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PAGE EIGHT—Section Two THE BULLETIN Saturday, August 20, 1960 LAY VOLUNTEERS ARE TEACHERS Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Gives Nearly 3,500,000 Instruction By James R. Walsh A PPROXIMATELY 3,301,400 Catholic youths in public elementary and high schools in the U S are receiving vital religious instruction in programs sponsored by the Confraternity of Chris tian Doctrine. Though this figure does not include three important divisions of the CCD the total indicates the gigantic scope of CCD efforts throughout the country. In modern times the CCD traces its revival to St. Pius X. In his encvclical Acerbo Nimi* (1905), On the Teaching of Christian Doctrine, he re- , \ / 7 iy J v kv* ' i/ itv 1 V. established on a firm footing the CCD and formulated the principles on which it should be taught. It is one of the few organizations that Canon Law (Canon 7112) decrees should be. canonically erected m every parish, and it permits every adult and youth of the parish to participate in the teaching work of the Church. In brief, the CCD enlists the laity to assist in the teaching and propagation of Christian doctrine and Christian life, particularly for youths not attending Catholic schools. At Every Stage of Lite St. Pius X wanted the catechism to be taught at every stage of life—for children, young persons, and adults. He organized the teaching of catechism, inten sified it, revised texts, and urged Bishops and pastors to teach catechism so well that it might become a means of spiritual rebirth in the lives of both individ uals and nations. Defined, the CCD is a society established in each parish whose members assist in an organized, con structive program of religious instruction. The pro gram is for children attending public schools and for adults, Catholic and non-Catholic, who wish to broaden and deepen their knowledge of Christ’s doc trines. In the U.S. the Confraternity was begun in 1903 by Archbishop John M. Farley of New York. Five years later the Pittsburgh Missionary Confraternity was established to meet the spiritual needs of the mining district of that diocese. And from 1922, when Archbishop John T. Cantwell of Los Angeles intro duced the CCD in his archdiocese, its growth in the U.S. has been rapid. In 1934 the U.S. Bishops at their annual meeting underscored the importance of the CCD to the religious life of the parish and the nation as a whole by appoint ing an Episcopal committee of three members, Arch bishop John T. McNicolas, O.P., of Cincinnati, Arch bishop John G. Murray of St. Paul, and Archbishop Ed win V. O’Hara, Bishop of Kansas City, Mo. At the same meeting the Bishops established the national center of the CCD as a bureau of the National Catholic Welfare Conference. Archbishop O’Hara be came the first Episcopal chairman of the committee, which today is headed by Bishop Charles P. Greco of Alexandria and includes 12 Episcopal members. 8,000 Without Schools Until his death, Archbishop O’Hara was a guiding light of the CCD’s national center. A peculiar circum stance that prompted his promotion of CCD work was the fact that of the 14,000 Catholic parishes in the U.S. 30 years ago some 8,000 were without schools and a great percentage of these parishes had little or no or ganized catechism instruction. Grief was being expressed at the leakage in Church membership, because Catholic population figures were not balancing with natural growth and immigration figures. Archbishop O’Hara recognized the logical con clusion that, if a generation of Catholics is allowed to grow to maturity with 50 per cent in Catholic schools and only a small portion of the other 50 per cent being given any religious instruction, then defections from the Church would be considerable. Modern Instruction No longer is catechism tediously recited word for word and line for line. In the modern religious instruc tion classes, students are taught by trained, competent teachers who have been skilled in presenting material in the easiest possible manner by illustrations and vis ual aids. Teacher institutes have been established in many Confraternity centers. At least one hour per week is devoted by mem bers of the parish society in one of the six more im portant divisions of CCD work. Enlisted as teachers, fishers, helpers, discussion club leaders, parent-edu cators, and apostles to non-Catholics, these volunteers work as a team and persistently spread the word of Christ. Without the aid of fishers and helpers, the teacher would be of little importance. Going out into the neighborhood of the parish, the fishers procure the members for the class. Helpers prepare the ma terials for the teachers. Besides these three primary divisions—fishers, helpers, teachers—there are three important divisions concerned with adult Catholics, namely, the adult dis cussion group, the parent-educators, and the apostolate to non-Catholics. Work of Parent-Educators Parent-educators are sent into homes to appeal to Catholic parents to revive and increase their sense of religious responsibility toward even the pre-school child. The apostolate to non-Catholics enters the high ways and biways of the city and country seeking any who will come to Catholic discussion groups and at tend instructions. As the Confraternity is becoming stronger day by day and in each new parish new units are formed, the need for lay persons to donate their services becomes greater. The CCD offers a challenge and an immeasur able reward to all lay persons—the young, old, crip pled, blind to take part in the greatest lay-priest hood the world has ever known. Contraternity Teachers Shown above is a typical class of Confraternity of Christian Doctrine teachers, receiving special training to prepare them for their work of giving religious in struction to Catholic children who attend public schools. A tremendous task is being accomplished by these volunteers, but more are always needed. Patron of Teachers St. John Baptist de La Salle INSPIRED WORK Dignity of Teachers Realized by Patron By Brother A. Alban, F.S.C. ^ESTERDAY 80,000 PAGANS died. A stun- -I 1 - ning percentage was made up of boys and girls! TV, radios, and newspapers, however, took little note of all this. In fact it was not even con sidered news; it happens every day. A 17th century priest saw a similar picture in his day. The zeal of the Lord prompted him to reason: In spite of me thousands must die, but they need not die pagans. Education became his means of saving souls and boys became his special field. Almost 250 years later he was named “patron saint of teachers.” He is St. John Baptist de La Salle. As today, there was a frightful teacher shortage. There was no available supply of educators and no training for them. The teaching profession was little respected and poorly paid. Many people taught only until higher wages attracted them elsewhere. Founded Christian Brothers Here was the raw material for sanctity. St. De La Salle began to select from the human material avail able. He attempted to inspire those engaged in school work with the sublimity of their vocation. After a formation in religious and professional matters, the men he gathered were given stability by being banded together into a religious congregation. From his own experience in the classroom, he was convinced that the Christian education of youths was a full-time occupation that could best be served by men dedicated to this single function. He dared ask of his Brothers of the Christian Schools what no other founder of an order of men before had asked: That no member ever aspire to the priesthood. His vision of education was so elevated that he wanted no other dignities or occupations to interfere. First Teachers' College To help localities that could not be supplied with Christian Brothers, he started the world’s first teach ers’ college or normal school in 1684. Men prepared here could go out to their schools filled with compe tence and confidence. This indeed was an admirable advance in professionalism. Other achievements are attributed to the patron of teachers. For one thing he insisted that children be taught in the language they knew and used every day rather than Latin. Classroom instruction was another procedure he popularized. The saint insisted on dis cipline but one that was humanized to serve real edu cational ends. And there was real content in the edu cational program. It was graded so that a sense of achievement might stimulate progress. Religion in the form of Christian doctrine, re ligious practices, and the virtues was taught with a better understanding of the educational process. Accepted Challenge Like the patron saint of teachers, present day edu cators should accept conditions as challenges. Where there was a shortage of personnel, he recruited and inspired schoolmasters; where there was a lack of training, he established the first normal school. When there were no textbooks or poor ones, he composed his own. By emulating the patron saint of teachers, school men can make their institutions molds for enlightened, cultivated, and staunch Christians. People not of the faith may learn to admire the education given by dedi cated Catholic teachers, and be drawn to the Church.