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Rebecca
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| Posted: July 17 2006 at 8:30pm | IP Logged
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Maybe that is a silly title for a post but what I am wondering is whether your children memorize the St. Joseph's Baltimore Catechism questions/answers or do you assume that your children are submerged in catechism from growing up in a Catholic home that celebrates the liturgical year, attends Mass, etc.
I have mainly been assuming that my children will soak it up in the same way that they soak up other things. But, I have been rethinking this lately and wanted the advice of this board.
When my oldest son made his First Holy Communion, I was semi-following Laura Berquist's curriculum and he memorized the First Communion Catechism as well as doing some hands on projects as well. After the FHC, we have used F & L as well as many hands on projects and picture books/saint stories.
I have a mentor who has seven children, four of whom are grown and on their own. Her son went off to Catholic University a couple years ago and when home on break mentioned to her how grateful he was that she had him memorize the ST.JBC because knowing the answers by heart has helped him out of many a sticky spot in his own faith and in sharing with others, especially now that he is in college.
Any thoughts on this from mothers with older children? Any regrets that you did or did not encourage the practice of memorization?
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JennGM
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| Posted: July 17 2006 at 9:01pm | IP Logged
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Rebecca,
I was just thinking about this aspect of our faith, in relation to the Family Prayer Life-Philosophical thread. When Gwen mentioned about rote prayer and how we can fall back on it when we are in a dry spout, I thought about how having those memorized Q&A from the Catechism was a similar thing. It's a great comfort and guide in rough times, in muddled thinking times. They are also great springboards to start things rolling. Just some rambling thoughts I had the past few days.
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Lavenderfields
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| Posted: July 17 2006 at 9:49pm | IP Logged
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Hmmm, this is an interesting thought. I had my two oldest memorize the Catechism in 2nd grade for First Holy Communion. I have to admit, that is all we did. I was still learning myself. My ds 23, does not attend Church, and even says he doesn't remember any of the Catechism, Rosary and even some prayers. My ds 20 attends Church and prays the Rosary, but I wouldn't say he has a good grasp of his Religion.
As we have progressed through homeschooling and I have grown in my faith, I have done things differently with the last 4. We attend daily Mass, read from the Bible, Faith & Life, Marilyn Hunt books, and other books I have come across. These 4 dc have a far greater grasp of the faith then their brothers have. Even my dd 6 knows more and feels more in her heart that her older brother.
I think this has more to do with attending Daily Mass than with anything else. We pray more as a family than we did with the two older boys. They have gotten to pray for their Father's conversion and have seen him come into the Church.
All this to say, I think rote memorization can be good, but I don't see a need for my dc at this time. I hope I don't feel differently when they are grown.
God Bless
Robynn in Lancaster, CA
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ALmom
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| Posted: July 17 2006 at 10:25pm | IP Logged
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We did not spend every year memorizing the catechism - but we did do this (not exclusively of course) during 2nd FHC prep, again in 6th grade and again during the Confirmation prep year. We also did more technical type learning in high school using Fr. Laux and CCC and church documents. We discussed the catechism, reviewed what had been learned in previous years and then did some more traditional testing of the memorized catechism or other texts. Now, we are not absolute gurus about word for word (although often there is quite a bit of technical vocabulary that fine tune the meaning - so we would discuss why each important word was important - what clarification it brought to the whole discussion, but I did expect them to know it and be able to apply that it some way. I cannot tolerate years of nothing but memorization - I'd rather spread it out more gently - but review it enough to know it is in long term memory. Spending too much time only memorizing leaves a big hole in the living of the faith, imho - but it cannot be neglected either.
I will say that our oldest seems to have a really good grasp of the faith. Is it from the hands-on practice of the faith or the memorization. I think both are required in proper balance. Either, without the other just wouldn't quite hack it. I have seen how important it is to be able to answer important catechism type questions - to defend the faith and know the precise meaning of technical, Catholic vocabulary. I have experienced deep confusion in my own life because I didn't have anyone to give me those kinds of guidelines. God is good, and certainly can fill in for the lack - but I think it is presumptous not to equip our children with both the knowledge and practice of the faith. I think they sense if we don't seem to take it as seriously as other things. How do you evaluate their knowledge of English or math or science? Are we as serious about learning our faith.
I think requiring them to engage their mind somehow, write papers, etc. would make a difference in how much is retained. Making them use their knowledge of the faith in some sort of setting - analyzing historical events, etc. is a great way to go.
I know we are far from ideal in our house - but we keep trying to make sure we strike the proper balance. I want family prayer time, I want to see my dc reading the Bible, praying quietly on their own, we certainly want to participate in Mass together and also the other sacraments. But I also want them to have the tools not to be stumped by Protestant/unbelieving acquantances in and out of the family using Catholic terminology incorrectly or trying to define what we believe. I want them to recognize when "Catholic in name only" istitutions or schismatics put out something that twists the truth. I want them to be able to read a church encyclical and recognize that some of this is ignored in the day to day of parish life. I want them to recognize when someone has advised them erroneously. In short, I want them to have the knowledge necessary to be able to cling to the truth in this crazy world and begin to have an intelligent(to the best of their ability) foundation which God will use to help restore all things in Christ.
