welcome [d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net] · job. by relating with them lovingly, telling them how...
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to St. Anthony Faith Formation! I am so excited you have heard and an-
swered the call of God to be a catechist! My hope and prayer is that this vocation will
be fruitful for your own growth in faith and relationship with Christ as you journey with
the students in your classes as they grow and develop in theirs. This manual is de-
signed to be a resource for you to learn from and to look back and reference when you
find yourself needing a fresh perspective. It is not a set of rules and obligations you
need to follow. It is some insights into the craft of catechesis to which you have been
called. You may have classroom experience as a teacher, you may have experience
training others in your career, you may have coaching experience, you may have no
experience teaching. Whatever your level of expertise, this manual should hold some
new information specific to catechesis, which is different from traditional classroom
teaching, though your time in a learning environment will be called upon as you reflect
on these topics and techniques.
Blessings, Beth Cowles
Coordinator of Elementary Religious Education
St. Anthony Catholic Church
Bryan, TX
This manual has some unique features: each
section begins with a short prayer, scripture verse,
or quote from a saint and ends with questions for
reflection. The purpose of these is to help keep you
focused on the fact that we are all here for the pur-
pose of ministry…to bring others to Christ and His
Church.
Welcome
St. Anthony...pray for us!
Catechesis is the passing on of our faith to others in a systematic and orderly way
(General Directory of Catechesis, 66). There is a pedagogy of God that we strive to
emulate when teaching the faith to others. God revealed Himself and the essential
truths of our existence slowly and in stages “so as to draw even closer to man” (GDC,
38). Pope St. John Paul II, in his apostolic exhortation Catechesi Tradendae, tells us
that fundamentally, the aim of catechesis is to put people in intimate communion with
the Person of Jesus Christ (5).
This manual is designed to help you in your vocation as a catechist to achieve these
high ideals in your individual classes, with individual students. We need to remember at
all times that this is not simply a class to teach certain objectives for recollection on a
test. Our purpose is to journey with our students, our brothers and sisters in Christ, on
our way to heaven. Passing on the faith to others is a high calling within the Church.
Let us all help one another to succeed in this purpose and bring each other, our stu-
dents, and whole parish community closer to Christ and His salvation.
We follow Christ as Teacher, allowing Him to guide us in our task that He sets be-
fore us. So, let us begin as He taught us, calling on the name of our Father in heaven:
Introduction
The first proclamation of the Gospel is our first task
when catechizing. This is also known as the Kerygma. Re-
minding ourselves and our students what the big picture is
where our faith is concerned is important. ‘On the lips of the
catechist the first proclamation must ring out over and over:
“Jesus Christ loves you; he gave his life to save you; and
now he is living at your side every day to enlighten,
strengthen and free you” (Evangelii Gaudium 164, Pope
Francis, 2013).’
Here is an example of a simple statement of this Truth:
Jesus Christ, Son of God, became Incarnate in the fullness of time. He suffered,
died, rose again, and ascended to Heaven for the forgiveness of all sin. He is the
redeemer of the world.
You can formulate your own statement of this central core of the Good News. It
should be the one thing you return to with each lesson…how does this lesson tie into
this central core? Having your Kerygmatic statement on a poster or wall hanging is a
good reminder for everyone who walks into your classroom that this is the focus of
our faith.
"To restore the kerygma to its full power and clarity into one single
message proclaiming with joy and love the beauty and the promise of
the kingdom of God is the task of the kerygmatic renewal. Its chief aim
is to present the truths of the faith as an organic whole. The core is the
Good News of our redemption in Christ. It's fruit should be our grateful
and loving response to God's loving call (Jungmann, “Theology and
Kerugmatic Teaching, Lumen Vitae, 5).”
