Spring Enrichment gives attendees much to weigh

Comments from people attending Spring Enrichment this week give a flavor of the annual event's pluses:

* Larry Steiger, St. John the Baptist Church, Amsterdam: "I just finished up a course on the Gospels and the next one is on ethics. [I hope to] get a better understanding of my faith. Over a period of years, the Church has given me a lot, and I want to give back."

* Robin Mattes, catechist, Our Lady of the Assumption parish, Latham: "I love the ideas you get [at Spring Enrichment] for teaching. I welcome all sort of creative ideas and learning more about the Scriptures. I find it very relaxing to have a few hours to have the chance to learn without the hustle and bustle of life."

* Dave Marcil, catechist, Our Lady of Grace parish, Ballston Lake: Attending Spring Enrichment is "a good way to grow, to expand. Good tools are available. It makes you think, even if you don't want to. I'm taking a four-parter on ethics. It's a good thing for me to do and an area I'm not strong on; it's a hole I know I have."

* Jack Hayden, substitute catechist, St. Edward the Confessor Church, Clifton Park: "My wife is a coordinator at St. Edward's for first-, third- and fourth-grade [religious education]; I just fill in. I take the entire week off so I can attend [Spring Enrichment]. Last year, I picked the courses; this year, I let her pick. We enjoy the dialogue you can get in the classes. You walk around the rest of the world and not a lot of people want to talk about religion and God; here, a lot of people want to talk about religion and God."

* Leona Colvin, catechist, Notre Dame/Visitation parish, Schuylerville: "I just took ["Gourmet Gospel to Feed the Soul"]; that was phenomenal! Father Tom [Berardi] is a delight, so funny and entertaining. I've been a catechist for years. I do the children's liturgy; it's my love in life. I teach little children, so I take a lot of courses to keep myself creative. I'm taking everything from a cooking course to 'A Zen Garden [for Christians],' and also more heady things."

* Cathy Beaudoin, catechist, Immaculate Conception parish, Glenville: "This is my third year. It's so spiritually uplifting. I attended the keynote [see separate story], and I just came from the 'Gourmet Gospel' course. Father [Berardi] used food as an example of how to relate in classrooms. You come away 'waking up' to something you use to increase your spiritual life."

(Reported by Kate Blain, assistant editor, and Karen Dietlein Osborne, staff writer.)

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