#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.