Last week my family and I took a short vacation to Green Bay, Wisconsin. We enjoyed the usual sites, including a visit to the National Railroad Museum (for the kids) and a tour of Lambeau Field (for my wife and me).

But the highlight of the trip was on the second day when we drove 20 minutes to Champion, Wisconsin, to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help. This shrine is located at the spot of the only Church-approved Marian apparition in the United States.

In 1859 Adele Brise, a youth Belgian immigrant, saw a woman in white standing between two trees. She was frightened by the vision, which reappeared a second time the following Sunday as she was walking to Mass. She asked a priest for advice and he told her she should ask it, "In the Name of God, who are you and what do you wish of me?"

On her way home the lady appeared again and Adele did as she had been instructed. The lady replied, "I am the Queen of Heaven, who prays for the conversion of sinners, and I wish you to do the same." Adele was also told to "gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation."

Adele dedicated the rest of her life to catechizing the children of rural Wisconsin, walking from community to community and later founding a school at the spot of the apparition. (It was closed in the 1920s and is now a sandwich shop, but some of the original blackboards are still hanging up!)

Adele Brise is a wonderful example of the humility and perseverance needed for catechists today. The Blessed Mother’s call to “teach them what they should know for salvation” remains our calling whether as parents, catechists, Catholic school teachers, youth ministers, RCIA team members, or any number of other roles we play in our lives.

I pray that, during this month of Mary, the Queen of Heaven will pray for you and all the catechists of our diocese so that we may fulfill her son’s will to make disciples in his Church.

Our Lady of Good Help, pray for us!

The Office for Catechesis, in conjunction with local parishes, will again offer faith formation courses for adults across the diocese. These courses, which are open to everyone, are designed to help Catholics grow in their faith, respond to questions about the Church, and make faith-filled decisions in their lives.

Catechists and Catholic school teachers may also attend these classes for credit in the diocesan catechist formation process.

The complete schedule follows.

For more information about any of these courses or other faith formation activities, contact Christine Malmevik, associate director for catechesis, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (217) 698-8500.

The Acts of the Apostles (Little Rock Scripture Study)
Sept 12, 19, 26; Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; Nov. 7, 14; 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Maria Carmody; St. Francis of Assisi Parish (Hardin)
Contact: Maria Carmody; (618) 576-2662

A Biblical Walk Through the Mass
Sept. 15, 22, 29; Oct. 6, 13; 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Debbie Sanders; Ss. Peter and Paul Parish (Collinsville)
Contact: Parish Office; (618) 345-4343

The Great Adventure Bible Series
Sept. 19, 26; Oct. 10, 17, 24, 31; 10:00-11:30 a.m.
Sr. Therese Flerlage, O.S.F.; St. Cecilia Parish (Glen Carbon)
Contact: Parish Office; (618) 288-5523

A Biblical Walk Through the Mass
Sept. 21, 28; Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26; Nov. 2, 16, 30; Dec. 7; 6:30–7:30 p.m.
Helen Crusen; St. Jude Parish (Rochester)
Contact: Dan Frachey; (217) 498- 9197 x23

Getting Started as a Catechist, Roles of the Catechist and Person of the Catechist
Sept. 22, 29, Oct. 6; 3:00-4:30 p.m.
Marsha Chomko; St. Jerome Parish (Troy)
Contact: Marsha Chomko; (618) 667-6571; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A Biblical Walk Through the Mass
Sept. 25; Oct. 2, 16, 23, 30; Nov. 6, 13, 20; Dec. 4, 11; 9:15-10:15 a.m.
Dan Merriman; St. Jude Parish (Rochester)
Contact: Dan Frachey; (217) 498- 9197 x23

The Sacraments
Sept. 28; Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26; Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; 8:30–10:00 a.m.
Rev. David Zimmerman; St. Mary Parish (Paris)
Contact: Secretary; (217) 466-3355

