Catechist Know How October 2007

Keeping the Faith in Public

by Mary Lou Rosien

Most of our students attend public school or they wouldn’t be in Faith Formation Classes. They do not have the benefit of being in a parochial school where most of the students share their faith, or in a home-schooling atmosphere where faith is often the center of learning. Our students have a bigger challenge to maintain their faith when they are surrounded by others who do not believe nor act as they do. How can we help them to navigate a public environment while living as a Christian Catholic?

1. Be a good example. Just by showing up and taking the time to teach the faith, we have started being an example to our students. Showing them patience and kindness will make us a living example to them. Attending Mass regularly will show them that we love our faith and the Eucharist. They will see truth instead of hypocrisy when we admit our faults and struggles and seek the sacraments to overcome these things.

2. Don’t be a chameleon. Do I talk the talk, but shut my mouth if challenged publicly? Am I afraid to be seen at a pro-life rally? Do I fear that strangers will think me a religious nut if I pray before a meal at a restaurant? It is very hard to live our faith out in the world. I remember a time when my husband’s coworkers made a very negative comment about our openness to life. He was hurt, but he did not apologize for what he believed. He stood his ground and inspired others by his passion for his faith.

My daughter seems to have taken that lesson to heart. When a teacher repeatedly voiced an opinion that was in direct opposition to her beliefs, she wrote him a letter and offered to debate him publicly if he continued. He declined, but stopped his comments immediately.

Our students are faced with opposition to the beliefs we are teaching them everyday. They will have the courage to live their beliefs if we do.

3. Teach them to define themselves instead of letting the world define them.

St. Augustine said, “Wrong is wrong even when everyone is doing it and right is right even when no one is doing it.” As a teacher, I try to impress this idea upon my students. Just because everyone uses the phrase, “Oh, God," doesn’t mean we have to. Just because most of the other kids in 11th grade routinely lie to their parents, doesn’t mean all the 11th graders have to. Deciding who you want to be and living that way is a sign of maturity. After all, who wants to jump off a cliff just because all the other lemmings do?

4. Love the sinner, hate the sin. Practice seeing the good in all people even if you hate some of the things they do. My kids often point out to me the destructive behavior of some of their classmates (drug use, premarital sex, swearing, disobeying authority figures). To ignore these people would eliminate a lot of people in school who could potentially be friends. It is okay for our students to know these kids and even befriend them, as long as your students are not spending time with them outside of school or without proper supervision. In fact, I know of times when my own kids have confronted one of their school friends about destructive behavior and have helped those kids to change.

We can help our students to be shining lights in a very dim world. They can change the future, if we give them the faith, love, and courage to do so.

Mary Lou Rosien writes from her home in N. Chili, NY. She is the author of Managing Stress with the Help of Your Catholic Faith (OSV Publishing). Please email her with comments, questions or topics you would like to see covered at mrosien@rochester.rr.com.