April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
CATECHETICAL SUNDAY
Why become a catechist? Two Catholics answer
TEACHING IN TROY
Barbara Berger, the faith formation director at St. Michael the Archangel parish in Troy, has been involved in catechesis for 25 years - soon after studying elementary education at The College of Saint Rose in Albany.
She said there was a need for faith formation staff at the time she became a catechist, and teaching at public schools had left something to be desired as far as promoting morals to future generations.
"In this ministry, I can do that," Ms. Berger told The Evangelist. "I can teach them about the fact that they're always loved by this wonderful God [and] give them that security. [I tell them] God exists in every person. The children give you this great energy with their enthusiasm."
She said she learned about her own faith when she started volunteering her time as a catechist.
"I knew all the facts [and] the doctrine," she said, "but I don't think I was fully living it. I never really fully understood [how] to be a better person, how to be a better parent, how to be a better Christian."
Ms. Berger spent three years at St. John the Baptist parish in Valatie and 12 years at St. Joseph's parish in Stuyvesant Falls before taking the helm in Troy, where she has focused just as much on parents and adults as children.
Eight years ago, she started a mandatory monthly session for parents of faith formation students, featuring guest speakers; she also holds an annual family reconciliation service and encourages families to do service work together.
Ms. Berger believes in lifelong faith formation: St. Michael's has children's Liturgy of the Word sessions on Sundays for pre-kindergartners and kindergartners and a new Wee Little Angels program for infants to three-year-olds, which uses snacks, prayers, stories and songs to catechize the youngest members of the parish.
Ms. Berger doesn't know of other parishes that serve this age group.
"It's very simple," she said. "It's very light. I just make up stuff as I go along."
She's satisfied with the "basic" curriculum she's able to cover with children, but says she can tell the difference between faith formation students and Catholic school students.
The latter "seem to know about God in their life," she said. "They seem to know Jesus and His mission in the Church. They're really able to verbalize it and they can speak from the heart openly and freely."
It isn't always easy to teach the faith, but Ms. Berger remains positive.
"God's going to put challenges in front of you all the time to see how you handle them," she said. "Sometimes we have to step outside ourselves, out of our comfort zone, to help other people. If we can help even one person live a better life, isn't that what our ministry is all about?"
Pope Francis has "brought some new light" - and increased numbers - into the faith formation program, Ms. Berger said. Since she started, she's also seen catechesis become more service-oriented and attract more parental involvement.
NEW LEBANON DEDICATION
In New Lebanon, enrollment at Immaculate Conception parish's religious education program has not seen a similar boom. Instead, catechist Scott Gordon's second-grade class has gone from more than a dozen students at the beginning of the millennium to a handful in recent years. There was only one student last year.
Those numbers are to be expected at a small parish, said Mr. Gordon, who is beginning his 14th year volunteering at Immaculate Conception as a catechist for second grade and confirmation. What discourages him is lack of parental involvement and difficulty engaging students, who often come only for "sacramental years.
"I think it's a symptom of a bigger issue," he said, "[like] people losing their faith and not seeing it as a central factor in their lives. It's like speaking a foreign language. The parents weren't catechized. I don't think they know how to catechize their children.
"I feel for the kids because it's obvious that the faith isn't something that's discussed at home, so it's kind of like an extra class they have to take on weekends," he continued. "It seems like the kids don't have any grounding. They don't understand why the Church teaches what it does."
A pharmaceutical sales manager by profession, Mr. Gordon believes the role of catechists is one of support - "not the main role. Everything starts with the family."
Ideally, he said, confirmation candidates would sign up because they really want to receive the sacrament, not just because their parents think they should.
Mr. Gordon returned to the Catholic faith of his childhood in his 20s and attended a seminary for two years. Teaching religious education seemed like an obvious choice.
"I feel a sense of obligation," he said. "[God] gave me these gifts. For [the children] that are interested, it's kind of exciting. It opens it up for them. That's what I hold onto. I do what I can do and I leave the rest in the Lord's hands."[[In-content Ad]]
250 X 250 AD
250 X 250 AD
Events
250 X 250 AD
Comments:
You must login to comment.