Person of the Catechist, Roles of the Catechist, Getting Started as a Catechist
Sept. 29; Oct. 6, 13; 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Sr. Mary Ellen Backes, O.S.U.; St. Joseph Parish (Springfield)
Contact: Sr. Mary Ellen Backes, O.S.U.; (217) 544-7426

A Biblical Walk Through the Mass
Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25; Nov. 8; 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Pat Ellis; Ss. Peter and Paul Parish (Collinsville)
Contact: Parish Office; (618) 345-4343

Liturgy and Sacraments – Part One
Oct. 27; 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Sr. Mary Ellen Backes, O.S.U.; St. Joseph Parish (Springfield)
Contact: Sr. Mary Ellen Backes, O.S.U.; (217) 544-7426

I Believe, We Believe
Oct. 29; 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Cathy Becker; St. Katharine Drexel Parish (Springfield)
Contact: Cathy Becker; (217) 744-0578

Introduction to the Learner
Dec. 10; 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Cathy Becker; St. Katharine Drexel Parish (Springfield)
Contact: Cathy Becker; (217) 744-0578

Prayer and Spirituality
Feb. 25; 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Cathy Becker; St. Katharine Drexel Parish (Springfield)
Contact: Cathy Becker; (217) 744-0578

Person of the Catechist
April 28; 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Cathy Becker; St. Katharine Drexel Parish (Springfield)
Contact: Cathy Becker; (217) 744-0578

The Office for Catechesis is happy to announce the Winter/Spring 2011 Adult Faith Formation course schedule.

These courses, offered at various locations across the diocese, give Catholics an opportunity to deepen their understanding of and appreciation for our faith. For more information about any of these courses or other faith formation activities, contact Christine Malmevik, associate director for catechesis, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (217) 698-8500.

The Scriptures
January 6, 13, 20, 27; 3:00-4:30 pm
Marsha Chomko; St. Jerome Parish (Troy)
Contact: Marsha Chomko; (618) 667-6571

Getting Started as a Catechist
January 6, 13, 20, 27; 6:30-8:00 pm Sr. Mary Ellen Backes, OSU; St. Joseph Parish (Springfield)
Contact: Sr. Mary Ellen Backes, OSU; (217)544-7426

Hispanic Ministry Formation of Catechists
January 8, February 5, March 5, April 2, May 7, June 4; 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Sr. Maria Christina Martinez Mestizo, MAGl Catholic Pastoral Center (Springfield)
Contact: Sr. Christi; (217) 502-2146

Jesus and the Gospels
Sundays starting January 9; 3:00-4:30 pm
Sr. Mary Ellen Backes, OSU; St. Joseph Parish (Springfield)
Contact: Sr. Mary Ellen Backes, OSU; (217)544-7426

I Believe, We Believe
January 22; 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Cathy Becker; St. Katharine Drexel Parish (Springfield)
Contact: Cathy Becker; (217) 744-0578

Our Life in Christ
10 Mondays starting February 7; 7:00-8:30 pm;
Rev. Nnamdi Moneme, OMV; St. Mary’s School Gym (Alton)
Contact: Parish Office; (618) 465-4284

The Second Vatican Council
February 12 & 19; 9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Jonathan Sullivan; Blessed Sacrament Parish (Quincy)
Contact: Ann Gage; (217) 222-2759

Signed and Sealed with the Cross
March 5 - March 8; 7:00 pm
Fr. Albert Haase; St. Peter (Petersburg) & Holy Family (Athens)
Contact: Lisa Reeves; (217) 632-7118

An Historical and Spiritual Look at the Passion and Death of Jesus
March 8, 22, 29, April 5, 12, 19; 7:00-9:00 pm
Rev. Ted Bracco, O.F.M., PhD; St. Anthony Parish Center (Effingham)
Contact: Parish Office; (217) 347-7129

Grace: The Key to Understanding God, Human Nature, How we Pray and Live
March 10, 17, 24, 31, April 7; 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Rev. Peter Harman; Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Springfield)
Contact: Chris Malmevik; (217) 698-8500

Introduction to Scripture
April 2; 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Cathy Becker; St. Katharine Drexel Parish (Springfield)
Contact: Cathy Becker; (217) 744-0578

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to speak with some of the new principals in our diocese as part of their ongoing formation. I talked briefly about the spiritual role that principals play in Catholic schools and what it means to be a spiritual leader.

