Catechesis Training - Chicago
Last Updated on Sunday, 21 March 2010 09:52 Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:22
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Topics covered
History of the Kingdom of God
- The History of the Kingdom of God and My Place in it
- Miracles of Jesus
- The history of the Jewish people
- Worship in Israel
- The Synagogue, The origin of the Liturgy of the Word
Prophet Studies
- The content of the prophecies
Typology
- Abraham
- Moses/Exodus/Gift of the law
Sacraments
- Anointing of the sick
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Blessing of the Chrism
- Eucharist
- The Preface
- The Mystery of Faith
- The Mystery of Faith and Prayers of Intercession
- The Propers of the Mass
- The Memorial
- Anointing of the sick
- Reconciliation
- Reconciliation (The 5 Meditations-Second Confession)
Moral Formation
- Virtues
- Parables of the Kingdom
- The Pearl
- The Mustard Seed
The trainers
Anna Hurdle, Donna Turner and Linda Kaiel
Guest speakers
Rebekah Rojcewicz introduces Professor Dr Francesca Cocchini
Professor Francesca Cocchini, University of Rome and Professor Ann Garrido, Aquinas Institute, St. Louis. These two were also the keynote speakers at the Formation Leaders Conference that followed it (August 1– 5).
The Course
Classes were put on the board each day
There were 67 catechists participating in this last part of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training. Most were from all parts of the USA, with others from Mexico, Canada, Norway, Australia and myself.
We were split into four groups and attended four sessions per day, beginning at 9 am, and ending at 4.30pm, with some evening classes available.
One of the sessions each day was for material making – as in the other levels there are a lot of materials that need to be hand made for the presentations to the children, some are wooden 3D, some are handwritten booklets, wall charts, cards of texts or pictures etc.
Level 3 is the first level which now has a CD with the particulars of each work on it, the other levels have huge manuals!
Each of the presentations listed under the headings on the sample presentation has one, two or three sets of materials to go with the presentation. They also require, in most cases, materials from the previous levels to be is a visual reminder to the child, so building understanding and connections to the topic. These three trainers were superb!
Atrium experience essential
Trainers - left to right - Linda Kaiel, Anna Hurdle and Donna Turner
The trainers and catechists - and in fact anyone who is a formation leader (trainers of Catechists) - are required to be operating in an Atrium, so there is no way anyone can become ivory-towered!
The depth of experience and knowledge was wonderful, as was the willingness of trainees, tutors and other formation leaders to help me in the task that now faces me of ‘translating’ those works necessary into New Zealand Prayer Book parlance, while staying faithful to the essentialities laid out by Sofia Cavalletti in the establishment of this programme.
The Powerpoint presentation I had made of our Atrium at St Andrew’s was greeted with enthusiasm.
We were able to purchase DVDs of Sofia’s atrium in Rome with an optional English translation, which already I am finding helpful as I complete materials and album pages.
Opening worship
One of our daily Eucharists
Each morning, course attendees volunteered to take the opening worship. On the second Monday I offered to take worship. From that came a request from the Episcopalians to hold a daily communion service for them that continued through to the conference as well. A real gift to me.
The general response to candles, visuals and the New Zealand Prayer Book style was amazing – quite different for most of them. The organisers also asked me to take Night Prayer at the close of the first day of conference. ‘Lord, it is night’ found its place, yet again, in the hearts and minds of those present.
Ministry to young children lacking
I was the only priest there, of any persuasion, for either event, and, as I understand it, a rarity at C.G.S. trainings. Plenty of nuns from a variety of orders but no priests. That I found sad, as this is the age to invite children to have a relationship with the Good Shepherd.
Why are children so often ignored, or at best, pandered to by high energy infotainment sessions, while parishes concentrate on the older ‘youth’? At what age do children become valid partners in worship?
It was a typical story from all corners of the US and beyond. Are ‘youth’ the new ‘sacred cow,’ or is the reality that, having jumped several generations, we are in fact not able to attract people to walk alongside the small child. Really interesting to ponder on.
The local Bishop, Bishop Jeffrey Lee, came to preside at the opening service at the Episcopalian church over the road, he had experienced the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in his previous diocese and parish, and was a staunch advocate, something the local catechists were thrilled about.
Associates of USA Association
For those of us trained in New Zealand. I have suggested that in the meantime we could become associates of the USA Association, so as to be able to access the latest training manual updates and because the network there is so well established.
Some catechists may choose, as I have done, to be a member of both the US and Australian associations.
