Why Catholic?

[Panis_Angelicas]

Is anyone familiar with this new program?
It’s being implemented in my parish, as I understand it, and I would like a bit more info on it…
Why Catholic?

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Oh yes.

Do you remember Renew? It’s the Renew program with references to the Catechism (the big green one) thrown in for good measure.

You all sit around with Why Catholic books, which you are supposed to study up at home before the session. There is a leader, but in training the leader is taught more to facilitate than take command. You follow along with the program in the Why Catholic book for that week, which includes prayer, music or singing, and discussion. You discuss the topic. Sometimes it is touchy-feely, but nobody has to “share” if he or she doesn’t want to. A lot of the suggested music is of the Haugen-Haas variety. There are 4 different Why Catholic book cycles.

I have no choice. Our diocese mandated it for all school staff members. And our group leader is our principal, who can cut through the nonsense in a heartbeat and get down to some real nitty-gritty. Last year, we did a little here, a little there. This year, we voted to do the whole next book on our annual faculty retreat. My group (my colleagues) and our leader made it a whole lot better than I think the material offered really is.

Gist of it: Unless I knew my leader was a functional facilitator, I would go to the first meeting cautiously. I would not be afraid to shop around the parish for the group that had the right mix for me, even going as far as looking in the next parish. I would blatantly check out the sign-up sheets for groups to see if I was compatible with a group before putting my name down. And if I thought my time was being wasted, I would not return.

On the Why Catholic web site, click on “faith sharing books” then sample" for the blue book. That’s pretty much what the sessions is like. whycatholic.org/books_1.htm

 

[MaryAgnes]

I agree with being cautious! Just because someone agrees to facilitate a faith sharing group does not mean they know the faith. I heard some statements that would not be supported by Catholic teaching in my RENEW group–be careful.

 

[Panis_Angelicas]

Thanks for your replies.
I’m still wondering why we must buy into costly programs when Christ established and gave us the best possible means to attain personal holiness…
But this is something the pastor (and apparently the bishop) wants…so… nearly everyone is jumping onboard.
I’m just already too cautious and skeptical…
I don’t see how commercialized programs evoke true, lasting spirituality - Where’s the grace!!!

 

[YinYangMom]

I’m still wondering why we must buy into costly programs when Christ established and gave us the best possible means to attain personal holiness…Where’s the grace!!!

From my understanding the purpose of the program is to get the Catechism into the hands of parishioners. I don’t see this so much as the best possible means to attain personal holiness as much as it is a very good way to get us to exercise our personal holiness through evangelizing to our Catholic brothers and sisters.

If you think about it, and after being on these boards for the past couple of years, it’s obvious that a majority of parishioners do not have a Catechism in the house, and many have never opened one (I wonder sometimes how many even know it exists).

Here is this wonderful reference resource available to us to help Catholics be on the same page with regard to the faith and to help the properly form their consciences, yet it’s still in the bookstores.

This is why our bishop mandated the program for our diocese. I applaud and support the intent, though so far, have not been pleased with the outcome - but I concede it’s because I’m at least two steps ahead of my journey than most of the people in my group, and I struggle with being the messenger instead of the beneficiary of the exercise. While I’d prefer to have the experience raise me up on my personal faith journey, depending on the group I get, I may have to ‘settle’ (i know it’s a bad way of looking at it) for being needed to help others on their journey.

If you happen to be in a group of 8, where all not only have the catechism but all have read at least various sections in it, then that is a level playing field for some really good discussions.

If you happen to be in a group of 8, where this is the first time the participants (except the leader) have ever looked at the book, then what a prime opportunity to introduce them to this great resource!

If you happen to be in a group of 8 which is mixed, then it becomes a challege for all. Those, like me, who want more in depth discussions have to recognize that the others for whom this is new could easily be put off and intimidated by some of what we say (especially when we refer to the GIRM and other church documents which is totally another vocabulary for the newbies), and so we end recognizing our purpose for being in the group is to be the big brother here, helping the younger ones come up to the plate, than getting the spiritual growth we were seeking.

My one concern about the program is that the faciliators are trained only to guide the group according to the program - to move each section along, keep the group on pace. I don’t know about you who are familiar with the catechism, but on first read there are quite a few passages in there which can tick quite a few people off about the Church, especially when it’s on a topic which the person has formed their own opinion which they now find out is contrary to church teaching. Oh, they get defensive and insulted - you can see it right away! In that instance I believe it is critical the facilitator has answers for that person which will help them drop their defensive stature enough to consider the truth of the teaching. This was not the case in our group and I could see some parishioners ready to walk away from the church altogether rather than try to come to an understanding about the teaching. The saving grace in our group was having a couple of converts. They were comfortable speaking about Truth and faith and explaining why the church they left did not possess the complete truth.

