A few weeks ago, I wrote about my frustration with regards to not finding the “secret formula” to attracting adults to faith formation. I was tickled to receive the following e-mail from a good friend of mine who has been a catechetical leader for years and is one of the smartest people I know:
To tell the truth, I’m sort of glad you didn’t find some secret I’ve missed my whole career. Because I would have felt very discouraged. It is discouraging enough! In fact, I’ve vowed to either totally revamp our family-centric First Communion retreat or never do it again. Parents could not have been less interested in participating with their kids. They either gossiped in groups or went to Starbucks, just leaving the kids as if we were the sitters.
There is a definite shift in culture. I’ve seen it building, but this year was definitive.
So, at least I know it isn’t just me!
This is precisely why I find it important to share my frustrations and failures here on my blog because, whenever I do, I have people tell me that it did them good because now they know “it isn’t just me!”
We’re all in this together! As I told my friend in response to her e-mail, “We won’t give up the good fight!”
Although this is only my 7th year as coordinator of FF …this year seemed different to me as well in regards to 2nd gr. Sacramental prep. It was a 1st when at First Reconciliation I had 3 students come w/o parents. I almost cried. Who drops off their child at the curb and maybe says…have a nice first reconciliation?
Hey for the first time since maybe 2002 I’m doing an adult class, 12 lectures over the summer. I started with this offbeat course description:
“UNLOCKING SCRIPTURE THROUGH STORIES AND STUFF
This course covers the sweep of Salvation History, beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation. Along the way we’ll get a big-picture view of Catholicism and the Bible as a unified whole, with an emphasis on the continuity of body and soul, the Stuff and Spirit that comprise each human being. This course has no textbook and so it is FREE.”
I have 29 people on the roll; about 25 show up. Catechists get cont. ed. credit, I think 4 are catechists. Last class, folks brought 3 visitors, that was nice. I do the same stuff I’ve done in 6th grade for the last 12 years: draw a lot, have skits, use props, read bits from the Bible, ask questions, have fun.
I’m camcording all the classes too, I upload them here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6PJShBcWXV9UY2XQUCexp8VGqkNLXnRG
That’s outstanding Christian!
Yes the big picture can be discouraging. Thank ya Jesus that we can focus more on the small part that is right in front of us.