Yesterday was Scott Hahn, and it was magnificent to hear him speak. It was also wonderful to be in a room full of other believing and practicing Catholics. God has sent me some wonderful opportunities lately - Patrick Madrid last week, Scott Hahn yesterday, and at the end of the month, Father Tad. I love the opportunities I've been given lately for adult catechesis - I really have been blessed.
I needed and still need the reinforcement. Today was the opening 'retreat' (4 hour session) for confirmation one, for which I volunteered to be an 'adult facilitator'. John will be doing likewise for the second year of the program. He has already gone through the two years once, and I decided to bite the bullet and volunteer. It looks to be interesting. We have just under 50 kids in the first year, and I have been assigned to a small group of ten of them, and this group will be together for the length of the program.
Today there was a focus on why bother with religious education, why bother with religion at all, how is this relevant to life as a teenager? I think that this is an important question, but I hope that as we go along we will be able to give these kids not just questions but answers - and answers that will not only make sense but (more importantly) be true. I don't want to be part of a catechesis that cheats kids out of their Catholic heritage. I'm worried that we will end up focusing more on feelings and not getting into facts. I will continue to keep praying...
One of the books that sold out at the Scott Hahn talk was this gem. I wish so much that we were using this as a textbook! We are using the Catholic Youth Bible. I just wish that we had the time and the funds to get into more depth. I can tell that there are a lot of foundational stuff that these kids don't have well established, even the ones who are in the Catholic HS and who are taking an organized theology class on a daily basis.
I was the age these kids are when I started to really search for God in my life. Fourteen is a rough age even in the best of times.
Please add us to your prayer list.
You lucky thing! That sounds wonderful. Also, I've heard good things about that book (maybe from TSO?).
You're on my list.
Ha! Those guys are really getting around...Fr. Tad was last weekend and Scott Hahn is 2 weeks from now... You'll love Fr. Tad. He is fabulous and a really nice guy too.
I'm truly envious...and I know it's a sin!
Reading Hahn's Rome Sweet Home, was instrumental in my conversion. We don't seem to have many (or any?) good Catholic apologists/speakers in my part of England. We had Dwight Longnecker speak at Mass last year but I was ill and missed him
:cry:
It's time like this I wish I lived in America!
God Bless.
Also envious! I adore Scott Hahn. I missed a chance for Patrick Madrid earlier this year, and don't think I'll make that mistake again. Pretty much any time there is a Catholic author around, I want to make sure Curt and I get to see them. I think it's critical for our ongoing faith formation. We spent a day with Dr. Janet Smith very early this year, and it was amazing.
Good for you, Alicia, for having such great opportunities!
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Glad you enjoyed it--I am sad I couldn't make it. Life here was just way too hectic that week. But I'm thinking I might take the ticket price I didn't pay and put it toward a good book or set of tapes, and enjoy hearing him anyway :) at my leisure.
--Amanda