This seems an important topic to me because, while principals may receive training in management, curriculum, and finances in their education programs, very few get formed in what it means to work in a specifically Catholic educational setting.

There is any number of topics that we could have talked about, but I distilled them into five points:

1. The primary job of a Catholic school – and therefore the primary responsibility of the principal – is to build disciples for Christ. Everything else is secondary.
2. Principals must encourage parents to assume their role as the primary catechists of their children. Parents cannot outsource religious instruction to schools or PSR programs. For better or for worse, children will follow their parents’ example.
3. Principals are responsible for the spiritual formation of their staffs. This means more than just the occasional diocesan formation class; it means forming them through prayer, retreats, and spiritual reading, and inviting them to participate in the faith.
4. As part of their oversight of curriculum, principals must ensure that the catechetical textbooks and materials used in their school conform to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
5. Finally, principals must be an example of joyful faith and holiness to their staff, faculty, and students.

Admittedly this is a tall order! But, as spiritual leaders acting on behalf of their pastors and the Church, principals are responsible in assuring that our schools are not just placing of academic learning, but places where the faith is nurtured and students can become the saints they are called to be.

This is a video of the webinar I offered earlier this month on strategies for passing on the faith to the "net generation. For further reading on this subject I have also compiled a list of books, useful articles and tools referenced in the video.

Catechizing Digital Natives from Jonathan Sullivan on Vimeo.

Dear Governor Quinn:

I am writing today on behalf of our diocese’s 11,323 school children to urge that you propose funding for the Illinois Textbook Loan Program in your 2011 budget.

The Textbook Loan Program has provided secular textbooks, learning materials and instructional computer software to public and nonpublic school students since 1975. Although most of the program’s funding goes to public schools, Catholic schools have long depended on this program and have used the benefit to continually update math, science, and reading textbooks, as well as to purchase new instructional software for technology labs. Students cannot learn or succeed without effective and up-to-date learning materials. The Textbook Loan Program has helped ensure those materials are present in all schools.

According to the Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) published analysis, the Textbook Loan program impacts 2.1 million students and 164,000 educators. In Fiscal Year 2009, the program provided 849,214 instructional items to pupils in grades 7 through 12. There are not many grant programs in ISBE’s budget that have had as far-reaching an impact for as long a time. ISBE’s strategic goals cite service to “all students” and “all schools.” Unfortunately, last year’s budget cut the Textbook Loan completely and failed to reflect similar concern.

I understand that the state’s fiscal condition is dire. I understand funding cuts must be endured in these difficult times. However, when a long-standing program with a proven track record faces elimination, Illinois’ entire education system suffers.

Governor Quinn, I urge you to recommend that ISBE’s budget restore funding at the 2007 level of $29.1 million. Such a recommendation recognizes the current fiscal condition of the state but also makes some attempt to meet the state’s obligation to provide sound, up-to-date instructional materials to all children.

Catholic schools provide great savings to the state of Illinois: $1.5 billion annually. We do not deserve to lose the limited state support given back.

Thank you for your attention and support.

Sincerely,

Jonathan F. Sullivan
Director of Catechetical Ministries
Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

The Office for Catechesis is pleased to announce its Winter/Spring 2010 calendar of adult enrichment programs!

These courses, offered at various locations across the diocese, give Catholics an opportunity to deepen their understanding of our faith. Anyone taking advantage of these faith formation programs may receive credit through the diocese’s catechist formation process. For more information about any of these courses or other faith formation activities, contact Christine Malmevik, associate director for catechesis, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (217) 698-8500.

