A generation or two ago, many Catholic parents were able to turn to parochial school systems for help in living up to their baptismal promise. Today, not as many parents are able to draw on this valuable resource. If we cannot access the help of a good Catholic school system, we will need to be more disciplined ourselves about investing time and energy in educating their hearts, hands, and heads in all things Catholic.
I confess that in sending my daughter off to Catholic School, I assumed, out of sheer ignorance, that the teaching methods would be the same used when I attended school. It was a sad shock and sorry surprise to learn, from my daughter, that oftentimes Religion class was shelved in favor of devoting more time to Science or Mathematics. It wasn’t until she was well into CCD at our local parish, that I learned the ugly truth of what is being taught at the local (liberal) RC parishes. It was a struggle to get her to Confirmation (that would be 11th grade in our diocese) and then have her drop out because I was teaching one of the other Confirmation groups. As many of you know, it was then that I picked up the weapon of choice - the Rosary - and began praying. One year later, my daughter returned to the CCD program and was Confirmed in the Faith. I have never shed more tears of anguish and joy than I did over those two years.
That said, I must apologize for being lax in posting articles to the forum over the past few days. The pastor of our small Maronite Catholic Church asked me to head up the Religious Education program and I have spent the past few weeks exploring catechetical materials from different sources. The complexity of this task is in assigning students to groups. As a small parish with only 15 children, their ages range the gamut from Pre-K to 10th grade. We are only 4 instructors. Amongst these children, there are 2 (grades 3 and 7) who have neither been baptized, nor recieved any religious instruction. We have one 1st grader who repeated Kindergarten and one 2nd grader preparing for the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist. We also have two children (8th and 10th grades) who were not chrismated at Baptism and are now candidates for Confirmation.
Last night, Father and I spent 3 hours developing a curriculum to cover the (only) 15 classes of religous education on the calendar. The added challenge was to select the proper materials to be used and then pick and choose which units might be covered - matching them to the liturgical calendar. And that was strictly for Pre-K! The formula, however, works as a template for the other classes, as well.
Letters of invitation were sent out to the parish families two weeks ago, with no response. Last Sunday, with Father’s permission, I got up after Mass to make an announcement. I used this opportunity to explain to the parents just what their children would be learning this year. Beginning with the Pre-K/K program, I told them the youngest children would be learning about the Trinity, Creation, why God made them, the 10 Commandments, loving others, the Church, Sin, Baptism and forgiveness. The older children would embark on a journey through time and space to learn specifically more about the Maronite Church. The would meet 1st century martyrs, Eastern Catholic Fathers and then pack their belongings to join other Maronites as they flee persecution in the fertile valleys of Syria for the unknow mountains of Lebanon. Along the way, they would meet Abbot Alexander of Bet Maroon and hear him speak of how the Jacobites killed 350 of his monks.
To drive home the value and importance of Religious Education, I, a Roman Catholic, addressed these Maronite parents and grandparents, reminding them of an event that took place in 1860. The Muslims attacked a Convent. The Superior, knowing what was about to happen, promised to show the invaders the hiding place of a great treasure. (Remember, there was no electrity back then). He led them into the Church, lit 2 candlelabras, opened the Tabernacle and swallowed the Consecrated Hosts. The Muslims killed him immediately, on the altar. There were witnesses to this event - the Blessed Massabki Brothers. The Muslims promised to spare their families if they would convert to Islam. One by one, each brother defended his Catholic faith and was slaughtered. The last one was Francis. He chose his carefully chose his response.
“Sheik Abdallah can take the money I lent him; he can also take my life. But my faith, no one can make me deny. I am a Maronite Catholic and on the faith of Christ I will die.”.
To my total surprise and chagrin ( I detest public displays of emotion ), the assembled congregation applauded. They also came over to me after Mass and signed up their children, on the spot, for their religious education classes.
As noted, the great challenge is in grouping the children at proper learning levels. As Maronites, these children need to learn about their ancestry, saints, Patriarchs, and the permanent link that binds the Maronites to Holy Mother Church. More importantly, the parents of these children need to spend more time in prayer with them. This Sunday, I will address that issue and introduce them to the prayers their children will be learning from the very basic auricular prayers to meditative and contemplative prayers. The older children will be introduced to the daily prayers of the Maronite Divine Office.
Please remember these children in your prayers! This Sunday, for the first time in the 102 year history of this parish, the pastor will celebrate the Rite of Commissioning, at Mass. It is an awesome task, to say the least, but I simply can’t say “no”.
Thank you all for your support, understanding, and prayers.
I would like to publicly acknowledge Ignatius Press for their support in assisting this small parish by providing a wealth of materials for our consideration. Their Image of God series, is the one we have chosen for our program.
I also went the Catholic school route when my children started school years ago. The religious education they received in school was watered down and liberal. I could go into many examples of the cafeteria-style religious liberalism being taught, but I don't have enough time. We had to pull them out as my husband and I felt this kind of education was endangering their souls. We are fully aware of the responsibility God has given us and decided to teach them ourselves while still having them attend Sunday school at another parish. It was and has been a very good decision.
Great story (your talk to the parish and their response). When people hear of Christianity being taken seriously, it makes them sit up and take notice!
Good luck with your religious ed program. It’s vitally important and it is wonderful that you are doing this.