written by Lisa Maxson of The Catholic Voice
Last week's catechist appreciation gathering in Creighton was more than just an opportunity to say thank you to those who give of their time to teach the faith. It was also a chance for them to enhance their own faith, said Sarah Fanta, one of the organizers of the Jan. 30 event at the St. Ludger Parish Hall.
Nearly 50 catechists, youth ministers and directors of religious education from St. Ludger Parish, St. Andrew in Bloomfield, St. William in Niobrara and St. Wenceslaus in Verdigre attended the evening, which included a social hour, dinner and speaker.
It was the first time that all four parishes came together for such an event.
Fanta, a youth minister at St. Ludger who also works on the deanery level with youth ministry, said she has seen the "great benefit" of working across parish boundaries.
Being a catechist can be a lonely job, she said, so a gathering like this helps one feel more connected to others doing the same work.
"I think it's very challenging to be committed to coming weekly and being with students and then sometimes you don't feel adequate to be sharing your faith or you feel inadequate when dealing with behavioral issues," Fanta said.
The event's coordinators wanted to not only celebrate their catechists, but also help them feel more comfortable sharing their faith by better knowing their faith, she said.
Nev Kelly, a teacher at Mount Marty College in Yankton, SD, was the keynote speaker. Well educated in religious studies, she taught the group about Lectio Divina, a method of praying the Scripture.
Fanta said having the opportunity to listen to Kelly was one of the best parts of the event.
"Here in the rural area we don't have access to formation events," she said. "Hardly anybody here makes it to Omaha for faith festivals or Echoes programs, so for us it's very few and far between."
The Verdigre parish has had an appreciation dinner for the past three years, but they welcomed the invitation to attend St. Ludger's event.
"My teachers teach all year long and they don't get a stipend or anything. They're helping every single week and so any appreciation that we can do is important," said Katrina Hollman, director of religious education at St. Wenceslaus. "It's just nice to be thanked and to be pampered and fed with someone else serving you and doing the dishes."
Both Hollman and Fanta said they hope gathering like last week's appreciation dinner will continue more often in the future.
"I feel the church is at a crossroads and there's a need for our parishioners as well as our leadership to work across parish boundaries, especially when our small towns see the population shifting and we've got limited financial resources," Fanta said. "There needs to be more effort towards collaboration and relationship building across parish boundaries."