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.

Ordinary – it’s a word that implies “nothing special,” “commonplace,” having no distinctive features.

When we talk about Ordinary Time of the liturgical year in the Church, we may think of it as a time when nothing special is going on in between the beautiful and meaningful seasons of Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

While the special seasons of the Church include such important events as the Incarnation, Jesus’ death on the Cross, Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension, and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Ordinary Time allows us to journey with Jesus as his life unfolds.

There is nothing ordinary about that.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s describes Ordinary Time as “a time for growth and maturation, a time in which the mystery of Christ is called to penetrate ever more deeply into history until all things are finally caught up in Christ.”

As adults, we may have an understanding of what that means, but how can we impart such a complex concept to students?

Start with the small things. Children learn quickly that there can be no big things without the small things. Whether working with numbers or Legos or magnetic tiles, it’s visually obvious that the first small piece is needed in order to make something big.

It’s like that in religious education as well. With young children we start with something they understand – love – and repeatedly remind them that God loves them. Of course, love is not really a small thing or an ordinary thing, but it is a first thing if children are to grow into adults who want to know and love God, and to come to understand how each step in Jesus’ daily life, each decision, each person he met, each hour of prayer, led him to those important events that we remember, honor and celebrate during Christmas and Easter.

How can Ordinary Time be included in the classroom?

Begin with the color green – The liturgical color for Ordinary time is green. With younger students who cannot yet grasp the meaning of ordinary, changing colors on the prayer table or classroom displays can help them understand that this time in our faith life (when we try to get to know Jesus better) is a time of growth, like the flowers and plants of spring. Nature is a wonderful teacher for growing faith. Also, keep a liturgical color calendar in your classroom. It serves as a visible reminder to students that there are distinct seasons in the life of the Church.

Rewrite a chapter in Jesus’ life – Choose one of your favorite stories about Jesus from the Gospels, read it with the students, and then ask them how Jesus’ life, and the life of those in the story, might have changed if that event hadn’t happened. Bring the discussion back to the significance of the event, what it has taught millions of people since then, how it has been one of the building blocks of our faith. Following Jesus during Ordinary time helps us to build our faith.

Remind students they are disciples – Ordinary time is an opportunity to become familiar with the life of the Apostles, the first disciples, as they accompanied Jesus for three years on his mission. They were ordinary men, with distinct personalities, strengths and weaknesses. They were chosen by God for a purpose and made an extraordinary difference for the world to come. The calling of the Apostles appears in all four Gospels. Read, with or for students, Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:14-20, Luke 5:1-11, and John 1:35-51. Allow students to discuss their own strengths and weaknesses and ways in which they can use them to do great things for God.

For Teachers: For those who wish to gain a better sense of who the Apostles were, I enjoyed “Twelve Ordinary Men” by John MacArthur. MacArthur writes about the Apostles from known facts in the Bible, provides additional information from church tradition, and focuses on their character qualities. Ordinary time is the perfect time to consider the extraordinary possibilities of ordinary people.

To read more about liturgical year and seasons of the Church visit Liturgical Year and Calendar | USCCB.

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.

The word vocation has a broad meaning and is often misunderstood, but at its core it is a call. The Second Vatican Council defines vocation as the “universal call to holiness” that is in the heart of every human being. This call is an invitation from God to love others and to love God. The distinct way you live out that love is your vocation. Every vocation is a religious vocation because God does the calling.

God extends a personal invitation to each of us. “Vocation,” according to Pope Francis in his exhortation Christus Vivit, “has nothing to do with inventing ourselves or creating ourselves out of nothing. It has to do with finding our true selves in the light of God and letting our lives flourish and bear fruit.”

Qualities for Vocations. Explore the “Growing in Virtue” segments found in each chapter in your Family Life program. Also, look up “virtues” in your Blest Are We Faith in Action and Be My Disciples program books. Explain to students that virtues are qualities we can develop to help us live our universal vocation, our call to holiness.

Flowing from Baptism. The ministry of lay Catholics, whether formally instituted by the church or simply inspired by the Holy Spirit to serve the needs of others, flows from baptism and a recognition that every Christian is called to take part in the mission of the church. As Pope Francis said, "All ministries are an expression of the sole mission of the church, and they are all forms of service to others."

Marriage and Holy Orders and More. Only two of many vocational choices are numbered among the seven sacraments. While married life, priesthood, and the deaconate are indeed essential vocations, someone could also be called to serve God in single or consecrated life.