This proclamation demands a response. If I were to say to you, “I did all of your
chores today” what would your response be? Most likely, a “thank you” or “you
shouldn’t have!” or “what can I do for you?” In the same way, Jesus’ life, passion,
death, resurrection, and ascension should elicit a response from us. We can seek a re-
sponse from those whom we teach. Our desire for them is to develop a relationship
with Jesus Christ, so we begin with helping them to understand the relationships they
F or God so
loved the
world that
he gave
his only Son, so that
everyone who be-
lieves in him might
not perish but might
have eternal life.
John 3:16
The Kerygma –
our catechesis must be kerygmatic
already have with their family, friends, classmates, neighbors, and people at church.
We help them to see how those relationships are images of the relationship God desires
with them. This can look very different in each classroom with each grade-level, and
even with each individual person!
By putting what Jesus did for us in terms the children can un-
derstand, we help them to begin that relationship. We are representa-
tives of Christ in our faith formation classrooms. How do you develop
the relationship with the children? How can they make the leap from
relationship with a catechist to a relationship with Christ? This is our
job. By relating with them lovingly, telling them how you love them
through your love for Christ, and in your desire to teach them the
faith He called the “pearl of great price” (Mt. 13:45-46) you are accomplishing this
goal, this Task of Catechesis (General Directory for Catechesis, 85).
The story of salvation history is our story - it is our learners’ story. Knowing The
Story and being able to articulate it, to tell it in an engaging manner is important to
helping the children understand their place in God’s family. Human beings learn best
through stories; this is evidenced by how information was passed down through the
ages: oral tradition, clay tablets, papyrus, plays, poetry, novels, radio shows, television
series, movies are all storytelling ways and means. Ask a student to tell you about their
day or their grandpa and you’ll get a story! Ask anyone what their favorite book is and
you can bet it’s NOT a textbook! Stories
are who we are, it’s where we’ve come
from and where we are going. Making
The Story a central part of your faith
formation lessons and showing the stu-
dents how you and they fit into it will
create a sense of curiosity and wonder
that can prove invaluable when teaching
the truths of the faith that, on face
value, may seem dry or formulaic.
Using methods appropriate for the age
group, we should tell the story, asking them to put themselves into it. One way to ac-
complish this is imaginative guided meditation.
Some of the resources available include:
Guided Reflections for Children, Volumes 1 & 2, Loyola Press
http://www.cominghome.org.au/
“It is not enough to
love the young; they
must know they are
loved.”
St. John Bosco
I Talk with God: The Art of Prayer and Meditation for Catholic Children, Janet P.
McKenzie
Another way to include the children in the story is to have them tell it, either with
words or pictures, role-play, skits, or other body movement. When the children are ac-
tively engaged in telling the story, they will more likely make it their own and be able
to articulate it to others. This process of growing in faith and discipleship is a major
task of catechesis because it ties so closely to our Baptismal call to spread the Good
News.
Cultivating Wonder –
curiosity brings focus to lessons
If I were to begin a lesson with the lights off and quiet mu-
sic playing in the background, would that pique your curi-
osity? What if the room is brightly lit with flood lights and
rock music playing? How about silence? What if I met you
at the door with a smile and my finger to my lips to indi-
cate that we are beginning in silence? Or, if I’m wearing a
silly hat, or have a nametag on that reads “Hello My Name
is: St. Mary Magdalene”? Would you be curious to see what
was in store for the lesson? I probably would.
What’s the point of piquing the children’s curiosity?
Firstly, it draws them into the environment that you have
set for the class. Secondly, curiosity puts them in a questioning and open attitude, as
opposed to closed and withdrawn. Thirdly, curiosity is the first step to learning. Even if
you don’t begin with greeting them in a manner that is curious, your opening statement
to them or in transition from the regular class openers can elicit similar results. We
I n the begin-
ning God cre-
ated the heav-
ens and the
earth...the spirit of
God swept over the
waters and then God
said, “Let there be
light.”
based on Gen. 1:1-3
Questions for Reflection
1. When did you first hear the Kerygma proclaimed?
2. What is your favorite story? Why?
3. Who is your favorite story-teller? Why?
4. Craft your own Kerygmatic statement.
always want to bring our learners closer to Christ. Christ Himself used techniques to
bring about curiosity that made his hearers question and desire more (cf. Mt. 13). Even
reading a single verse or statement from Scripture and letting it hang in the air for a
moment can be the attention grabber that brings focus to the lesson.
