Did you learn to think Catholic growing up? I never did! My family was Catholic but they never understood the Church, and consequently neither did I. The ways of the Church were just mysterious and strange so they didn’t influence my life or how I made decisions for my future.
Is This Story Familiar?
The majority of my fellow Gen X Catholics grew up the same way and now they’re passing it on to their children. I heard a story recently about a junior high boy who was ridiculed at school, a Catholic school, for saying he wanted to become a priest. Obviously that boy’s tormentors were not formed to think Catholic. Religious vocation was not a part of their life-vocabulary. The priesthood, mysterious and strange, was not a serious option to be considered.
I’m sure you’ve heard stories like this as well.
The View From Up Here
My last post discussed Catholic Imagination, or Catholic worldview, as an essential tool in the youth ministry toolbox. A worldview is an interpretive context or lens that influences how a person views events and situations. It forms their understanding of the world.
On my first post about the youth ministry toolbox, my friend Roy Petitfils commented saying “a truly c/Catholic imagination” was essential in forming the “container” for the tools. He said:
“I worry that we are not devoting enough energy toward teaching our youth to THINK c/Catholic. So much catechesis today seems oriented toward amassing a lot of knowledge with little attention given to teaching youth how to think like the men and women who passed on to us that rich deposit of faith….The greatest gift of my “c/Catholic” education was not the information (which today can be retrieved online) but was learning how approach issues in a disciplined, philosophical and theological manner.”
Seeing the World As It Really Is
I think we have to be taught how to view the world appropriately. Because of original sin, reality is kind of fuzzy until we get the corrective lenses that allow us to see rightly. Evangelization happens when a person views things from a different perspective. All of a sudden a new angle opens up to them, one they never considered before. They see the world differently.
Most of us see the world through the lenses of secular society. Wealth, power, fame, sex and all the focus on me. Why? Because it makes more sense to our darkened intellects! It doesn’t make sense to be self-sacrificing, to love your enemies, to give your life for another, to remain celibate your whole life. But from a divine perspective, it makes perfect sense.
Get this straight, the Church gives us the lenses to see the world as it truly is. To see reality from God’s perspective is to know the truth because he’s the origin. The world is meant to be known through the Revelation of God.
Our youth need formation to see the world as Catholics. This formation must:
- Present Catholicism as relevant to modern life
- Expose them to Catholic thought
- Immerse them in Catholic practices, devotions, customs and worship
- Teach them to critically evaluate culture in a Catholic way
- And, most importantly, impart the why of the Catholic Faith
This is a crucial aspect in evangelizing our youth. It won’t happen unless we’re deliberate. The default is the understanding the world gives and Catholic life will become incomprehensible.
What are some ways YOU were formed with a Catholic Imagination? What ways were you not? Tell me how you form students in a truly Catholic Imagination. I would love to know!
Here’s something I’ve been tossing around in my head…not sure exactly how to implement it, though. I receive Bill Donahue’s newsletter from the Catholic League; it’s filled with numerous accounts of how mis-treated Catholics are in a variety of circumstances – the last acceptable bigotry. Whenever I read these stories, I always think, our youth need to know this is going on, and to approach it from an apologetics angle, ie this is what the world says about such & such, this is the Catholic view/response is, and why. Does that make any sense?
Yeah, that does make sense. I think that’s a fantastic idea. I’ve thought of something similar myself. nnA friend here at the parish found a website that advocated all kinds of dissenting agendas but they went under a Catholic name that sounded legitimate. We thought about printing some of the pages from that site and discussing it with the kids. Asking them why the stuff they say wasn’t correct, finding the errors, etc. The same thing could be done with the news too I think. nnIf they never hear it from us, who are they going to hear it from? I often feel a little shy to come out and give the full Catholic perspective on things because I think they’ll think I’m a goof. But then I think, why do I care? That’s what we believe and how we interpret the world. It’s the viewpoint that will bring them life and fulfillment and happiness. They may think I’m goofy but they’ll remember someone once told them something different from the standard party line. nnNumber rule to get their attention with that, however, is to first establish trust. Without that, they won’t listen. You’ll just be another adult telling them not to have any fun. I think you have to listen to them first and allow them to have their opinions, even if they’re wrong, before you can get an audience that will actually listen and take in what they hear.
Excellent post! I have no credibility whatsoever on this topic as I have zero experience teaching, but one truism that comes to mind from my experience is the idea of faith/imagination being “caught” as much as it is “taught.” I think that you’re entirely right with your comment that establishing trust is the first step. If your students trust you, and you are a living example of Catholic imagination, then very good things will happen. nnAnd I just read your blog to find out more details about how these things actually happen in practice. 🙂
Hm, I am commenting from Josh’s computer and so Disqus decided to insert Josh’s blog.