Called to Be Catechists. Some Catholics are lectors, acolytes and catechists. These church ministries, volunteer or professional, do not require ordination. Invite a lay minister to visit your class and speak about why they have answered this calling. Catechists help their students find joy in learning, encounter Christ, and listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit to discover their passions and use their talents for service. In these ways, you help them discern and live out their future vocations.

Equipped to Serve. Brainstorm vocations with students and include occupations that are not directly church-related, such as healthcare, technology, ecology, transportation, art, music, public safety, or farming. What skills do those in these professions need? How does a person’s faith impact how do their chosen work?

Discerning Gifts and Talents. In a spirit of prayer, ask your students to look into their hearts and examine the joys and strengths they find there. Help students begin to see how their interests can be the beginnings of a calling from God for future development. How could they use those joys and strengths in service to the world and the church. For example, if someone loves swimming, how could they put that gift to use for others? If someone enjoys hiking, where would that serve other people?

Product Highlight

Family Life Second Edition

Family Life Second Edition is the newly updated edition of RCL Benziger's leading K-8 supplemental program that addresses key concerns of today's Catholic families. Family Life includes child safety education in every grade level, promotes virtuous living, and strengthens Catholic identity.

The Family Life program reinforces the Catholic virtues and values that your students attain with their education. Family Life is essential to your school-based religious education program and meets Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) standards and benchmarks.

LEARN MORE!

“We are an Easter People!”

That phrase was used by St. Pope John Paul II to describe the People of God, filled with joy and faith because of Christ’s Resurrection.

If we follow what happens to the Apostles and the Church after the Resurrection, we could also exclaim, “We are a Pentecost People!” That means we are a people powered by the Holy Spirit.

In a Pentecost Sunday homily, Pope Francis reminded the faithful that on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit transformed “timid disciples from fearful men, ‘huddled behind closed doors,’ to bold men who ‘bear witness to [Jesus]’.”

He was describing what happened following Jesus’ Resurrection, when the Apostles were often behind locked doors, afraid of the Jewish authorities. It was here that Jesus appeared to them for the first time.

During the next forty days, though Jesus continued to appear to them, some of the Apostles went back to their old lives as fisherman. On one occasion, Jesus appeared and told them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for “the promise of the Father,” which Jesus had spoken about.

I often wondered if he got wind of some of them planning to leave town!

It was after the Apostles witnessed Jesus’ Ascension that things began to change. They gathered together in the Upper Room, with Mary and some other women, to pray. They probably remembered Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit would come after Jesus went back to his Father.

It was then that the Holy Spirit arrived in wind and tongues of flame, transforming the ordinary disciples of Christ into bold, courageous proclaimers of the Gospel. On that day, Peter, once a fisherman with no higher education, the Apostle who, motivated by fear, denied he even knew Jesus after Jesus was arrested, rose to his feet and preached with the power of the Holy Spirit and 3,000 people were baptized. The Church was born.

While many lessons on Pentecost focus on the images of wind and flames and the color red, all of which are meaningful, I believe that the story of Pentecost can encourage today’s youth to have faith in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

In another Pentecost Sunday homily Pope Francis stresses that the Holy Spirit “sets our lives in order. He teaches us to accept one another, to forgive one another and to forgive ourselves; he teaches us to be reconciled with the past. And to set out anew.”

Teaching Pentecost in the classroom:

Your RCL Benziger grade-level texts will have excellent, valuable lessons on Pentecost. For middle school students and older, consider adding a conversation on transformation to the lesson. Be sure to include the story of Peter’s transformation.

• Can people change what’s in their hearts and minds? How does that happen? Has that ever happened to you or someone you know? How do you think the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Holy Trinity, can help you accept one another, forgive one another, forgive yourself, reconcile with past hurts and mistakes, and start out fresh?

• Add this brief prayer from Pope Francis as you begin each day: ‘Come, Holy Spirit, come into my heart, come into my day.’

For Teachers: Wisdom from two saints. In his own message for Pentecost Sunday 2001, St. Pope John Paul II shared the words of St. John XXIII about the power of the Holy Spirit. – "The light of the Holy Spirit breaks forth from the first words of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.... The intense movement of the divine Spirit precedes and accompanies the evangelizers and breaks into the souls of those who listen, while extending the confines of the Catholic Church to the ends of the earth, allowing her to traverse all the centuries of history" (Discorsi Messaggi Colloqui del S. Padre Giovanni XXIII, II, p. 398).

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.