#127 - Ann Garrido

What is happening this Sunday, Jan. 7th at 2:15PM here at CTR?

So glad you asked! We have a very special guest joining us - professor, author & theologian Ann Garrido will be with us to speak on the topic of Speaking to Children about God. All are welcome.

(You can listen to Dr. Garrido's talk at this link: http://www.ctredeemer.org/we-form/education/adults/)

If you are able to attend, your time will be very well spent. Ann is a remarkable speaker and teacher. Most of our Office of Family Ministry staff had the pleasure of gleaning her wisdom, vast knowledge and wit for over 40 hours of Level Two CGS training this past summer. We couldn’t recommend her more enthusiastically.

Here are some potential resources she has recommended for our parish to review together.

Cavalletti, Sofia. The Religious Potential of the Child. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications. A little denser read, but very substantive understanding of the spirituality of the child and how to nurture it within the Catholic tradition. There are two volumes – one for children under age of 6 and one for children between 6-12. Both are very good and available to borrow from our CTR library, or you may order your own copy here: http://www.ltp.org/

Krista Tippett’s On Being, interview with Rabbi Sandy Sasso:

http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2010/spirituality-of-parenting/transcript.shtml

Ms. Sasso: We know from research, that all children by the time they are age five have a conception of God, whether or not we've talked about God to them as parents. And we also know that children ask these really large questions. And there seems to be an innate spirituality, a great sense of wonder, spontaneity, imagination and creativity, and a connection to something larger than themselves. What children seem to lack is a language to give expression to that sense of something deeper. And I think, as parents, our responsibility is to provide them with a language, an opportunity to have a conversation about these matters that they care very deeply about. Because I think what happens is, if we don't provide the language and if we don't encourage the conversation, then children stop asking. If you don't exercise your muscles, they atrophy. If you don't exercise your soul, I think your soul atrophies as well.

Wolf, Aline D. Nurturing the Spirit in Non-Sectarian Classrooms. Hollidaysburg, PA: Parent Child Press, 1996. A solid description of what constitutes spirituality and ways to nurture spirituality in children even if parents aren’t comfortable with organized religion or you feel you aren’t sure what to say about God/Church questions. Originally written for Montessori teachers, but has broader application for family life. Has a broad bibliography of additional resources in the back.

Robbins, Patience Leiden. Parenting: A Sacred Path – A Reflection Booklet for Personal or Group Use. Washington, DC: Center for Children & Theology, 2008

(http://www.cctheo.org/catalog1.html#Parenting) Parenting is a challenging call. Many resources for parents focus on the child, but Parenting: A Sacred Path is for parents to reflect on their experience, with all of its joys and struggles, as an invitation to grow in faith, love, trust and compassion. Each of six chapters provides an opening reflection for personal or group use, followed by a week of quotes for reflection and prayer.

Contact Lisa Brown at dre@ctredeemer.org if you would like to be part of a group discussion of any of the above texts. FYI: Our greatest need at the moment, to help grow our Faith Formation program and keep it strong and effective for our CTR children, are trained catechists. If you are interested in taking the training please visit www.cgsusa.org for more information.

#126: Suicide

Crazy Catholic Question#126: I’m struggling to understand the suicide of a friend. Any thoughts?
This time of year especially, suicide seems to touch so many of our lives. We just passed the anniversary of a dear friend of mine’s death by suicide, and even 10 years later, I still have pangs of confusion and guilt when I think of her. I don’t understand how, as a trusted friend, I could have missed the signs. I still think that if I somehow had done a little more, been more attentive and present…what if?

Fr. Ron Rolheiser writes once a year on the topic of suicide and his column remains balm to my soul when I think of losing my friend Evelina. Below are some quotes and paraphrasing of his wise words that I hope you find as comforting as I do. (FYI: his columns are archived and available on his website at www.ronrolheiser.com.)

Suicide is the most misunderstood of all diseases. We tend to think that since suicide is self-inflicted that somehow it is a choice; voluntary and avoidable in a way that physical illness or accidents are not. But, for most suicides, this isn’t true. Suicide is a disease that takes people out of life against their will. It is the emotional equivalent of a heart attack. Suicide is a fatal emotional breakdown, an emotional stroke, emotional cancer – not something the victim chooses. The act that ended their lives was not a freely chosen one. They were a victim of a deadly illness, so there is no sin to be forgiven. Moreover, since some suicidal depressions are treatable with medication, then clearly some suicides are caused by biochemical deficiencies, like many other diseases that kill us.

And though, it should go without saying but it helps to hear it, Fr. Ron says “We need not worry about the eternal salvation of those who die in this way. God’s understanding and compassion infinitely surpass our own. Our lost loved ones are in safer hands than ours. If we, limited as we are, can reach through this tragedy with some understanding and love, we can rest secure in the fact that, given the width and depth of God’s love, the one who dies through suicide meets, on the other side, a compassion that’s deeper than our own and a judgment that intuits the deepest motives of their heart.

