My Dream Religious Ed Program

I’m a parent of four. I’m also a pastoral minister. If I could wave a magic wand and conjure up my dream Religious Ed program out of thin air, here are a few things I would want.

First of all, the DRE would no longer be called the DRE. The new job title would be: Coordinator of Disciple Formation, or something like that. This would represent a paradigm shift in the way we think about our “end goal.” We’re in the business of forming disciples in a hostile world, after all.

Then, I would love to see the parish have 5 priorities:

Priority 1: A Team of Intercessory Prayer Warriors to Pray for the Children

The team’s one and only job is to pray for the well being of the church’s children. Use all means necessary, including social media or a schedule with email reminders. Each day could have its own, very brief, prayer, such as the Hail Mary, the St. Michael the Archangel Prayer, Prayer to Guardian Angels. Target the parents and grandparents! And parish groups, such as the Rosary Guild, Knights, etc. and assign them the special task of praying and fasting for the parish’s children, specifically for protection. Take prayer requests! Someone’s grades are slipping? Someone’s being bullied? The parish has it covered in prayer.

Priority 2: Trust the Liturgy to do its Job

Look. We’re useless at forming disciples if we’re not making our parish a “school of prayer.” Remember Jesus’ words to his floundering disciples, “Could you not stay with me for even one hour?” Oh my goodness. Look at what we’ve done with our Religious Ed programs! It’s like we’ve collectively turned to God and said, “Hey, You’re a good guy…but this Mass thing? I know You came up with the idea, but the kids are bored and the parents aren’t bringing them anyway. So we’re going to come up with a bunch of other things instead, okay? Like coloring pages. And puppets. And stuff.”

So…I would love to see parish religious ed programs shift focus to the liturgy in two ways:

1) Get out of the way and allow the Liturgy to teach. Put a ton of energy into teaching children about the Mass and how everything in it points to Jesus. Put smart things in place, like specially designed Missals for kids. No need to water any of it down. Bring on the hymns, the incense, and vocal prayers. The liturgy is full of color, smells, sounds, and movement. Children are not stupid; they can actually learn what all this stuff means. If we teach them about the Mass and Adoration, and teach them how to participate, you might be surprised by how deeply it affects their little souls. And it’s not us doing that, it’s the work of God. Why are we blocking His way?

2) Children must attend Sunday Mass with their families regularly. *

No Mass means no sacraments. (Cue the wailing and gnashing of teeth.) I’m a parent of four. I get it that it’s difficult to roust the little dears out of bed on a Sunday morning. I know what it’s like to have a non-Catholic spouse who grumbles at the thought. I understand that kids get restless, and that you don’t hear any of the homily because you’re wrestling someone out from underneath the pew and/or sprinting up the aisle to keep the toddler from launching himself onto the altar. But, listen. Catholicism is about Jesus. Jesus is present in the Eucharist. And, if the Eucharist is the “source and summit of our faith,” why isn’t Mass attendance the FIRST priority when it comes to “religious instruction?” Rather, we’ve been unwittingly sending a message that it is the workbooks that matter most. “Finish two years worth of workbooks and you’re good to go!” Nope! It’s actually your relationship with Jesus that matters most—and He is present in the Mass He left us. How can we form disciples if they’re not coming to know their Lord in the Eucharist?

*An exception could be made for non-Catholic parents so they feel welcome and included and wanted. Ideally, the parish would need to have some kind of “net” program for non-Catholic folks, such as Discovering Christ or similar experience, but one with a basic introduction to the kerygma and discipleship, along with a small Christian community component for fellowship. This would dovetail into the RCIA program.

Priority 3: Reinforce the Kerygma Over and Over and Over and Over Again

I mean this. Drive the following points home. People can’t hear it enough. Whenever you have the children (and parents) captive, work these three points into the conversation:

1) "God made you and He has a plan for you. You are created to be unique and beautiful, and no one can take that away from you unless you let them."

2) "Sin will destroy you. Period. Get it out of your life. Now. Today. Every day."

3) "Jesus is your Savior. There's nothing else that can save you. There’s no distance He won’t go for you. Respond to Him! There is no true joy without Him, so make a relationship with Him your life’s priority."

Priority 4: Simple, Christ-Centered Curriculum

My dream curriculum would have lessons that center completely around the Gospels. Literally. It would be a Scripture-based curriculum. Sort of a huge, systematic modified Lectio Divina approach for kids. Kids LOVE stories. They learn through stories and pictures, and do not the Gospels present us with the very image of Christ? We’re overwhelming them at too early an age with all kinds of miscellaneous Churchy facts. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a doctrine person. I LOVE doctrine. I am really into our 2,000 year-old intellectual tradition. I do not think there’s a dichotomy between “head and heart,” between “doctrine and relationship.” But, I think we’re throwing way too much at kids at once and we need to simplify our curriculums. Our children are losing sight of WHO it’s all about and hence, they’re unable to form a deeply intimate and personal relationship with their Savior.

So, if I were to write a spiral curriculum (and I just might one day), I would go through Jesus’ life chronologically. I would break open each Gospel scene in developmentally appropriate way (presenting a kid-friendly Christology) AND include a life application component! I would have the children work with their teachers to memorize short verses that they should know by heart so they can conjure them up as they go through life. Of all the doctrine, I would initially focus on only two areas to integrate: Sacraments/Liturgy and the Ten Commandments. Sacraments and liturgy are encounters with the Good Shepherd, and the Ten Commandments are the fence posts to keep wandering sheep in the fold. Then, as they get older, begin to rope in other aspects of doctrine.

Priority 5: Feast Days with a Lot of Play

Teach the children how to be joyful Christians! Throw a lot of parties--big parish-wide parties with food and goodies to celebrate the feast days of the saints. Maybe one Saturday or Sunday a month; take a look at the liturgical calendar and pick a saint to celebrate. Start with Mass, with a tiny catechesis on the Creed; followed by food, fellowship, and a two-minute talk about the saint. Cleverly integrated family catechesis? Yes, but also a community builder—and the perfect way of communicating the joy of the Resurrection and the reality of heaven.