Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 3—The Georgia Bulletin, October 18,1979
In The Parish ...
When religious education classes convene on Sunday
mornings in downtown Atlanta’s Sacred Heart Church,
the international makeup of contemporary Atlanta is
readily evident in the shining young faces of the parish
children.
Among an average of 150 children regularly enrolled in
religious education classes, a dozen or more ethnic and
cultural backgrounds are easily distinguishable. Walking
into almost any one of 11 classrooms, one can
immediately experience in microcosm a real sense of
Catholic universality.
The variety of students and adults brought together
through the commonality of their Catholic faith is
mirrored in the makeup of a 30-member staff of religious
education workers. Catechists and their supportive
volunteers bring to their catechetical tasks a remarkable
composite of competencies and background experiences.
The staff includes cradle Catholics and converts,
mothers and fathers, college students and professors,
secretaries and bankers, lawyers and teachers, an art
dealer, an insurance executive, an actor, and a skillful
photographer. Members of Sacred Heart’s pastoral staff
are also active in the catechetical program and happily
assist whenever they are asked to do so.
Sacred Heart’s Religious Education Coordinator, Mrs.
Faye Murphy, describes herself as a “Catholic convert
who very innocently joined the staff at Sacred Heart on a
temporary part-time experimental basis six years ago” and
says she hasn’t had time since then to think of anything
else. She views her role as an Administrator/Educator
whose principal function is to take the burden of detail
work off the shoulders of teachers and parents so that
they can focus their full attention on the instructional
part of Sacred Heart’s catechetical program.
“Before I came into the Church as a Catholic convert,”
says Faye, “I never gave much thought to miracles. But
now, every Fall, when these many talented people get
together with this wide assortment of children and adults
each week and the program begins to jell, I feel that a
major miracle has occurred!”
NANCY MOTES is hard at work in her
pre-school class.
FATHER THOMAS ROSHETKO, Sacrament of Confirmation at Sacred
SM, addresses a group of students Heart on November 18.
who prepare to receive the
ANNA MANARIN teaches first graders about celebrating.
PHILIP COLETTI uses the
stained glass windows of Sacred
Heart Church to teach First
Communion candidates about the
life of Christ.
... From The Directory
BY MICHAEL MOTES
In discussing the effect
of the NATIONAL
CATECHETICAL
DIRECTORY (NCD) on
Religious Education in the
Archdiocese of Atlanta,
Father James F. Kelly says
that the first thing that
should be considered is the
great value and unique
construction of the
DIRECTORY itself.
“For the first time in
the history of the
Church,” the Archdioce
san Director of Religious
Education commented, “a
process-type document has
been assembled with input
from Bishops, clergy,
teachers and laity from
throughout the country.”
The mandate for such a
document originated when
the Second Vatican
Council called for the
renewal of catechetics in
the 1960s. In 1971, with
the approval of Pope Paul
VI, the Sacred
Congregation for the
Clergy issued the
GENERAL CATECHET
ICAL DIRECTORY,
forerunner of the NCD, to
the world’s bishops.
Bishop’s Guidelines
In 1975, a series of
regional meetings began,
with the Bishops receiving
specific guidelines and
suggestions from their
individual areas. The need
for a national directory
was clearly indicated and
such a publication was
thrice drafted. Approved
by the United States
Conference of Catholic
Bishops, the final draft
was sent to Rome, which
approved it in March
1979.
“The project became a
joint effort of both
Eastern and Western
Rites,” says Father Kelly,
adding that this resulted in
a common document for
the Roman Catholic
Church, as well as the
Melkite and Maronite
Rites, “Those directly
involved, especially
teachers and other laity,
came up with almost
50,000 different
recommendations before
the final document was
issued. This shows the
tremendous input from all
over the country.”
Focus On Christ
Father Kelly continues,
“As a directive, the NCD
aims to tell us how to lead
our lives ever focusing on
Christ Jesus. But
primarily, it is a planning
guide to help us put
together a program of
catechesis. And catechesis
is such a special word,
meaning more than
structure. It is an esteemed
term in Christian faith, the
purpose of which is to
make a person’s life and
faith become more living,
conscious and active.”
Through the NCD,
teachers of Religious
Education in the
archdiocese are stressing
that catechesis is a
“life-long process for the
individual,” Father Kelly
adds.
“Our teachers--the
catechists - must first be
aware of their own faith
before they can pass this
on to others,” he says. “I
feel that all of our teachers
are doing a remarkable job
in this area, whether they
are teaching children or
adults.”
Although the latest
figures of those involved in
parish catechetical
programs will not be
tallied until next month,
Father Kelly estimates
that in the 54 parishes of
the archdiocese,
approximately 3,500
catechists are teaching
Religious Education in all
areas. He also estimates
that there are approximat-
ely 20,000 children
enrolled in programs,
representing an increase of
some 6,000 in only a
three-year period.