God’s love is not as helpless as our own in dealing with this. We, in dealing with our loved ones, sometimes find ourselves helpless, without a strategy and without energy, standing outside an oak-like door, shutout because of someone’s fear, wound, sickness, or loneliness. Most persons who die by suicide are precisely locked inside this kind of private room by some wound through which we cannot reach and through which they themselves cannot reach. Our best efforts leave us still unable to penetrate that private hell. But, as we see in the resurrection appearances of Jesus, God’s love and compassion are not rendered helpless by locked doors. God’s love doesn’t stand outside, helplessly knocking. Rather it goes right through the locked doors, stands inside the huddle of fear and loneliness, and breathes out peace. So too for our loved ones who die by suicide. We find ourselves helpless, but God can, and does, go through those locked doors and, once there, breathes out peace inside a tortured, huddled heart.”

SPECIAL NOTE: For those among us who may be called to provide the initial help to someone showing symptoms of mental illness or a mental health crisis, Common Ground offers an AMAZING “Mental Health First Aid” training program (www.commongroundhelps.org). With enough interest, we could even hold the training here at CTR…

#125 - Politics

With all that is going on in politics and my family, I’m not even sure what proclaiming to be a Christian even means anymore. What does sincere faith “look like”?

On Thanksgiving, over pie & coffee, my sister threw down the gauntlet and told both of my parents that she doesn’t believe in Jesus anymore. They both gasp and tears were shed. Some heated words of disbelief and disappointment were spoken, but eventually the pie called us back to our senses and we talked and listened to one another.

My parents’ primary concern was whether my sister would “make it to heaven.” Her individual salvation was what they saw as the real danger. But my sister and I thought more like Fr. Tomas Halik who writes “I can’t help thinking that God doesn’t particularly care whether we believe in him or not. What really does matter to God, however (as Jesus said in Matt 25), is whether we love. Or more precisely: God doesn’t care about our faith in the sense of that the term is often used, namely, that to believe in God is to be convinced of God’s existence. I don’t think our salvation depends on our religious opinions, notions, and convictions…What can we truly ‘know’ about God except that God radically transcends all our knowledge?

What really matters to God are not our opinions but the nature and degree of our love...Faith without love is hollow; indeed, it is often no more than a projection of our wishes and fears, and in that respect many atheist critics of religion are right…I know no better translation of the statement ‘God exists’ than the phrase ‘love makes sense’” In other words, being a Christian is not about whether we believe that God exists or not, but rather if we believe “God is Love” and participate to the best of our ability in that mystery. As Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner once said “The number one cause of atheism is Christians. Those who proclaim Him with their mouths and deny Him with their actions is what an unbelieving world finds unbelievable.”

What we celebrate on this feast of Christmas is the mystery of the incarnation; the deep, abiding conviction that God is somehow “with us” in this messy experience we call life – to be found most readily in the concrete acts of love between us. Jesus made the outcasts of society — women, poor people, tax collectors, those who were physically or mentally ill — the very cornerstone of his message about God’s Kingdom. When asked what brings eternal life, Jesus said love God and love your neighbor as yourself. When we love someone we are not indifferent to their struggle, right? It becomes our own. We carry their pain. We hurt too. By caring for one another in our suffering, we give each other hope. This togetherness is our greatest remedy for suffering. Jesus said when you do this for the least of these, you do it for me, so when we care for one another we are both loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Jesus’ violent end was the price he paid for living a life of love, because we have fashioned a world in which it is dangerous and sometimes even fatal to be a compassionate, courageous and loving person. The fact that Jesus never broke, never became bitter, never gave up or gave in to the violence he suffered; his endurance in this love, even as we were nailing him to the cross, is what saves us and continues to show us the way.

Seeing all the suffering in the world, the man prayed, “Great God, how is it that a loving Creator can see such things and yet do nothing about them?” And out of the long silence, God said, “I did do something. I made you.”

Visit www.crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com to review past articles or send your question/comment to Lisa Brown at dre@ctredeemer.org.

#124 - Family Members

Why don’t my family members go to church anymore?
Ah, the holidays have arrived! If Catholic means “here comes everybody” (ala James Joyce) than the holidays must mean “here comes all the crazy relatives!” I’m not claiming any special exemption here – I know Kip and I, no doubt, are raising our girls with their own “special brand” of crazy. But, the conversations at our extended family gatherings! Wowza! Especially those around religion or politics - O…M….G. Memorable to say the least. Downright baffling at worst.

It used to be, when I was a child, everyone was Catholic, or at least Christian, around our family holiday table and - for the most part – everyone agreed on what that meant. But in these days of the likes of Roy Moore among others, this is not the case anymore. There seems to be some very serious confusion about what it means to call oneself a Christian.

I have no idea why your family members are not attending church any more, but these are the reasons I hear most from mine. Let me know if these resonate with what you have heard and experienced…

First off, our tradition’s proclamations about people who are homosexual are a major stumbling block, especially for our young people who quite simply will not hear of it. Period.

Secondly, the inability of dull and uninspiring liturgy to draw us away from St. Mattress on Sunday mornings. We don’t have this problem here at CTR, so we will just say a quick and sincere “thanks be to God” for Fr. Joe & Mari’s leadership and move along.

