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Catechism
In 1973, Sr. Benedicta was
engaged to start the Religious Education program in our area. This work
was continued by Sr. Grace Salmon, who was the religious education coordinator
thru 1075 - 1978. There were 400 children registered in the program.
Thirty-eight (38) boys and girls would receive the Eucharist for the first time
and fifty-one (51) young people would be confirmed. Pre-school classes
were held in the rectory after the 10 a.m. mass Sunday morning.
Instruction for the other grades took place in private homes, in the rectory and
at St. Joseph's School. Tuesday was regarded as St. Pius night because of
the large number involved. Sr. Grace felt she was not able to get to know
all the children as she would liked. Since confirmation was conferred in
Grade VII, special classes were set up for Grade VIII and a Youth Group was
developed for Grade IX's.
Sr. Grace believed that catechetics
must be a living faith. During this time, we as catechists (religious
teachers) grew spiritually in our relationship with our God. Many of us
met our Lord in a very personal way for the first time.
In the summer of 1978, Sr.
Catherine Zimmer was hired as coordinator of religious education. With the
general decrease in school enrollment in Kelowna Public Schools our C.C.D..
program also had less children come to our classes. Only one afternoon and
evening each week was required to accommodate all the children involved.
Sessions were held at St. Joseph's School. Classes were well coordinated
and many celebrations were observed as Sr. Catherine spent much time preparing
lessons for the catechists and have materials available.
The first catechists were:
Yolande Proulx, Mary Lou Beaulieu, Linda Verna, Blanche Bedford and Doris
Johnson.
Reference: Doris Johnson, Our History, 1986
If you love God and love
children, you can be a catechist! You don't have to have prior teaching
experience. Training is provided on an ongoing basis and Ann Matthews, the
Co-Ordinator, is very supportive and very helpful. Lesson plans are
already laid out for you. Classes are on Tuesdays (September to June)
either in the afternoon or the evening and the only other involvement required
is some preparation time for your lesson during the week. This ministry is
for all people ages 16 to 90. For information or to volunteer, please call
the office.
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God has created you to do some
definite service.
God has committed some work to
you which has not been committed to another.
You have your mission.
You shall do good!
John Cardinal Newman |
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GOOD TEACHERS...
1. Encourages play.
2. Knows pupils limits
3. Is always hopeful.
4. Asks questions.
5. Is willing and able to evaluate progress.
6. Is vulnerable.
7. Is always a learner.
8. Is educating for maturity.
JESUS AS MODEL TEACHER
1. Treated all with dignity.
2. Answered questions with a story.
3. Spoke truth.
4. Allowed freedom or response (used silence) |
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THE CATECHETICAL PROCESS
Steps to Effective Teaching
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AIM OF THE LESSON
A statement of the intended
learning outcomes of the lesson in terms of student behavior. |
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HUMAN EXPERIENCE
Helping the students to
name their experience in relation to the theme.
Inviting the students to
critically reflect on their experience, to go beneath the surface in order
to understand its meaning and to remember it.
METHODS:
Discussion, Guided Reflection, Role Playing, Situation Games |
MESSAGE
Making present the
community's story, its beliefs, traditions, practices.
METHODS:
Story telling, Lecture, Audiovisuals, Reading from Scripture, Drama
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DISCOVERY
Creating a dialogue
between the experience of the students and the community's story.
Inviting students to appropriate and "wrestle" with the meaning
of the
message for their lives.
METHODS:
Question-Answer, Personal Sharing, Imagining, Reflecting. |
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RESPONSE
Students are invited to
make an honest, free, response to the message they have heard through
prayer/action. They are asked, "What are we going to do
now? Does the message alter our
experience of life? Does our experience alter the message?"
METHODS: Prayer,
Singing, Writing, Service, Celebration, Symbolizing |
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A CATECHIST'S PRAYER
Here
I am again, Lord, asking your help. I have my manual open before me.
I've read the lesson and the background notes,
and I've studied all the suggested activities.
It's all here in from of me, but I don't seem to be able to pull it
together.
On paper it looks so easy. But when I think of Kathy, who chatters
incessantly,
I wonder how I'll get her to listen.
And Joey, who never sits still, how will I calm him?
Then there's Autumn, who has so many problems at home, how will I make her
smile?
And, of course, there are the other nine.
When
I feel this way, I know that I need to stop everything and just rest in
you for a while.
It's you I want to teach about, you who will reach the children through
me.
It's your word that will quiet the chattering Kathy, and peace that will
touch the restless Joey.
It's your joy that will make Autumn smile.
Why do I always worry so, Lord? Why don't I just let you guide me?
I know I can depend on you, yet I so easily forget whose word it is that I
am called to teach.
So,
will you help me again today? I'll plan the best lesson I can, but
please,
will you do the teaching through me?
Just knowing that you are with me makes me feel so much better.
I know I don't thank you enough for your presence in my life, or for the
peace that you give me.
I don't thank you enough for having asked me, challenged me,
to offer your gifts of presence and peace to the children I teach.
I don't often say thanks for all the faith you have in me. So let me
say it now.
Thanks, Lord, thanks with all my heart.
Because you believe in me so much, I'll do the best I can. I
promise.
Reference:
Religion Teacher's Journal
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A PRAYER FOR A TEACHER OF
CHILDREN
Lord, let me be just
what they need.
If they need someone to trust - let me be trustworthy.
If they need sympathy - let me sympathize.
If they need love (and they do need love) let me love in full measure.
Let me not anger easily, Lord, but let me just be.
Permit my justice to be tempered by your mercy.
When I stand before them, Lord, let me look strong and good and honest and
loving.
And let me be as strong and good and honest and loving as I look to them.
Help me to counsel the anxious, crack the covering of the shy.
Permit me to teach only the truth.
Help me to inspire them so that learning will not cease at the classroom
door.
Let the lessons they learn make their lives fruitful and happy.
And, Lord, let me bring them to YOU.
Teach them through me to love YOU.
Finally, permit me to learn the lessons THEY teach.
By: Charman
Kinzelman |
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