One of the challenges that I faced last year was trying to get enough volunteers to serve as catechists in the classroom. We had to combine grades in most cases and my husband even helped out by teaching two classes. Some people I called said they were overburdened with other commitments and felt they could not give their best effort- as a result they declined to participate. Some said they were not up to the task of being a catechist- they felt they did not know enough to teach the faith and lacked confidence in themselves. Fortunately there were some very wonderful people who agreed to work with the children of our parish and they did a fantastic job. However- studies have shown that the best way to pass on the faith, the best way to ensure that our young people carry the faith into adulthood- is to involve the parents.
For years the classroom has been where faith formation has happened. The classroom model has made it seem like passing on the faith is something best left to the “professional”- whether that is a professional teacher trained to teach religion, or a volunteer with the best of intentions. Parents have often been left out of the process, or only had minimal encouragement to be a part of it. This is something that must change. Even if there was no pandemic, we would be introducing a Family Faith Formation program this year. Why? Children who grow up in homes where parents discuss faith regularly are more likely to have active faith lives when they become adults. Children learn to make faith a vital part of their life by seeing their parents’ examples. “The greatest challenge in this situation is for couples, mothers and fathers, active participants in catechesis, to overcome the mentality of delegation that is so common, according to which the faith is set aside for specialists in religious education….’The Church is called to cooperate with parents through suitable pastoral initiatives, assisting them in the fulfillment of their educational mission’ to become above all the first catechists of their own children.” - Directory of Catechesis, 2020. My hope this year is that we as a parish can provide the materials and support for parents to take on the primary role of passing on the faith to their own children. It is not the parent alone, but the parent with the support of the parish that will rise to the challenge. Our parish family- all of us, must do our part to pass on the faith. I join you all in this adventure not only as part of the parish staff, but also as a member of the parish and as a parent.
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Kelley TanseyFaith Formation Coordinator Archives
June 2021
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