Help for Tsunami Victims

The 5th grade in St. Simon's catechetical ministry in Los Altos recently did a project called Chores for Tsunami victims. The youth earned $150.00 to send to Catholic Relief Services.

Two Roads Diverged in a Wood

As I reflect on my life, I realize that some powerful influences have formed me. I had a stable childhood with an at home mother who worked along side her husband and children at our family orchard and road stop business. My mother taught me not to fear the future. “God will always give you the strength to deal with whatever comes in life.” In the summer and on holiday weekends there were always jobs at our family business. We acquired a strong work ethic. My aunts and uncles and cousins lived nearby and were also part of the family business.
I grew up in the country, seven miles outside of a small town at the south end of Santa Clara Valley in California. I attended a Catholic elementary school, high school and a Catholic Jesuit University. I am a product of Catholic education. Catholic school formation surrounded me with wise men and women who lived their faith.
A sister of Notre Dame, taught me in high school to make important decisions before I got into the situation. It was very good advice that helped kept my youth relatively trouble free. I took Spanish in high school and continued with it as my major in college. I spent my junior year in Spain, living with a Spanish family. I started dating a fellow student in Spain from my Catholic college and we later married. A stable family life which valued work and ongoing catholic education were powerful influences that shaped my childhood and youth.
As an adult, I chose to be a teacher and after a few years of teaching in a catholic elementary school, I continued studies to acquire a master’s in education administration. After four years of teaching, I took a break and gave birth to my first child. Soon after, our parish priest invited my husband and me to do marriage preparation. Another parishioner who was aware of my educational background, recommended me to the pastor for the position of early childhood and sacramental coordinator for our parish. I accepted the position. At his point in my life the words of Robert Frost sum it up best:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference.
As a young girl, I remember asking a sister who taught me piano, how she became a nun. She answered, “God called me.” I remember thinking that I didn’t want to be a nun because I wanted to be married one day and I didn’t want to give up my long hair. I prayed, “God, don’t call me.” God found a way for me to respond to the invitation; “feed my lambs, feed my sheep, come follow me.”
I have been blessed to be surrounded by competent, compassionate lay ecclesial ministers who worked with me in the fields of the Lord. We’ve shared our ideas at diocesan committee meetings, cluster and deanery meetings. I remember attending a meeting one day early in my parish ministry. I looked around the room and thought, “this is who I want to spend my life work with, people who share my faith, my values and my hopes. They have never ceased to amaze me with their dedication and love. At that time also, I realized that I had accepted God’s call.
An opportunity to pursue a master’s in catechetics came one day from our parish choir director, Sr. Rita Claire Dorner, O.P., who was also a professor in the program. She encouraged me to attend Santa Clara’s University Graduate Program in Pastoral ministries. My tuition was paid for by a full scholarship. In the master’s program, Sr. Anne Marie Mongoven, O.P. taught me that catechesis needs to begin with the human experience. A catechist then makes connections to the church teachings by illustrating what they have to say about those life experiences. She wisely challenged us to choose a personal image of a catechist and proudly shared her image of a lover, one who loves others by echoing Christ.
Sr. Rita Claire taught me that liturgical catechesis uses the liturgy as a source of catechesis to explore the meaning of the symbols, prayer texts and rituals and their application to life experiences. She gave me the determination to continue as a woman leader in the church with the words, “This is my church too, and I won’t leave it to the men.” The time I spent earning my masters degree in catechetics at Santa Clara University was an excellent adult learning experience. I could directly apply what I learned to my ministry at the parish. I was motivated and challenged to implement new knowledge, skills and tools. I began to feel more effective as a lay leader in our church. Robert Frost again inspires me with the words:
Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self confidence.
It was important to me to be a knowledgeable and a skillful lay ecclesial minister. There were many opportunities for ongoing formation such as the diocesan master catechist program, the LA Congress, diocesan workshops and in-services. In the master catechist program, I learned from experienced catechetical leaders. At the Los Angeles Religion Education Congress, national catholic liturgists, theologians, and catechetical leaders filled me with visions, skills and practices. In the summer of 2000, I had the opportunity to spend a week at Boston College at a seminar led by Thomas Groome. The seminar showed me the future of religious education, a vision that leads me today.
Relationships with friends, companions on the journey, and colleagues who called forth my gifts and talents and supported me were other powerful influences. Rosemarie Peoples, a wise sage taught me courage and hospitality and the importance of seeing and telling the truth. Linda DeManti taught me that cultivated relationships are paramount in ministry. Jeannine Leichner showed me not to be afraid of working hard to accomplish goals and to think of others with selfless generosity.
A sincere heart, a high value for continuing education, a loving support system of family and friends, common sense and a deep faith have directed how I think and act as a “lay ecclesial minister” in the Roman Catholic Church.