Third is the rigor and busyness of the culture we have created. The pace of our lives is simply not conducive to spiritual knowing. And as a result, our values do not match our choices. We are spiritually starved – but dang if we aren’t moving really, really fast! As Thomas Merton once said “Set me free from the laziness that goes about disguised as activity when activity is not demanded of me.”

But I think our biggest culprit is a misconception about what it actually means to be a Christian; what belief in Christ actually entails. Theologian Tomas Halik writes “When we hear the word Christianity, our minds immediately assign the concept to the handy cultural compartment of religion or faith…but faith in God in the biblical context doesn’t mean “believing in the existence of God” but rather “believing that God is love.” One doesn’t become a Christian by believing that “God IS” but by believing that “God is LOVE.”

When we say we believe in Jesus, it means we believe his teaching about God is valid. We believe that love (agape) is the only force in the world with the power to bring about lasting change. We listen to Jesus’ theology of radical love, inclusion, forgiveness and look at the way he lived his life – and we believe in Him and try to live out all that he advised (admittedly, sometimes in rather wonky ways. I’m always convicted when I hear the Rahner quote “The number one cause of atheism is Christians. Those who proclaim Him with their mouths and deny Him with their actions is what an unbelieving world finds unbelievable.”)

As our Holy Thursday hymn goes Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est – where there is real love, God is present. This is what we believe as Christians. Not exactly what I would deem fighting words, but yet we manage. But despite evidence to the contrary, I still hold great hope that this love is going to save us from our own destruction. Real, tangible, active love is an essential step in our evolutionary growth; the stuff of God, beckoning us. Merton goes on to pray “Give me the strength that waits upon You in silence and peace… possess my whole heart and soul with the simplicity of love.”

#119-123: Distinguishing Characteristics of CGS

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd style of faith formation?

Over the next few bulletins we would like to share with you 21 distinguishing characteristics of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) as they have emerged after more than fifty years of research and work with children of different countries, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. We offer the following points of reflection as an invitation to dialogue or simply to ponder and delve deeper, as a community, into this good work with our children….

1. The child, particularly the religious life of the child, is central to the interest and commitment of the catechist of the Good Shepherd. The catechist observes and studies the vital needs of the child and the manifestations of those vital needs according to the developmental stage of the child. The catechists live with the child a shared religious experience according to the teaching of the gospel: “Except you become like little children, you cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 18:3) The catechist attends to the conditions which are necessary for this life to be experienced and to flourish.

2. With this aim in mind, the catechist embraces Maria Montessori’s vision of the human being and thus the attitude of the adult regarding the child; and prepares an environment called the atrium, which aids the development of the religious life.

3. The atrium is a community in which children and adults live together a religious experience which facilitates participation in the wider community of the family, the church and other social spheres. The atrium is a place of prayer, in which work and study spontaneously become meditation, contemplation and prayer. The atrium is a place in which the only Teacher is Christ; both children and adults place themselves in a listening stance before his Word and seek to penetrate the mystery of the liturgical celebration.

4. The transmission of the Christian message in the atrium has a celebrative character. The catechist is not a teacher, remembering that the only Teacher is Christ himself. The catechist renounces every form of control (such as quizzes, texts, exams, etc.) in the spirit of poverty before an experience whose fruits are not her/his own.

5. The themes presented in the atrium are those to which the children have responded with depth and joy. These themes are taken from the Bible and the liturgy (prayers and sacraments) as the fundamental sources for creating and sustaining Christian life at every developmental stage and, in particular, for illuminating and nourishing the child in his/her most vital religious needs.

See next week’s bulletin for #6-10 or visit www.cgsusa.org. The first draft of these points was done May, 1993; Latest done October, 1996.) 

6. The Word is proclaimed in the most objective manner possible, so that the words of the adult do not impede the communication between God who speaks and God’s child who listens. The only aim of the words of the adult is to discreetly serve the listening to God’s Word, in accordance with Jesus’ own statement in the gospel: “My teaching is not mine but his who sent me.” (John 7:16)

7. The catechist of the Good Shepherd does not incorporate into the catechesis themes other
than those which emerge from the essentiality and specificity of the vital needs of the children and our work with them.

8. The atrium gatherings should last at least two hours, of which a small part is often dedicated to the catechist’s presentation, and the majority of the time is reserved for the personal work of the child.

9. In harmony with the universal church, the life in the atrium follows the liturgical year;
therefore, moments which are particularly intense are those of Christmas/Epiphany and Easter/Pentecost.

10. Eucharist is central to the life of the atrium at every level, according to the various
denominations of the Christian church in which the atrium is located.

11. A material is placed at the disposal of the children. The children’s personal work with the material aids their meditation on and absorption of the theme presented. In settings where it is not possible to have an atrium yet, another valid instrument for announcing the Christian message consists in the workbooks and catechists’ guidebooks: “I Am the Good Shepherd”. The voice of the Good Shepherd can reach the child through different instruments, but regardless of the particular instrument, the voice of the Shepherd resounds in the depths of the heart.

12. The material must be attractive but “sober” and must strictly adhere to the theme being presented. In making the material, the catechist refrains from adding superficial embellishments which would distract the child from the essentials of the theme being presented. In other words, the material must be simple, essential and “poor” in order to allow the richness of the themes content to shine through. This same guideline applies to the atrium environment itself. 