Schedule of Programs

United States Catholic Catechism for Adults: A Study of Faith
January 6, 13, 20, 27, February 10, 24, March 3; 9:30-11:00 am
Rev. David Zimmerman; St. Mary Parish (Paris)
Contact: Secretary
(217) 466-3355

United States Catholic Catechism for Adults: A Study of Faith
January 6, 13, 20, 27, February 10, 24, March 3; 5:30-7:00 pm
Rev. David Zimmerman; St. Mary Parish (Paris)
Contact: Secretary
(217) 466-3355

Liturgy and Sacraments
Jan. 7, 14, 28, Feb. 4; 3:00 – 4:30 pm
Marsha Chomko; St. Jerome (Troy)
Contact: Marsha Chomko
(618) 667-6571

The Gospel of Luke, Part 4
January – May, Starting January 12; 7:00-8:30 pm
Kim Diaz; St. Thomas the Apostle (Decatur)
Contact: Kim Diaz
(217) 877-4146

The Gospel of Luke, Part 4
January – May, Starting January 15; 9:15-10:45 am
Kim Diaz; St. Thomas the Apostle (Decatur)
Contact: Kim Diaz
(217) 877-4146

Introduction to the Sacraments of the Catholic Church
Mondays, January 25 through March 29; 4:00-5:00 pm
Rev. Nnamdi Moneme, O.M.V.; St. Mary (Alton)
Contact: Parish Office
(618) 465-4284

The Nicene Creed: A Theological and Historical Perspective
February 16, 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23; 7:00-9:00 pm
Rev. Ted Bracco, O.F.M., PhD; St. Anthony Parish Center (Effingham)
Contact: Secretary
(217) 347-7129

Themes in Scripture
February 25, March 4, 11, 18, 25; 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Rev. Peter Harman; Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Springfield)
Contact: Chris Malmevik (217) 698-8500

The Conclusion of the Gospel and Letters of John
April 12, 26, May 10, 17, 24; 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Carolyn Stewart; Holy Trinity (Stonington)
Contact: Carolyn Stewart
(217) 428-1707

Great Adventure Bible Timeline (Session 1-8)
Sundays, June 6 through August 8; 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Ann Gage; Blessed Sacrament (Quincy)
Contact: Parish Office
(217) 222-2759

Vatican II Documents
June 7 and 8; 9:00am – 2:00 pm
Jonathan Sullivan; Ss. Peter and Paul, Collinsville
Contact: Parish Office
(618) 345-4343

On the popular public television program Antiques Roadshow, people from around the country bring their treasures to be appraised by various experts. An antique might be a cherished family heirloom displayed proudly in a prominent place in the home, or a long-forgotten trinket gathering dust on a shelf in the attic. Whatever the item, the owner is usually surprised to hear the expert’s comments. The appraiser might put a low price tag on something the owner thought had great value. And what was originally purchased for a few dollars sometimes turns out to be a prized collector’s item now valued at thousands of dollars.

Take a look around your home. What is your family’s most valued possession? Is it an object, a person, a relationship? How does your family express delight and pride in this treasured possession?

The Second Vatican Council teaches that “the treasures of the Bible are to be opened up more lavishly so that a richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God’s Word” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy [Sacrosanctum Concilium], no. 51, in Vatican Council II: Volume 1: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, new rev. ed., ed. Austin Flannery [Northport, NY: Costello Publishing, 1996]). Do we consider the Bible a treasure, a special table around which the family gathers? Is the family Bible among your home’s most valuable possessions? As we consider practical ways to share the Word of God at home, perhaps we will be surprised to discover that the family Bible, regardless of whether it is prominently displayed or is gathering dust on an attic shelf, is one of the most valuable spiritual treasures in a Christian home.

A Living and Effective Word
“Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern the reflections and thoughts of the heart,” writes the author of the Letter to the Hebrews (4:12). God’s Word is “living and effective” because we welcome it, in the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.), “not as a human word, ‘but as what it really is, the word of God’” ([Washington, DC: Libreria Editrice Vaticana–United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2000], no. 104, quoting 1 Thes 2:13).

