I am beginning to prepare class lessons for the next session of Religious Education at my local Parish. As part of that process, I must remind myself that the students we teach are not all at the same point in their faith journey, and this can make engaging students in Catechesis more difficult. While it would be a joy to teach a class where every student regularly attends Mass, receives the Sacraments, and already knows how to find a Scripture passage in the Bible, it’s important to remember that many do not. Even for those who do, some may be simply going through the motions and aren’t really engaged when it comes to their faith life. With adolescents, we have an additional hurdle – that things can change quickly – a student may be fully engaged one week and disconnected the next. This can make our jobs as Catechists a bit more challenging. It can also lead to frustration, so it’s important to recognize that we may not reach every student, every class. I used to say, “Sometimes all we can do is plant the seed and hope it grows.” But, honestly, we can do better than that, and it starts with meeting our students where they are in their faith journey and walking with them to a fuller life of faith.
There’s Faith and then there’s faith
I use the term faith “journey” because that’s what faith really is – a journey. There’s Faith and then there’s faith. The same word has two different meanings. The first Faith is God’s Revelation – what He has revealed to us and what we believe. It is one of the Theological Virtues – a supernatural gift given to us by God. The second faith is our personal, free response to Revelation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), in article 162, explains that our faith is not static, and requires perseverance to grow,
“Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man. We can lose this priceless gift, as St. Paul indicated to St. Timothy: “Wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith.”44 To live, grow and persevere in the faith until the end we must nourish it with the word of God; we must beg the Lord to increase our faith;45 it must be “working through charity,” abounding in hope, and rooted in the faith of the Church.46 “
Remembering that faith is a journey, and recognizing that journeys don’t always follow a straight, direct path, can help us to be patient with the process of Catechesis. We are called to teach the way that Christ himself did – with love, with truth and compassion, and by example. Perhaps most importantly, Jesus met people where they were in life and taught them by speaking to their own life experiences. This can be our most effective tool as a Catechist – to meet our students where they are, not only in their faith journey but in their life experiences. So how do we do that? Here are 5 Rules of Engagement for Every Catechist to help you reach your students by using the same tools that Jesus did.
5 Rules of Engagement
Use storytelling
Just as Jesus used parables to teach the people of His time, we can incorporate relevant stories or local/current events to frame the lessons we are teaching. This also presents an opportunity to share our personal stories from our adolescence, and how those experiences ultimately led to an increase of faith.
Ask questions
Asking our students to respond with their own thoughts and opinions not only validates that what they think has value, but it helps to open a topic for more probative discussion and reflection. As part of adolescence, our young teens are already beginning to question many things. It’s important to remember that questioning does not necessarily mean a diminution of faith, but in fact can lead to an increase of faith.
Speak with authority – use God’s Word
Include Scripture in every class. Earlier this year, GQ Magazine included the Bible on a list of “21 Books You Don’t Have to Read.” Despite this foolish advice, the Bible continues to be relevant, timeless, and above all, the inspired Word of God! Use of Scripture in the classroom reinforces to students where they can and should look for the ultimate and trusted authority on any question or issue.
Get to know your students
Knowing what your students are interested in, what’s important to them, and what concerns them, will help you create more engaging lessons and activities for them. Taking a genuine interest in each of your students also reinforces that they have value and are worthy of dignity and respect.
Lead by example; practice what you preach
If we want to teach our students that we should display reverence for the Holy Bible, then we should treat our Holy Bibles with reverence. If we want to teach our students that by making the Sign of the Cross we convey the very essence of our faith, then we should make the Sign of the Cross in a reverent and purposeful manner – not like we are swatting a fly. Our students will learn more about God by our actions than by anything we say to them in the classroom.
Lastly, it goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that we need to pray. Before class, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and to help you be a true witness to your students. An example of a prayer that I have found helpful can be found here. When class begins, we are presented with another prayer opportunity. Prayer can be an effective tool for setting the tone before class, so pray together. Ask that the minds of your students be open and receptive. You might want to include the following prayer (or something similar) as part of the opening prayer for each class.
Heavenly Father, You hold each of us in your loving hands. Come fill our hearts, minds and bodies afresh with hope. Help us to cast our worries upon you, so that we can embrace our learning today. Bless us as we study and grow together. Come and anoint those who teach and tutor us to be bringers of insight and knowledge. Lord, watch over us all, keep us safe within your Almighty hand. Amen.
© 2018 Catechist’s Aide