The Gatekeeper
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Levels I and II May 17, 2011 - Levels 1&2, Issue 08 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Dear CGS Parent | 
It's hard to believe the catechetical year at St. Teresa's ends this week. Level I and II will close the year with a Pentecost Celebration, even though Pentecost won't be celebrated by the Church until June 12th.
Please support your child's catechetical experience by helping to connect the Atrium events of this week with the celebration of Pentecost at mass in mid-June. (It's a really long gap for young children.) Talk in the days before Pentecost about what your child remembers about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Make plans with your child to wear red to church that Sunday. This will make for a beautiful and conscious celebration. If you think you might forget, get your child in on the plan - make post-it note reminders. And then, when you get to church, take notice of the change in liturgical color from white to red. Are there other changes to notice?
As catechesis closes for this year, we turn to parents - the first and best teachers of the faith to their children - to notice and enjoy with awe and wonder the many gifts God has given us. Summer is a fantastic time to celebrate the joy of Creation. Remember together to always ask, "Who has done all this for us?" And then remember to give thanks where thanks is due. Just these two things may well be the best catechetical work you can do during the summer.
Peace,
The Level I & II catechist teams
and Lina Hilko (editor)
|
|
|
|
|
Pentecost Celebration
|
The Pentecost Celebration provides a peaceful atmosphere for children to understand and celebrate the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The catechist will light one white candle and read a scripture passage recounting Jesus' promise to send the disciples an Advocate (the Holy Spirit) when Jesus went back to Heaven. From this one candle, the catechist will, in series, light seven red candles. Upon each lighting, the catechist will read the name of a gift of the Holy Spirit and its (age-appropriate) explanation. After quiet reflection, the catechist will invite each child to light (or have lit) their own individual votive candle from one of the seven red gift candles. Each child may choose a gift to think especially at that moment. (This step is adapted so as to provide a meaningful, peaceful, and safe experience within a given Atrium.)
|
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
|
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are derived from Isaiah 11:2-3:
The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Here are explanations for parents of each gift.
- Fear of the Lord (Wonder and Awe) - The gift of Fear of the Lord* instills in us deep respect for the glory and eminence of God. God is perfection: perfect love, perfect goodness, perfect knowledge, and perfect power. Through Fear of the Lord, our deepest desire is to remain connected to God.
- Piety (Reverence) - The gift of Piety instills in us a deep sense of respect for God and the church. A reverent person recognizes his or her total reliance on God and comes before God with love, trust, and humility.
- Knowledge - The gift of Knowledge enables us to know the will of God, especially as expressed in the life and words of Jesus. A desire for knowledge drives us to always learn more about the Word of God and the traditions of our faith.
- Fortitude (Courage) - The gift of Fortitude strengthens us to act according to the will of God, as followers of Jesus, even in the face of rejection, harm, temptation, or fear. Fortitude strengthens us to work positively for the Plan of God.
- Counsel (Right Judgment) - The gift of Counsel enables us to distinguish right from wrong and to choose to do what is right. When we are receptive to God's counsel, we avoid sin and live according to the values taught by Jesus.
- Understanding - Understanding enables a person to gain certitude about the mysteries and truths of our faith, penetrating deeply to develop insight and intuition far beyond knowledge.
- Wisdom - The gift of Wisdom instills in us the desire to direct our whole life and all our actions toward seeking and building the Kingdom of God. Through wisdom a person sees that the wonders of nature and all creation; all historical people, events, and inventions; and the successes and challenges of daily life are all connected to God's Plan for loving cosmic communion.
* Sometimes people dislike or misunderstand the term "fear." This is a "filial" fear, such as the fear a child would feel toward disappointing their parent because the child truly and deeply loves and respects their parent. This is in contrast to a "servile" fear, which stems, not from a loving relationship, but from a fear of punishment.
|
Happy Birthday
|
The feast of Pentecost marks the end of the Easter season and is considered the "birthday" of the church. It is the strength and gifts of the Holy Spirit which energized and emboldened the apostles to come out from behind locked doors and spread the Good News of Jesus' life on earth and risen life within us, the most important gift we receive through Baptism.
On (or about) June 12th at family dinner, consider holding your own celebration for the Church. Your child(ren) should plan it with your help. This can be prayer before or after family dinner and maybe a celebratory cake or cookies afterward.
- Use seven red candles in a way that your child designs. You can follow the format of the Pentecost Celebration described above or adapt in whatever way makes sense.
- Have your child pick a scripture passage to read. Some possibilities are: Acts 2:1-4; Acts 2:1-8; Isaiah 11:2-3; Psalm 51:10-12 (or portion of); Acts 1:4-5,8. Or if you are musical, you can sing a short refrain of a song about the Spirit that you particularly like.
- Bake a cake with your child for dessert and decorate it with a dove and/or flames. (You can cut "flames" out of fruit roll-ups. It doesn't have to be a submission for Cake Boss reality TV.) Or make some sort of Pentecost cookies. Or red velvet cupcakes?
Whatever you do, it doesn't have to be huge. But it can be wonderful to set the day aside in some different way. By the way, children in Level II Atrium should be familiar with preparing and leading communal prayer. So, they can and have actually done this before - now they can try it at home before dinner.
|
Is It I, Lord?
|
We are seeking catechists for next year, and now is the time to make plans before summer gets into its joyful busy buzz. An important requirement for catechists is their ability to commit to consistent Atrium attendance. That being said, there is opportunity for flexibility around training and commitments outside the actual Atrium times. We have need for people of all levels of knowledge - don't write yourself off because you "aren't qualified." Really.
One of our new catechists this year spoke beautiful words at our mid-year catechists' gathering. He said:
"For the hour I give on a Sunday, I'm reaping rewards I can't even describe. I have a contact with God that is better now than ever...I feel a sense of community here that I don't get anywhere else."
Your gift to St. Teresa's children could truly be a gift to you. Please e-mail to Sarah Coles ASAP if you are discerning about this service opportunity or talk to a current catechist.
|
|
Please provide comments about this newsletter to Lina Hilko, the editor, at LHilko@aol.com and/or Sarah Coles, St. Teresa's Director of Religious Education, at SEColes@gmail.com. |
|
|
|
|
