www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall My students

Dear Friends,

I've been thinking about this simulated confession experiment and believe it can be done with some fruit.

I won't, of course, discuss any sins that are controversial or off-colour.

That stuff I save for the Forum . . .

I honestly think that these kids have no idea what is done in confession. Perhaps that is uncharitable, but I've no intention of being so - I've already been asked questions by them that are so basic, I had to swallow to give myself some time to ponder if they were serious or not . . .

So rather than go on my merry way and theorize, we're going to do some "hands on" stuff!

As Diak has suggested, we'll then graduate to seeing how we can do the horologion (Fr. Deacon Lance's schema will doubtless prove invaluable).

They want to learn how to pray the rosary and I'll go through the method I find most helpful, with a few words included in each prayer to call attention to the mystery being considered (as St Seraphim of Sarov did, he used the Troparia related to the mysteries he meditated on at the beginning or end of each decade).

They seem to be mystified by the rosary beads - I'm trying to get them the knotted cord rosary and will teach them to pray the Jesus Prayer simultaneously.

So what I've learned so far is that stories work better than anything else in teaching religion, personal experiences included, and a hands-on, "how to" approach is better than just words where it's hard to imagine the actual context.

Alex

Alex - you are so correct here - you cannot assume they know anything.

The snag is we all have to find our own best method of handing on the information.

I well remember having the job of teaching contraception to a mixed group of 15 yr olds - don't shudder - it worked out well.

The School Staff and I had discussed it pretty comprehensively beforehand - my Employers - the Health Board insisted it was to be done - Catholic School or not - so we did it. If I had not been willing to do it - the health Board would have sent in a team of "Health Educators " and that we were not prepared to accept.


We started off by teaching fertility awareness - that fascinated them - they drank all that in - and of course the teaching of the Church went in almost painlessly. Once the scientific background was in and basically understood we could go ahead.

The next session was on Contraception - taught by me - a mixed class too - and we were fairly certain that they were ,in some cases , not without sexual experiences either. So I just started - took each method and gave how it worked , the pros and the cons - very matter of fact. I held nothing back - they got it all. Once we got to the topic of IUCDs they were starting to talk - and that one horrifed them - a sexually active boy just shouted out at me - "Sister that's abortion ! " I agreed with him but hastily reminded him that he need not worry about his girl friend committing murder if he was not sexually active. The class collapsed - in laughter I might add - no one was embarrassed and the teaching had well and truly gone in.

This was a very successful method and we repeated it. Several of the kids came to me afterwards and thanked me for doing it that way - they said I treated them as adults not kids - they appreciated that I was not embarrassed doing it with them and wished they had heard it done like that before.

You can teach anything - with the right approach - and as long as the students trust you.

Anhelyna

You need to teach them about confession, especially what it should be. A problem here is that if you don't like what you hear from one priest, go a couple of miles and confess to another priest who will tell you that you are doing nothing wrong. Word has really gotten around as to what priests to avoid, and they are usually the priests who uphold traditional church moral teachings.

Dear Anhelyna,

Some of my kids told me about Britney Spears wearing a rosary . . .

My reaction was an immediate "Well, I can see her being on her knees, but not to pray . . ."

Everyone had an exceedingly good laugh, including the adults in the crowd . . .

This levity earned me at least two more good hours of undivided attention from them! We went on to discuss the proper use of the rosary and that is when I heard requests asking to explain how the rosary is prayed!

I know there are those who don't like that kind of levity and there are even those here who have reported me for it (I forgive those posters, by the way).

But one further thing I've learned is that if you are overly serious, you'll get nowhere with today's kids. The context in which I said the above was the correct one - the forum may not be.

Alex

Dear Charles,

You raise a very good point.

But I have had the experience of going to confession to priests who, in one case in particular, spent all my time teaching me sex education.

I didn't appreciate that and after I was finished, I wondered if I should go to confession again . . .

I've told my students that when it comes to God's commandments, "No" means "No."

But if one comes across a priest that is just not for us, is unwilling to listen etc., one should find another.

I'm trying to get them to eventually obtain a regular confessor. Perhaps building a relationship with a priest-confessor will make the whole idea of confession less daunting.

What have we go to lose by trying different things?

Alex

Alex wrote:
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"But if one comes across a priest that is just not for us, is unwilling to listen etc., one should find another".
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Amen!