Religion and what I do
I teach at a Catholic grammar school in Chicago's Chinatown, and have the privilege of teaching religion to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students, many of whom are not Catholic. Their parents understand that if their children are to go to a Catholic school, religion is part of the curriculum, period.
Students have me for three straight years, during which time they get a good grounding in Scripture as well as the Tradition, morals, and teaching of the Catholic Church. Might sound a bit strange, but it looks like some of them, as non-Catholics, are more Catholic than actual Catholic kids!
So what's the secret?
The secret, first of all, is that truth is appealing. That's right. True things, especially when it comes to stuff about God, and what's right and wrong, will draw people. It doesn't mean that everyone will always accept it, but for anybody who wants it, it's there. It's sad, but in many Catholic grammar schools and high schools, the Faith just isn't taught, at least not the way it always was. I've tried to give my students the best possible instruction, without pulling punches on the tough stuff. We don't often realize it, but young people are not as naive as we may think they are. They know more about our culture, with the good and the bad, than we sometimes give them credit for. It's a little scary, but that's what makes it all the more necessary to give them truth -- believe me, there's a hunger for it. People want to know about these things.
So I teach them the Faith as the Church teaches it. It's forced me to really know my stuff, since you think you know a lot until you discuss it with junior high schoolers -- suddenly, you find that you didn't know as much as you thought you did! Fortunately, St. Therese School is currently pretty traditional, with no "funny stuff" going on when it comes to being Catholic. And they graduate having had me as their instructor for their last three years, so I get them on the way out. If you're somebody who prays, please pray for the students at St. Therese and for their families!
So what happens -- do they just sit and read from a textbook?
Although always improving, my religion courses do have a set layout. Here's a look at what students can expect from them.
Click below for overviews of the junior high religion courses.
Hardly! The students have a different focus each year, which I am currently in the process of developing and organizing more. I'm a big fan of Dr. Scott Hahn, a convert from Presbyterianism, and a professor of theology at the University of Steubenville in Ohio. He and Jeff Cavins, another convert, have done a series on EWTN called "Our Father's Plan," which gives a good outline of the Bible and "the big picture" of the story inside. Since I'm not marketing my curriculum, I don't think there's any problem with calling the whole junior high religion program "Our Father's Plan" also. (I do acknowledge it to be Hahn's and Cavins's title, with apologies!)
These are links to some of my favorite sites having to do with the Catholic Faith.
Run by Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., St. Joseph Communications has an absolute wealth of Catholic materials. I get most of my audio tapes from them.
This is the largest lay-run (not run by clergy or religious) organization in North America that specializes in apologetics. Apologetics is not "apologizing for something," but is the reasoned and logical defense of the Catholic Faith. I've learned a TON from their materials. They also produce "Catholic Answers Live," a radio call-in program that some of my students have been on.
Eighth grade students will recognize this, as they have to go there at least once during their last year at St. Therese. The church offers Mass both in English and Latin, and one gets an immediate sense of awe when stepping into the place.
The Mass in Latin, being FAR from dead, has been called "the most beautiful thing this side of heaven." I just discovered it at the beginning of this year, and finally felt at home for the first time. This site is dedicated to it.
Founded by the awesome Mary Beth Bonacci, Real Love, Inc. is an organization dedicated to promoting chastity among young people, and defending the Church's teaching on the gift of human sexuality. Far from being preachy, Mary Beth gets right down to business when she speaks to young people. She knows her stuff, and has written books aimed at teenagers (and adults!) that show how much we need to follow the right rules when it comes to our sexuality.
This site is excellent for learning more about the Mass. It provides definitions, explanations, and more. Check it out if you want to increase your understanding of the Mass.