Anyway, I agree with the other posters, you might need to shop around to find a comfortable group -

but I caution all who take that approach (either through scanning the list before signing) that this approach can lead to hurt feelings and misunderstandings…it gets taken rather personally and politically when a group is ‘rejected’ for whatever reason. People get offended. Grace and tact are required when shopping around.

The grace comes from ‘where two or more are gathered in my name’ and by placing us in the position of being the teacher for others in the group - even though we aren’t facilitators. Our participation in the discussions are opportunities for us to evangelize to our own, and our own need it, as you very well know. For those of us who are impatient, well, God’s working on that through something like this. Trust in the Holy Spirit to place you where He needs you to be and then go for it!

 

[Panis_Angelicas]

I know this is going to come off as sounding negative, and I don’t know how to make it not sound that way…
:twocents:I’ve always been under the impression that the homily is the part of the Mass where the priest is to catechise the faithful. Is it not the duty of his vocation?
If that time of the Mass was being spent duly instructing us in the Church’s teachings (rather than telling jokes, etc.) then we would all have a better grasp on what the Chuch teaches.
Perhaps we wouldn’t need to spend thousands of dollars on study guides and expect the laity to be the instructors of the Faith.
:twocents: And if parishoners haven’t bothered to buy a CCC by this time, what makes anyone think they’re going to become interested enough in it now to participate?
:twocents: How can you be sure that the facilitators embrace all that the Church teaches and the CCC says? Is it possible that during this program, a topic will arise where the facilitator himself does not concur with the Magisterium? What then?
:twocents: What’s to stop these meetings from becoming free-for-alls?
:twocents: When someone expresses an opinion that is contrary to Church teaching, are told that they are “wrong?”
These questions only solidify my opinion that the teaching should be occurring from the pulpit and not from someone’s coffee table.
Our pastors have avoided the sticky issues for so long that now they want someone else to set the record straight? And who is equipped to do that, if not the priests (and bishops!) themselves?
Further concers:
:twocents: What is the purpose of the “rituals” that begin these meetings?
For instance, why would a layman bring out a bowl of water, “bless” the water, then encourage everyone in the room to bless the person next to him from that bowl of water? What’s “Catholic” about that???
It seems that each meeting, they begin with a different ice-breaker “ritual.” How do these “rituals” infuse grace? How do they instill understanding of Catholic beliefs?
As an active, informed Catholic, I find them confusing, irreverent, and confounding. What Catholic in his right mind would do this?
I honestly don’t want to attend a group that claims to be promoting Church teaching if its actions right from the beginning demonstrate a complete deviation from True Catholic Teaching.
The more I read of this program, the more skeptical I become…
We don’t even consider trying the methods that for centuries have brought grace to our numbers - We cast the traditional devotions aside and run headlong for glitzy, commercialized programs.
What about regular, consistent recitation of the rosary? (15 minutes a day, no money down, no special invitations or introductions needed, no group politics or sensitivities to worry about.)
Eucharistic Adoration? (Spend all the time you want with Jesus Himself - Truly Present - Admission is free.)
Novenas? - Prayers and devotions given to us by Canonized Saints!
Pastor-led catechism classes?
Finally: How much is Renew International charging for this “Catholic Faith Formation” program?
How much, monetarily? And how many people are being asked to spend time away from spouse or children or aging parent to organize and instruct others in the Faith?
Why cannot every one of us be instructed by the priest together during the homily by a duly ordained priest whose vocational duty is to preach and teach Good News to the faithful?
Would not that be more “communal,” more “community-oriented,” than dividing everyone up into fragmented groups of mismatched levels of understanding and faithfulness with facilitators performing mock rituals?
In my research, I have found that the “creeds” used in RENEW 2000 Leaders Manuals 1, 2 and 3 find their origin outside the Catholic Church. Their authors, Sharon and Thomas Neufer Emswiler are reported to both be ordained United Methodist ministers. (And authors - Wholeness in Worship: Creative Models for Sunday, Family, and Special Services (ISBN: 0060622474) and Women and Worship : a Guide to Nonsexist Hymns, Prayers, and Liturgies; also,** A Complete Guide to Making the Most of Video in Religious Settings: How to Produce, Find, Use and Distribute Video in the Church and Synagogue **ISBN: 0960665218, and Money for Your Campus Ministry, Church or Other Non-Profit Organization: How to Get It.- check them out. I’m sure they’d make for interesting reading!) Why are they developing Catholic teaching materials? What are they teaching us?!!! What are they selling us?
GIMME THAT OLD TIME RELIGION - IT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME! :crying:
falls off soapbox, exhausted and exasperated