Catechists draw knowledge, faith from annual gathering
By Chris Donahue
Staff Writer
Although the lessons found in the Bible are eternal, finding fresh, innovative ideas to help religious education teachers in the diocese share those messages with students in an ever-changing world is an ongoing process.
To help ensure religious education teachers don’t fall behind the times, the diocese held its annual Catechetical Congress in the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center, Piscataway, Nov. 20.
In conjunction with the start of the Year of the Eucharist in October, as designated by Pope John Paul II, the Catechetical Congress opened with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel of St. John Neumann Pastoral Center.
Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski presided over the ceremony assisted by Father Joseph D. Kraus, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Victories, Sayreville.
Bishop Bootkoski said we must remember that “the Eucharist is the center of our faith.”
He also stressed the importance of being good role models for their students because for many, it’s the only formal exposure they get to their faith.
The Catechetical Congress, with a theme of Catechists: Stewards of God’s Treasures, drew more than 600 participants, said Dr. Mary Kay Cullinan, director of the diocesan Office of Religious Education. Participants had a choice of 23 workshops with topics ranging from the Internet in the classroom, the benefits of adult stem cell research, which the Church supports, to children in Scripture, she said.
As head organizer of the Catechetical Congress, Dr. Cullinan said the diocese tries to remain on the “cutting edge” to keep its catechists prepared and invigorated.
Guest speakers were Tom Zanzig, who authored two texts used in Catholic high schools throughout the United States; editor and consultant, and Sister Mary Kathleen Glavich, author of Catholic Kids Say the Funniest Things and catechetical resource person with St. Dominic Parish, Shaker Heights, Ohio.
Zanzig spoke about how we share a common pattern of spiritual growth. For Christians, the goal is identification with Jesus and a growing awareness that, as St. Paul said: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
Sister Mary, who spoke on the topic Intimacy with Jesus: The Gas in Our Tank, said it’s our personal relationship with Jesus that impels us to introduce others to him.
The workshop Catholic Morality and the Headlines, moderated by Father John N. Fell, pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bernardsville, focused on the benefits of adult stem cell research as opposed to destroying human embryos for medical gains.
His goal was to stress the Church’s position that “the absolute dignity of the human person needs to be respected from conception all the way through natural life and death.” Moral problems arise, he said, when people begin to stretch the definition of what a human being is.
“The proponents of embryonic stem cell research are encouraging us to believe that you can be human, but just because you’re human, doesn’t mean you’re a person. Do you know any human who isn’t a person?” he asked.
Sr. Joseph Sister Adrienne Bradley, who moderated Internet in the Classroom, said although computer use comes naturally to even small children, too many people don’t associate it with religious education. Sister Adrienne showed how simple it was to make lessons grade-specific and call up different topics, including the Ten Commandments and Beatitudes.
She showed how a few clicks of the mouse could provide word scrambles and spelling lessons. The ease with which the lessons could be accessed might also inspire the students to work on topics on their own at home, she said.
Marilyn Harmyk of East Brunswick has taught religious education to fourthgraders in her home parish, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, New Brunswick, for 16 years.
She became a religious education teacher to pass on her faith, but it was also“an opportunity to learn about my own faith and that’s what I’ve found. My faith has grown because I’m learning.”
“I teach the kids that it’s a lifelong process,” she noted.
Joe Merritt, and his wife, Beth, both teach religious education to first-graders in Our Lady of Peace Parish, Fords.
Joe, who converted to Catholicism, said even the questions of young children help him learn.
“Their questions are really tough to answer, but they get me to answer questions I would never ask myself or anybody else like, ‘Where does God come from?’
“I’ve also been involved with RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) for the last three years. They’re a lot easier to talk to,” he added with a laugh.
Joe, who is permanently disabled, said anyone interested in teaching religion should do so.
“Four years ago I would have never considered it because I had very little religious background,” he said. “Now I understand that everything I’m doing is to help them lead a life as a Catholic and that’s going to benefit everyone in the future.”
Sister Margaret Mary O’Connell, director of religious education in St. John Vianney School, Colonia, for nine years, said the Catechetical Congress offers more than just new teaching methods.
“The first talk I went to was Tom Zanzig,” she said. “Having time to reassess myself makes the whole thing worthwhile because I’m always reading up on (instructional) things to do. To have a little time for myself is very helpful.”
Linda Rondinelli, a member of St. Bartholomew Parish, East Brunswick, has been a religious education teacher for 10 years for sixth, seventh and eighth graders.
“I’m getting so much more out of teaching these kids than I’m giving to them,” she said.
“I’m also in awe that I might say something to one of the children that they won’t think about until a year or two from now that might make a difference. That floors me. When they ask a question I’m very keenly aware of that.”
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law