30 Tips to Help and Encourage Catechists
30 Tips to Help and Encourage Catechists
What I Have Learned & What I'd Like to Share With New & Seasoned Catechists Alike
With a new catechetical year now upon us, I wanted to offer some tips and encouragement to new and seasoned catechists alike as you start your new year. For many of these, I have left Scripture references that I think are helpful for reflection. If you are looking for more references, either in Church documents or in Scripture, feel free to post in the comments; I am happy to answer questions and discuss! Now, let’s dive in!
Be Rooted. Abide.
“Abide in me, as I abide in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” - John 14:4-5
What does it mean to abide? (Acts 2:42-43)
To live; dwell (in Christ; in the Church; rooted in our Faith) (Heb 10:19-25; 1 Tim 3:15)
To accept or act in accordance with (Jn 13:34-35; Jn 14:15; Jn 15:12-13; 1 Cor 11:1)
To continue in a memory without being lost (Luke 22:18-20; 1 Jn 1:3)
To bear patiently; to endure without yielding (1 Cor 13:4; Phil 4:6; Rom 12:12; Rom 8:28; Gal 6:9; Col 3:12; Eph 4:2)
To accept without objection (Rom 10:9-10; Jn 3:16-17; Acts 2:38; Gal 2:20)
To remain stable or in a fixed state (Eph 6:13; 1 Thes 5:16-17; 1 Cor 15:58; Heb 12:1; 1 Tim 6:12)
To conform to (Phil 2:2-11; Rom 12:1-2)
“Only your personal and profound union with Christ will assure the fruitfulness of your apostolate, whatever it may be.” – Pope St Paul VI
We must avoid the trap of becoming so busy doing the works of God that we neglect the God of Works.
We can become so busy doing, that we forget to be: to be the beloved child of our Loving Heavenly Father! This is the most important thing. “Be” before “do.” Then “be” and “go do.”
So much of our spiritual life is stunted by one thing: not seeing God as the loving Father that he is. Abiding in the Love of the Father, having confidence in His promise, “You will bear fruit!”
Relationship. Relationship. Relationship. That IS What it is All About.
Seek to encounter Christ daily; or be at least open to letting Him encounter you.
Church teaching on catechesis makes it clear. Your task is to help others encounter Christ. This means you need to encounter Him yourself!
We tend to judge ourselves by our weaknesses, failures, and faults. Rather, we should examine our lives by our proximity to Jesus. Are we growing closer to him each day? Is that what we are pursuing above all else? It should be!
In catechesis you are not just handing on a curriculum. You are handing on Christ Himself. Therefore, you must KNOW HIM.
Relationship. Relationship. Relationship. Yep! There it is again!
You cannot approach ministry as a lone ranger. You need help. Moses needed Aaron and Hur to help hold his arms up in battle for Israel to have the victory, so do you! You need others to support you. You will grow weary. The key to your victory will often be the support of others. Be it in encouragement, feedback, advice, prayer, or even (keep a healthy good intentioned limit on this)… but, yes, venting.
St Paul tells us to, “Follow me as I follow Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). If we look at his example, we see a priority in relationships. Paul invested in others. Others invested in Paul. Paul had those who walked beside him to encourage him and to hold him accountable. He also had those who in the midst of seeming failures, could help him praise the Lord and turn his eyes toward heaven. What was the result? The kingdom of God came; souls were saved. See Acts 16:16-40 to see what I mean.
Know Who You Are
What the Church says about you as a catechist?
You have received a call from the Holy Spirit: vocation. The Church uses that word, “vocation.” With a little “v” of course; but still! There is a sacredness to this ministry!
The Church calls you, “The pride of the missionary Church” and a “praiseworthy army of lay apostles.”
The Church says that from the beginning, catechists have provided “a fundamental evangelical service.” In other words, this work is important!
You are a mediator between the people of God and the Mysteries of God. That means in many ways you are the bridge the Lord has chosen to help others come to understand Him and His Revelation of Himself, and His love, in a greater way! Don’t worry! He will reveal much of Himself to you as you prepare to teach; while you teach, and speaking from experience, He is going to teach you a lot through your students!
You build community. Yep! Relationship. Relationship. Relationship.
The authenticity and witness of your lives are indispensable. That’s right! The Church says you are valuable and important. That is why just hitting play on a video or simply reading a textbook will never be enough. The witness of your life is the most important! More on this later.
You are called to deep and intimate communion with Christ. This is what you are handing on after all!
You are tasked with handing on the faith; ultimately Christ himself.
