Workshop focuses on need for ongoing spiritual formation

MADISON  In their understanding, most Catholics separate the ministry of catechesis, educating people about the faith, from the ministry of spiritual formation, helping guide people on their ongoing journey toward union with God through the Holy Spirit. Yet the Church teaches that all baptized members of the Church can play a critical role in the spiritual formation of other people in the faith by helping them encounter God. That is what a group of workshop participants from the Diocese learned in “Being Guided and Guiding Souls,” a three-night workshop series, held this month at the Evangelization Center at St. Paul Inside the Walls here.

On the evenings of Feb. 2, 9, and 16, these participants — parents, catechists, lay ministers, and others — learned that guiding other souls to the Lord is similar to the role of catechists, who “echo” the Word of God in word and deed. For that reason, they need to model a close relationship with God in their own lives, through their own process of ongoing spiritual formation. Partici­pants also learned what it means to be guided — to trust in the Church’s ability to lead them to spiritual growth, to peace with God, and to sanctity — and what it really means to help guide people spiritually. Two St. Paul’s staff members facilitated sessions of the program offered in conjunction with “Fran­ciscan at Home” online through the Catechetical Institute of Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.

“We must always remember that we can help others in their spiritual lives, their interior lives, only if we take measures to strengthen our own spiritual lives. Spend time forming yourself, so you can help form others,” Jerilynn Prokop, a St. Paul’s staff member, said during the third and final session. She facilitated the series with Father Paul Manning, diocesan vicar for evangelization.

“Being Guided and Guiding Souls” included many short videos by Bill Keimig, assistant director of the Catechetical Institute and presenter of the series. On the final night, he spoke about how catechists can undertake their own ongoing spiritual formation, for example by picking one particular priest to hear their confession on a regular basis. “You become accountable to him and he gets to know your soul. He can help you with what you need to work on,” Keimig said. Also, you can befriend a “spiritual friend,“ a person God places in your life, who not only shares your interests, but also can help you in your spiritual life, for example, by praying the rosary regularly with you. Other catechists, teachers, and a spiritual advisor — an agent of the Holy Spirit — also can help with their spiritual formation, said Keimig, former religious education director at St. Mary Parish in Clinton, Md.

Catechists and lay ministers should continue learning and reading a wide variety of materials including Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the General Directory for Catechesis (GDC), the lives of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints, and videos, audio, or books about spirituality, such as “Seeking Spiritual Direction” by Marian Father Thomas Dubay. Participants also should undergo a daily examination of conscience, like popular Daily Examen of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Keimig said.

“Check in with God and touch base with your soul. Ask the question, ‘Whom did God give me to love today — and how did I do?’ ” said Keimig. Some people, he said, are obvious, such as your spouse and children, but others are not so obvious, such as a person who comes to your office door noticeably upset and wanting to talk.

Catechists and spiritual leaders should become students of God’s ways by observing various patterns of spirituality in the lives of Jesus, Mary, and the saints. They might ask, “What motivated the saints and how did they step forward [to advance the faith]?” Participants were encouraged to become students of human suffering and human uniqueness, recognizing that all people suffer but all are different. They should be students of history, too, understanding that terrible things, such as the Holocaust, do happen, but that God was there, that he always accompanies us, and he still is here today, Keimig said.

“See the world in the light of faith, not doubt. You can be the channel to show that God can be trusted. Don’t despair. God will help you,” said Keimig, who quoted Scrip­ture, Church documents, popes, and saints, during his video presentations, which were supplemented by reading materials for participants. He also said those who guide people spiritually should be “growing in love” — not just the love of a teacher, but the love of a father, or rather of a mother,” in quoting CDC 239.

In response to Keimig’s videos on the last night, Father Manning said God gives us difficult life experiences or asks us to step outside our comfort zones to “sharpen us” — to stretch us — so we can become better followers of Christ. In that suffering, God is close to us and manifests his love for us, even though it might not seem so. So in our times of darkness, “we need to trust that God knows what he is doing; he knows us intimately and guides us accordingly,” the priest said.

“There are moments that require painful growth. There is no such thing as standing still in spiritual life. You are either going toward God or away from God. We want to move closer to God with spiritual formation,” Prokop added.

As Father Manning observed, “catechists are called to ‘echo the Word and love of the Word in our lives.’

“As baptized Christians, we are called to share the joy that is God, his son, Jesus, and his son’s Church in order to help make missionary disciples,” Father Manning said. “Throughout these three nights, we have tried to bring you the resources that will help make you better mentors and guides, remembering that the Holy Spirit is the ultimate spiritual director,” the priest said.

After the series ended, Lucia Tirone, a long-time catechist in Paterson, said the sessions encouraged her to seek a “a spiritual director; a deeper personal prayer life —spending more one-on-one time with Jesus; and more time on spiritual reading. I also want to let the Holy Spirit guide me more.”

Deacon Stephen McKenzie of St. Joseph Parish in West Milford, said the series emphasized the message that “Our souls have to grow to perfect love.

“Mother Church wants us to reflect with humility in the knowledge of the ways we fail but also with the desire to grow in the knowledge of Christ’s love and mercy in relationship with the Church,” said Deacon McKenzie, who runs St. Joseph’s Confirma­tion program, assists with the parish food bank, assists at Mass, proclaims the Gospel, and preaches.