Eight Be Cs for Effective Catechesis

By Sr. Marie Roccapriore, MPF 1. . ". #. Be Christ-centered Be C!ear Be Consistent Be Concrete $. %. '. ). Be Creative Be Co&passionate Be Charita(!e Be Catechetica!

1. *o (e Christ-centered is to ref!ect o+r o,n persona! !ove for Christ and to ref!ect -od.s !ove for the chi!dren. . *o (e c!ear is to (e si&p!e and concise in o+r teaching. Si&p!icity co&es fro& (eing prepared. /e need to (e direct and to 0no, o+r s+(1ect &atter. ". *o (e consistent, deve!op a genera! pattern for teaching so that &ost of the ti&e chi!dren 0no, ,hat to e2pect. 3ariety is i&portant too, (+t so is repetition. 4n fact, repetition is essentia! to !earning. So don.t (e afraid to repeat. #. *o (e concrete is to +se !ots of e2a&p!es, to re!ate ,hatever one is teaching to the ,or!d the chi!d 0no,s. $. *o (e creative is to +se one.s i&agination and other persona! gifts in one.s teaching and to dra, on the i&agination and persona! gifts of the chi!dren. %. *o (e co&passionate is to care a(o+t each chi!d, to a!!o, for individ+a! differences as ,e!! as c!ass needs, to (e patient. '. *o (e charita(!e is to (e 0ind, to anticipate chi!dren.s needs, to give the& the opport+nity to gro, in charity the&se!ves (y c+!tivating in the& tho+ghtf+!ness of others. ). *o (e catechetica! is to (e evange!istic. *o catechi5e or evange!i5e is to reach

o+t not on!y to the chi!dren, (+t thro+gh the& to their fa&i!ies. Every !esson sho+!d incorporate prayer, Bi(!e, !it+rgy, and doctrine.

Sr. Marie Roccapriore is 6RE, 7+r 8ady of Mt. Car&e! Parish, Meriden, C*.