A Recipe for Success: Coherence and Authenticity of Life

Spirituality of the Catechist: Online Retreat for Catechists

My husband Tim has a knack for creating magnificent meals. In the early years of our marriage, we spent equal time in the kitchen. Even though we had access to the same utensils, appliances, ingredients, and cookbooks, Tim’s cooking skills quickly surpassed mine.

What really distinguishes his skills from mine is his flair for regional cuisines. He can prepare authentic-tasting dishes from regions around the world. He once prepared a smorgasbord that included home-made gravlax (a carefully cured salmon with dill overtones). The meal brought tears to the eyes of a young Swedish friend, because it reminded her of home and family. A few months later, Tim prepared bulgogi (a dish of marinated beef and vegetables) and a variety of banchan (side dishes) for some guests from Korea. The meal was so good that they asked Tim if his mother was Korean. (She was German.)

If being a great cook was just a matter of assembling ingredients and following a recipe, we’d all be masters in the kitchen, right? But I believe Tim’s savoir faire comes from his commitment to making authentic meals that are consistent with traditional methods of preparation. Even before he lifts a knife or lights a burner, he studies the region’s culinary history and recipes so as to understand the essential ingredients. He is careful not to deviate too far from tradition lest his substitutions render the dish unrecognizable.

He reflects upon the people he serves in order to authentically communicate his respect for their culture. He combines knowledge, thoughtful discernment, and skill to make a meal that is more than just authentic—it is celebratory and transformative. It builds trust among those gathered at table, promotes conversation, and strengthens our sense of community.

cooking spices

As catechists, writing and following a good lesson plan (our recipes) and assembling resources (the ingredients) are indeed necessary. But the Guide for Catechists challenges us to be coherent and authentic in our preparation:

The work of catechists involves their whole being. Before they preach the word, they must make it their own and live by it . . . What catechists teach should not be a purely human science nor the sum of their personal opinions but the Church’s faith, which is the same throughout the world, which they themselves live and whose witnesses they are. (8)

Just as a master cook is committed to making a coherent and authentic meal, our lives must be coherent. We should live our lives in a way that is consistent with Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and the teachings of the Magisterium. We must discipline our prayer life so as to “grow interiorly in the peace and joy of Christ . . . [and] be examples of hope and courage.” (Guide for Catechists 8) We must be authentic by practicing what we preach and respecting the people we serve, aware and appreciative of cultural contexts. By this, we become “bearers of paschal joy and hope, in the name of the Church” (8); we will build trust, create pathways to conversion, and strengthen the Christian community.

It’s a recipe for success.


This reflection was inspired by our retreat theme this week: A Coherence and Authenticity of Life. Read Joe Paprocki’s post introducing the theme and reflect with questions and spiritual exercises.

About Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy 29 Articles
Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy serves as Director of Religious Education for the Diocese of Honolulu, which is comprised of the six major islands in the state of Hawaii. Born and raised in Honolulu, Jayne began her professional career in corporate management in the San Francisco Bay Area while remaining steadily involved in parish catechetical and liturgical music programs. Jayne, and her husband and daughter, returned to Honolulu where Jayne earned a master's degree in pastoral leadership from Chaminade University of Honolulu. Her perspective of volunteer recruitment and management is shaped by her lengthy experience in working with and leading volunteers in diocesan and parish catechetical ministries, as a high school teacher and administrator, and as a governing board member for local Catholic and private schools and the National Conference for Catechetical Leaders (NCCL).​ She is the author of Cultivating Your Catechists, part of the Effective Catechetical Leader series.

7 Comments

  1. The diversity of the church is something I treasure! We all being our own authentic dishes to the common table.

  2. Great sharing Jayne! Spicing up with authenticity is key to them wanting to come back for more and staying hungry for our Lord.

  3. Okay, Jayne, it’s 9:30 in the morning and I am hungry! I appreciate the message you send our way however. It is so important to know the culture of our audiences in the Church setting. The beauty of the universal Church today is dependent on cultures sharing their unique identities and richness and listening to others’ too. When we share what the Church teaches, that which we believe, we are authentic regardless of our cultures. Thank you!

  4. I loved this article. It is a superb blend of the “catechism” aspect and the zeal for what really is applicable in our lives and the lives of our children

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