Aug 16
by Janet Schaeffler, OP
Our ministry as catechists and catechetical
leaders is in partnership with others—with
many others, since the passing on of our faith
is the responsibility of the entire community.
Primary to our partnership are the parents of
the young members of our faith communities.
Here are 12 ways to involve parents in your
parish program.
As
catechists, catechetical leaders, and parish planners, what can we do
to reach out to parents? To involve parents in the on-site catechetical
program as well as at home? To empower, encourage, and support parents
in their spirituality as well as in their role of passing on the faith
to their children?
1. Know your families.
Before implementing any kind of program, method, or technique for partnering with parents, learn about your families. Keep in mind that there is no one description of a “typical” family. As ministers, we want to be constantly aware of stepparents, adoptive parents, single parents, and other adult guardian situations. When designing brochures, newsletters, etc., use sensitive language and general graphics depicting families.
If possible, take time to visit with families. Let families know you’re stopping by and tell them why. During your visit, ask them how things are for them and what they need from the parish and the catechetical program. Most important, pray with them—in a simple, casual way, modeling how every family can pray together.
Also remember important family events. For example send a card or make a phone call when a new member comes into the family and at times of illness, special celebrations, and deaths.
2. Plan a “Shared Prayer” experience.
At the beginning of the year, designate one of the class sessions for each grade level as “Shared Prayer” with families. Invite families to join with their children the last 40 minutes of the session for a prayer service followed by refreshments. This event gives students a chance to introduce their families to their catechists. Be sure the prayer service involves family rituals, e.g. a blessing of one another.
3. Invite guest teachers/speakers to share their wisdom and skills.
There are many people who have knowledge, interests, skills, service in the world, and parish ministerial involvement that is directly related to themes you study and explore with students. Invite these parents and other parishioners to become part of your program as a one-time guest or a “permanent” helper.
4. Establish mentoring families.
In large parishes, it is difficult to get to know every family and make each one feel welcome and connected. Invite some of the families who have been active in the parish to become “mentoring families.” Pair these families with new families in the parish/program to help them learn about policies, where things are, who’s responsible for what, etc. Mentoring families can invite new families to accompany them to liturgy, to special parish liturgical services, and to catechetical program events.
5. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.
Keep parents fully informed about how you are sharing/teaching our faith throughout the program. Also offer information that will help parents continue to grow in their faith. Use notes, phone calls, newsletters, parent conferences, the weekly church bulletin, parent resource centers, parish and faith formation websites, parish and program gatherings, parent bulletin boards, emails, open houses, and home visits. Always be sure that parents and families know they are welcome to attend any catechetical session.
You might want to set a goal for yourself to make a phone call to five parents each month. Ask them to share their ideas, and listen to their concerns—especially concerns about the program, their child, their family, the needs of families today, and how the parish and the catechetical program can best support them in their lives of faith.
6. Plan family activities.
Be sure there are parish-wide activities that offer fun for everyone—creating great memories of “church.” Consider things like picnics (spring, summer, and autumn picnics outdoors on the parish grounds, winter picnics inside the parish center on the floor); unbirthday parties; family nights at the movies; and gatherings for various holidays, holy days, and national events (the Super Bowl, for example). Potluck dinners, ice cream socials, and family softball games offer fun for the whole family.
7. Offer ideas for family ritual.
Families want to pray together, develop rituals, and share faith. Offer them ideas related to the themes their children/youth are studying, the liturgical year, national holidays and observances, the everyday occurrences of family life, etc. Make these appealing, simple, and practical.
One way to do this is with reflection booklets during the liturgical season—booklets that offer short reflections and things to do for each day of the season. Invite different families from the parish to write a reflection/activity for each day. Base content on the Scripture readings of the day or the designated feast.
8. Offer “homework” for parents.
Involve parents and families in reinforcing material that children/youth learn in their catechetical sessions. Following a session on prayer, for example, children can “interview” parents with questions such as, “When do you pray? Why do you pray? To whom do you pray?” Ask families to watch a specific TV program, or one of their choosing, and answer a list of questions that will help them “analyze” the program—or the commercials—according to gospel values.
9. Be positive and affirming.
Although adults want and need to keep on learning—and we can help with that—our positive affirmation is the best motivation to encourage this. Remind adults that holiness is already within their family life; God’s loving presence is there in the ways they love, care for, and forgive one another. As catechists and catechetical leaders, our role is not to bring God to families; God is already there. We simply help families become more aware of God’s presence.
10. Help parents connect.
Provide times and places for parents to come together to have conversations about parenting and family spirituality. One convenient time is while children/youth are in their catechetical sessions. This is a much better use of their time instead of sitting out in their cars.
11. Bring all together to learn.
Several times a year, host intergenerational learning festivals. One method of structuring these events is through learning centers. Set up various centers throughout the parish grounds, each one hosting a different activity related to the theme for which everyone has gathered (Advent, care for creation, sacraments, called to serve, etc.). The ideal is that the learning center activity does not end but leads to something that can be continued at home and incorporated into family life. At the same time, don’t limit these learning festivals to families with children. Remember to invite everyone: singles; couples whose children have grown; grandparents. Make this a parish-wide event.
12. Invite parents’ feedback.
At the end of the year, ask parents to evaluate the effects of the program for them and their children. Ask them to comment on special programs or events they attended throughout the year. Pose comments that allow personal responses, such as “Three adjectives that describe my child’s/children’s experience in the faith formation program are ….” “Three adjectives that describe my feelings about the faith formation program are ….” “A new insight I’ve had about my faith this year is ....”
Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP, Associate Director for Adult Faith Formation, Office for Catechetics, Archdiocese of Detroit, writes frequently for CATECHIST and other publications. She has many years of experience as a catechist and parish DRE.
Source: CATECHIST Magazine, September 2008Copyright 2010, Peter Li, Inc. This article may not be reprinted or reproduced in any form without permission, except for use with your classes or families.