The Rev’d Carol Roth from Brisbane will continue to plant seeds within New Zealand in the Anglican, Roman Catholic and other traditions - she has been enormously successful to date.
I should be able to begin training catechists sometime next year within our diocese – I have to submit for the approval of the Formation Committee, an album page for each presentation for each of the three levels; there are sufficient presentations for one per week for three years in each level. See sample of a level three album below.
It appears to me that my most fruitful contribution in the early years - apart from training - will be making the Anglican material appropriate to the New Zealand Prayer Book liturgies for all levels, and then train myself out of a job.
The Episcopal Liturgical committee is working with me as they also had to translate from Rome for their BCP (with the help of Bishop Frank Griswold and liturgical expert Rev’d Louis Weil.) Their experience is proving to be invaluable. Archdeacon Monty Black will continue to be a source of knowledge and guide for me here as well.
Conference of Formation Leaders
The Conference of Formation Leaders was fascinating – herewith a brief overview taken from the brochures.
“There does not exist a Bible that we read and the Liturgy that we live; there is the Bible we live with the whole of our life and especially so in the Liturgy. The former without the latter is deprived of its most in-tense moment of life; the latter without the former would be based on a void.” Religious Potential of the Child, p. 79.
In our formation courses, we convey these words from Sofia as the two pillars of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. And yet, do we really understand what Sofia means? How are Bible and Liturgy, actually like the vine, intertwined?
Sofia, over the years, has had a passion for understanding this relationship and particularly as it relates to the children‘s work in the atrium. What can we still learn from Sofia, the children, and our Christian tradition that will help us deepen our understanding of Bible and Liturgy?
What gifts from our tradition help us to open the riches of both? Sofia repeatedly lifts up for us two particular gifts that are valuable tools for this exploration—mystagogy and typology.
This year‘s Formation Leaders‘ Conference offers you a rich exploration into both mystagogy and typology and the connections that can be made to Bible and Liturgy. During the conference, we will also consider our connections between our CGS roots in Rome and our CGS experiences in the USA.
Francesca Cocchini, long time colleague with Sofia and Gianna, will be our featured speaker throughout the conference as she guides us to a deeper understanding of mystagogy and typology and their interconnectedness at all levels of the children‘s work in the atrium. She will also present the new materials for the Level III typology studies.
Francesca is a professor at ―La Sapienza‖, University of Rome. Her focus has been on the earliest years of Christian history. Her most recent book is entitled, Origen, A Theologian of the Christian Identity. She serves on the Executive Committee of the International Council for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and is also known as ―the big girl who helps Sofia. **(Please see page 30 in Essential Realities.) We are delighted that she will be able to join us for this conference.
In addition, Ann Garrido will engage us in a look at the current world of scripture interpretation as it pertains to the approaches of biblical interpretation used in CGS. Ann is Associate Professor of Homiletics and Director of the Doctor of Ministry and MAPS-CGS programs at Aquinas Institute, St. Louis. She also serves our association as a member of the Formation Committee.”
**this means that she attended Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi’s Atrium as a child.
Francesca’s addresses were translated by two long time catechists, Rebekah Rojcewicz and Patricia Coulter, both of whom have written several texts for the programme. They were instrumental in the establishment of the programme in USA by going to Rome and studying with Sofia and Gianna for a number of years, then translating all the material into English under their guidance.
Ann Garrido was absolutely top drawer, I could have sat through several more days of her. The knowledge and discussion opened up was hugely beneficial for us all. There were 80 attendees – about six of us from the course stayed over, the rest were new faces.
Random comments/observations
The majority of the attendees, and catechists in general, are women
Numerous parishes and schools use the programme
Most Atria are attached to a church or school. Some are in private homes
The catechists – if these were a random sample and typical - tend to be well educated and often in the professions, including nurses, lawyers, teachers, often DRE’s, architects, doctors, musicians, vets, academics, and religious educators.
Several dioceses used elements of the programme in the formation of their ordained - especially for the Eucharist aspect. This also applies in Australia.
Some Atria have as many as 1,000 children through each week, most 100 or more
Most have dedicated space(s). One school had five dedicated classrooms!
The Sisters of Charity (Mother Teresa’s order) have made a decision that all their nuns, worldwide, are to train in the programme for both self education and for teaching. Several attended the Formation Leaders Conference.
Attendees came from a variety of traditions - Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran and ecumenical lay communities – and included participants from Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd not only educates - to an impressive depth - children from age three, but respects the developmental stages of the child and encourages them on their journey of faith.
You are welcome to visit our Atrium, and I’m sure any other, whenever you wish.
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