We began our Lenten mission today. I helped facilitate and I don't know what to think. I'm confused. I'd say I failed but we were only given 15 minutes to discuss, or share, and how to do that wasn't explained.
We are doing Fr. Robert Barron's Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Lively Virtues. We chose to do the four session plan. The directions say to refrain from teaching or sharing yourself. Let the members express themselves.
The directions also say to use the New American Bible and the Catechism. Lesson One has nine questions, which the members haven't done, and don't know about.
Get this, I have 15 minutes to discuss/share, yet not teach, 9 questions referencing the Bible and Catechism.
It never happened.
I began by giving out name tags and introducing ourselves. That took ten minutes. Yikes! five minutes left. I figured I can't get into the 9 questions, so I talked about having the Bible and Catechism.
Some background--I lugged my backpack to the Lenten mission, jammed packed with my New American Bible and six Catechisms. I held up my Bible and no one had a problem. I explained that Vatican II asked for a new Catechism to be devised. I held up the 1992 CCC. I held up the more handy size CCC 1997 edition. I held up the second edition CCC 2000. I held up the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults 2007. Someone asked, why the US edition? I explained that our culture has questions that those in Africa (for example) don't care about. I held up the Compendium Catechism of the Catholic Church 2009. Finally, I held up YouCat 2010.
Now, two people are making demands. "Why the US edition?"
And all hell breaks out. Everyone wants to know, how back in the day everyone had Latin Mass and everyone understood it no matter where you went.
Remember I'm not suppose to be teaching. They are suppose to be sharing.
Well, they're doing that. But the topic was PRIDE.
And time was up.
Since they were interested in the Latin Mass, I talked about my experiences with the Latin Mass, from what I remember as a child, from going to local solemn high Masses, and traditional Latin low Masses.
That's when the pastor walked in and sat down.
#$^%&**!!!!
Here we're supposed to be talking about PRIDE and we're "chit chatting" about Latin Mass. "Uh,oh!"
God bless Father Al. He deftly guided the conversation as to how the Latin Mass can be a beautiful expression of worship. However, a priest could very easily slip into PRIDE, when he adds his personal touches, to his interpretation as to what the Latin Mass should be.
And the opposite of PRIDE is HUMILITY. I learned not only the virtue of humility in accepting Father's redirection of the discussion, but also the difference between facilitating and teaching.
We are doing Fr. Robert Barron's Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Lively Virtues. We chose to do the four session plan. The directions say to refrain from teaching or sharing yourself. Let the members express themselves.
The directions also say to use the New American Bible and the Catechism. Lesson One has nine questions, which the members haven't done, and don't know about.
Get this, I have 15 minutes to discuss/share, yet not teach, 9 questions referencing the Bible and Catechism.
It never happened.
I began by giving out name tags and introducing ourselves. That took ten minutes. Yikes! five minutes left. I figured I can't get into the 9 questions, so I talked about having the Bible and Catechism.
Some background--I lugged my backpack to the Lenten mission, jammed packed with my New American Bible and six Catechisms. I held up my Bible and no one had a problem. I explained that Vatican II asked for a new Catechism to be devised. I held up the 1992 CCC. I held up the more handy size CCC 1997 edition. I held up the second edition CCC 2000. I held up the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults 2007. Someone asked, why the US edition? I explained that our culture has questions that those in Africa (for example) don't care about. I held up the Compendium Catechism of the Catholic Church 2009. Finally, I held up YouCat 2010.
Now, two people are making demands. "Why the US edition?"
And all hell breaks out. Everyone wants to know, how back in the day everyone had Latin Mass and everyone understood it no matter where you went.
Remember I'm not suppose to be teaching. They are suppose to be sharing.
Well, they're doing that. But the topic was PRIDE.
And time was up.
Since they were interested in the Latin Mass, I talked about my experiences with the Latin Mass, from what I remember as a child, from going to local solemn high Masses, and traditional Latin low Masses.
That's when the pastor walked in and sat down.
#$^%&**!!!!
Here we're supposed to be talking about PRIDE and we're "chit chatting" about Latin Mass. "Uh,oh!"
God bless Father Al. He deftly guided the conversation as to how the Latin Mass can be a beautiful expression of worship. However, a priest could very easily slip into PRIDE, when he adds his personal touches, to his interpretation as to what the Latin Mass should be.
And the opposite of PRIDE is HUMILITY. I learned not only the virtue of humility in accepting Father's redirection of the discussion, but also the difference between facilitating and teaching.
