by Mary Clifford Morrell
Long-term solitude, especially when forced rather than chosen, can be detrimental to those of us who need social interaction. And yet, there are some, who choose solitude as a lifestyle. One of those is St. Anthony of Egypt, also known as St. Anthony the Great, who lived in the third century to the extraordinary age of 105. His feast day is Jan. 17. This saint’s experience is similar to St. Francis of Assisi, in that he inherited great wealth from his family but touched by the word of God, sold everything and donated it to the poor. St. Anthony chose a life of solitude, first in the desert and then on mountain on the bank of the Nile River, so he could devote himself to God and prayer. From this solitude, he became the founder of Christian monasticism and spiritual father to the communities that followed in his footsteps. Our life mission may not take us to a hermitage in the desert, but an experience of solitude is healthy for mind, body and spirit. Solitude can be fruitful and lead to growth, as St. Anthony’s story reveals. In his book, “The Way of Silence: Engaging the Sacred in Daily Life,” Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast observes, “To have a place of solitude is an inestimable gift. It makes it easy to let the heart expand, to let the senses wake up, one by one, to come alive with fresh vitality. “Yet, whatever our circumstances, we need to somehow set aside a time and a place for this kind of experience. It is a necessity in everyone’s life, not a luxury. What comes alive in those moments of solitude is more than eyes or ears; our heart listens and rises to respond. All of us—each in a different measure—have need of solitude because we need to cultivate mindfulness.” Of the more than 10,000 saints recognized in the Catholic Church, many have been lost to the annals of history. The rest are all varied individuals with unique stories which can serve as inspiration for our own faith journey, and that of our students. Additional saints celebrated in January are St. Sebastian, St. Agnes, St. Vincent of Zaragossa, and St. Marianne Cope. Saint stories written at a level of appropriateness for students are best to use. Many saints underwent painful and difficult assaults to body and mind which may upset young children. Our Saint Resource Page offers a wealth of stories, a saint index, saint maps and page of saint terminology to explain titles such as Servant of God, Venerable, Blessed, Saint and mystic.
Mary Regina Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to nine, is a Catholic journalist, author, and syndicated columnist who has served the dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey, and RENEW International in the areas of catechesis and communication.
by Mary Clifford Morrell
Under conditions like these, it’s even more essential to include “doing the best for you,” in your plans for the day. Self-care for teachers is often overlooked, as teachers are most often a self-less group of individuals whose mission is to always put the student first. There’s a admirable humility about that mission but leaving yourself out of your realm of care can have serious consequences. Over the years, in both in my personal and professional life, I learned that being humble does not exclude being strong and being strong requires being attentive to our needs. So, how does a teacher undertake self-care? I learned a lot from one of my favorite saints, St. Francis de Sales, who encouraged others with gentleness, emphasizing our need to “Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself. …” From him I learned to develop a larger sense of compassion, one that includes ourselves. When we exercise self-compassion we forgive ourselves for mistakes, provide ourselves with the rest we need and make time for those things that bring us pleasure or joy, even if they are simple things like dinner in a nice restaurant or some quiet time alone with a good book and favorite beverage. Life has also taught me about the importance of creating. There is an inherent need for the human spirit to create something—art, dance, carpentry, baking, anything that brings a sense of satisfaction and joy. When I was at a point of being overwhelmed, due to grief, I discovered that creating music by singing was a balm for my soul. I was invited to join the parish choir and it changed everything. Being immersed in music was itself a healing experience, but as important were the relationships that developed with others and the life-long friends who added support and happiness to my life. Creating and sustaining connections with others is an invaluable part of self-care. We need to know we are not alone in our struggles. We need those people who offer affirmations and advice, even if we don’t take it. We need to be reminded that our lives make a difference to others, and we are valued. Creating a sanctuary is a way to nourish our need for beauty, solitude, and order. At times, my car became my sanctuary. Sitting in the park with a hot cup of coffee, my favorite music, some aromatherapy and a lovely journal were sometimes a daily escape, even if just for half an hour. Creating a sanctuary at home, where you can actually close the door for a bit, is an opportunity to fill a small space with your most meaningful things, sit for a while and take a breather. Most importantly, create a time to pray. These quiet conversations with God can take place anywhere, while you are healing in your sanctuary or washing dishes, on the way to work in your car or in the teacher’s lounge. If you can save 15 minutes of your lunch hour for a visit to church, it’s a wonderful place to restore your soul. As you undertake a plan of self-care, and there are many suggestions other than mine, I would share these words of St. Francis de Sales: “Be who you are and be that well.” Emphasis on the well.
