www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization ByzanTEEN Getting youth interested in religious discussions

Dear Friends,

After reading my shenanigans on this Forum, I've been invited by an acquaintance to start teaching religion at his school.

How would you "break the ice" with youngsters?

What would you limit yourself to in discussing religion?

As for the entertainment department, I've got that covered off thanks very much . . .

Alex

Alex,

YOu would want to watch a few religious movies such as Dogma, Bruce Almighty, and of course Taras Bulba to catch their interest. Then you slowly slip in religious teachings.

At the local youth group at the RC church nearby, they like have a beach day or go play laser tag and do fun non-religious stuff then they add in some religious elements. I suppose it works because its very successful.

Best way is to go to some huuuuge Protestant church when they have youth nite and see how they attract 400+ youth weekly.

It almost seems like you have to bribe us with movies or free food or fun games to get our attention then throw in the serious stuff.

That's my humble observations.

-uc

Alex- I replied to the thread about me being at the same Liturgy as you in Toronto....

Alex,

Well I am not so certain that pulling of a charismaticesque uber protestant sort of introduction is advisable. Being as you say it is religion that you are teaching I take it this entails that it is a Catholic School. Roman or Ukrainian? Irregardless the best method I have found is to take a seemingly ever present problem; abortion; promicuity etc.... and present the problems that it causes. Not morality but rather basic sociological issue facts and figures prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that these things are logically inconsistent. Then morality and theology. Kids need to know why something is wrong and that it is wrong before they can learn what is right. I refer you good sir to Proverbs " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom." Show your students why the Church is right by showing them how wrong everyone else is. Youth are not aware of the traditions that can guide them through life as they exist in the Church but they have been so inundated witha every thing is ok mentality and your opinion is as good as mine train of thought. You will find that the average teen ager is not certain whether anyone can be completly right and that is what you have to provide them with; the Way, the Truth, and the Light. Having gone through Catholic School and now at the Catholic University of America I would be more than happy to give my opinion. A few specifiscs such as age group and thelike would be very helpful.

~Jason

I disagree. I think we have a lot to learn fromt he Protestants and their youth ministry and evangilization techniques. (of course not in theology)

Why do we have to learn from them?

Go to Sacramento, you'll see the local Ukr, Catholic parish with maybe 150 people a Sunday. Go to the many many many SLAVIC Protestant churches.... I have heared numbers given up to 150,000 Slavic Protestant faithful in that area...

The Protestants are doing something right and maybe we should take note and catch up. Kind of like Vatican II in my opinion, catching up.

From my experience, most teenagers or even adults want to give up their "free time" to learn whether their church is the true one or what not. You need to attract them with external things then add some of the internal things. I look at it kind of life our churches. You see the externals: domes, bell towers, murals and the like and people after being attracted, they want to see whats inside.

Pan Doktor Alex may kno best because he is in the field of Sociology.

Just my humble feelings.

-uc

Dear Friends,

Pan Doktor or not , I'm open to all suggestions!

It is difficult to get the attention of youth.

I was at a Ukie school graduation and the valedictorian came up to me and said he remembers me when I taught him religion in grade school.

He said he still remembers my stories . . .

I like to use story-telling, a kind of simplistic parable, if you like

When I once asked a class of high schoolers why they looked so tired on a Saturday morning, they said it was because their parents don't give them any breakfast (!).

So I took them, right then and there, to the neighbouring Ukie bakery for breakfast - they were wildly appreciative and their parents later called me to thank me for being 'so considerate."

Too bad it wasn't closer to evening - I could have taken them to a pub for beer and hamburgers and could have made some priestly and moanstic vocations . . .

I want to be their friend and I think it is important to talk about the moral issues of the day.

They go home and continue to talk with their parents. I now have some parents coming in with their kids to see what kind of religion class I'm running . . .

Unfortunately, the parents have started putting up their hands to participate in the discussions.

I don't think the principal would like that if she found out.

I don't want to report this - what should I do?

Alex

To: Orthodox Catholic:

Three cheers for you that you agreed to teach!
And I will keep you in my prayers this coming academic year. (I assume you will start this fall, although you did not say that.)

An observation: When I taught high school religious education, it was for the students. I found they felt freer to ask question, make comments or answer my question if their parents were NOT present. (Perhaps the parents show up to MAKE SURE you are teaching correctly. I know one BCC parish with a large SSPX group and some parents would be very vigilent that no Orthodox "stuff" was being taught. But I don't think you have that problem there.)

Also: yes, I'd include the "morals" of our contemporary society, but not focus on them. IMHO, I'd focus on Jesus Christ. I think our high school students do not know HIM, and that is sad.

I personally do not worry about entertaining them. They have enough entertainment in their lives. Give them what they cannot get elsewhere!


By the way, taking them to that special bakery was a terrific idea.

Dramatizing Gospel stories and the Acts of the Apostles gets them physically and emotionally involved. Asking them to help a lower grade dramatize the Gospels for their parents is even better. And I think teens like to compete in verbal/Q & A games, art contests, or other contests.

If you teach 1/4 as well as you post here, your students will be blessed indeed!!

:p

Dear MB,

You are too kind!