But how is the Word of God to become “living and effective” in our homes, in our families, in our professional and social relationships? Here are a few practical ways to make the treasures of the Bible into a table at which your family is nourished and strengthened for the Christian life.

Reading, Reflecting, Renewing

Begin to break open God’s Word in your home by dedicating some family time each week for a brief reading of a Scripture passage, perhaps the Sunday Gospel. Given the hectic and stressed pace of life and our typically overworked schedules, making family time for the Bible reminds us of the need to put God first. Gathering around the table of God’s Word enriches and strengthens the experience of family as a “domestic Church.”

Choose a comfortable and quiet place in the home, away from the distractions of television and ringing telephones. Read the passage aloud, and then allow some time for the family to reflect on and share its meaning together. Since Sacred Scripture is the “speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit” (CCC, no. 81, quoting Second Vatican Council, Dei Verbum, no. 9), this time dedicated to reading puts your family into living communication with God. Remind everyone gathered that this family activity brings them to a living encounter with Christ, who is present as the Word among them.

Practical Resources

In recent years Catholic Bible study resources have become more readily available. Choose a study aid that is user-friendly and suited to the ages of children in the family. Rely on those resources as aids, not as substitutes, for reading the words of Scripture itself. No resource, however well written, can replace reading God’s Word.

Introduce children to the New American Bible (NAB) translation of the Sacred Scriptures once they receive First Holy Communion. While the New American Bible was not translated with children specifically in mind, it is the basis of the readings proclaimed at Mass. This relationship of the New American Bible to the liturgy means it is invaluable for affirming children in the faith of the Church: it allows them to make the connection between what is proclaimed and heard in the liturgy with what is read in the home.

Parents with young children are encouraged to include as many Bible stories as possible in a child’s library and to devote time to reading and discussing the rich levels of meaning in the sacred stories. When children, with their natural capacity for awe and wonder, marvel at the biblical stories, they can be led to connect the story of their life and their family to the story of salvation itself. Biblical stories and figures who reveal human weakness and sinfulness provide opportunities to discuss, at age-appropriate levels, the realities of human experience in the light of God’s love and mercy.

Praying the Scriptures with the Church
Couples and parents with children can also choose to integrate family prayer time with the reading of Scripture. The Liturgy of the Hours is biblical in content and inspirational through and through. So when praying the Liturgy of the Hours as a family, whether Morning or Evening Prayer, your family participates in the common and universal prayer of the Church. Again, several handy resources are available to make the daily praying of Morning and Evening Prayer simple and sustainable.

Another practical way to break open God’s Word in the home is through the practice of lectio divina. This ancient Christian practice is being recovered in our time, and it was particularly encouraged by the 2008 Synod of Bishops on the Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church. Through a series of steps—reading, meditation, contemplation, and prayer—lectio divina allows the Word of God to bear rich spiritual fruit in the lives of the faithful. Your family can also experience the riches of God’s Word by adapting this ancient approach to a meditative and prayerful reading of Scripture in the home. Several handy resources, in print and online, explain the steps of lectio divina with practical adaptations for the family. A good place to start is the article “Ever Ancient, Ever New: The Art and Practice of Lectio Divina,” included among the 2009 Catechetical Sunday materials available from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: http://www.usccb.org/catecheticalsunday.

Another often overlooked source for praying with Scripture is the variety of traditional Catholic prayers, such as the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Rosary. These prayers, being rooted in the Bible, can help families contemplate the wisdom of Scripture and the life of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels.

Finally, one practical way to make the Scriptures come alive is to assign a family member to gather artistic images that convey and express the biblical themes of a particular Scripture passage. Let a painting, sculpture, stained glass, or piece of sacred music serve as a reference point for reflection on God’s Word as it takes artistic form in the Christian tradition.

