Catechetical Leader | Blest Are We

O Lord, Hear Our Prayer

To truly be a welcoming parish, it is important for all areas of a parish community to be open to newcomers as well as to long-time parishioners. These newcomers may include those with different cultural or ethnic backgrounds. Their needs may well be different from those already a part of the parish. Expanding the parish’s horizons to allow for greater welcoming will nurture your growth as catechetical leaders as well as those within your care.

LITURGY AND CATECHESIS

In prayers of intercession, include responses in different languages. The above prayer response in different languages is one way to connect the unfamiliar with the familiar in liturgy. The phrase is familiar, so as participants learn the new pronunciations, they are assured of what it is they are saying.Music is another user-friendly way to introduce another language. “We are the Body of Christ/ Somos El Cuerpo De Cristo” is a beautiful bilingual song that is becoming quite familiar to many. Within your parish there are probably people who could help guide religious education participants in learning a new ethnic or cultural song. This encourages unity among generations as well as culturally.

PLANNING AHEAD

Meet with your catechists to discuss plans for a parish-wide celebration of an ethnic feast, such as Our Lady of Guadalupe; or observances, such as Saint Nicholas [Swedish and German], Posada [Spanish, Mexican], the blessing of food [Polish, Ukrainian], or another event of importance to members within your parish community.
Discuss ways to involve parish families in a parish-wide celebration as a sign of hospitality, welcoming, and parish unity. In planning, be sure to include family members of the ethnic or cultural group that will be featured in the event.
Families need support in connecting Christian values to decisions they make in their daily lives. The parish community can support these decisions just as families accept the challenge that the Gospel places before them in the modern world.
Parents need help to keep their children connected to the good and beautiful aspects of life. The parish community, with its many examples of caring and giving, reflects God’s creative goodness.
Listen to families and value their uniqueness. Compliment and affirm their strengths as you support them in their efforts to raise children as members of the one Catholic Church diverse though it be.
Encourage families to take advantage of the opportunities offered in the BLEST ARE WE Take Home Family Time pages at the beginning of each chapter, to connect with their children’s religious education. See Family Time for Take Home pages in Spanish, Polish, Vietnamese, Portuguese, and English.
Invite parents to participate in their children’s religious education by sharing their ethnic traditions and holiday celebrations. Remind them that family members can be a wonderful teaching resource.
Watch for the “Cultural Awareness” icon that appears frequently throughout the Catechist Guide. Each icon highlights an opportunity to increase in understanding of others.

Ordinarily, the Christian family is the first experience for children of a Christian community and remains the primary environment for growth in faith (National Directory for Catechesis #29D). Our goal as catechists is to help parents and children see family life as a means toward holiness. We need to affirm the family as the primary influence on children. It is important that they participate in the religious education of their children and are offered guidance in appreciating the diversity among God’s children.

Additional articles:
Blest Are We Gathering Celebration

Blest Are We Closing Celebration