13.  The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd can be realized in any social or cultural setting.

14. The materials prepared by catechists for the atrium are faithful to the experimental models of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. The designs of these models are the result of a long, collaborative work of observation and experimentation and have been developed according to the needs of the child at each developmental stage.

15. The material makes it possible for the catechist to assume his/her proper “post” as “the useless servant.” (Luke 17:10) This expression indicates that the catechist has a task to perform, a role to fulfill, whose results, however, go much farther from what he/she does, because the only Teacher is Christ.

16. The catechists work together in a spirit of unity and harmony, in tune with God’s plan for communion in the history of salvation and in keeping with the themes of unity so strongly expressed in the parables of the Good Shepherd (John 10:1ff) and the True Vine. (John 15: 1ff) They generously offer their talents and experience for the good of all.

17. The attitude of the adult has to be marked by humility before the capacities of the child, establishing a right rapport with the child, that is to say, respecting the personality of the child, and waiting for the child to reveal himself/herself.

18. The tasks of the catechist include: to go deeper into the Christian message through the knowledge of the biblical and liturgical sources and of ongoing living tradition of the church, including the theological, social and ecumenical movements which enliven the church today; preparing and maintaining order in the atrium so that it fosters concentration, silence and contemplation in both the child and adult; preparing the materials oneself as much as possible while collaborating with others in areas that are beyond one’s abilities.

19. The reasons why the catechist is requested to make the materials with his/her own hands are: to absorb the content more deeply; to combat hurry, consumerism and even excessive “efficiency”; to pace oneself more to the rhythm of the child and thus also - or so we believe - to the working of the Holy Spirit; to try to reach the integration of hand, mind and heart.

20. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is also concerned with helping adults open their eyes to the hidden riches of the child, especially to the child’s spiritual wealth, so that adults will be drawn to learn from the child and to serve him/her. The guiding principles in this endeavor are: The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd does not seek success. It does not set about to be important or to impress others (Isaiah 10:33-11:10). It is faithful to the spirit of the mustard seed (Matthew 13: 31). It stands in solidarity with the least in the church.

21. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd especially honors the spiritual values of childhood and wishes to nurture the formation of a consciousness which is oriented to the construction of the history of salvation in justice and solidarity.

NOTE: Some edits to these points where necessary to fit our bulletin space. The first draft of these points was done by the Rome Association, May, 1993. Latest revision was done by the International Council, October, 1996 and can be viewed in their entirety at www.cgsusa.org.

#118 - True Ecumenism

Are Catholics and Protestants really that different?

My husband and I went to go see Colin Hay in concert last weekend. He is best known as the crooked-eyed lead singer of the band “Men at Work” popular back in the 80’s. Since that time, slow but steady, he has established quite a lovely solo career. Much of his success stems from his brilliant live performances - which are a mix of song and marvelous storytelling – featuring just him, his guitar and some modest lighting. He spoke with great wisdom and a joyous levity on many topics, from fame to drugs, family to loneliness. One anecdote he shared has really stuck with me.

He said when he was growing up, he was a Protestant. He said he knew he was a Protestant because he wore a blue blazer to school. The Catholics wore burgundy blazers to school. Walking to school was quite terrifying because, apparently, as he understood it as a child, the different color blazers meant that the boys had to fight each other to and from school each day. He said “that was really all I knew about the difference between being a Protestant and being a Catholic. Same God, different blazers.”

Everyone laughed, but seriously. Maybe we all need to take a step back for a slightly wider view, no? Don’t get me wrong. I love my Catholic family. I’m not denying there are some very significant differences in what some of our Protestant brothers and sisters believe about Who God is and how to interpret our shared sacred scriptures - and what we Catholics believe and profess. Big, important differences, that I don’t think we can or should gloss over, but….come on!

Can’t we? Don’t we really stand together in awe of the God who created this amazing 13 billion year old universe? Can’t we practice a bit of epistemological humility and admit that even if we were to combine all the knowledge from every Christian ever in existence, past and present, we still know next to nothing about the Author of love, babies and supernovas? I don’t know about you, but I have learned great and wonderful things from people wearing a different blazer than me. Truth from wherever it comes is truth. I’m thankful to Colin Hay for sharing his truth with such artistry.

Below are some words from Pope Francis on the topic of Ecumenism excerpted from a Vatican Radio report by Philippa Hitchen:

“Christian unity is an essential requirement of our faith, a journey of personal and community conversion to the will of Christ...Unity, is a gift from God and our task is to welcome that gift and make it visible to others. Rather than just a goal to be achieved, we should see the search for unity as a journey that we undertake together with patience, determination, effort and commitment, knowing that all of us are sinners for whom God has infinite mercy…when we work, pray and serve the needy together, we are already united. When theological, liturgical, spiritual and canonical differences are genuinely rooted in the apostolic tradition, they are not a threat, but rather a treasure for the unity of the Church. Trying to suppress such differences, he warned, as happened in the past, goes against the Holy Spirit who enriches different Christians with a variety of gifts.

