Everyone at the Table

This week (Monday-Saturday) several catechists in the parish and some people from neighboring parishes and even states gathered in the basement of All Saints for Part II of a seminal course for Infant-Toddler Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. The "aha" moments as of this writing (Tuesday morning) have been many, but I wanted to talk the most about the concept of communal meals and very small children.

Our formation leader described a Montessori toddler environment where these small children eat at a table together, eventually setting the table and serving each other their meals or snacks. In one example, the toddlers had a small dish of food from which they would serve their own plates. The table had a tablecloth and the children ate very quietly and enjoyed the community they were a part of.

She pointed out again how the youngest child is like a sponge: absorbing everything in their environment without a filter. An adult doesn't need to say much to a child in order for a child to learn what kind of a culture he is in.

This reminded me of the great formational importance of the family meal! When we sit together with our children at table, we are not just meeting our individual needs for food. We are also meeting a communal need to belong in community, to share this experience, and the child's great need to learn how to be with others.

Perhaps we could make our meals even more a blessing to our families by making a small change: instead of finishing each meal by someone asking to be excused, the family could say a final prayer of gratitude before "going out" to the rest of their day. It's such a small thing to start out a child's life with these little, gentle cues, but they could make a lifetime worth of difference. It is said that "the one who belongs doesn't misbehave." How can we make our infants and toddlers and young children feel as though they belong at the table?

Prayer after meals:
Thank you, O Lord, for these Thy gifts,
which we have received from Thy bounty,
Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Led to Christ

This is the second year that we have had toddlers involved in our Youth Summer Mission. We might have thought that we were doing this to lead the little ones to Jesus, but I think it's the other way around.

Serious Leisure and CGS

A guest reflection by parishioner and catechist, Janet Van Pelt.

Have you ever had a hobby or an activity that was so exciting and interesting that it encompassed most of your free time and then you wanted to continue to commit and develop yourself?

To be honest, my answer up until this past year was “No, not really.” Who even has free time these days? What would I even do in my leisure time? Do I even have free time to commit to an activity? When you have a busy schedule with two young girls, a husband, a massive extended family, and work…life gets kind of crazy. Sadly, my short-term casual leisure activities had been going to the gym for a quick run or work out, going to the grocery store by myself or even taking that quick 5 minute shower. Yes, I would volunteer my time for different activities when I could but they were never weekly commitments that directly impacted my family or really fulfilled me.

My oldest attended School of Mary Montessori last year and the offering of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) was one of the main reasons why my husband and I enrolled her. I have had a lot of experience with Catholic Religious education. I went through grades K-8^th at a Catholic school, taught Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) to kindergartners while in high school, and I was my husband’s Rite of Initiation of Adults (RCIA) sponsor and accompanied him to his classes while I was a graduate student; however, none of these Catholic programs seemed to offer the amazing gifts like my daughter at age two experienced in CGS; it was incredible!  

I finally decided this year I wanted to volunteer in any capacity with CGS at All Saints since my oldest was of age to be enrolled. To my excitement, they were offering a Toddler Environment for volunteer catechists and their children. This was a huge bonus since my youngest could participate, too, and I was assigned to assist with the Infants-Toddlers!  I had not yet been able to take any CGS formation courses, but this past March, I was totally blessed to participate in the seminal Infant-Toddler Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Training course. It was a completely enriching experience and pretty life changing to say the least!

The Infant-Toddler Training course unwrapped so many gifts for my family but it benefited me more than I could have ever expected. It was a beautiful experience and much needed! I took this course anticipating being a better catechist but throughout the course I was helped to define my pursuit as a catechist and what all that encompasses.  This experience as a catechist would directly influence my family life, but it also helped me find what I have been seeking for myself. As a catechist, I was finally experiencing serious leisure again!

Serious Leisure

Serious leisure was a topic I researched as a graduate student, and I had the privilege to interview Dr. Robert Stebbins who developed this sociological theory and leisure perspective. In 2008, Stebbins continued his 30-years-plus work on serious leisure and wrote a book entitled Serious Leisure: A Perspective of Our Time. The definition of serious leisure on page 5 is:

The systematic pursuit of an amateur, hobbyist, or volunteer core activity that people find so substantial, interesting, and fulfilling, that in the typical case they launch themselves on a (leisure) career centered on acquiring and expressing a combination of its special skills, knowledge and experience.

There are 6 qualities associated with serious leisure: persevere, career, personal effort, durable benefits, identification, and unique ethos. As a catechist, I would definitely agree to experiencing all of these.

1). Persevere- As it was my first year in a Toddler Atrium as a CGS catechist, I was unfamiliar with the environment and processes. There were many times in the beginning where the Atrium was working towards normalization, but I had to push through, stick it out, and have faith that things would get better.

2). Career- The stages in which a person develops and achieves a practice or skill. I know after this toddler training and being trained in other levels, I am going to be a better catechist. It takes a lot of time and as catechists we are continuing to develop ourselves to meet the needs of the children in our Atria by taking formation courses and other trainings.

3). Personal effort- Taking the knowledge I learn from trainings and applying it in the Atrium as a catechist.

4). Durable benefits- A sense of accomplishment of a skill.  As a catechist, I have a sense of self-development and renewal after a really great session.

5). Identification- I can now associate myself as a catechist.

6). Unique Ethos- There is a spirit of a community of participants with shared practices and values or beliefs.  I am a part of a CGS catechist community at All Saints, and in our diocese, and the CGS USA organization.

Serious leisure also has 7 personal rewards: personal enrichment, self-actualization, self-expression, self-image, re-recreation, and financial return.

1.)    Personal enrichment- Cherishing the moments in the Atrium or with other catechists.

2.)    Self-Actualization- Developing skills, abilities, and knowledge as a catechist in the Atrium or continuing to take formation courses.

3.)    Self-expression- Expressing skills, abilities, and knowledge already developed.

4.)    Self-Image- Again, identifying as a catechist.

5.)    Re-recreation- Revisiting a moment or presentation and recreating it for each child.

6.)    Financial Return- Although catechists do not get paid, we do receive discounts and tuition waivers for our children since we are volunteering our time.

Serious leisure also has social rewards:

            1). Social Attraction that is associated with other fellow catechists, the parish family or church community coming together. Hosting catechist teas or meetings and other CGS events provides means social interaction.

            2). Group accomplishment with catechist activities or presentations.

            3). Contribution to the maintenance of carrying on CGS and developing sense of being needed in the parish community and contributing altruistically to the program.

It never occurred to me that serious leisure was something that I could experience weekly, with my children, my church community, and my Catholic faith. How awesome is it to be able to experience all of these for myself as a catechist? It’s been a humbling experience to volunteer and commit fully to my Christian duty as Paul describes in Romans 12:2  

“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”

(Photos are from catechist formations, catechist teas, certificate ceremonies, materials-making events, retreats, in-services, and other adult formation opportunities connected with being a CGS catechist).

Because of the Element of Contemplation...

In the Journals of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd there is a story about Sofia Cavalletti meeting with the Missionaries of Charity after it was discerned that the MCs would begin to use CGS in their homes and in the formation of their sisters. Sofia asked why they chose CGS. The response: "Because of the element of contemplation."

We began our foray into the world of Infant-Toddler Catechesis this past fall. A catechist took a couple of videos this past week. The profound concentration and silence as all of the children chose a work is nothing new to a CGS catechist, but it is always amazing. Finding the same wonder among the youngest children is even more so. 

Here are a few short videos to enjoy.