LawnChairCatechism

When I first saw this series being featured on CatholicMom.com, I just knew I wanted to participate! I’m nothing if not a witness for the Faith, so naturally I inquired about how to sign up. You see, my time serving a three year term on my parish Pastoral Council recently ended and near the end, Father Jonathan came to one of our meetings in January with stacks of books under his arms. Curious, we watched him share this book called Forming Intentional Disciples by one Sherry Weddell.

I immediately read the book, cover to cover, and it now looks like a college book all marked up with highlighter and penciled-in notes! We would use the next few months to both read and discuss the book and compare notes with what our current Adult Faith Formation program was doing and where we could improve. The parish staff also received copies and have been doing a more in-depth discussion, chapter by chapter. To say that this book is integral to current discussions in key groups at my parish would be an understatement.

So, how does this tie into “initial trust” you might wonder? Well, not only did I serve on the Pastoral Council, but I am also entering into year three of both facilitating and mentoring incoming and current Jesus Is Lord {the name of our intro semester} facilitators at my parish. My first time to attend the course was the Fall 2010, just weeks after our fifth child was born. I have facilitated for five semesters, taking one semester for myself and my husband to attend an elective course that branches off Jesus Is Lord, Theology of the Body.

I wanted to share my perspective of being a facilitator that ties into the first threshold of initial trust.

Imagine you are an attendee of the Jesus Is Lord orientation at St. William Catholic Church. You heard about it in end-of-Mass announcements, you saw the bulletin blurb, heard the pulpit announcement, and the testimony of a friend who recently attended and may have influenced you to check things out. You think to yourself “Oh, no big. Orientation is non-committal. I can do that, and I do love to have information before I commit to something.” You go, you listen to the priest and director of Adult Faith Formation both talk about how important it is that adults continue with their religious formation. Father Uche even mentions that if you had a degree in a specialized field, you wouldn’t just stop your education after you receive your diploma. You would likely attend seminars and continuing education courses to make sure you were up-to-date in your field. You leave the orientation seeing a few familiar faces, maybe hoping to make new friends, but mostly curious about this new course.

It sounds a LOT like catechesis 101, and don’t most people know that stuff already? Why should I commit my Thursdays for an entire semester for something I already know?

Prior to the start of our AFF program with Jesus Is Lord at the helm, I had spent many years online engaged in online debate, defending the Faith. What I lacked was that conviction, the return to the Kerygma that Sherry outlines in this particular chapter.

Kerygma. It’s a fun word to say. And it’s what we all desperately need to hear to affirm and reaffirm ourselves in Christ. The core Gospel message wrapped up in just a handful of poignant and life-changing points. And yet so simple that sometimes even the most catechized, most learned Catholics can fall for the trap of thinking they are not in need of knowing what “this Kerygma” really is. I know this because I fell for it once, too.

One thing I have enjoyed through the years of facilitating is bringing my faith back to the basic level. No matter how much head knowledge I have in terms of catechesis, apologetics and evangelizing, I have learned semester after semester that my cup can never be too full. Each semester, I see the same talks, the same Scripture discussed, the same questions asked of the small groups, but I learn something new each time, the conversations are different, the people are different…and I am at a different place myself in my own journey.

I bring these experiences with me into our small groups and I encourage everyone that no matter where they are in their faith walk, there is always something we can learn, glean from, and share with others. I focus primarily in my facilitating on being a friend first…or building that trust.

Tying the book back in for a moment, I love that Sherry mentions that this is not a mechanical process. This is good news for those of us who are intimidated by “how to” lists and maybe a little frightening for those of us who thrive on those lists. Our faith is as unique as our own DNA and how I talk to “Sally” is going to vary from conversation with “Joy.” What’s important is being able to be a friend first and fine tuning our listening skills.

People will come in with walls built up around their hearts, and rightly so. The human heart can only take so much before it guards itself. Knowing this helped me to understand that sometimes it’s the hurt that speaks in the beginning of the semester. Class after class, small group discussion after the next, friendships are formed between facilitator and group members, even among the members. They pray for one another. We facilitators pray for all of them. The entire process of the course is heavily focused on Christ and community. Connecting ourselves to Christ through our friendships with each other.

The walls do come down. In my experience, this has always followed our prayer session, which bridges the Kerygma to the next part of the semester in which we continue with basic catechesis, starting with themes such as Jesus is Lord of my Life, Jesus is Lord of my Time; Talent; Treasure; Sexuality; Politics. These discussions generally lack tension because the walls have come down. The conversations are always fruitful and filled with love and conviction to do what we are taught.

The fruits of this program have been amazing, and while realizing that there will always be opportunities to improve on our existing Jesus Is Lord program, we are starting to see intentional disciples formed and take root. We are more confident to shine for Christ in the workplace, unafraid to have warm and engaging conversations with friends and family, and we have a growing crowd of JIL graduates who keep talking to pewmates about coming to the next JIL course, inviting them to attend. This is what keeps me returning to facilitate. Witnessing those spiritual transformations, begging the Holy Spirit to allow me to pour out His love onto the good people in my groups.

Our next semester starts in September – won’t you please pray for the incoming intentional disciples?

Martina Kreitzer, mother of six, is the creator of the Catholic Sistas, and on the board of the Austin Catholic New Media.  She loves Jesus, coffee, bacon, chocolate, photography, more bacon, evangelizing, and the company of those unafraid to use their sense of humor.

 

3 Replies to “Intentional Discipleship and Building Trust, by Martina Kreitzer”

  1. I admire you for all the work that you do in God’s vineyard. May God continue to bless you Martina. I will certainly have your incoming intentional disciples in my prayers.

  2. Sounds like you are in the thick of the New Evangelization. Your blog emphasized how big a part prayer plays in the trust factor. Yes, we relate to everyone differently depending on THEIR need, not ours. Sherry emphasized how we will never evangelize what we do not love, showing the importance of accepting others just where they are spiritually. By not judging them or becoming defensive and, I might add, taking their remarks about the Church personally, we can build those bridges of trust to those who are placed in our path.

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