No one should deny their own faith history, Pope Francis said, and no-one should tolerate the practice of proselytism which he called ‘a poison for the ecumenical journey’. True ecumenism, the Pope concluded, is when we focus not on our own reasons and regulations, but rather on the Word of God which requires us to listen, to receive and to witness to the world.”

Send your "Crazy Catholic Questions" to dre@ctredeemer.org or read past columns at: http://crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com

#117 - Chronic Busyness

What do you think Jesus would prescribe for our chronic “busyness” so prevalent in our culture today?

I don’t know about you, but when autumn arrives, my chest hurts. I look at my calendar and think “when am I going to squeeze in a shower?” I think many of us recognize how different our culture is from even 30 years ago. I miss being unplugged and unreachable, how about you? Anybody else answering emails at 2AM? I instruct my teenager to unplug and I know that is a key part of being a good parent these days, but if I’m honest with myself I also see how ridiculously hypocritical it is of me to demand of her.

In talking with other people, I’m quite confident that I’m not alone in feeling like we never have enough time to accomplish everything we want or need to do; to be truly present to those we love (evident too by the submission of this “not-so-crazy” question). The ticking clock has the urgency and alarm that reminds us of some late-night thriller movie. Getting a decent meal on the table every night, shuttling the kids to and from school and “sportsball” (what the nerdy folks in Portland call ALL sporting-like activities according to my cousin who lives there) in relatively clean clothes, meeting work deadlines, keeping our car insurance current, cleaning the gutters…and then we hear the Pope passionately urging us to thoughtfully contemplate our environment and the billions of people on this planet that have it waaaay worse than we could ever even imagine. I feel like such a whiner, missing God’s cues no matter how hard I try, because I know in the deepest part of my being I must do something when 2-year old refugees are dying to escape war. There is little doubt that the pace of our life sometimes causes us to lose touch with what is most important.

I’m not sure what Jesus would “prescribe” for our culture but we can and do observe that during his earthly ministry, Jesus himself escaped the busyness of the crowds occasionally to pray, renew His strength and focus. Mark 6:31 reads “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to [His disciples], ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’” Jesus knew the importance of stopping, eating and finding our calm in order to hear God’s still, quiet voice over the roar of our lives. But I don’t think this stopping and paying attention comes naturally to us these days. The pace of our lives is simply not conducive to spiritual knowing.

Romans 2:12 reads “Do not be conformed to this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God's will is—what is good, acceptable, and perfect.” So, with that, though I don’t want to add yet another thing to your “to-do” list, I do want to invite you to reserve four Thursday evenings this Lent in your calendar now (Feb. 22 – Mar. 15, soup supper & childcare provided) to stop and “renew our minds” together as a community. To spirituality nourish ourselves so that we may hear the will of God more clearly and hone our ability to ruthlessly prioritize!

Send your "Crazy Catholic Questions" to Lisa Brown at dre@ctredeemer.org or read past columns at: http://crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com.

#116 - Purpose of "Works"

What is the purpose of the “works” in the atria?
All the atria materials – officially called “works” - are linked closely with our Scriptures. These include maps of Jerusalem and Palestine, Christian and liturgical symbols, and figures and materials for biblical presentations.

Tina Lillig, the National Director of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, writes “You may be wondering how these materials help the religious life of children. Think on this - if an adult hears a beautiful passage from the Bible, the adult might take a Bible, find the passage, and read it slowly again and again. He or she may think deeply about the words and perhaps speak to God in a thankful or hopeful prayer. But a little child, too young to read, needs another way.

In an atrium the child can ponder a biblical passage or a prayer from the liturgy by taking the material for that text and working with it-placing wood figures of sheep in a sheepfold of the Good Shepherd, setting sculpted apostles around a Last Supper table, or preparing a small altar with the furnishings used for the Eucharist…by encouraging young children to reflect deeply on the meaning of scriptureal passages, they are able to work with the materials for long periods of time, often stunning their teachers with their insights…Older children who [can] read often copy parables from the Bible, [place in sequence] written prayers from the rite of baptism, or label a long time line showing the history of the kingdom of God.”

Personally, I can related with scripture scholar Andrea Molinari, who wrote this when she became involved with CGS:

“In my own years of theological training and church ministry, I had come to experience a profound spiritual tiredness - the kind that is born of repeated disappointment in the way things are in the Church today. I had become sickened by the factionalism, the lack of love, the political infighting and blatant hypocrisy… It was in this state that I first encountered CGS. As I studied Sofia's book and visited the atrium, I began to realize that I was being healed on the inside. Seeing the wonder in the children's eyes at hearing the parables of Jesus for the very first time and witnessing the way that their little hearts were so open to God touched me profoundly. It was as if something deep within me stirred again, something that I thought had died long ago. I began to remember why I came to study theology in the first place - not for prestige, accolades and degrees imparted by humanity but because of a search for a closer relationship with God. The deep faith and spirituality that saturates this program is a powerful reminder that the Holy Spirit is still intimately involved with our Church. It is hope for the future.”

Visit www.crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com to review past articles or send your question/comment to Lisa Brown at dre@ctredeemer.org.

