Catechesis means to echo, to pass on, it is the handing on of the Faith of our Father’s. Tonight we are starting a 1st in our parish, we’re incorporating a caFE programme into our outreach evangelism (which is about to take off in a big way hopefully, but up until now has been miniscule). I’m going to be participating in this in a bigger way than ever before, as I will be a ‘fascilitator’, along with about 5 other catechist’s.
There are at least 2 candidates that willbe coming along to this initiation series into Catholicism, and we’re running this right up to Lent so we’re hoping that our numbers will be expanding all the time (pray for our ministry, please).
Now, here is the really good new’s.
I chose the above image because it represents how we hand on our faith to others, sometimes it is silent, sometimes we don’t even have to use words, there is a riple effect, like a droplet falling into a body of water…the effects are far reaching…well that’s how it feel’s for me at the moment. My 14 year old daughter is going to be coming along to the weekly caFE gatherings to deepen her own understanding of the faith that she has converted into…but wait for it…my 61 year old Mum has expressed an interest in Catholicism and is going to join us tonight (at least for this first meeting)
How about this for coincidence, the parish I now attend (it’s the only parish I’ve attended regularly since my conversion) is the very same one that Mum used to live not two street’s away from when she was a little girl, she even used to go into Sacred Heart sometimes when her italian catholic friends were being Confirmed…she saw me get baptised there as a 34 year old…and she saw me and her grandchildren receive our First Holy Communion there, she saw me and my daughter bought in to full communion with the Church when we were both Confirmed there. the place now has a lot of special memories for the both of us, both Mum and I.
The past 2 week’s mum has come along to Mass with us to Mass and it’s been a joy to have her beside us in the pew. Please, if you can spare a prayer, pray for her to be open to the Will of God in this, that His Will be done.
This throws up a heap of possible complications in Mum’s personal life.
She has never attended church except for marriages, ‘christenings (as she call’s them) and funerals’, so this is all new to her..and Dad, the hardened (though really he’s just a big softie) ‘agnostic-used-to-be-atheist’ …well, I’m not quite sure how he’s going to handle this, but he’s wiling to babysit my son so I can take Mum and daughter along to CAfe and he isn’t the kind of person that would raise an objection to anything that Mum felt called to do, but it’s still going to take some getting used to for him, so maybe you could spare a prayer for him too?
Funny how God works through the lives of even the most unworthy sinner.
Since I’ve never helped to ‘lead’ or be ‘instrumental’ in anything in the Church before, could you toss in a prayer for me too, while you’re at it? I want to represent the Faith well and not be thrown into a quandry if I don’t have all the answer’s to the questions that I may be asked. I know it’s ok not to have every answer to every question. I’m so looking forward to this evening. I used to pray consistantly for my fathers conversion, and I get my Mum showing an interest…who knows how far this ripple will go?
God Bless.
Wow, you posted early this morning. It is only 6:45am here and you already have a post up. I’m guessing we must be far apart in time zones. I’ll have to look this up.
Good luck on your talk this evening. I’ve already said a prayer for you and for your family. May God’s Will be completed perfectly in His timing. May you continue to lead your family by love an example so that they may one day share in the beauty and richness of our Catholic faith.
I used to be a leader, too, so I know about the anxiety you mention about not knowing an answer. I had to keep reminding myself that none of us have all the answers! There are just some “mysteries” about our faith that don’t have an earthly explanation. Otherwise, if it was a question pertaining to Church teachings and I wasn’t sure, I had to learn how to say “You know, I’m not sure about that – but I’ll ask and get back with you at our next meeting”.
I shall say prayers for you and your mom and your dad. Your dad sounds like mine – he started at one end of the spectrum (atheist)and finally ended up at the other end (a believer) right before his death! He, too, had kind of a hardened heart about it – although he was a “softie”, too, like your dad. Perhaps that softness allowed the Holy Spirit to enter in, just a little bit at a time.
I’m so proud of you and your parish, ukok! We need this so much. Please keep us up-to-date on how this is received in your parish. Prayers and love.
hello! Thanks very much for the comment you left on my blog! Like yourself, it makes me very happy to find another UK blogger out there! I will certainly remember your parents & family in my prayers! Your sister in Christ, Antonia -x-
Deb, you have such a sincere heart – you’ll do just fine!
And yes, it’s all about the ripple effect!
What fantastic news! I’m so thrilled for you and your mom. That gives me hope for my parents.
Wonderful, UKOK! I just read this on the morning AFTER your class and I am sorry that I didn’t know, but there is always time to pray, right? Also, I know in my heart you will be doing fine with this. It is clearly obvious to me if not to everyone who reads your blogs, that the Lord has asked you to do this for Him…you just don’t get it, do you???? *WINK* and a *SMILE* ! Love ya, gal!
God bless! Suzanne
Deb,
this is so wonderful! I’m sure you did just fine. As long we allow the Holy Spirit to guide and speak through us we are OK. It’s not us, it’s God acting through us. I just need to ask one favor ukok, please remove the quotation marks from the word leader. You ARE a leader. Peace!