On October 26, about 600 religious instructors participated in the second session of the Forum For Catechesis and Youth Ministry at Cardinal Spellman High School. Attendees enjoyed a full day of Mass, lectures, and a vibrant keynote address.
The day began with Mass celebrated by Archdiocese of New York Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Espaillat in the Bronx high school’s auditorium. In his closing remarks, he framed the day’s work and the role of catechists going forward. “I’m a bishop, whoop-dee-doo,” Bishop Espaillat said, evoking laughter from the attendees. “I’m not joking. I’m being very, very serious. Bishop is a title. It’s nice, fullness of the priesthood. But I am first a son of God. And you need to remember that. You’re catechists!” He added, “It’s not about what you do, it’s who you are, as a son or daughter of the King.”
Participants, all of whom attended the day’s session voluntarily, chose from various sessions focusing on aspects of religious education. Another session took place a week earlier at Sacred Heart Church in Monroe. Sessions in English and Spanish were held in parallel.
In a session titled, “Teach Like Jesus: A Master Class from the Master,” Tadhg Malone, director of faith formation at Church of the Epiphany in Manhattan, discussed why Jesus chose to teach the way he did, and how catechists can make use of that. He used the encounter on the road to Emmaus [Luke 24:13-35] to illustrate his point. “Jesus vanishes on the road to Emmaus to remind us that even though He is not visible, He is always present in the Eucharist,” Malone said. Malone also gave practical advice during his morning talk to the group that attended, which spilled out into the hallway. “Be conscious of power dynamics in the classroom. Continually re-examine your teaching methods and attitudes,” he said. “Regularly reflect on your catechism methods and their effectiveness. Education is freedom; Jesus is our liberator.”
At noon, keynote speaker ValLimar Jansen, a catechetical speaker and singer from Louisiana, educated and entertained attendees, beginning her interactive presentation with 20 minutes of song and dancing in place. “When you get people up and moving, endorphins go into their bloodstream. They are feeling better and they don’t know why,” she told participants. Jansen’s keynote, which lasted more than an hour, focused on prayer and prayer life. “Where do we pray in our bodies?” she asked, pointing to her ears and her head. “Listening is praying! Listening to God is praying!” she exclaimed. “Prayer allows us to commune with God, expressing gratitude, seeking guidance, and requesting intervention.”
Another session focused on “Games for Learning,” and was led by Ela Milewska, executive director of the Archdiocese of New York’s Department of Youth Faith Formation and an organizer of the forum. “When you teach with games, they won’t forget the lesson,” Milewska said. The session began with several exercises designed as icebreakers, requiring each person to introduce themselves and discuss answers to spiritual and theological questions with other individuals in the group. Milewska gave three rules for successful instructional gameplay: don’t play a game that you have not already played with someone else; never play a game that’s going to embarrass somebody; and even if someone is not playing everyone still participates, as a cheerleader or another active role that requires the person’s full attention.
“Days like the Forums for Catechesis and Youth Ministry are one of the ways the archdiocese thanks [catechists] for saying yes to the call,” Milewska told The Good Newsroom after the event. “They are designed to help catechists and youth ministry leaders grow in knowledge, skills, and faith as well as inspire them to continue their ministry with joy!”