Religious ed in Gansevoort a special effort

A mission church of St. Clement's parish in Saratoga Springs, St. Therese's takes pride in its independence, including having its own religious ed program. Nearly 100 children are enrolled there each year, with nine catechists teaching them and director Lynn O'Rourke overseeing the entire program.

However, that wasn't always the case. Deacon Danny Boyd, who ministers at the mission church, recalled a time when the 150-family St. Therese's couldn't afford to hire a director of religious education.

Volunteer

"We sent her to the Formation for Ministry program, and now she's getting a master's degree [in theology] from St. Bernard's Institute!" he boasted.

Mrs. O'Rourke, whose career is teaching life skills to teens at a residential placement facility, admitted that the program "just fell into my lap. God just guided me in that direction." Today, she believes the children at St. Therese's are "God's gift to me."

Adjustments

A kindergarten class was added, led by two teenagers who began working with the children at age 15 and are now seniors in high school. Mrs. O'Rourke noted that when they leave for college, she'll be on the lookout for replacements.

This year, she said, St. Therese's will add a preschool program with a two-fold purpose: giving children the beginnings of religious instruction and cutting the number of noisy young voices heard during Mass.

Learning tools

The director also uses The Evangelist's weekly children's column (see page 27 this week) to illustrate the Sunday Gospel readings.

"Thank God for The Evangelist!" she exclaimed.

Two years ago, the mission began having students act out the Living Stations of the Cross during Lent; last winter, fifth- and sixth-graders made Valentine's Day cards and delivered them to retired priests at St. John Neumann Residence in Saratoga.

Doing good

"I've never seen so many volunteers to clean blackboards!" the director said, laughing.

Mrs. O'Rourke is especially concerned with keeping teenagers involved in the Church, even after Confirmation, when religious ed classes end. Last year, for example, she organized a generic retreat for all teens -- not just those still in the program -- that was so successful, the participants are already asking for another.

"I would like the kids to get a sense of doing Jesus' work," she stated. "We have teens who teach, a teen who is a hospitality minister, a teen who is taking a seat on our parish council. If you get them hooked on a ministry, they stay."

For free

This year's barbecue was held last weekend. With most of the parishioners pitching in somehow, from making coleslaw to buying chicken, St. Therese's realized $1,800.

"That will just about carry my program through the year," Mrs. O'Rourke boasted.

The religious ed program will begin for the year on Sept. 23, and the director was excited as she sorted art supplies and put up decorations in the rooms of the tiny church hall.

"I think they have a good time," she said of the students. "I know I do!"

(09-13-01) [[In-content Ad]]