Catechist uses newspaper to expand lessons

The second-year catechist at St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church in Gloversville uses The Evangelist to show her students how faith should be part of their daily lives. She signed up her students as subscribers this year after photocopying individual stories for them last year.

"I'm trying to make students see that being Catholic is not confined to going to church and religion class on Sunday," she said. "We, as Catholics, are in the world, responding to the Gospel message through social issues."

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Mrs. Poling was surprised that only three students were receiving the paper at home, so she signed up the remainder of her class for subscriptions, in hopes that students and their parents would benefit.

"You find that you can relate what Scripture is saying and how the Church is responding to that message," she said. "We do challenge the political views of our time, as Catholics. I'm trying to give them a Catholic identity."

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She also used the prayer, "I am a Candle," that appeared in a pull-out section on candles; each student read a line of the prayer as a candle was lit in class.

Mrs. Poling has the catechism "Be My Witnesses" for class, but the weekly diocesan newspaper enhances the lessons offered in the program, especially when students have questions about such events as the war in Kosovo and the shootings at Columbine High School.

"They see the Church isn't just teaching; we're responding, we speak out," she said.

Learning

"It's helping me as a catechist," she said. "I certainly don't have all the answers, and I also don't want to limit myself to teaching from catechism. It gives me background information as to why we respond to issues the way we do from a Catholic point of view."

Now that students receive The Evangelist, Mrs. Poling plans for them to read it wherever they are.

"I want them bringing that newspaper from class and working from it," she said, "and I'd like them to start reading it at home."

(10-07-99) [[In-content Ad]]