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.

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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