The Importance of a Father's Love – A Father's Day Reminder Based on Pope Francis' Amoris Laetitia
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Are you blessed to have the privileged reward of serving as a teacher of the Catholic faith within some capacity, perhaps as a theology teacher, catechist, youth minister, RCIA instructor, DRE, or otherwise? Do you not necessarily teach within any of these capacities per se, but are still similarly honored to know someone who does? Would you like to acquire a meaningful gift as a recompense-laden peace offering for that teacher in whose class you were probably chattier than St. Thomas Aquinas with an idea preceded by a shot of espresso?
No matter your circumstances, you probably readily recognize the need for the constant spiritual nourishment that only the Lord can provide to educators in the faith. Part of our journey to (and with) the Lord is responding to his call to spread his Good News, in effect doing our best to actively participate in the New Evangelization. Our response to Christ’s call to spread his Gospel leads us to bring him into a world that is so yearning for his charity-imbued Truth. This world, of course, includes our classrooms. As such, in terms of the youth in particular, we must heed the Lord’s reminder of the special place in his heart that is reserved for the youngest ones in our midst: “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Lk 18:16; cf. Mt 19:14 and Mk 10:14).
In Room 24: Adventures of a New Evangelist (Ave Maria Press – 2016), veteran teacher, youth minister, popular speaker, and author Katie Prejean reminds us of the unique opportunity that we teachers have to evangelize on a daily basis. Over the course of 135 pages, divided neatly into ten chapters with thematically catchy titles, Prejean has composed what promises to be a pedagogical classic for Catholic educators for generations to come. Yet, what Prejean posits is far beyond mere instruction; it is a series of substantive reflections (and fun – yet ultimately purposeful – digressions) that cover both the objective and subjective points of dialogue that underscore what we must bear in mind during our efforts at evangelization in the interest of the children in the desks in front of us.
Prejean does not mince or water-down words, or provide fluffy or flimsy pseudo-affirmations; rather, she exudes wisdom as she inspires us to embark on our own quest to lead our students heavenward. To provide one example of various in which Prejean leads us to reflect on the deeper matters inherent to our role as educators: “Evangelization is the proclamation of the Truth. It is the sharing of the Gospel. Teaching Jesus to a student, neighbor, coworker, friend, or complete stranger is the most important thing any of us could ever hope to do, and as such, evangelization deserves our very best efforts. Evangelization demands excellence. This requires genuine welcoming as we invite others to a personal encounter with Christ, which then requires us to take the time to engage hard questions, build authentic relationships, and joyfully live in witness to the Truth we share and proclaim” (pg. 132).
Whether you are looking for personal inspiration in order to invigorate the scope of your own teaching, or to buy a gift for the teacher(s) in your life (perhaps as an end-of-the-year gift for your child’s favorite teacher[s]), Katie Prejean’s Room 24 encourages us to remember the joy that should be (indeed, must be) inherent to serving Mother Church by enduringly leading our students to embrace a life dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ.
A lifelong resident of the Archdiocese of Washington, Justin has taught theology and Spanish at his alma mater, Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland, since 2006.
Justin has written widely on various aspects of the Catholic faith. His books include Called to Teach: Daily Inspiration for Catholic Educators, Called to Pray: Daily Prayers for Catholic Schools, The History of the Catholic Church (a textbook), and Alleluia to Amen: The Prayer Book for Catholic Parishes. Justin is active in pro-life ministries, and serves on the volunteer board of directors for the Forestville Pregnancy Center.
Justin holds an M.A. in Spanish Language and Culture from the Universidad de Salamanca (Spain), an M.A. in International History from Staffordshire University (England), and an M.A. in Theology and Christian Ministry from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Justin has studied philosophy and theology at Seton Hall University, and Church history from the University of Notre Dame’s Satellite Theological Education Program, for whom he has likewise taught various online courses.
Justin, his wife Bernadette, and their children live in Bowie, Maryland, where they attend Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Justin is a lay member of the Order of Saint Dominic. You can follow him on Twitter (@JustinMcClainOP).