Life-long Goal
Father Kelly says that
the primary goal of the
Office of Religious
Education is “to make
faith living and active. This
must be a life-long goal,
not something that one
just concentrates on
through the normal 12
years of school.”
He lists other concerns
of his office, as well as
Religious Education in
general:
“The PERSON - the
real person of Jesus, of the
child and parents of the
parish community.
“Where catechesis takes
place, not just in the
classroom, but in the
home by living together
and sharing together. This
is where we can learn a lot.
“The transition of
approach. Parents must
understand this new
approach and the method
that is involved. It is very
important to understand
the challenges as well as
the hopeful signs.”
Power of Father
Father Kelly quotes the
NCD directly in
summarizing, “Effective
catechesis is always a gift
of God. It is important,
therefore, to pray for this
gift. Catechesis goes
forward in the light of the
risen Christ, energized by
the love of the Holy Spirit,
drawing creativity from
the power of the Father.
‘‘Yet effective
catechesis also depends a
great deal on human
effort; on planning,
performance, and
evaluation, on personal
qualities and commitment.
Especially does it depend
upon the faith, hope, and
love of catechists,
responding to God’s grace
by growing in these virtues
and ministering to others.
The person of the
catechist is the medium in
which the message of the
faith is incarnated.
Whether catechists be
parents, teachers religious,
priests, bishops, or any
other of God’s people,
their witness to faith plays
a pivotal role in catechists
- catechesis.”
Father Kelly is
currently preparing a
chapter by chapter synopis
of the fundamental
teachings of the NCD. This
will be serialized in the
GEORGIA BULLETIN
beginning soon.
IF YOU CAMHT
GO-GIVE!
THE HOLY FATHER'S (VII S S I O INI AID TO THE ORIENTAL CHURCH
October 21st is Mission Sunday
‘‘I know the
answer!”
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Tel. 262-1188
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THE FIRST ENCYCLICAL of Pope John Paul
II is reviewed by Father John Qzarowski for the
adult education Spanish-speaking group.
To Get To Verdi’s
Exit at Howell Mill Road to Collier Road - then go left on Collier
to DeFoors Ferry - then right on DeFoors Ferry.
Now serving lunch Bar open 11-3
F
VERMS
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2116 DeFoors Ferry Road, N. W„
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GEORGIA BULLETIN ADS BRING RESULTS!!
Actual plate size: 8"
COPYRIGHT
1979
POPE JOHN BUILD
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Plates are also available which individually com
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and date of visit engraved.
This collectors plate will be available only by direct
order. This is a strictly limited edition, with each
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A reminder that Christ meant all of us when He
said: Go ye, therefore and teach all nations Yet
few of us can. Few of us do All of us, though,
can help the Missions throughout the world
Here are some of the ways'
In the very lands where Christ was born and where
His disciples taught, there are over 1.800,000
people living without homes and without hope.
Some of them for more than 30 years' Just $20
THE feed a family for a month —$525 will build
REFUGEES a small but decent home. Only $50 will care tor a
blind oT deaf-mute child for a month - and $ 1 w II
buy a refugee child hot lunches for a who-e
month. How much will you share 9
ADOPT
A CHILD
A PRIEST
OR SISTER
OF YOUR
OWN
THE
PERFECT
MEMORIAL
The recent fighting in Lebanon and throughout
the Near East has left thousands of children
homeless You can ' adopt 1 one of them for only
$14 a month —give them clothes, food, shelter,
education —and what they need most-love.
Your child will write to you You may reply, if
you wish. Christ will love you the more for loving
one of His very own little ones
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In the Near East, hundreds of vocations are
blooming. But many young men and women may
never realize their dream to walk in Christ's
footsteps only because their families are poor
For just $300 f$ 12.50 a month for' two years;
you can help a young girl become a nun For
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a seminarian all the way to Ordination Now you
can have a priest or Sister in your family
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Many poor Catholics in the Near East do not even
have a church of their own in which to worship
You can help Where 9 The mountain people of
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desperately need to replace the ramshackle shed
that now serves as a chapel Just $4000 will give
the 185 Catholic families there a modest but
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one you love
Dear
Monsignor Nolan:
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ENCLOSED PLEASE FIND $ — . :
FOR I
Please
return coupon
with your
offering
name
STREET
CITY STATE ZIP -OOF
THE CATHOLIC
NEAR EAST WELFARE ASSOCIATION
NEAR EAST
MISSIONS
TERENCE CARDINAL COOKE. President
MSGR. JOHN G. NOLAN, National Secretary
Write: Catholic Near East Welfare Assoc,
1011 First Avenue • New York, N.Y. 10022
Telephone: 212/826-1480