Time, Treasure and Talent  October 2008

by Laura Esposito

October--the time of the year when we make many turns. Turning the clocks back, leaves on the trees turning colors, turning the heat on at home. Make it a time for your children to turn their hearts and minds to time, treasure, and talent.

How can they spend more time serving others? How can they spend their time in prayer? Look to your parish or school service programs and find what service your class could offer. Some ideas include making cards, place mats, or rosary beads for shut-ins, hospital patients, prison ministry, homeless, or veterans.

How can they share their talents? Challenge them to sing, sew, draw, read, rake, cook... the list could go on and on. So many parish and school ministries need people who can do all of the above. You as a catechist are the conduit who will connect the needs of the poor, the challenged, the lonely, the sick, the hopeless and restore their dignity and faith by simply turning your children's attention away from "ME" and towards "WE."

How can they donate their treasure? Collect money  for the Missions, clothing for clothes drives, food for the food bank. "Adopt" a family and buy their Thanksgiving dinner. Take an ornament from the giving tree and buy a present for a child at Christmas, or buy gas or hone cards and donate them to needy families or veterans.

Henry Ford once said, "Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." Invite your students to turn their attention to the needs of the neediest and you will ignite their flame as servants of the Master Servant.

By Laura Esposito, DRE

St. Denis, Hopewell Junction, NY