Our own wonder and curiosity about God should be the jumping off point to bring
about wonder and curiosity in our students. What is it about the topic for the lesson
that YOU are curious about, or that causes you to sit back and say “Wow, God is AWE-
SOME!”? Identify those things and you have the start of a really great lesson. When the
catechist is excited to share the mystery of our faith with others, it is contagious. Chil-
dren need to catch the excitement about our faith.
Beginning each lesson with a question to answer is another way to spark interest.
For older students, maybe 4th, 5th, and 6th grades make your year’s calendar out with
the lesson topics for each week phrased as a question. Send this home the first night,
post it in the room, send it out as an email to the parents. Make your students curious
about what’s next in the Story. How in the world is God going to make this topic con-
nect to that topic?
The Catholic faith is rich with mystery…the
Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, the Paschal
Mystery, the mystery of miracles, saints, angels,
Creation, etc. The word mystery comes from the
Greek word “mysterion” which translates to
“secret”. These are the secrets of our faith that
God has revealed to us in a way that draws us
in, closer to Him, curious, desiring to know
more. We emulate the revelation of God in our
own class lessons. Reveal the truths of the faith
in small bites, leave the class desiring to know
more, to come back next week hungering for the
next bite. And so a lesson that begins with the
question “what is she up to?” ends with the
question “what will she be up to next week?” A
lesson that begins with the question “what is
Jesus up to in our lives?” ends with the ques-
tion “what will Jesus do this week in my life?”
and the desire to share the answer to that
question the next week in class.
Rublev’s Icon of the Holy Trinity (ca. 1411) Tretyakov
Gallery, Moscow
Questions for Reflection
1. What makes you feel awe and/or wonder?
2. List 3 ways you can illicit wonder from your faith formation students.
Memorization –
Learning by heart has real benefits
We look to the Apostles for examples. How did they be-
come intimate with Jesus? What was their relationship with
Him? More like brothers or a club than teacher and student,
or a classroom. BUT, Jesus did expect them to know some
things ahead of time – Scripture, right worship in the Temple,
the Law. These were things the Apostles knew from their own
schooling when they were children and young men. Jesus as-
sumed they knew the doctrines of the faith in which they
grew up. In the same way, the children we teach must learn
Scripture, liturgical practices, prayers, and certain doctrines,
so that as they develop their relationship with Christ, He can
build on what they know. To learn that Jesus Christ died for
our sins without knowing the story of the Fall of Man from
Genesis, or know about sacrifice from Old Testament stories
like Abraham and Isaac, or the sacrifices made by the priests
in the Temple in Jerusalem, means that our knowledge is incomplete. Our understand-
ing of the significance of what Jesus did for us is less than it could be. Learning the Be-
atitudes in light of the Ten Commandments is important because Jesus taught the Be-
atitudes as a continuation of the Law, a fulfillment of the Law, a new interpretation of
the Law. And only the Son of God can do that. So, learning certain doctrines, Scrip-
tures, and liturgical practices by heart will help lead the children we catechize into an
intimate relationship with Jesus.
H ail
Mary,
full of
grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou
among women and
blessed is the fruit of
thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother
of God, pray for us
sinners, now and at
the hour of our
death. Amen.
All of us learned the Mass by heart, simply
by attending Mass regularly. The repetition of the for-
mat, prayers, responses, and gestures all make the
Mass easy to learn by heart, but only if one is present.
Once a person knows the “what” and “how” of the Mass,
it is easier to teach the “why”. It is very difficult to teach
a child what the Eucharist means and is if they have not
been to Mass often and can recognize the references of
the priest, altar, host, chalice, etc. It makes no sense to
explain WHY we kneel at the consecration if a child has
not experienced kneeling at Mass. It makes no sense to
talk about consecration if a child has never heard the
words “The Body of Christ”. So, there must be some
memorization of vocabulary, a common language that
can be used in catechesis to hand on the deposit of
faith.