By now you may feel intimidated. That is a lot of praise. You should not be! You may feel unworthy of such praise. However, the praise in many ways belongs to the Lord. So, be at peace. You may feel like you don’t have what it takes. You feel there is no way you can do this! That’s okay. It is a good place to be! Nervousness is a gift from God that you can offer up; a struggle to be given up to the Lord as a prayer for your students even while you are teaching them. It is also a gift in that it reminds you just how much you need the Lord’s help in this work. You can do this! You have what it takes! You have what it takes because He has given it to you. By the grace of the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, nourished by Christ, present in the Eucharist! You can do this! Okay, so what else does the Church say about you? Let’s get back to it!
Keep the Truth Personal
Your teaching should be “incarnational:” How is Christ incarnate in you? This should come through in your teaching. As Frank Sheed said, “Teach yourself with the truth adhering.” We see this profound truth even in Scripture. The words are inspired! Yet, John sounds like John. Paul, like Paul; and Peter, most certainly like Peter.
The words of St Patrick: Christ in the eye of everyone that sees me. Christ in the ear of everyone that hears me. Christ on the lips of everyone who speaks of me. Christ in the mind of everyone that thinks of me.
Your teaching should be relatable. Remember, it’s not a list of doctrinal points to be memorized. It’s the truths of our faith that are to be lived and applied; incarnated into our lives. This is true at every age and stage.
Lesson Plan. Do It. Even if the book has, “Done it for you.” Never, ever, for any reason, “Just press play” either!
Questions that can help you “keep the truth personal” and emphasize that Jesus IS the point! Put these at the top of every lesson plan!
What does this doctrine/objective have to do with Jesus?
If you can’t answer this question in a heartfelt way… You may not be ready to teach it. If you are struggling with this one, pray for the Lord to guide and teach you. Ask for the Holy Spirit to be the light on your path of lesson planning. He will show you!
What difference does this doctrine/objective make? (Why does it matter?)
How can this doctrine/objective bring your listeners closer to Christ?
How have I lived/applied this doctrine/objective in my own life?
How can I help my listeners to live/apply this doctrine/objective to their own lives?
Create the Atmosphere: You Are the Thermostat. NOT THE THERMOMETER!
The catechist must help to create the conditions for the possibility of a deepening of God’s word in the hearts of those being served.
Those you are teaching need help to withdraw themselves from the world that turns their attention away from Christ. The catechist has a responsibility to help them do this in a loving and caring way.
This can be done by perhaps, adjusting the lighting (if possible); greeting students at the door with a warm smile; expressing joy in seeing students; opening with a moving story; a Lectio Divina reflection, or a meditation on sacred art; a well selected video (make sure there is no ads! That will kill the mood quickly); a beautiful song or some music.
Honestly, I typically will arrive early. Pray over the classroom. Pray over each desk (for the student). Often, I will play uplifting music (e.g. praise and worship; Gregorian chant; Christian instrumental; something uplifting). I know someone that taped miraculous medals underneath each seat and sprinkled every seat with holy water. The kids wondered why their seats were always wet! But it worked! The teacher saw the fruit of these extra prayerful steps before class.Creating an atmosphere of prayer in your classroom is the most important aspect here! How do you create an atmosphere of prayer? Here are a few tips:
Live as a witness: demonstrate a life of prayer and devotion; invite them into that experience (even if you feel like you are not “good at it”, even if you feel like you “don’t know enough”). The Lord delights in our efforts to grow in our life of prayer. Just like a child learning to speak. Do not fear. Trust in Him and have confidence that the Loving Father delights in His children (of all ages).
Be authentic: sometimes the life of faith can be challenging. It is okay to talk about that. How have those experiences shaped your prayer life? How did you pray during difficult experiences? How did prayer help you overcome? Lived experiences such as these help to demonstrate the power and grace in what you are teaching.
Apologize and seek forgiveness when it is needed. Demonstrate God’s mercy and the need to both offer and seek forgiveness. Model a life rooted in the Act of Contrition.
Use every moment as a teaching moment. In or preparation, in our teaching, we should strive for this: Pray as if it all depends on you; but most importantly, work as if it all depends on God. In other words, our first recourse should always be to prayer! Model this!
Recognize the great faith children have. Allow God to teach you through them and draw near to the Lord through their own example. Often this will happen through their prayers; as you create space for the Lord to speak in and through them.
Give the reading of Scripture pride of place in your classroom. This is critical to learning to recognize the voice of the Lord and discern His will. It is also critical in helping us to learn the language of prayer; and can make learning to pray spontaneously, more natural, and comfortable.
Encourage older children to become examples to, and in their own way, teachers of, their younger siblings.
Embrace the liturgical calendar and incorporate significant dates into the rhythm of your classroom.
In so far as you are able, create a sacred space in your classroom for prayer and devotion. (1 John 1:1)
Teach your kids how to pray! Make this a part of the classroom! We recommend the ACTS method.
(A)doration: Praise the Lord! Worship Him for WHO He is!
Ex: “Lord, we praise you, we adore you!” (or similar)
(C)ontrition: What do you need forgiveness for? What do you wish you did better? What do you need his help to overcome?
