Sitting on a bookshelf in my home office is a little stuffed animal that holds great memories for me – not from my childhood, or of my children or grandchildren, but from a retreat day I offered for catechists and teachers after school was out for the year.

It was titled, “Summer Shepherds.”

It was my practice to always put something related to the retreat title in the center of each round table where participants sat. I wracked my brains trying to come up with something engaging for this retreat but my usual dollar store visit wasn’t productive.

As I was losing hope and thinking I’d have to resort to simple candles and a basket of chocolates, I visited the local Christian bookstore. There, sitting on top of a large bin as I entered the doors was a little stuffed sheep with long, floppy felt legs, wearing sunglasses and flip flops with a towel flung over its shoulder. I couldn’t believe my eyes! Better still, the bin was full of them.

Of course, they cost much more than a dollar, but how could I not buy them?? They were custom made for this retreat. Summer sheep for summer shepherds!

During these few hours together, we learned more about the relationship between the shepherd and his or her sheep. It enabled us to get a better understanding of what it means to say, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”

We also discussed the different means of shepherding that happened in the summer, depending on where the shepherding takes place. In cold climates, shepherds lead their flocks to the best pastures during summer, to ensure plenty of grass and cool water. They build shelters and stay put to allow sheep to eat well and grow fat so they can get through the winter months.

For shepherds, summer is a time of building relationships with their sheep, which allows them to keep them safe from wolves. Sheep that are injured by wolves are often too afraid to move from their spot, but they will respond to the voice of the shepherd letting the shepherd know where they are so they can be rescued.

On a more serious note, we discussed how, as shepherds, religious educators walk in the footsteps of Jesus and need to nurture their own faith lives, something Jesus did, as well. A big part of his self-care was taking time away, and during that time entering into prayer and conversation with his Father.

While religious educators, whether teacher or catechist, are not often in contact with their students during the summer, except for a few weeks of summer programs, our retreat encouraged them to use the summer to build their own relationship with God.

We all agreed the summer is the time to be intentional about growing our own faith to ensure we can provide the best for our students once the fall, and the school year, comes around again.

Some of the suggestions which came from religious educators themselves included:

•  Keeping a gratitude journal during the summer. This is particularly helpful when life is throwing challenge after challenge at you.
• Use the front porch or backyard as a place for prayer to grow in appreciation for God’s creation. This is wonderful exercise to do on vacation, whether you are near the ocean, a lake, camping or hiking.
• Add a visit to Mass during the week. Spend some time in the Adoration chapel if there is one.
• Visit a church that is not your own. Reflect on how its unique beauty is different from your church, and how it is the same as a place where the People of God worship. How do you find God there?
•  Pray more often. As part of your prayer practice, tell God honestly what is keeping you from worship, from prayer, from trusting God, or anything else you feel is an impediment. Ask questions and then ask God to provide answers. They often come in the words and works of others. Stay open.
• Read. Most of the retreatants preferred actual books, rather than virtual or audio versions. For them, there is something about the ritual of choosing the book, holding the book and turning the pages that makes reading in this way impactful. Some chose to read more Scripture at least one day a week, others choose books on saints or other specifically religious pieces. Others decided to be intentional about reading books they’ve been planning to read but never got to, and to be mindful of the faith elements in the stories. How did God work in the lives of the characters?
• Everyone agreed to keep a copy of the Twenty-Third Psalm (The Lord is My Shepherd), provided in their folders, for daily reading and memorization. Many had it memorized already and acknowledged that praying it during difficult times was an assurance and comfort. Some reflected on one verse at a time to gain a better understanding their relationship with God. What does it mean to say, “I shall not want”?
• Everyone agreed that shepherds also needed to don sunglasses and flip-flops and throw a towel over their shoulder and enjoy some down time – another entry in the gratitude journal.

About the Author
Mary Clifford Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to ten, is a Catholic journalist, editor, and author who has served the Dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey; Burlington, Vermont, and RENEW International in the areas of religious education and communication.