Pope St. John Paul II wrote, “A certain memoriza-
tion of the words of Jesus, of important Bible passages,
of the Ten Commandments, of the formulas of profes-
sion of the faith, of the liturgical texts, of the essential
prayers, of key doctrinal ideas, etc., far from being op-
posed to the dignity of young Christians, or constituting
an obstacle to personal dialogue with the Lord, is a real
need” (CT, 55). He went on to say that a variety of
methods is necessary to catechize properly, but memori-
zation must be one of them. Again, without a foundation
of knowledge from which to draw there is very little
catechists can do to bring learners into relationship with
Jesus Christ.
Some ways to encourage learning by heart are:
Repetition – by praying the same opening prayer
each class, or singing the same song during the
lesson, children will pick up on this simply through
repetition and remember it.
Flashcards – vocabulary flashcards or a “memory”
card game where children match the vocabulary
word to the definition by flipping over cards.
Beth’s Witness
I learned the Rosary as a
child, and was tested on it in
school. I can name the 15
original Mysteries, and now,
adding the 5 Luminous Mys-
teries to the repertoire has
been easy, because I KNOW
the stories from Scripture
that we meditate upon in
those Mysteries. These facts
about Christ’s life give me
something to put my own ex-
periences and prayers into
context. It becomes second
nature to recall them and
contemplate them, or to put
my petitions into that con-
text. For example, when pray-
ing the First and Second Joy-
ful Mysteries, I typically raise
up any pregnant mothers I
know, all those who are strug-
gling with unplanned or diffi-
cult pregnancies, an end to
abortion, etc. When praying
the Second Luminous Mys-
tery, the Wedding Feast at
Cana, I lift up all engaged and
married couples. The Rosary
is a comforting prayer and
meditation for me. Through
this sacramental and devo-
tion, I am able to grow closer
to Christ through Mary’s help
and intercession.
Positive reinforcement – offer prizes for students who can recite the assigned
prayers or doctrines to memorize. These can be very simple: a piece of candy, a
prayer card, an inexpensive medal or cross
on a cord, or tickets to save up for a larger
prize.
Teaching – Ask and allow the children to
teach a lesson on a particular prayer or doc-
trine. Give them material to read over and
create a teaching tool, like a poster, then
present it to the class.
There are many other activities and devices that can be used to help your stu-
dents learn by heart. I encourage you to think about and determine how you best learn
by heart and incorporating that method into your own catechesis.
“A certain
memorization...is a
real need.”
Pope St. John Paul II
Questions for Reflection
1. What prayers, teachings, or doctrines of the Church have you
memorized?
2. When did you memorize them? Why did you memorize them?
3. When have these things helped you in your faith?
4. Tell your students about these times or events.
Active Learning –
practical ways to involve learners in the process
of learning
According to Dictionary.com, to learn is to gain or acquire
knowledge of or skill in (something) by study, experience, or
being taught. To teach is to give information about or instruc-
tion in (a subject or skill). As catechists we are teachers of a
sort, but more than that, we are stewards of the deposit of
faith as revealed by God and passed down to us through
Scripture and Tradition. Catechesis is more than teaching it is
sharing what we have with another out of love and desire for
their eternal well-being. So, as important as it is to “give information”, it is more impor-
tant that the students in our faith formation classes “gain knowledge of” not only things
but the person of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. To do this, it is necessary for the
participants to take an active role in their learning.
Active Learning in the Catechetical Setting
Active learning is achieved when the participant is involved in the learning proc-
ess in ways that allow him or her to absorb the content of the lesson and retain it to
apply it in other environments and areas of his or her life. Many different activities and
methods can be used to allow for active learning in the catechetical setting. Our faith is
abundant with worship, sacramentals, music, and words that lend themselves to the
active learning environment.
