Breaking through Apathy, Catechetical Enemy #1

Sometime last year I participated in Eucharistic adoration with a little praise & worship music thrown in; I helped with the musical side of it.  Being in the front, I had a clear view of the whole church--and the kids who, by their body language, couldn't care less about what was happening.  I don't mean that in a judgmental way; there's no way I could possibly know what was going on in their mind or their soul.  Were seeds planted?  Were they interiorly enjoying it while exteriorly loathing it?  Who knows...

I found out later that day that the adoration was specifically for a confirmation class.  After learning that, I wasn't surprised.  Sorry folks!  The teachers of those classes and the associated youth ministers are great.  They do something very difficult and thankless.  The kids?  Man.  I've volunteered with confirmation class kids in religious education/youth group in multiple parishes, three in Oregon and one in California.  My experience at adoration was entirely consistent with all three parishes.

Here's how I'd summarize my confirmation class experiences to date, as a catechist:

1) For the most part, the kids were there because their parents made them.

2) Based on their level of knowledge of the faith, it seemed like most of the kids' families were not practicing.  And here I'm not critiquing an incorrect pronunciation of 'anamnesis'; it was basic matters of faith.

3) The sacrament seemed like a stamp on a passport, or a culturally expected formality.

I don't think my experiences were unique to me.  Here are some thoughts and feelings:

Sorrow.  It breaks my heart for a few reasons.  First and foremost, I have to admit, is my pride.  This is my faith, my church, and, well, my music that they're brushing off.  In addition to any selfish reasons, it's sad that a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit is treated on the same level (or worse) as an after-school club, a sports team, or any other extracurricular activity.

Something's wrong with our system...  Joanne McPortland wrote this blog post a while ago that ignited a maelstrom of discussion on the subject of children's catechesis.  Her main takeaway is a good one: if the parents & adults aren't catechized, even the most effective catechesis might not stick.  It's really simple math:  

[Religious education for one hour a week + Mass for one hour a week (hopefully) = 2 hrs/week] vs. [school all day, Mon-Fri + TV, movies + video games + sports after school and on the weekends = waaaaay more than 2 hrs/week]  

Solutions?  I'm not an expert educator, and I don't have the most extensive parish experience.  Still, I have two thoughts on what to do.

The biggest challenge, in my eyes: how do you communicate this is special?  Part of this is the witness of the teacher.  I remember from an old confirmation class years ago, one of the volunteer teachers was asked by a kid about the Catholic teaching on abortion.  She conveyed what the Church officially taught in a voice that sounded like she was rolling her eyes.  The connotation in her voice said so much more than her words!  On the other side of the coin, listen to someone like Mark Hart give a talk.  He's excited and he's very convincing that he's convinced about the truth of the Catholic faith.  In all likelihood, very few catechists have the ability/experience to be a dynamic speaker like Mark Hart.  Still, everyone who loves their faith has something they can say.

In my archdiocese, confirmation is done in high school.  At this age, I think a confirmation program ideally should have a specific goal: helping transition the kids from a child-like faith (not in the biblical sense, see Matt 18:3) to an adult faith.  How exactly to do this?  heh heh... good question... the kids should have a mix of things: experiences with different types of prayer, learning about the faith, reading the Scriptures, and frequent sacraments.  In essence, what every adult believer should have as part of their life.

I hope the landscape changes.  In the meantime, I'll be working on becoming a better witness.