Crazy Catholic Question #148: The Ribbon

CCQ #148: Where did “The Ribbon” Lesson we heard at Mass today come from?

“All of religious language is metaphor because God is not just beyond our grasp, but beyond our imagining.” – Rohr

As many of you know, since 2014 we have been slowly transitioning from a workbook/classroom model of religious instruction to a more contemplative, hands-on, Montessori-based approach to the Faith Formation of children ages 3 to 12 called Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS). The focus of the program is to deepen the child’s existing relationship with God; to encourage the formation of a personal prayer life; to participate fully in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church; and to develop a deeper understanding of our sacred scriptures. Today everyone at our Masses experienced one of CGS’s “Great Lessons” – La Fettuccia (The Ribbon in Italian) – a timeline of the history of the Kingdom of God…so far. This lesson is rooted in the work of scientist and theologian Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J.

CGS was first researched and developed by Dr. Sofia Cavaletti and Gianna Gobbi. Dr. Sofia Cavalletti was a Hebrew and Scripture scholar and member of the Vatican Commission for Jewish - Christian Relations. She was asked by a neighbor to give her son religious instruction in preparation for Eucharist. At first Sofia refused (not having much to do with children in her academic world) but eventually she consented. This experience with the 7-year-old boy changed her whole life. Dr Cavalletti saw in that child, a way of being in the presence of God that is unique to the child and a great gift for the adult who takes time to share in the child’s joy and discovery.

Gianna Gobbi was a dedicated and seasoned teacher who studied directly under Maria Montessori. These two lay women, in good Montessori fashion, created a prepared space for children called an atrium. In this sacred space children are introduced to hands-on “works” or “materials” rooted in the essential words of Jesus and the beauty of our ancient prayer of the Mass. Each session in the atrium begins with a short lesson and then the children are given free reign to interact with the materials, visit the prayer table, do any number of extension activities that reinforce the lesson, or create artwork in response to what they heard – all done in a prayerful manner so as to “Fall in Love more deeply with God.” Please consider yourself invited to visit our atriums after Mass today to get a fuller picture of this profound place of encounter for our kids.

Maria Montessori was a devout Catholic and the first female medical doctor in Italy. Early in her career, she started working with children in the slums of Rome. Her training as a scientist allowed her to observe children with an eye to recognizing their intrinsic needs. Montessori believed that “joy is the indicator of interior, spiritual growth, just as an increase in weight is the indication of bodily growth.”

Even though our program begins in less than two weeks, we still need many more catechists and assistants to best serve the children in our parish. If you were moved by the lesson you heard today and are willing and able to serve as a catechist in our atriums - or better yet, take the retreat-like training course one Saturday a month to become an “officially” internationally certified CGS Catechist, please be in touch. I can’t recommend the experience enough. One of the most edifying experiences I’ve ever had. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

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

Crazy Catholic Question #147: Where to now?

Where do we go from here?

My last two bulletin articles have been rather frank in addressing the newly inflamed crisis we find ourselves in as “Church” (aka “The People of God”). Today - in the spirit of “Welcome” to those who are new to Christ the Redeemer and those who are returning to our faith family after the summer break -  I wish to “lighten it up a bit” and offer a small way we can “be here, while getting there.”

Once upon a time there was a small, beautiful, but very troubled plant. The time came for one of the planet’s most powerful tribes to choose new leadership. The wise elders of the community called together all the people and gave them a challenge: “Go out and bring back whatever you find on your journey that you believe will be most needful to our people in the future.”

One person journeyed out into the surrounding plain. Eventually she noticed something glinting in the rock. Scraping at the soil, she discovered seams of gold. Rushing back to the tribal homelands she reported “I have discovered a source of wealth that will keep our people comfortable for many years to come.”

Another journeyed along the river. Eventually his sharp gaze picked up traces of something lying among the rocks. He scraped at the soil and unearthed flintstone. He rushed back home and said, “With this flintstone we can make powerful weapons and defend ourselves against all attack – and keep our people safe.”

Another person, one of the youngest of the tribe, was gone a long, long time. Returning home at last—empty-handed, she said “I have travelled far—over to that distant mountain. As I journeyed I noticed things that might be helpful to us, like gold and flintstone, but something made me keep on walking. When I reached the summit I knew I had found what I was searching for, but it was not something I could pick up and bring back home. When I reached the mountaintop, I saw a vision of possibilities that lie beyond our narrow view here in this valley. I knew that this was where God would want to lead our people. So this is what I bring back—a vision of what could be. You may say that this is just a dream. But is it not the case that our tribe and all its story is built on a dream?”