Pope Paul VI in Evangeli Nuntiandi said, “Modern man listens more willingly to
witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are wit-
nesses.” (41) This witness must involve the participants, those being catechized, in
ways that will engage them in the life of the faith. The purpose of passing on the con-
tent of the faith is to bring others closer to Christ (CT, 5), and ultimately, Heaven. No
one will gain Heaven without some response on their part. This response can be invited
in the catechetical classroom through active learning.
Some examples of active learning activities are:
Skits – students act out the virtue or the Scripture story being presented.
Student teaching – assign small groups a single topic or objective to teach to the
rest of the class, give them resources and some time to put together a “lesson”
A ctions
speak
louder
than
words;
let your words teach
and your actions
speak.
St. Anthony
of Padua
and then allow them to present it.
Crafts or Student created artwork – have some sort of craft or artwork activity
that ties in with the major objective or theme of the lesson.
Music – sing songs that reinforce the objective or Scripture.
Reflection – a directed reflection of a Scripture passage that draws them into an
imaginative place allowing them to spend time in prayer in a way that very well
may be new to them.
Journaling – students can write or draw their feelings, prayers, questions, and
praise in a journal.
There are many other ways to involve the learners as you are doing lecture or direct
teaching from the textbook, too.
Stop every once in a while and check understanding by asking a question like
“why do you think the Disciples acted in that way?” or “How would you feel if you
were one of the lepers who was healed?” Drawing on more than a simple “yes or
no” answer or a simple recollection of the story.
Give them a chance to restate what you have told them in their own words.
Have other students comment or restate the first student’s response to keep eve-
ryone listening to each other, as well as the teacher.
Realizing that God’s wisdom is so much greater than ours and He set up how we
worship Him to be such that we are actively involved in all aspects. Just look at the
Mass for examples of how we can include certain appropriate activity to our lessons
without losing the reverence and honor due to the content we present. Utilizing the
postures, music, responses, colors, sights, and smells of Mass, your classroom can take
on a liturgical air that permeates all activities and participation by the students.
Questions for Reflection
1. Assess your learning style and your teaching style. Write down how
you best learn and how you tend to teach. In what ways to do see
these two being compatible and what ways are they incompatible?
2. Is there a catechist or teacher you had that incorporated active learn-
ing? What parts of those teachers’ lessons were most engaging for
you, as a learner? Are there ways you can incorporate some of their
techniques into your lessons?
3. Write down 3 ways you will incorporate active learning in your faith
formation lessons.
Reason, Religion, and Kindness–
the educational philosophy of St. John Bosco
St. John Bosco (1815-1888) is the patron saint of cate-
chists. One of the reasons for this is that he spent the major-
ity of his lifetime teaching young boys and men. As an Italian
priest, or don, he founded the Selesian Society religious order
for the express purpose of teaching and in doing so he formu-
lated a very distinctive philosophy. What Don Bosco did in the
19th century in education was ground-breaking, his methods
were so different from the traditional methods used at the
time. To study Bosco’s methodology now is to recognize some
of the standard classroom management techniques taught in
most college Education courses and practiced by teachers
across the world. The following comes from the book The Educational Philosophy of
St. John Bosco by John Morrison.
“The aim of Bosconian discipline, therefore, was akin to a family discipline,
based on respect, obedience, confidence, self-surrender, self-dedication,
fatherly and brotherly love….This family spirit was to be based on the four
principles of reason, religion, fatherliness and cheerfulness, the single
overwhelming factor being that of ‘agape’ or brotherly love (Morrison, 86).”
Reason—we begin with a respect for all others and within this respect we recognize
that each person has a mind that comprehends reason. This understanding of cause
and effect, if this...then that, can be used with our classes to help them develop the
Spiritual fruit of self-control. When developing classroom rules and expectations, in-
vite the children to be involved, they will have a better sense of ownership of the rules
and when correction needs to take place we can draw upon their sense of reason. “[A]
punishment is beneficial as soon as its reasonableness is perceived by the child
(Morrison, 92).” A loving, charitable attitude and commitment by us to our brothers
and sisters in Christ, will benefit all and bring about the conversion of hearts God de-
sires.