#115 - What is a Charism?

"The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” – Frederick Buechner

As we fill out our volunteer sheets today, perhaps we can pray and ponder a bit on our calling and charisms.

What is a charism? Charism is the Greek word used in the New Testament for “gratuitous gift.” A charism is an ability, skill, or talent given by and through the activity of the Holy Spirit working in the life of each individual believer that enable him/her to be powerful channels of God’s love and transforming presence in the world. Charisms are not learned or inherited from our parents, but are given especially to each of us by the Holy Spirit. According to both the New Testament (Eph 4) and our own Catholic Tradition (CCC, 951), we are all given charisms to share. Charisms are always focused outward for the good of the community and are inspired and directed by God. Collectively, the spiritual gifts possessed by the members of a parish enable that parish as the body of Christ to perform the mission and ministry to which it has been called by God.

Are my charisms related to my “mission” in life? Every believer has a “mission” or vocation in life, a work of love for which each individual was created (Eph 4:7-16). Charisms are both tools given to us to accomplish our mission and important clues as to what that mission in life might be. All of us are called to follow Christ, by being Jesus’ compassionate and transforming presence in the world: the on-going incarnation.

If I have a charism, why don’t I know it? Charisms need to be discovered and developed just like our natural gifts.…Charisms must be discerned by taking action…we must experiment, that is, prayerfully try a specific activity and see what God does as a result.” - Sherry Weddell

What are some ways to authentically identify a charism?

· An unmistakable inner experience of peace, energy and joy when you’re using your gift.

· Unusually effective and successful results in what you’re trying to accomplish.

· Other people’s direct or indirect recognition of the gift’s presence in you.

Adapted from https://siena.org/charisms-faq

Visit www.crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com to review past articles or send your question/comment to Lisa Brown at dre@ctredeemer.org.

#114 - Why are all Atrium works handmade?

Why are all the “works” in our atria handmade by our catechists?

Gianna Gobbi, co-creator of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd method of faith formation, wrote that the materials (or “works”) in the atrium are “...indications of the hidden reality of God. They are concrete helps to know the language, times and places of the mystery of God. It is important that, as much as possible, the catechist makes his or her own catechetical materials. Making the materials by hand is an essential way of entering more deeply into the theme we will present to the children. It helps us to slow down and to pace ourselves more to the rhythm of the child, as well as to be more attentive to the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, material-making is an invaluable opportunity for us as adults to experience the integration of hand, mind and heart.”

Not unlike our celebration of the sacraments, in which use simple, everyday items such as bread, wine, oil, & water to help us ponder the mystery of God in our ordinary living – so too the materials in the atrium help the child to enter more deeply into the mystery and truth of God’s presence. Like our liturgy (our Mass), the CGS method “recognizes that our relationship with God is established through sensible objects, respecting a fundamental human exigency.” People sometimes make fun of our Catholic “smells & bells” but there is a deep wisdom to our “sensory dense” way of communicating divine truths; so too in our atrium. Each atrium "work" becomes a conversation with God. Sophia Cavalletti, the other co-creator with Gobbi of CGS, states it this way: "All works in the atrium are either a passage to prayer or prayer itself."

Sincere gratitude to all our parishioners who contributed in the building the works featured in Atrium II!

#113 - Atrium Stories

Can I still enroll in the formal Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) Catechist training? Does it meet our Archdiocesan catechist “certification” requirements?

YES and YES! Catechist Training for Level I began on Sept. 16, however Sr. Nancy Ayotte, IHM who runs the class said if we have any more interested parishioners that she would get them up to speed. Classes are held one Saturday a month from now until June.

The “retreat-like” training is not only engaging and a great help to our efforts here at CTR, but it is some of the best ADULT formation our team has every encountered AND is recognized by our Archdiocese as valid training for “official” certification. CGS’s focus on the “essentials” of our faith and unique, Montessori style presentation truly help both the catechist and the child break open the deep and beautiful mysteries of our faith. Visit www.cgsusa.org to register or for more info.

A couple quick CGS stories from the past couple weeks to share....

Last night I taught our first Monday evening session in our newly opened Atrium II. The class is a mixture of 3rd, 4th and 5th grade children. At the end of the session, one of the 5th grade boys in the class said "Wow, that felt like 5 minutes not 2 hours!" and another two boys nodded in agreement and said they couldn't wait to hear the geography lesson at our next session and get their hands on our maps and pin flags! (Yeah God!)

Also, so funny! We had a real "no-nonsense" Mom of 5 who came from a neighboring parish to volunteer as a catechist (which is already quite curious). When we asked her to introduce herself and say a little bit about what brought her here to volunteer she said "Well, I was talking with the mother of a friend of one of my children at school, kvetching that the schedule for faith formation at my parish is so difficult with 5 kids and she recommended I look into the classes here at CTR. After hearing a little bit about the program, I turned to my 4th grader and said 'Well, looks like you are going to CTR for faith formation this year' and my kid made this long, tired groaning noise, like she was definitely NOT looking forward to faith formation. But then her little friend (from CTR) quickly chimed in and encouraged her saying "No! You are going to love it! It is really fun at Christ the Redeemer in the atrium!" The volunteer went on to say that all 5 of her children looked at this joy-filled child and then at each other with utter disbelief, like "What did she just say?!?!” shaking their heads like “There must be something wrong with this kid..." The no-nonsense Mom ended her story by saying "So, I had to come and see what the heck was going on here!!"