Mary Regina Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to nine, is a Catholic journalist, author, and syndicated columnist who has served the dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey, and RENEW International in the areas of catechesis and communication.
by Mary Clifford Morrell
This year was the year. As the evening wore on past their bedtime, they were very excited with their plans to stay up until midnight. But as the clock strained toward 9 p.m. the youngest started to wane and asked, “How many more minutes to midnight?” In the background we could hear the oldest granddaughter continually counting down the minutes on a favorite Christmas gift, an analog watch with a cat on the face. The entire evening became about time—counting the minutes and hours, changing the days, changing the year, and marking those changes with a celebration. It was a lot for them to take in, but when the ball dropped and it was a new day and new year, they were happy to hear, “bedtime!” With so much emphasis on time and calendars, the new year is a good opportunity to reinforce lessons about the Church’s liturgical year. Students are familiar with time as it relates to them—going to bed, catching the bus, rehearsals, sports practice and games, birthdays and holidays—but, depending on their age, they are usually not familiar with time as it relates to their Catholic faith. Children understand the calendars of their lives because they live them. The school year provides a perfect example. Depending on where they live, children are most likely in school from September to June. This calendar may hang on the family refrigerator, but children absorb it because they experience it. While every Catholic classroom should have a liturgical calendar visible for lessons about the Church’s seasons, the most valuable lessons will be those that students are immersed in—setting out an Advent wreath in the classroom; being involved in decorating the classroom with the changing colors of the Church seasons; honoring the feast days of saints; praying a decade of the Rosary daily during the month of October, engaging in seasonal traditions, like a classroom or parish Jesse Tree; sharing both the penitential and celebratory seasons of the Church year together. Most important is creating opportunities to take children into church. If this is limited to First Friday Mass, then some additional visits for quiet time in prayer might be added. If they have this opportunity regularly, students will notice the changing colors of the altar cloths or the priests’ vestments, parish Advent wreaths, statues draped in purple during Lent, the white lilies during Easter and the red poinsettias for Christmas, all of which have significance for the Catholic faith. Many children no longer attend Mass with their families on a regular basis, so visits to church with their school family are important experiences for their spiritual lives. To increase my own knowledge of the liturgical year, I routinely download the current liturgical calendar from the USCCB website. It can be an invaluable aid for teachers, catechists and parents. In addition, “Praying the Scriptures” is an RCL Benziger downloadable, lectionary-based resource designed to support catechists, religion teachers, and parents who lead others in learning and reflecting on the Sunday Scriptures in the classroom and in the home.
Mary Regina Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to nine, is a Catholic journalist, author, and syndicated columnist who has served the dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey, and RENEW International in the areas of catechesis and communication.
by Mary Clifford Morrell
I do remember my dad, snaking his fingers over to mine as I held on to the pew in front of me, and him giving my fingers a playful squeeze without looking at me or changing the expression on his face. It was our little secret. I also remember him never making us feel rushed to get to Mass on time. He always told me, “As long as you are there for the homily, you’re good.” I grew up thinking the homily was the most important part of the Mass. That would make a few priests smile, for sure. It wasn’t until I was a young adult, rediscovering my Catholic faith after a lengthy hiatus, that I learned that the Eucharist was the real reason we were at Mass. As an elementary school C.C.D. student, as it was called back then, my formation consisted almost entirely of memorizing questions and answers in the Baltimore Catechism. I don’t remember lessons about Mass, though I know there were questions and answers about it. I guess those were the answers I never memorized well. Today, our children and those who form them in faith, whether catechists or Catholic school teachers, are fortunate to have resources that are designed to help children more fully understand what they experience as they live their Catholic faith, are written in clear language and are useful to children with various learning styles. RCL Benziger’s My Mass Book, recommended for children ages six to nine, is such a resource where children can take a visual visit to church and learn about the many interesting items there that might have caught their attention when they went to Mass. Children will learn to recognize and understand the purpose of such things as the sanctuary light, the tabernacle, the crucifix, the Paschal Candle, the baptismal font and the various items on the altar. They will learn together the Order of Mass, its prayers, and responses. With delightful illustrations on every page, children learn or review traditional Catholic prayers, the Rosary, an examination of conscience, the sacraments, and begin to understand the liturgical year and the unique colors they see at Mass representing the different liturgical seasons. There is also an on-line, downloadable PDF version of a wonderfully written Parent Guide with an introduction serving more as an encouraging invitation: “Helping children to understand and participate in the Mass is one of the most important tasks of Catholic families. It can also be a challenging task. It is our hope that My Mass Book and this accompanying guide will help. We pray that, as you guide the child in your life to know and love God, you, too, will more deeply recognize that you are a beloved member of God’s family. May the Holy Spirit fill your heart and home with the great love, joy, and peace that flows from our communion with Christ and his Body, the Church.” With the New Year upon us, it would serve our children well to include their spiritual health in our New Year’s resolutions by helping our children, our students, to grow in love and understanding of the Mass.
Mary Regina Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to nine, is a Catholic journalist, author, and syndicated columnist who has served the dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey, and RENEW International in the areas of catechesis and communication.