I think I found that some of my dc do not just absorb from the environment. We've prayed every single day - all their lives (often more often than once a day) the Hail Mary, Glory Be, Our Father, Angel of God and tried to pray it slowly for the littles to join in - and they did join in with us. But I was totally shocked when my 7 yo did not really, really know the prayers. Of course we worked on them - and because he'd heard them so often, he learned them quickly - but he really buckled down when he knew it was required. Until then he "coasted" with the family prayers.
Janet
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KASB
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| Posted: July 18 2006 at 9:17am | IP Logged
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Good question, Rebecca. I have thought a lot about this topic since I read this entry at Helen's blog http://mariancastle.blogspot.com/2006/07/pictures-are-terrib le.html
I think memorization and submersion go hand in hand. If you memorize the Catechism, but don't live it, it won't become part of you. It will just be something you can repeat by rote. But, coupled with living your Faith through the liturgical year and the sacraments, the Catechism comes alive. Having those questions and answers stored in your memory will be a treasure to draw from when you want to explain something, but need the right words.
Memory work doesn't have to be drudgery- just a few minutes a day, done consistently, and it's amazing what you can remember. The MODG syllabi provide a nice schedule for memorizing the Catechism and for poetry also.
Blessings,
Kym
mom to 9 (8 boys-23,13,10,8,7,4,2,11 mos. and 1 girl-22)
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Meredith
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| Posted: July 18 2006 at 10:22am | IP Logged
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KASB wrote:
| Memory work doesn't have to be drudgery- just a few minutes a day, done consistently, and it's amazing what you can remember. The MODG syllabi provide a nice schedule for memorizing the Catechism and for poetry also. |
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This is an excellent point and much the way I feel about it. I truly believe when they are preparing for the sacraments that memorizing the catechism is as much part of our faith as living out the liturgical year and attneding Mass!! None of my dc so far have felt like they have been put upon or asked to do something unpleasant. They actually enjoyed the SJ Balt Cat and liked to challenge themselves.
Great question Rebecca as I'm sure this question comes up for many of us during our hsing journey!!
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Meredith
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Helen
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| Posted: July 18 2006 at 8:15pm | IP Logged
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KASB wrote:
Good question, Rebecca.
I think memorization and submersion go hand in hand.
...
Memory work doesn't have to be drudgery- just a few minutes a day, done consistently, and it's amazing what you can remember. The MODG syllabi provide a nice schedule for memorizing the Catechism and for poetry also.
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I agree totally with you Kym (thanks for mentioning my blog post!)
Memorization is just one part of catechism study. Living it and studying it (Elizabeth suggests a beautiful way to study the catechism with narration) are also essential.
I think a benefit to trying to make sure the children memorize the catechism, is the help and support the catechism gives in times of trial. If the words are in your head, the Lord in His grace, can call these words to the mind when a person is experiencing temptations or a trial.
It is very difficult to make good decisions during hard times. But with good training, and who can argue with the good training contained in the catechism, those difficult times don't have to end up as "worse times."
On the other hand, who wants to end up as a Gestapo Mommy?  (Remember that other thread?) Slow and steady wins the race. The nice thing about the MODG is the slow and steady part. Five minutes a day, four days a week. Better a little study for a longer time than cramming two hours on one day.
Catechism memorization can be boring. I think it is important to mix it up. Keep at it, but using different methods. I would love to hear more methods!
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Ave Maria!
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Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
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ALmom
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| Posted: July 18 2006 at 9:32pm | IP Logged
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There are some great games - there are some catechism cards for the trivial pursuit board, and the Divinity game. At all saints one year, we had a question and answer using catechism questions - ranked by easy and difficult so that the littles and olders participated together but with different level questions. They had a blast! There are some flip cards with these on them by different ages, but anyone could make their own. We did something like this with an 8th grade CCD class - and they really liked it even though I felt I was rather boring as a teacher! We thought of using our stairs - one step up for a correct answer, and a step back for incorrect until we make it up the stairs. As long as there is a lot of fun and no one feels totally on the spot it works really well. Usually I'm the one needing the most help so we all laugh a lot at how little I learned growing up - and in the meantime maybe I'll finally learn some of this with them. Communion of Saints is a fun, cooperative game - you certainly learn quite a bit about the sacraments and the Communion of Saints but it really isn't quite drill work.
Janet
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Rebecca
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| Posted: July 18 2006 at 9:39pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for the ideas and support. I do think it is wise to combine the two. The ideas to play games or memorize a little at a time are good ones. I will probably resume the memorization of the questions and answers this upcoming schoolyear. It helps me grow in my faith as well.
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Memorizing Catechism vs. Submersion
