Parishes successful at virtual religious instruction

DATELINE  Despite daunting, unforeseen challenges, many parish religious education programs in the Diocese reported success in continuing to form their young people in the faith during the pandemic using virtual learning, according to a recent survey by the diocesan Catechetical Leaders Association (CLA) on June 15.

On that date, the CLA held a meeting of parish Religious Education (DREs) and Coordinators of Religious Education (CREs) at St. Paul Inside the Walls: the Diocesan Center for Evangelization here. There, two of its officers summarized the results of the small survey of 40 parish catechetical leaders in the Diocese who participated, most of whom used Zoom video conferencing for classes. Other parishes used printed catechetical materials that students completed at home, in-person classes as social-distancing restrictions eased, and a hybrid of video conferencing and live sessions, according to the survey, which polled DREs and CREs, most of whom are CLA members.

The survey also shines a brighter ray of hope on the return of religious education in the fall. Most of the polled parishes said they plan to offer either full in-person classes or a hybrid approach. Other parishes plan to continue using printed catechetical materials or offer family faith formation days. These plans depend on if there are any COVID-19 restrictions in place in New Jersey in September, the CLA said at the meeting — its first such in-person, mask-free gathering since the lockdown last year.

“Catechetical leaders in our parishes faced the challenges of COVID-19 and worked with their parishes’ clergy, staff, catechists, students, and parents to educate their young people. It went well,” said Cathy McGuire, DRE of St. Therese Parish in Succasunna and CLA president. The CLA, she said, compared the results of this recent survey with those of a survey in September that also asked parishes how they were teaching in the pandemic. “This second survey gives us a picture of where religious education programs are at now and helps guide us for the fall. Things are slowly coming back to life,” she said.

At the June 15 meeting, 30 CLA members listened to Debbie Dericks, CRE of Our Lady of Consolation Parish in Wayne and CLA vice president, and Moira Dziomba, DRE of St. Matthew the Apostle Parish in Randolph and CLA secretary until June 30, deliver the survey results in a graph presentation developed by Dericks. In the survey, most parishes reported they had a “better than expected” experience of virtual classes. Other faith communities said they built a stronger family community, had a better-than-expected experience of the technology, had a positive or thankful response from parents, had students hand in “good assignments,” or generated higher Mass attendance, Dericks and Dziomba said.

The survey revealed additional positive outcomes, including that families enjoyed working together and parents enjoyed being involved in their children’s work, classes were well attended, the children learned more, and the kids could log in from anywhere on their devices. The catechetical leaders also reported positive reactions from the religious education teachers, the two CLA officers said.

Some of the challenges included that a few students experienced “online fatigue” and were distracted during class, handed in incomplete work, or had issues with the technology. The attendance in some programs was lower, but not in many, Dericks and Dziomba said.

At St. Matthew’s, the younger students completed Pflaum Gospel Weeklies, with the second grade also completing Our Sunday Visitor’s Sacramental books, the seventh and eighth grades completing St. Mary’s Press “Catholicism 101,” an online course developed specifically for use during the pandemic, and “The Chosen” from Ascension Press. The catechists held Zoom calls to discuss the lessons and check in with the families. The parish did not experience a decrease in enrollment, Dziomba said.

“Through the lessons, we wanted to connect with students and families to let them know that St. Matthew’s was here for them,” said Dziomba, who added that catechists tried to reduce Zoom screen time, because of the considerable hours students already spent online for school and other activities. “The upside of this is that we had more involvement of families, who worked together. Parents got to sit and talk about faith with their children in a way that they never did before. God always makes good out of our challenges — our joys mixed with our sorrows, ” she said.

Also at its June 15 meeting, the CLA bid farewell to Debbie Wickham, who recently retired as DRE of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Oak Ridge and St. John Vianney Parish in Stockholm after 26 years in ministry. She also served as CLA treasurer for the past two years. Now, the CLA is in need of a new treasurer. Any CLA member who is interested in the position should contact McGuire. At the meeting, the CLA also nominated Denise Stefanelli, director of Family Christian Formation at St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison, as its secretary as of July 1.

After the presentation of the survey results, Father Paul Manning, St. Paul’s executive director and diocesan vicar of evangelization, gave a response to them. In a slide presentation, he put statistics to a harrowing trend: the sharp decline in church attendance and participation in the Sacraments and religious education over the past more than 20 years.

But Father Manning reminded the catechetical leaders that parishes and dioceses can help stem this dismal tide by enacting the Four Essential Practices in Great Parishes: shared leadership, a means to foster spiritual maturity and discipleship, a vibrant Sunday experience, and a mission to evangelize. He cited the book, “Great Catholic Parishes: A Living Mosaic — How Four Essential Practices Make Them Thrive,” by William E. Simon, Jr.

“The Church, diocese, and parish are essentially missionary by nature. Parishes can be ‘evangelizing centers’ in their local communities,” Father Manning said. The numbers, he said, are declining consistently and dramatically because of societal and culture changes and people’s disaffection with the Church. “The antidotes are a New Evangelization — engagement of the Gospel with culture — and a new fearless, bold, missionary effort,” he said.