How is your Parish doing with Adult Formation

[JackPaul]

OK, I need to vent a little. Last year I was came into the Church at the Easter Vigil. My RCIA program was fairly drawn out because of the time I joined (it used to go on year around). Since that time, I have joined a small faith group of about ten men that meet once a week. The Church also has a group of women that meet on one nite and the kids meet on Wednesday evenings. My problem is, even though we hear a lot of lip service regarding small faith groups, adult education and formation, yada yada… These two groups are about all we have. Tonight we were told that we would have to begin paying for all of our materials (we always have). I am just griped about the way our leadership does not get behind our group. We haven’t seen a Priest or religious in our group for over a year. What do these guys do all day? We have two priests and they rotate the daily Mass. We don’t have anyone young enough to be getting married and we average one funeral a week. So, are these guys just lazy? Are they shepards of their flock or are they spending all their day lining up the next free lunch? Anyone else have a problem with their non existant Priests and programs?

 

[RThomas]

Hello JackPaul -

JackPaul:

OK, I need to vent a little.

This subject - adult formation - is a matter very close to my heart, and I can understand your frustration. My poor wife has to listen to my “venting” every now and then on the issue. It seems - and this is astounding and almost unbelievable, given the actual Church teachings on this, which are beautiful and true - but it seems that precious few parish and diocesan leaders are too concerned about it.

JackPaul:

Last year I was came into the Church at the Easter Vigil. My RCIA program was fairly drawn out because of the time I joined (it used to go on year around). Since that time, I have joined a small faith group of about ten men that meet once a week. The Church also has a group of women that meet on one nite and the kids meet on Wednesday evenings.

A most sincere welcome to the Church! And you are fortunate to have a small faith group. I know some very hungry and faithful Catholics who cannot find even that. I hope that the group is well-directed, toward growth in the faith in a complete and comprehensive way - doctrine, morality, sacramental life, and prayer - and toward as well an authentic growth in the precious interpersonal communion among the faithful.

JackPaul:

My problem is, even though we hear a lot of lip service regarding small faith groups, adult education and formation, yada yada… These two groups are about all we have. Tonight we were told that we would have to begin paying for all of our materials (we always have). I am just griped about the way our leadership does not get behind our group.

It is the “lip service” that frustrates me so much - so I am venting with you! There is a huge chasm between the beautiful words concerning our recognition, as a Church, of the crucial need for adult formation, and the realities that exist. It is shameful - may God forgive us, and may He give us grace to see and to do what we need to do.

It is a puzzle to me why leadership does not back actual adult formation. Last night I sent a “letter” to the NC Register on this very issue - I hope they will print it, but they may not. Catholics do not know the Faith, and they do not know that they do not know. And precious few bishops and priests are communicating this crisis to the people, or doing anything substantial about it. I find little interest from pastors and from bishops. I have been told that they have been “burned” by manipulative “take-over” lay people, and so are distrustful of allowing laity to teach - and they are too busy or whatever to do it themselves.

Certainly clergy are busy - but they must use prudence to set priorities for their own time, and also to use the resources of the laity who are also “Church”. Teaching is to be the first priority of a bishop! “Go, make disciples of all the nations, … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…”

Thomas

 

[puzzleannie]

have said this on the many other threads on this topic, but here goes, in the last 3-4 parishes I have worked at I have either been lay director of relig ed with responsiblity for adult programs, RCIA director, or adult ed coordinator of PC (over the last 19 years). we currently have a paid full time director of adult evangelization who handles all adult ed, outreach, home visits, Alpha and bible studies in English and spanish - everything except RCIA. I am DRE and RCIA coordinator, Deacon teaches Spanish I teach English RCIA for adults (not talking about kids and teens here), campus nearby has young adult programs every day and evening of the week open to all. We have adult programs every day, evening of the week except Friday (football, this IS Texas) and on weekends, in the parish, in homes, in the colonias (outlying settlements). We also have weekly holy hours, extended chapel hours, parish missions and other opportunities, not to mention all the outreach ministries we are begging adults to participate in.

involvement is minimal, new parishioners and RCIA “newbies” are the best, but they slack off too, the programs and events we offer are in response to preference surveys, but even those who commit do not follow-through and attend. I am quite ready to bag the whole thing and stick to CCD and RCIA, and my main job, training the catechists.

this state of affairs has existed in the 3 states I have served in so I don’t think it is a local problem, I assume the problem is me, except I am not the whole parish, pastors have always committed time, money and resources and given countless hours to helping and promoting these things, adult Catholics in the main just do not care about “programs”, bible study or otherwise, if they demand any commitment of time or money, in my experience. What they say and what they do are two different things.

 

[RThomas]

puzzleannie:

involvement is minimal, new parishioners and RCIA “newbies” are the best, but they slack off too, the programs and events we offer are in response to preference surveys, but even those who commit do not follow-through and attend. I am quite ready to bag the whole thing and stick to CCD and RCIA, and my main job, training the catechists.

this state of affairs has existed in the 3 states I have served in so I don’t think it is a local problem, I assume the problem is me, except I am not the whole parish, pastors have always committed time, money and resources and given countless hours to helping and promoting these things, adult Catholics in the main just do not care about “programs”, bible study or otherwise, if they demand any commitment of time or money, in my experience. What they say and what they do are two different things.

I too have been involved with catechesis, at parish and on diocesan levels, and I agree that minimal support by Catholics for adult programs is not unusual.

I don’t believe, however, that a complacent and lukewarm congregation will remain in that condition long, with the leadership and exhortations of a truly zealous and holy pastor. Something will have to change! They will have him removed, or he will convert them.

Nor do I believe that a complacent and lukewarm pastor will remain in that condition long, in a truly zealous church with a holy congregation. Something will have to change! They will have him removed, or they will convert him.

I am afraid that we as a church, in this dark culture, are (with some heroic exceptions) getting the kind of leadership we want and unfortunately deserve. God wants much more for us, and from us - and it must begin somewhere. We need holy priests, and we need holy lay men and women. We need priests and laity willing to suffer long and work for renewal.

Without heroic effort from the top down, it is difficult to see how renewal can come - but God is greater than my logic, and He wants a faithful people a million times more than any of us could.

This I know: we cannot fall into despondency or despair, nor can we reduce the truth of the Gospel to “Sunday spectator” level. The Gospel compromised is not the Gospel. “Dumbing-down” is not an option for a Church sent to make disciples of all the nations. We had better become prepared to pay the cost, because He has entrusted this work to us.

Thomas