Actually, I was giving this some thought and believe that the students could use with some insight into monastic community life, as well as liturgical issues.

I'm doing up a course plan that I have to present to the principal soon and I'll see what she says.

Alex

A few weeks ago the Parma Eparchy featured an article about our youth group in Homer Glen, Illinois. Father and his team of youth workers have developed a ministry to the homeless on Lower Wacker Drive in Chicago. It's just one of many things which when coupled with solid teaching makes for a very strong youth group at our Church.

Dan Lauffer

Our parish in Homer Glenn has as Dan said a great youth group. Some ways we get interested in doing things that we can enjoy while helping others.We have a ByzanTEEN youth council where council members-including myself- represent other teens and we actually get to plan activities. We are just starting to plan a great one day camp for our ECF classes. I think that the youth are more interested when we actually get to do the planning.it is a great way to be involved in the youth group and the church churhc community.
-Katie g

The method I discuss the church with younger peoiple is first talk about Jesus Christ and his actions on Earth. Who was he, what did teach? What were his actions? As I proceed, I weave in elements about the church and how they relate to Jesus. What does a particular Holy Day represent, or a particular part of the liturgy in relation to Christ? From knowledge of the church and its traditions, I weave in the elements of a good Christian life.

Jesus leads to the church and the church to the ways of a good Christian life through the Sacraments which a gift from Him.

IF YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH THEY WILL COME!

There is a group in the Roman Catholic Church called the Dead Theologian Society.

"DTS is designed for you. Its goal is to introduce you to the Saints, our older brothers and sisters in Christ. The Saints are praying for you -- even now! In living their lives here on earth, the Saints also left us a great gift -- their writings and the example of their lives. You see, the only way to heaven is by loving God above all else. But just how do we do that? Well, the Saints figured it out. They in turn will tell us - if we listen to them and learn what they have to say. DTS is the greatest and most awesome way to "hear" from the Saints!" http://www.dtsroom.com/young_people.html

I knew Mike Barone from his living here in Birmingham and working at EWTN. He is on fire for Jesus and kids. In fact a Salesian, Brother Chrales, was his mentor, and had a group totally sold out to Jesus His Church and Blessed Mother,. He has been on Life on the Rock with it several times.

I think it would be wonderful in a way to adapt some of the things they use in this program to working with kids and teaching them about the Early Church Fathers and so on.

For their purpose, they use an old room in the church that can be totally theirs and give it the setting of an old monastery. Giving it the atmosphere as things would have been when the early theologians were writing. Also, I belive Mike got the idea somewhat from the movie Dead Poets Society.

Anyway, a new year is approaching or is here. Thought this might be something of interest that could be adapted and used or join them..,

Rose

Dear Friends,

Just a note to say that I finally came through to my niece and nephew!

My niece was reading quite a nasty book about religion and I gave her the Catechism and some other books, including the psalms.

I am proud to say they are now reading them, and are starting to pray the psalms - they call me to ask me questions too!!

I've never been happier!

Alex

That is really awesome news! i dont think there is any others words to use other than Awesome!

Dear Alex, +May HE be your lesson! First let me tell you that young people are incredibly open and looking for the Truth and YOU know the answer already: The Lord Jesus IS that Truth! So you already know the goal: to give them an experience of HIM Who is the Truth. Now, the methods are many and various. You need to use the one that you are most comfortable with. One real necessity is: you MUST know their music! My first year teaching in high school (1973) a student in my first class asked me about a group and I had NO slight idea who they were (after all, I'd been in the monastery for 8 years without a radio!)...let me tell you, it took me months and months to win them back...but with His help I did. So know their music and know their language...not that it's going to become yours, but you have to be able to understand them when they speak to ya bro...again...if you can't use their language every now 'n then, you're dead in the water.

Now...present them with their subject: Christ. They'll experience Him best and recognized Him quickest as He comes in their midst as the all accepting and loving man. From there, you can bring them to discovering Him as not only the Lord, but as THEIR Lord and THEIR Saviour. I found one VERY great means to the end was experiencial excerises. Anything that gives young people an experience of Christ is going to be VERY important. The movie ST. JOHN'S GOSPEL might eventually be a good source.

In the end, YOU will be their best source...because you will teach them most by what YOU ARE and WHAT YOU YOURSELF BELIEVE. If you are firm but kind...understanding and open...warm and welcoming...knowledgable and humble, etc...in other words, if you can BE Christ in their midst...then they will be on their way to discovering Him in their own lives and within! It's an awesome task, but I think one that you ARE up for. P.S. Honesty above all else and in everything!

A Rabbi once said to me (when he heard that the Jesuits were interested in going more into social work and getting OUT of teaching): "Father, don't they realize that there is nothing more priestly than teaching?" There isn't anything higher than what you're being asked to do! I shall pray for you!

In His great love for us all,
+Father Archimandrite Gregory

Father, bless!

I've come to realize that what we communicate to people who ask us questions about Christ and His Church can never be our own personalities (or in my case, my entertainment value, whatever that is . . . ).

It HAS to be the Grace of Christ which should flow from us to them.

Kissing your right hand, I again gratefully implore your blessing,

Your unworthy servant,

Alex