And of course you can use Josh’s computer because you guys exchange passwords and don’t keep secrets. No emotional affairs, right? 😉
Thanks Rae! nnI think many people miss that crucial aspect of trust and just start giving apologetic information. But that can be the difference between being listened to as someone who gives good advice because you care and a clanging gong that just spouts information. nnAnd thanks for your vote of confidence. 😉
Well, since you quoted me I guess everyone already knows what I think about all this. But there’s one line in your commentary that really strikes me: “Get this straight, the Church gives us the lenses to see the world as it truly is.” nWhat a great metaphor. Allow me to extend it if I will. If the Church gives us the lenses to see the world as it is, then prayer must be wiping those lenses clean.
Awesome extension of that metaphor. Thanks Roy!
Really glad you shared this post again – I missed it the first time around! I’m totally with you that giving young people Catholic lenses to see the world is what will shape them more than any information we give them about the Church. What’s great about exploring the “why” of our faith is that youth are desperate to know the why, and also are becoming cognitively capable of processing “why” questions for the first time in their lives. I think there is also a great desire to find and shape an identity among youth – and identities are made of lenses and paradigms, not of facts and memorized prayers (though those certainly contribute to our ideologies!)
I suppose my Catholic imagination was formed mostly by my mother who is sacramental from head to toe. It’s hard for me to narrow down which posts tell the whole story, but here are a few:
http://felicemifa.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/when-the-saints-go-marching-in/
http://felicemifa.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/yesterdays-mail/
http://felicemifa.wordpress.com/2010/12/19/socks-for-christmas/
http://felicemifa.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/try-try-again/
Thanks for the commenting!
I totally agree! The why is so very important for kids! I think I left the Church as a teen because I was never told the why. I didn’t a way of integrating faith into my life. I wasn’t taught to critically engage it, so when I ran up across things that opposed my faith as a teen, I couldn’t process it so well. I went with the popular kids and worldly stuff because I couldn’t see a reason to sacrifice.
You know, we teach facts and memorized prayers but how much of that stuff do the kids remember? Not that we can’t teach that. We need to for sure. Revelation forms the interpretive context for the faith and how we understand God. However, I wonder if it’s more important to use that to form this identity you speak of–the lenses and paradigms that form a worldview through which kids can understand life. This might serve them better. If we teach them to think and solve problems as a Catholic, perhaps when they’re older they won’t leave or make destructive, sinful choices.
I think your “sacramental” mother’s approach and the Catholic imagination she formed in you is exactly the thing that’s most needed. It’s what lasts a lifetime. That being said, there’s also the opposite. A ritualism that’s devoid of catechesis and understanding. That leads to another kind of cultural Catholicism. There really needs to be a balance of both.
Thanks for the thoughts. I can’t wait to read your posts.
Great post. I’m always talking about viewing the world through the ‘corrective lens of Catholicism’, so it’s good to know someone else uses the same analogy!
God bless.
Hey thanks! It’s good for me to know someone else thinks that way as well. 😉
Great post. Some of what you are talking about is ‘media mindfulness,” media literacy in the context of our faith. There’s a great book with activities, etc., for that:
http://www.amazon.com/Media-Mindfulness-Educating-Teens-About/dp/0884899055/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300816170&sr=8-1
Thanks for the tip! I’ll check that out.
marc,
I, too, was one of those young people who fell away because I couldn’t reconcile the modern world around me with the teachings of the Church. As a catechist now, I’m learning that helping our youth/young adults understand the Catholic worldview of God, others and self is key to putting everything they learn in CCE, bible study, etc. into action! Those corrective lenses really do help you see clearly!
-crystal
Thanks for the comment Crystal!
I think you’re right, that is the key. It’s so easy to see the world from the modern world’s viewpoint isn’t it? Those corrective lenses are hard to keep on but they do make things clearer.
“We have to be deliberate” – I always share with others that ministry needs to be intentional. Too many times we hope the seeds we sow are planted well but we throw all too often settle by throwing it on rocky ground and wonder why so many fallen away Catholics exists (yes, this is too simplistic, but hopefully you understand my point). The problem is that the seeds need to be thrown on fertile ground that we have intentionally cultivated in our ministries.
Thank you for saying that! I’ve thought that for years! Interpretations of the parable of the sower always say the important part is that he casts the seed everywhere. But I think it’s telling us what kind of soil grows crops! Sure, you cast the seed but you cultivate the plot really well and make sure you put most of your seed in there! It only makes sense.
Anyway, I agree. We really need to be more intentional in our ministry. Anything else is wasting energy and resources.
Thanks for the comments.