Religion—our system of discipline is based on Catholic ideals and doctrines. Christ’s
example of servant leadership (Jn. 13:1-20) is what we should keep in mind as we
lead our classes. By our example, more than the doctrines we teach, the children
learn how to live as Christians. Encouraging our young brothers and sisters to partake
in the “available means to grace: confession, communion, penance (Morrison, 111)”
D o you
want to
do
some-
thing good and
holy—indeed very
holy and divine?
Then work for the
salvation of all
young people.
St. John Bosco
should be second nature, because we do this
for ourselves. If Mass and Confession are a
regular part of our own faith lives, then dis-
cussing them with the children in our faith for-
mation classrooms will be natural and authen-
tic. God’s commandments and loving correction
are the foundation for our classroom manage-
ment.
Kindness—true Christian kindness is a fruit of
the Spirit (Catechism of the Catholic Church,
736). Don Bosco understood and we can learn
from him, how to utilize this fruit in our cate-
chesis to draw our students closer to ourselves
and by extension, closer to Christ. Charity and kindness go hand in hand and will bear
the fruit of friendship within the classroom that will ultimately help the children to be-
have well because they value the friendships they have developed and the respect they
have for the catechists.
St. John Bosco was very practical in the application of his Preventative System,
he knew that in all of this there needed to be a “firmness of the educator” to hold the
children responsible and bring them back to focus and learning when they strayed. Ad-
monition was still part of his system and he had this advice about correction:
1. Correct in private, never publicly (Morrison, 105). This doesn’t mean you don’t re-
mind students of their behavior, even a reproachful look can be enough of a punish-
ment for a student who loves his teacher, but if there is egregious misbehavior, then
correction should take place away from his companions, perhaps in the hallway.
2. Use reason and religion to patiently help the student understand their misbehavior in
terms of how it has affected others and his own relationship with those in the class-
room and with Jesus (Morrison, 105).
3. Never punish the whole class for the behavior of one or a few. (Morrison, 90)
4. “Be quick to forgive—and do so wholeheartedly—whenever a pupil shows he is sorry
(Morrison, 90).” We remember what Jesus said about forgiveness, “I say to you, not
seven times but seventy-seven times (Mt. 18:22).”
Questions for Reflection
1. Who were the teachers you worked best for and with as a child? What
sort of relationship did they have with the class? Was it authoritarian?
Kind? Respectful? Loving?
2. How do you see yourself as a classroom leader? What would your ideal
management style be? Do you practice this style now? How or what
would need to change to become what you desire?
Church Documents
Catechesi Tradendae, Pope John Paul II, Vatican, October 16, 1979.
Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis, Vatican, November 24,2013.
Evangelii Nuntiandi, Pope Paul VI, Vatican, December 8, 1975.
Article
Jungmann, S.J., Josef A., “Theology and Kerugmatic Teaching”, Lumen Vitae 5 (1950).
Books
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, English Translation, 1997.
General Directory for Catechesis, Congregation for the Clergy, USCCB, January, 1998.
Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991,
1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of
the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced
in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Artwork
http://www.azquotes.com/author/23000-Anthony_of_Padua
- St. Anthony quote p. 9
https://www.catholicfaithstore.com/daily-bread/understanding-the-lords-prayer-our-father-line-by
-line/
- The Lord’s Prayer p. 2
http://www.fullhdwpp.com/space/sunrise-from-space/
- Sunrise from Space p. 7
http://www.standrewsroanoke.org/catechists.php
- Pope Francis quote p. 14
Salesian Family of Don Bosco, Province of St. Andrew (donboscowest.org)
- Don Bosco with Quote p. 13
Wikipedia
- Rublev, Icon of the Holy Trinity p. 6
Sources