The Gatekeeper
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Level III
April 21, 2009 - Level 3, Issue 14 |
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| Dear CGS Level III Parent, |
Joyful Easter! Easter isn't just a day. It's a liturgical season that begins on Easter Sunday and ends on Pentecost (May 31st). Enjoy this time of new life with your children. Take time to notice the buds and leaves and flowers peeking up from the barren earth and dormant branches. Give thanks for God's many gifts and wonders.
And speaking of thanks, did you know that the word "Eucharist" means "giving thanks?" Truly, it is right to give God thanks and praise! This week, Level III children will work deeply with one part of the mass, the Eucharistic Prayer. I recently presented this very same work to about 15 parents of children preparing to receive First Communion. The parents really enjoyed this work which provided the time and opportunity to understand the rich details of a prayer we have heard probably at least 1,000 times in our adult lives! It's amazing how you can hear something week after week and not exactly know the details nor appreciate the richness. We'll see what the children think of it.
If you have ever experienced even the smallest hint of wondering whether you might be a good catechist, please read the article below entitled "Here I am, Lord!" St. Teresa is now planning for next school year, and we need new catechists. Many parents compliment Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and are grateful for it's depth and uniqueness. St. Teresa can only continue to provide this rich program with the help of many adults. We are opening the opportunity for adults to become catechists without committing to receiving formal CGS training. We realize that being a catechist necessarily requires a strong time commitment, and that's without the added time of receiving formal CGS training. Please consider whether the Lord is calling you to serve children in their pursuit of a meaningful and lasting relationship with Jesus, Our Good Shepherd.
Peace & Joy,
Lina Hilko
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| Eucharistic Prayer |
You may recall that, back on December 16th, the Level III children worked with a high-level depiction of the structure of the mass. There are four companion presentations for Level III, which are detailed works drilling in to each of the four segments of the mass (Liturgy of the Word and the three sub-components of Liturgy of the Eucharist: Preparation of the Gifts, Eucharistic Prayer, and Communion). This week the children will work with the Eucharistic Prayer, which is considered the "heart of the mass."
The Eucharistic Prayer is comprised of 13 parts. The whole is truly beautiful. It begins with an invitation to lift our hearts to the Lord and an invitation to give thanks to God. Since "Eucharist" means "giving thanks," this is fitting. The prayer includes an account of the Last Supper. The Level III children may remember and connect to presentations from past Levels where they heard Jesus' words, "Take and eat. This is my body." Also, "Take and drink. This is my blood." And, "Do this in remembrance of me."
After the account of the Last Supper and the congregation's proclamation of the mystery of our faith, the Eucharistic Prayer includes prayers for the leaders of the Church, for the entire family of the Church around the world, and for those who have died and gone before us. All these prayers support our overarching petition to God that, through the Holy Spirit, we become one body, one spirit in Christ. Truly this prayer is intended to unite past, present, and future and to unite all people in all places in all times.
The Eucharistic Prayer is the first detail of the mass that is presented in Level III because it ties so beautifully to the various Level III works related to the Plan of God and the key moments of Creation, Redemption, and Parousia, the time when God will be all in all. |
| Here I am, Lord! |
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Sarah Coles (St. Teresa's Director of Religious Education) is already planning for the 2009/2010 catechetical year. Families will have the opportunity to register starting very soon. And a crucial part of planning is to ensure we have catechists for our growing population of eager, hungry sheep (e.g., children).
This year we are introducing (or perhaps just formalizing) a new opportunity for adults to serve Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: the Neocatechist. What?! Okay, well, we're just making up the term. The role could be viewed as an internship or the entry point of an apprenticeship and is designed to provide the adult with the opportunity to learn about and naturally fall in love with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. The Neocatechist would not be expected, nor required, to pursue formal CGS catechist training. The Neocatechist would be expected to:
- Commit to attending their assigned Atrium regularly;
- Commit to attending a weekend retreat at the beginning of the catechetical year; and
- Commit to attending diocesan-required training on the prevention of child abuse.
Currently, CGS sessions meet on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 4:30 to 6:00 PM during the first and third weeks of the month from October through May. Consistency of catechist attendance is very important to the children, as well as to this program since we run on a very lean volunteer staff. Tentatively, the retreat is planned to occur September 26th and 27th, covering about 10 hours in total. The purpose of attendance is for new, untrained catechists to learn the basics about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Montessori learning environments and the developmental stages of children. The initial diocesan training for volunteers that work with children requires about three hours. Volunteers are required to periodically read continuing education materials that are provided on-line. Neocatechists are also invited to attend, as possible, three catechist meetings throughout the year. Meetings are held on a weekday evening at St. Teresa and last about 1� to 2 hours. The purpose is for catechists to share experiences, successes, concerns and ideas and to plan for the future or for program improvements.
The Neocatechist would be paired with a trained, experienced Catechist and would serve as the secondary catechist in the Atrium. The Neocatechist would not be expected to give the main presentations to children but would learn about CGS and the presentation method simply through observation and experience. It would be our hope that this role provides new adults the opportunity to discern whether they would like to commit more fully to CGS by pursuing catechist training. However, pursuit of training or continued service as a catechist in subsequent years is not assumed nor required.
A successful Level I or Level II Atrium truly requires at least two, and even three, adults. This allows the primary catechist to tailor presentations to the needs of individual children or small groups while ensuring that the rest of children are using their Atrium time appropriately. We ask that parents and other parish adults consider this service opportunity. Most CGS catechists will assure anyone who is considering becoming a catechist that the spiritual rewards to the adult often seem to be far greater than anything the adult offers the children. This is a very spiritually-nourishing opportunity.
Please contact Sarah Coles or talk with any of the current CGS catechists to learn more about becoming a catechist. Sarah's goal is to finalize the list of and schedule for catechists by the end of May.
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| Finances |
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St. Teresa's Finance Council will hold a meeting next Sunday, April 26th, at 7:00 PM to present information about the parish's financial needs. Families who enjoy and benefit from Catechesis of the Good Shepherd are invited and encouraged to attend this meeting, especially as the parish finances are intrinsically connected with the desire to provide appropriate CGS space at St. Teresa. We are blessed and very grateful for the opportunity we have had to continue CGS (without interruption) at Church of Our Savior. However, we do also hope and pray, God willing, to eventually return the program to St. Teresa. Please become knowledgeable about St. Teresa's financial realities and opportunities.
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| Picture Perfect |
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St. Teresa's is working to create a picture directory of parishioners. Please support St. Teresa's creation of a complete directory. You can sign up for your free photo by calling the parish office at 773-528-6650.
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Please feel free to talk to me or email me ( LHilko@aol.com) with your questions, comments or concerns. Sincerely, Lina Hilko |
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