Catechist Know How October 2009

Extra feature: "Should Catholics 'Do the Dare'"»

All Souls Day

by Mary Lou Rosien

 As I ponder All Souls Day, I think of my dear friend Rosie who passed away a few weeks ago.  She was 85 years old and used to joke that she was better off than most old folks, because she still didn’t need a walker to get around.  

I met Rosie over ten years ago when my (then) fifteen-year-old son befriended her at a Bible Study. She was a four-foot-9-inch powerhouse with pure white hair. Rosie had a late-in-life conversion and wasn’t familiar with using the Bible. My son, Daniel, helped her find the chapter and verse being discussed. From that day on, “Little Rosie,” was a friend to my family. To me, she became more than that, she was my mentor.

Sometimes she would surprise us with her amazing sauce, other times with a pumpkin chocolate chip cake that rivaled most bakeries, but the most valuable thing Little Rosie ever gave us was perspective.

The last year of her life Rosie became very confused. She would call me demanding that I take her to the bank saying, “Someone is taking my money.” It was sad to see her losing her grip on current issues, but she never lost her memories of the past.

When I would struggle with my kids she would gently reminded me that I should remain grateful that they have such spirit. She would share with me stories of her own youth and the trouble she gave her own parents.

When I was angry with my husband, she would wistfully talk about her dearest husband who died at an early age and left her missing him for the rest of her life. Rosie helped me to overlook the inconveniences and appreciate all that my husband is.

She shared stories of the depression and of her wonderful Papa and Mama.  She told me about how honorable her parents were and how they always gave to others even when they had little to give.  Rosie reminded me what was important in life; she shared her life lessons with me without reservation.  

One of the last times I saw her was Christmas. I brought my kids to the nursing home to see her.  As a gift, my ten-year-old daughter played the clarinet for her.  Her Papa used to play the clarinet and it brought tears of joy and memories to her.  I felt so blessed to be able to give her the gift of a memory when she had given me so much.

Rosie used to say, “When I die, I am gonna thank my Jesus for sending me my Mary Lou to be my friend.”  Rosie, I thank God everyday for sending you to me. You are a truly dear soul; I love you and I miss you.

Ways to help our students celebrate All Souls Day:

• Have a prayer service or Mass for those who have touched our lives.
• Encourage them to develop a mentor relationship with someone (such as an adopt-a-grandparent program) or to become a mentor themselves (big brother/sister program).
• Remind them that some people in Purgatory have no one to pray for them and ask them to include those special souls in their daily prayers

Should Catholics do the Dare?

By Mary Lou Rosien

Should Catholics do the Dare? I recently interviewed one of the co-creators of the hit movie, Fireproof. It was an incredible experience and I was very impressed with this man, Stephen Kendrick. He and his brother are currently working on a new work as a follow-up to their best-selling book, "The Love Dare". This one, "The Love Dare Bible Study," uses the idea of the love dare to work with small groups to better understand scripture and God's plan for marriage.

Stephen and Alex Kendrick are Bible-based Christians who do work in many areas of ministry, including marriage. They want to help strengthen marriages and faith in Christ. A very noble endeavor. However, Bible studies that are not specifically Catholic can pose a certain risk to Catholics who are not well-versed in their own faith.

For example: Whose interpretation are we to trust? The Bible was put together by the Catholic Church in about the year 300 A.D. (a fact most Christians and Catholic Christians do not realize). The Church provides a basic understanding of the complex stories and issues represented in Sacred Scripture. It is not that the Church doesn’t think common folk are not smart enough to interpret scripture for themselves. The thinking is that the Church is being led by the Holy Spirit in these matters.

If seven different non-denominational preachers read the same piece of Scripture, you will receive seven different opinions of what it means.....not so with the Catholic Church. One authority leads her in all things, including understanding Scripture.

Catholics are in an interesting position in dealing with many popular Christian trends. Take for example, "The Purpose Driven Life", by Rick Warren. I enjoyed the book and got a lot out of it. I think a lot of Catholics would find the same, but if an individual studies the Catechism, especially the passages on the Beatitudes, he might come to many of the same conclusions. So is the idea really new, or just new to Christians who haven’t studied Catholicism?

Two of my children belong to a non-denominational Bible study. They have made wonderful friendships with like-minded young people. I am grateful for these children in my kids’ lives. These connections help them to stay strong in a secular school environment.

Still, my husband and I have taught them to bring questions to us if what they hear differs from what they think the Catholic Church teaches. We own a copy of "The Catechism of the Catholic Church" and we encourage them to look up things when they have questions. We teach them to find common ground with all Christians, while always praying that the Lord reveals the truth to them. We are blessed to have the ‘fullness of faith,’ the Holy Spirit to lead our Church, why would we ignore the gift that the Lord has given us?

Mary Lou Rosien is the author of Managing Stress with the Help of your Catholic Faith (OSV Publishing). Write to her at mrosien@rochester.rr.com.