Where you been? I have been asked this a lot lately both online and from friends.
I have not posted for a while. This past year I was offered and accepted a position at a Catholic High School as religion teacher. So, as the school year began, I put all my focus and energy on my classes. I teach 9th and 12th grade. Yes, I got them coming and going. I relished the opportunity to relate my reversion story to my students and share my love of Jesus Christ and teach the Truth, which is the Catholic Church.
During the school year, I had the opportunity to see where my students were in terms of their faith journey. And it ran the gamut from not religious at all to very devoted to Christ and everywhere in-between.
Having finished my 12th year as a Confirmation Catechist in my parish I learned rather quickly that it is of upmost importance to talk with my students and not talk to them. The students respond in a very positive way when they know they are being listened to and their opinions are valued. I may not and do not agree with a number of their opinions but I give them the opportunity to express them which helped them to be open more to the church’s position and was able to change minds on many occasions. I got great satisfaction when I would see a twinkle in their eyes telling me their minds were opening to something I said to bring them closer to the Truth.
Being with them on a regular basis I began to see how the secular world has seeped into these young minds and how we religious educators and parents must use every opportunity to catechize these young people. There are many good videos on youtube to help evangelize and I would like to point to one that really made quite a number of students think about and comment on after watching. Ascension Presents, “Hell is for Real”with Father Mike Schmitz. This video does a great job at laying out the reason and belief hell exists and that the way we choose to live our lives has consequences for our eternity.
As the new school year approaches I look forward to helping open more hearts and minds to the Truth of Christ.