Though all have been made in God’s own image, catechesis is not one-size-fits-all. The Diocese of Camden and its faith-filled parishes offer instruction and resources to families, those with special needs, and tactile-centered education to assure God’s message of love is clearly understood by all his children – from youngster to adult.
‘Good Shepherd’ leads children
Ten years ago, when James Hemschoot first learned about a program of religious instruction known as the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, “I thought, ‘Eureka, this is it! This is the secret sauce,” he said.
Hemschoot, who serves Gibbsboro’s Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish as pastoral associate for lifelong faith formation, realized the Montessori-based instruction “is a Biblical, sacramental and liturgical approach that makes so much sense,” and one that could be adapted to accommodate the larger-sized classrooms his program attracted. The parish calls it mystagogical catechesis – a catechesis that initiates the faithful into the mystery of Christ.
In a program adhering to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd guidelines, an atrium is filled with child-size shelves filled with items commonly found in a church, which the children are encouraged to explore. Conversations with guides on Scripture and liturgy might lead one child to mimic the celebration of Mass, while another might use the figures of Jesus and the sheep to bring the parable of the Good Shepherd to life. Colored vestments for the different seasons of the Church year add to the explanation of the cycle of Jesus’ Birth, ministry, Death and Resurrection in a tactile way.
This mystagogical catechesis allows for larger class sizes and a portable cart to serve as an atrium due to parish space constraints. In addition, the parish promotes apprenticeship teaching and a teacher page to give depth to the lessons.
“We don’t even mention sin with first- and second-graders,” Hemschoot said. “Kids have relationships with God embedded within them. Our job is to help them recognize and verbalize it. The child needs to hear about God’s personal love and care for each one of them – ‘The Good Shepherd knows his sheep by name and they know his voice.’”
Second-grade students are introduced to the notion that the sheep might stray from the shepherd, but love prompts him to go looking for them. Students in grades three and four learn how their faith “fit together” the books of the Bible, the order of Mass, the liturgical seasons and the sacraments; upper grades “continue with lessons that are more attuned to the reasoning mind, but are still focused on our relationship with God in God’s plan,” Hemschoot said.
Hemschoot, who has served as a catechist for 50 years – “I learn more every year,” he asserted – noted the program’s many successes.
“All of our early grade teachers have been humbled by the profound understanding and acceptance by the children, and the learning and relationship are quite evident in the Confirmation interviews,” he said. “These lessons are tried and true, deep but simple.”
He chuckled as he recalled comments from a parent. “The mother said, ‘I don’t know what you are doing, but my kids come into the car on the way home and want to talk about it.’”
Hemschoot is an eager advocate of the program, inviting those interested to ask for his virtual lesson plan on First Holy Communion or even an in-person visit to further explain mystagogical catechesis.
He can be reached at JHemschoot@ChurchofSaintAndrew.org or 856-783-0550.
Special needs ‘a custom fit’
In Vineland, a mother/daughter team of catechists conducts an adaptive faith formation program for children with specialized needs. The bi-weekly afternoon program is tailored for children younger than 17 who might not fit into the standard classroom model.
Cathy DiAntonio, sacraments coordinator for Christ the Good Shepherd Parish, and her mother, Lisa Pagden, a special-needs aide in the local school system, work one-on-one with students “to see what level of relationship with God we can recognize to thrive,” explained Felicia Navarro Morris, director of lifelong faith formation for the Vineland Catholic Collaborative, which encompasses Vineland’s three parishes: Christ the Good Shepherd, Divine Mercy and Saint Padre Pio.
Pre-COVID, the duo worked with about a dozen children from grades two through 10, some experiencing hearing loss, those exhibiting ambulatory challenges, still others non-verbal or with learning delays. “Not all are able to fit into traditional classes,” Morris said.
“This is a custom fit. Some of these children already have a wonderful relationship with God; it is not our job to change or interfere with that.”
Morris shared anecdotal stories of children who might not be able to clearly discuss Christ, but who seem to recognize his place of love and forgiveness in their lives.
She said, “I am not a [check-off-the] box person; I am in the business of relationship and evangelization. The boy who recognized Christ and was able to draw him knows who Christ is in his life and where to find him. I hope when their families come to CCD, we encourage them by our actions to go to Mass and build up their desire to know God.”
Hands-on family faith
Also in Vineland are the Collaborative’s Family Catechetical Gatherings, which were designed for students in private or home-based schools who want to integrate their faith into their unique schedule. Families gathered one evening per month in one of the parish halls to have dinner together, explore a biblical or sacramental theme and complete an assignment. Then came COVID.
“Our book series had an at-home component, but after two weeks in, when parents were revealing the stress of the family staying home for school and work, we pivoted,” Morris said. Utilizing modern technology to introduce ancient Church teachings, Morris and her assistants brainstormed new topics with the intent to have families gather at the table without the pressure of a lesson plan.
“We planned a series of crafts with a religious theme and brought families back together with the tactile activities,” she said. “Most of the creativity came from Cathy DiAntonio and Lily Simpkins. They have been invaluable in creating these activities and lessons. I would come to them and say, ‘How can we …’ and they would take to Pinterest and have at it.”
A system of socially distant supplies deliveries, use of QR code for directions, and the ingenuity of one of the parents and her son posting YouTube videos enabled the homebound families to make the monthly crafts. Morris made sure to schedule each craft to coincide with events in the Church year.
“We made magnets which read, ‘I always thought love was shaped like a heart, but love is actually a cross’ during Lent,” Morris recalled. “First Holy Communicants made their own wooden tabernacles, and kids made Paschal candles they later lit as their family prayed together or received their Sacraments.
“This helped to build up the Domestic Church,” Morris said. “It’s not just a craft project. We will do it again this year, but now [with the waning of COVID], families can gather together to do it.”
For more information on the numerous religious education initiatives underway through the Vineland Catholic Collaborative, visit www.vinelandcatholic.org/services.
Diocesan resources abound
In its document “Guidelines from the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities,” the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote, “The Catholic Church wants all people of various abilities to feel welcome and to participate in the life of the Church. Catholics with disabilities have a right to actively participate in the Eucharist as full functioning members of the local Church.”
To aid parishes in the mission of catechesis, the Diocese of Camden offers many opportunities for the deaf or hard-of-hearing brethren to partake of the Holy Mass and Sacramental preparation via the VITALity Catholic Healthcare Services ministry.
Father Hugh Bradley, director of the diocesan Office of Ministry With the Deaf and Persons with Disabilities, has compiled a schedule of these Masses of Welcome and Inclusion, which are celebrated both in person and livestream. Opportunities for sacramental preparation are numerous; faithful might obtain assistance with Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Reconciliation and First Holy Communion) as well as visits to the sick, faith formation for children and adults, Pre-Cana classes, funeral preparation, pastoral counseling and spiritual direction.
“In Jesus’ ministry in proclaiming the Kingdom of God, he went to marginalized people. Therefore it’s the obligation of the Church to continue that mission, specifically to the deaf community, people with disabilities and their families,” Bradley said.
In addition, the ministry offers the deaf lector training, Cursillo, ASL classes, support for hearing parents of deaf children, and interpreting services for parishes. Links to outside agencies and social media focused on the deaf Catholics’ unique needs are also available.
For more information or to view a list of resources, visit vitality.camdendiocese.org/ministry-with-the-deaf/.
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