Parents of preschoolers, if I had one wish it would be that I had taken this training when my children were little (and all the women on our staff have said the same). The more our staff and catechists learn about and grow with CGS, the more we find it to be a truly miraculous (and I don't throw that word around lightly) method of formation. In my humble opinion, it is the hope of the church.

Visit www.crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com to review past articles or send your question/comment to Lisa Brown at dre@ctredeemer.org.

Crazy Catholic Question #112 - Why we pray

CCQ #112 Why do we pray?

Below is a wonderful response to this question found at Loyola Press (http://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/2016/12/why-do-we-pray/) written by Catechist Lisa Jones.

Have you ever asked kids why they pray? We spend a lot of time teaching children to say their prayers, teaching them about different ways to pray, and even spend time teaching them to write their own prayers, but we don’t often talk that much about why we pray.

In class this week we began by reading 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Someone asked what “pray without ceasing” meant, so we talked about the different ways we can pray throughout our day. The textbook explained that spending time with God in prayer strengthens our friendship with him, just as spending time with our friends helps us grow in our friendship with them. I had not thought of prayer in this way, and several of the children seemed to appreciate the idea that we grow in friendship with God when we pray.

The textbook suggested that I ask the kids why they pray. I didn’t think this was an important question at first, and I almost didn’t ask the class. During a lull, I decided to ask them anyway. What would they say to a friend who wanted to know why they prayed? I held my breath, expecting someone to say “because my parents tell me to.” Thankfully, no one gave that answer.

At first students offered typical responses: to help others get better, to ask God for help or for something, and to thank God for their blessings. As the discussion continued, a student said God comforts her when she prays; a boy said God gives him strength to do what is right. A student who usually remains quiet spoke up and said she prays to tell God she loves him.

Another girl told the class that praying with others is a way she can share God’s message as we are told to do in the Bible. I remained silent for a good 30 seconds, because this was such a deep answer for a nine-year-old. When I finally found my voice, I used her answer to point out that praying can also bring people together as a community, just like when we pray together at Mass.

A girl then shared that at a recent Mass, which was on the anniversary of her mother’s death, everyone prayed for her mother. She didn’t have to tell the class what this meant to her family—we could see it on her face.

The conversation continued as more of the kids wanted to share their thoughts on the question, and I fell in love with their answers and thoughtfulness. Listening to them made me ask myself that same question: Why do I pray? Is it out of obligation, to ask for something, or because I love spending time developing my friendship with God?

It’s a good question for students, but it is also a great question for us to ask ourselves.

Send your "Crazy Catholic Questions" to Lisa Brown at dre@ctredeemer.org. Read past columns at: www.crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com.

Crazy Catholic Question #111 - Forgiveness

Some thoughts on Forgiveness…

Henri Nouwen once wrote: “To forgive another person from the heart is an act of liberation. We set that person free from the negative bonds that exist between us. We say, ‘I no longer hold your offense against you’ But there is more. We also free ourselves from the burden of being the ‘offended one.’ As long as we do not forgive those who have wounded us, we carry them with us or, worse, pull them as a heavy load. The great temptation is to cling in anger to our enemies and then define ourselves as being offended and wounded by them. Forgiveness, therefore, liberates not only the other but also ourselves. It is the way to the freedom of the children of God.”

Pope Francis says the very essence of God is Mercy. Period. End of discussion. He says the Mercy of God is the most beautiful truth of our faith. God’s love for us is so great, so deep; it is an unfailing love, one that always takes us by the hand and supports us, lifts us up, and leads us on.

Fr. Greg Boyle S.J. says “Jesus never modeled the One-False-Move-God, but rather was always proclaiming the No-Matter-Whatness of God.”

Bishop Untener once pointed out that Jesus didn't go from town to town saying, "Bring me your best and brightest." Rather, he sought out the “hot-messes” among us. He taught us that God doesn’t shun or abandon us in our darkness until we clean up and get our act together. Rather he said God loves and accepts us as we are, not as we should be.

God doesn’t love us despite our faults and failings, but rather works in and through them to bring about His kingdom. Jesus preached a God who knows that we're not perfect, that there's a dark side to our lives, that we've got some shameful memories, and that God wants to be with us in those parts of our lives where we don't feel so good about ourselves. Jesus came to say not simply "I love you," but to say, "I love you THERE, in the part of your life no one else sees.”

I long to believe in the image of God that Jesus paints for us. I want to believe in the utter foolishness of God’s mercy. That like the Good Shepherd, God would do the pastorally unthinkable, and completely outrageous thing and leave the 99 to find that one lost renegade sheep. I want to believe that I’m that precious and treasured by God; that each of us is that precious.

Today, together, we profess our belief in the power of God’s love to change and heal each of us, and for us to then change the world. No small dream. May this love seep deep into our souls this sacred day.

