Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy, Author at Catechist's Journey

About Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

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.

Saint Andrew Dung-Lac - image by Nheyob (cropped by Rabanus Flavus) under CC BY-SA 3.0

Asian and Pacific Island Catholics: Identity and Our Gifts to the Church

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

In August 2018, Most Reverend Oscar Solis, Bishop of Salt Lake City, convoked a gathering of Catholic leaders from Asian and Pacific Island communities across the country. Our task: to produce a plan to disseminate and implement the document Encountering Christ in Harmony: A Pastoral Response to Our Asian and Pacific Island Brothers and Sisters (ECH:API). Developed by the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Islands Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) […]

Retain Catechists Through Public Recognition

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

Bishop Larry Silva stood at the doorway to my office holding a tray stacked high with freshly baked brownies. “Jayne, I’m here to say hello and to thank you for your hard work! Care for a treat?” He served up a brownie, and we chatted amicably for a few moments. I watched him make his way down the hall, stopping at each office to offer a sweet treat, recognizing the efforts of his employees and […]

Three Ways to Retain Catechists Through Affirmation

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

Cool-headed, analytical, driven—these words were often used to describe Scott, a veteran soldier in the United States Army. Yet, there he was, a shy grin on his face as he approached his pastor, who had called him forward to be recognized as a new catechist. He gratefully accepted his welcome gifts: the Holy Bible with his name engraved on the cover, a rosary carved from a native hard wood, and an official catechist name badge. […]

Collaborating with Catechists

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

The Vietnamese Holy Martyrs Catholic Community in the Diocese of Honolulu have an annual youth camp. The core team had finalized their plans for 2018. The campsite was booked; the program content was finalized; the activities and their optimum placement were all mapped out: prayer service in the chapel, sessions in the common room, outdoor grilling for lunch, a Scripture-themed scavenger hunt on the playing field, skits and s’mores around the outdoor fire pit. Now […]

Supporting Your Catechists

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

I was about to meet with a parent who had a reputation for being overly assertive. I was a little nervous, but as a catechetical leader, it was my duty to support my ministry team. This parent had upset a second-grade catechist; she had tried to reason with him to no avail. She pleaded with me to intercede. He sat across the table from me, whipped out his phone and rather ceremoniously set the timer. […]

Collaboration Through a Reflection and Planning Day

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

Last spring, I observed a parish catechetical leader facilitate a marvelous reflection and planning day. Throughout the year this leader had carefully guided her catechists in preparing and teaching lessons appropriate to their grade. Yet while grade-level sessions were helpful, she realized that the mission to form students and families in faith would be better served if they examined their students’ faith formation along a continuum instead of in discrete grade levels. For example, given […]

Managing and Leading Catechists

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

When it comes to supervising catechists, it helps to make a clear distinction between managing them and leading them. Managing what your catechists do and how they perform their duties is important. To help them flourish, an effective catechetical leader helps them understand why they serve as catechists: to help bring about the Kingdom of God. To be honest, learning to balance management and leadership took years for me to figure out. But I am […]

Three-Dimensional Formation of Catechists

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

The Wai’anae and Ko’olau volcanic mountain ranges flank the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Miles of scenic hiking trails wind through their ancient forests and majestic peaks. Some trails are easy and child-friendly, others steep and strenuous. One trail in particular requires great stamina to conquer: the Koko Head Crater Steps. The stairs (pictured above) are remnants of railroad ties from the World War II era, built to haul munitions to the crater’s 1,200-foot summit. It’s […]

Spirituality of the Catechist: Online Retreat for Catechists

A Recipe for Success: Coherence and Authenticity of Life

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

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 […]

Don’t Chase God; Be Caught Instead

Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy

This reflection is part of the Spirituality of the Catechist Online Retreat. Craig, Janice, and their two young daughters could always be counted on to participate in parish family life programs. By all accounts Craig was the super-Catholic dad: a humble man of faith; a role model for other dads. After a particularly long afternoon of family-ministry activities, I noticed Craig sitting in a far corner of the church lawn. I wandered over, sat beside […]

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