Ex: “Lord forgive us for how often we forget about you.” (or whatever the acknowledgment may be)
(T)hanksgiving: What are you thankful for?
Ex: “Lord, thank you that despite how often we forget about you, that you don’t forget about us. You never stop thinking about us. And your loving thoughts toward us are why we exist.” (or related similar; it could be, “Lord thank you for the gift of a given student, friendship, the Eucharist, anything worthy of praise and thanksgiving).
(S)upplication: What are you asking for?
Ex: Simply state the need, the person, the situation you are praying for.
Pray for Your Students by Name
Loving care of a spiritual parent is needed.
Do it daily. Don’t let them just be names on a list.
If you are experiencing challenges or frustrations with a particular student(s), this person(s) should be the intention of a little extra prayer.
Know Your Students
Know what they like; what interests them.
Follow the example of St John Bosco
Find out how they fall in love. The work of catechesis is not merely teaching how to say things doctrinally; it is also understanding how your students fall in love with Christ. You are preparing them for a new union, an embrace. Discovering what motivates them, what inspires them, what they are drawn to is key here!
Use dialogue in your teaching! Yep, let them ask questions… and ask them questions too!
To learn from them and discover them. If they are only ever “audience” to you, you will never discover them. You’ve got to walk with them and seek to figure them out. Teachers must seek to know those they teach.
Don’t be afraid of questions. And don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know!”
When you don’t know the answer, that provides a great opportunity to demonstrate your care for students. “I don’t know! But I will find the answer to your question. Next week, I will have your answer.” Or, perhaps you could follow up with parents to provide the answer!
Don't Complain About Your Students
Complaints have a habit of building walls; walls keep people out and prevent relationships. It is difficult to be a channel of God’s love when you are building those walls.
We should always be asking the Lord, “Who has God given me to love?” Whoever your eyeballs are meeting in that moment, that’s who the Lord has given you to love.
Love Your Students
Demonstrate the loving care of a spiritual parent; show mercy and respect. There is truth in the old saying, “They don’t care what you know until they know that you care.”
When you are praying for them, ask the Lord to help you recognize their gifts; how best to reach them; what will help them thrive. “Lord, help me to show them your love! In my words, in my teaching, in my witness, in my teaching!”
Know the Goal. It's NOT JUST to Get Through the Curriculum.
The Church teaches that the mature, faithful adult is the objective of catechesis at all ages & stages!
Goal 1: To empower youth to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today.
Goal 2: To draw youth into responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community.
Goal 3: To foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person.
The good news, this is not all dependent upon you. But you do have a part to play. Others will harvest where you have planted; some will water; you may just plant the seeds. But only the Lord provides the increase!
It’s important to keep this in mind because it helps you to take the pressure off yourself. You are not anyone’s savior. Jesus loves your students more than you do. Trust in Him. And while you are at it, once again, trust Him in calling you to serve as a catechist!
If You Are Running Behind, Don’t Stress Prep! PRAY!
It’ll happen! That’s okay. Better you come into class prayed up than to come into the class after a fast and furious stress prep. Trust that the Lord will work through your prayers!
If you prayed for the Lord to help you teach, when the class is over, thank Him! Praise Him! Don’t question how good you did. Trust Him with the results.
I don’t mean take no feedback, ever! Not at all, we can always improve. But, what I do mean is, don’t beat yourself up over how poorly you think you might have done. What you didnt say, what you did say. Trust that the Good Lord worked just as you prayed. And ask the Loving Father to help you to continue to improve as a teacher. Let his hands mold and shape you into the catechist he has called you to be.
Once again, after saying all of this… If You Are Nervous, Embrace it. Offer it Up for Your Students! Nervousness Reminds You That You Need the Lord. That’s a Good Thing!
That said, I pray all of you have a wonderful start to the new catechetical year! Always, trust Him. When you walk into that classroom, “Come, Holy Spirit.” When you don’t know the answer to the question that seventh grader asks, “Come, Holy Spirit.” When you feel like quitting… “Come, Holy Spirit!” Before you start to teach? “Come, Holy Spirit!”
Finally, I will leave you with the prayer I have shared with catechists for the last decade. I would encourage you to pray this prayer before you prep, and before you teach:
I Believe, Lord.
I believe that each of my students is your child.
I believe that they are a reflection of your love.
I believe that each child possesses special gifts and talents,
that you are entrusting me to help them discover these gifts
and nurture those talents.
I believe that each child is trying to find you,
And that I can be a model of how to look,
How to live, how to pray.
I believe that my job is actually a mission, a ministry;
That you have chosen me in this time and in this place
To be there for these kids.
I believe that there is nothing haphazard about my day,
About my experiences with my students or with their parents.
It is all part of your plan.
I believe that you have chosen me, Lord.
I believe.
St John Bosco, pray for us!