Send your "Crazy Catholic Questions" to Lisa Brown at dre@ctredeemer.org. Read past columns at: www.crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com.

Crazy Catholic Question #110 - Atrium Training

CCQ #110: Is there special training for someone who is interested in becoming a catechist in our faith formation program in the atrium (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd style)?

Yes there is! First off, if you haven’t visited our new Level 2 atrium, let me invite you to a little open house and guided tour after our homecoming “Mass in the Grass.” Look for the signs or ask around for Lisa Brown (big nose, big smile at the door, that would be me) and I’ll be eager and delighted to bend your ear for a few minutes about this brilliant, Montessori style of faith formation that we began instituting here at CTR in 2015 (visit www.cgsusa.org for details or read a wonderful article on the CGS method in America magazine at this link: www.americamagazine.org/issue/667/article/faith-child).

AND secondly, lest our K-8 Coordinators come with pitchforks to permanently remove me from my position as DRE, you DON’T need the “official” 90 hours of formal Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training to serve as a catechist in our program. All we need is your dedication and interest. We have a short catechist orientation coming up Tuesday, Sept. 19th at 6PM OR Wednesday, Sept. 20th at 11AM. Short, sweet and we give you every single thing you need to be an effective catechist for our children; an immeasurably valuable role in appropriating our faith to the next generation. Need not have children to volunteer! All that is needed is a welcoming way and a willingness to be present and kind to our little ones and you are in! That being said….

If our program is to continue to grow, we really DO need at least 15-20 of our CTR members to seriously consider taking the formal training (which is recognized by our Archdiocese for official, resume worthy certification). If you can dedicate one Saturday a month from now until June to this beautiful, retreat-like catechist formation course, the training begins Saturday, Sept. 16th at 9AM with Sr. Nancy Ayotte, IHM (who is absolutely mesmerizing). We are especially looking for members of our community who have a calling to work with 3-6 year olds because we are praying and dreaming about expanding our atrium offerings to this age group. Developmentally, around age six, children begin to imagine God as a judge, so it’s important to have the central parable of the Good Shepherd firmly in place before our children hit that milestone.

If you feel God tugging on your sleeve (or your heart), Sr. Nancy usually allows people to attend the first class for free (I guarantee you will fall in love with CGS within the first 2 hours) and Lisa Brown (that would be me) is always available for a chat over coffee (please, give me a reason to visit Starbucks!). Blessings to you and yours as we begin this new year of spiritual knowing and growing!

Visit www.crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com to review past articles or send your question/comment to Lisa Brown at dre@ctredeemer.org

Crazy Catholic Question #109: Motivation

CCQ #109: What motivates you to get to church on the weekend?

Many thanks to the parents who gifted us with the presence of their children during our summer program that just wrapped up last week. We hope the kids had two-weeks filled with joy, grace and love...and lots of learning about our faith!

My daughter Vivienne, age 7, made a new best friend, Drea, during our summer program and on the commute in on the last day she said “I’m so said I won’t see Drea anymore.” I don’t’ know about you, but sometimes the only thing that gets me motivated to go to church on the weekends is the friends I see here. Sometimes I just need to be around people who share my values and my desire to understand better and draw nearer to God. People who help me, through their friendship, to stay close to God and to hold tight to the hope found there. Friends who encourage me when I’m feeling down or lost and remind me to just keep “showing up” and be still before God and believe, like me, that only good can come from this spiritual practice. These friendships are a well from which I drink on Sundays, often arriving quite parched; refreshment is found both at Mass and after Mass chatting with my friends. So, why would it be any different for our kids? They like seeing their friends and sometimes that is the only thing that makes them want to come to church (and the donuts...never forget the power of the donut). There are worse motivations. Friendship is just God with skin on; the incarnation giving us a hug when we need one.

Mass and/or Playdate in the Atrium
So, an invitation, particularly for our summer families to help keep our children, and ourselves, in touch over the school year - consider making our weekly weekend Masses Sat at 5PM and Sun at 9 and 11AM a priority on your stacked calendar and/or setting up a playdate in the Atrium. There is a binder in each atrium with all our lessons (so far), written out word for word, so basically its reading a lesson to your child as she/he shows you how to work with the materials (or the “works” as they are called). Just call our office to let us know the day and time of your playdate so we can be sure the atrium is cooled/heated to a comfortable temperature for your playdate. And yes, the children are allowed to water and care for our plants in our atria….

Church PTA
I’m looking for a few interested individuals to work with me on establishing a Parent Association, like the PTA, for our families here at CTR. This team would plan mid-year gatherings for our summer families, perhaps bring in a speaker and host one or two parent “topic” nights, or maybe even collectively write an editorial for the paper pushing back just a little bit towards sports teams/competitive dance, etc. who are encroaching a bit on our family life—not in a hostile manner but rather just to start the conversation on the importance of protecting family time. Just some possible ideas. Contact me, Lisa Brown, at dre@ctredeemer.org if you are interested. Wishing your family peace and lots of down-time during these last few weeks of summer!

Here is a little poem that touched me, especially as a parent, during these lush days of summer:

“The Peace Of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.