Do We Have Enough People?

09-17-2017Weekly ReflectionFr. Brian Jazdzewski

We are honored to celebrate Catechetical Sunday today. Catholic parishes across the United States arerecognizing people who have agreed to use their God-given talents and abilities to help form our young peoplein the ways of faith. In many cases, including our parish cluster, catechists are volunteers. Many will tell you,however, that their reward comes from deepening their relationship with Jesus, especially through the youngpeople with whom they interact. There is something really special in observing young people “get it” when “it”comes to matters of faith. There is even greater reward knowing that you have made a difference in a youngperson’s life through witnessing to the Gospel.

Some weeks ago I made an appeal for more catechists. Since that appeal, a few people have asked me if wehave enough catechists. I suppose the answer is yes, no, no, no and no. The yes: regarding the grades we offer,we have enough catechists to teach our young people throughout the parish cluster. The first no: there is atleast one grade we cannot offer because we lack a First grade catechist. The second no: some of ourclassrooms have combined grades and so we really do not have enough catechists to have one catechist pergrade per parish. The third no: although members from each parish in our cluster would like to have religiouseducation offered at their site on a weekly basis, we do not have enough catechists to provide that opportunity. The fourth and final no: for several years the religious education program has been combined within the parishcluster because of a lack of catechists. Consequently, some parents are dissatisfied with the distances fromparish site to parish site.

On the other hand, there is benefit to our program as it’s offered. Students think about our parish cluster as justthat, there is minimal distinction between parishes in their comments to us. Also, young people do find strengthin numbers so being part of a class with others helps them feel more comfortable learning about matters of thefaith because they are in this together. We are also able to pool our material resources just a little moreefficiently when we work together as parish cluster.

Broadly speaking, most organizations thrive because twenty percent of the people do eighty percent of thework. Most people who are part of an organization complain that they are lacking volunteers; so are we. Wedo have to remember that we (Catholic parishes) are more than a fundraising group and we are more than a forkand knife club. We ought to continue to remind ourselves that our work is about getting to know Jesus throughour work, through one another and through the people we encounter through service. Perhaps each of us needsto do a little soul searching and ask what we have done to make a difference in our parish lately: in the lastweek, month… year? Then we can ask ourselves if we can do just a little more to stretch ourselves for the Lordand one another.

The truth is we have enough people to go around; the Lord gives us all we need. Sometimes we fail toremember that He cannot be outdone in generosity; the more we give (time, talent, treasure) for Him, the moreHe seems to fill us. Whether our generosity is given through catechesis or other aspects of parish life, we all need to remind ourselves that we need to do our part. Somewhere in our lives, some one or more people have given witness to Jesus directly or indirectly. That is the work of catechesis; passing on the faith. Today wehonor our parish catechists through our kind words and prayers knowing that they have responded to the call tomake a difference in the lives of our youth. May the Divine Teacher and the intercession of Our Lady of Fatimahelp them be even more effectives witnesses to Christ.

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