted earlier - Looking for Clues. I placed pictures of all of the “objects” mentioned in Mark’s Passion reading inside of plastic Easter Eggs and “hid” them all around the room ahead of time and I began by sending them on an Easter egg hunt. The problem was, they were already hyped up from coming and going to church for the Living Stations, it was getting late, and they were also hyped up about beginning Easter vacation later that week. Needless to say, their behavior was not good and I had my hands full quieting them down for the last 15 minutes

Inviting 8th graders to do an Easter Egg hunt runs the risk of bringing out their "inner 4-year-old!"

while we opened the eggs one at at time and talked about the objects and how they fit into the Passion story. It was frustrating to say the least. I realized that if I were to do this activity over again, I would do it at the start of class and allow for much more time (we were too rushed) and I would have them use their Bibles to locate the objects pictured in the eggs and to summarize that part of the story for the group. As it was, the focus was on me to explain the objects. This allowed the students to assume a passive role…never a good idea! We live and learn, don’t we?

This week, we are off for Easter vacation and then the following week is the last opportunity I have to actually teach them. The following week will be a Mass and awards ceremony followed by a pizza party. So, over the next few days, I’ll be brainstorming ideas for making next Monday’s class a fitting conclusion to the year! My goal will be to build a session that expects much of THEM and requires THEM to show that they are leaving with more than they came with. I’ll keep you informed.

Hmmm…the Easter season is 50 days. Maybe I should post 50 Easter activities in 50 days? Not gonna happen! However, if you have any Easter activities to share, by all means, send them along!