The wise elders of the community said. “You shall lead us well because you have rightly understood that what our people need more than anything else is vision.” (adapted, from Margaret Silf).

Are you ______________?

• A parent or grandparent seeking clarity on the essentials of our faith AND an effective method of communicating this dream and vision of Jesus to our little ones?
• Thinking of becoming “officially” Catholic and hanging your hat here at Christ the Redeemer?
• A cradle Catholic seeking a way forward, desiring a little theology refresher and a place to discuss our most central beliefs?

If YES, then we are cooking up a little program called the TEN TOPICS with you in mind! You will get a taste of it at our Masses next weekend Sept. 15/16.

Our goal is to offer TEN TOPICS at various times throughout the upcoming year to discuss the most essential and compelling elements of our theology; the insights, beliefs and VISION that we don’t want to lose even if our institutional edifice is crumbling at the moment. Our little CTR effort to enrich the soil in which the seeds for our future will grow.

P.S. We would REALLY like to offer these TEN TOPICS on-line in some fashion. Can you help us? To volunteer or submit your own "Crazy Catholic Question," email Lisa Brown at DRE@ctredeemer.org. Read past columns at: www.crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com.

Crazy Catholic Question #146: Leaving

My husband (wife, son, daughter, etc) has decided to leave the church in response to the Pennsylvania report. To be honest, I am thinking about leaving too. Any parting words?

Just this week I’ve had 12 people visit, call or send me a message to this effect. Some were commiserating with my article from last week and others were just venting their frustration and pain – looking for a safe place to let off steam. I’m honored to be that “safe place”and glad you know my door is always open to express yourself without any self-editing. In our tidal wave force culture where ideology rules and dialogue is barely breathing -  passionate and candid conversation is critical to our evolution – even to our survival.

From my perspective, The Church (aka the “People of God”) is having a sound and appropriate response to this crisis. Our leadership (for the most part) is not. And this is not new, which compounds the problem. Even Pope Francis left us lacking with more words. So, I understand why people are hanging up their cleats. I do. If you find nourishment elsewhere, then by all means be nourished!

One sincere request though before you hit the road. Sr. Joan Chittister said it best - “If you are going to leave the Church – please don’t leave quietly and if you are going to stay in the Church – please don’t stay quietly!” So, if you are walking out the door, please, make some noise on your way out, perhaps a phone call or a letter to our Archbishop as to WHY you are leaving.

If you have decided to dig in your heels and make the same phone calls and write the same letters so as not to “stay quietly” then I want to share with you a great source of encouragement for me in this crisis of leadership; the theology of Jesuit scientist Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ.

Teilhard invites us to expand our vision; to think about God, time and space and our place in creation in a much broader way than we usually do; to reignite our romantic imagination. He invites us to recall that even if we could travel the speed of light, it would take us 40,000 years to reach even our nearest star and that distance would not even be a fraction of the distance across our own galaxy. And there are billions and billions of galaxies – quite literally countless. Our God is the creator of a universe that we have yet to find the beginning or the end of – the alpha or the omega. Our God is prodigious beyond our imagination – the creator of babies, the author of love, the energy that draws and enlivens every living thing on earth – THIS is the God Jesus invites us to trust in and call “Abba” or “Daddy” like a child would call out to a loving parent.

Teilhard was once asked “What if we destroy ourselves with nuclear weapons?!?!?” He responded “Well, that would be a 2-billion-year setback.” Ha! His humor rooted in his ENORMOUS vision of who God is, how patient God is, helps me to put things into perspective. I find it comforting to be reminded that life, love and God will go on being boundless regardless of our missteps in this wisp of history.

But Teilhard also reminds us that our little actions are more powerful than we think and WILL eventually add up to change for our troubled institution…even if we move at the speed of a dang glacier…sigh.

Here is a great article by Dr. Ilia Delio on the bigger scope of our current crisis. www.omegacenter.info/death-in-church-new-life-ahead

Send your Crazy Catholic Question to Lisa Brown at dre@ctredeemer.org or read past columns at www.crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com.