From Hearing to Living God’s Word
The lives of the saints are filled with examples of holy men and women who have translated God’s Word into action. In fact, one could say that the life of a saint is like a good Bible commentary. The saints stand out because of their unique and graced capacity to be not only hearers but doers of God’s Word (see Jas 1:22). In the faith, hope, and love of the saints, God’s Word—recorded in the pages of the Bible—comes alive in the book of life.

Take St. Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church, and the powerful story of his conversion. In the twelfth chapter of book eight of his Confessions, Augustine recounts a turning point in his life as he tearfully struggles with his personal and intellectual past. While sitting in a garden, he heard the voice of a child chanting over and over again, “Take it and read, take it and read.” Turning to pick up a Bible that he had set down only moments earlier, he read a passage from the writings of St. Paul that called him away from the life he once led. He goes on to write, “I had no wish to read more and no need to do so. For in an instant, as I came to the end of the sentence, it was as though the light of confidence flooded into my heart and all the darkness of doubt was dispelled” (trans. R. S. Pine-Coffin [London: Penguin Books, 1961], 177-178). The rest of Augustine’s life and work was spent living out the meaning of God’s word.

Feeding Your Family Food for the Soul

Recent surveys have shown that few Catholics read the Bible on their own or as a family. But what better place is there to encounter the person of Jesus Christ than in God’s Word? As St. Jerome once noted, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”

The Church continually invites us to return to God’s Word. For when we pray with the Bible—personally and in our homes—our encounter with the living Word of God is not a mere intellectual exercise but a spiritually nourishing feast. As we find ways to share God’s Word in our homes we will experience firsthand what the Second Vatican Council means in Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum) when it states that “in the sacred books the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children, and talks with them. And such is the force and power of the Word of God that it can serve the Church as her support and vigor, and the children of the Church as strength for their faith, food for the soul, and a pure and lasting fount of spiritual life” (no. 21, in Flannery).

Copyright © 2009, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to duplicate this work without adaptation for non-commercial use.

St. Augustine of Hippo’s phrase “ever ancient, ever new” describes the renewed interest in praying with Scripture that has re-emerged in today’s Church. Around the country, parish Bible study groups, small Christian communities, and other faith sharers have rediscovered a simple, insightful way to hear and experience the Word of God with one another through an ancient prayer form, lectio divina.

Lectio divina is a form of meditation rooted in liturgical celebration that dates back to early monastic communities. It was a method practiced by monks in their daily encounter with Scripture, both as they prepared for the Eucharist and as they prayed the Liturgy of the Hours. Its use continued in the Middle Ages in religious orders, such as the Benedictines and Carmelites, that not only practiced lectio divina daily but passed this treasure from the past on to the next generations. The practice of lectio divina is resurfacing today as a wonderful way to meditate on God’s Word.

What Does the Latin Name Mean?
The Latin phrase “lectio divina” may be translated as “divine reading.” Lectio divina is a method for praying with the Scriptures. As one reads and invites the Word to become a transforming lens that brings the events of daily living into focus, one can come to live more deeply and find the presence of God more readily in the events of each day. The method of lectio divina follows four steps: lectio (reading), meditatio (meditation), contemplatio (contemplation), and oratio (prayer).

“Lectio,” or “reading,” is the first step in the prayer process. The early monks understood that the fruitfulness of a monk’s prayer depends upon the simplicity, reverence, and openness to the Spirit with which the “reader” approaches the Word of God. The goal of this reading is not to rush through several chapters of Scripture. The reader, rather than trying to take in large sections of Scripture, adopts a reflective stance towards a short Scripture passage, pausing on a single word or phrase that resonates with the mind and heart.

This “reading” leads to the second step, known as “meditatio”—Latin for “meditation”—which invites one to reflect upon what was read. Ancient monks explained this process as a deep, unhurried thinking about the Word one has read—a rumination, somewhat like the way a cow chews the cud. As the Word is read in this step, the process of ruminating gradually draws the meditator’s focus from concerns of the mind to concerns of the heart.

The Word moves a person more deeply with the third step, which the ancients called “contemplatio” or “contemplation.” Contemplation is characterized by an openness of the heart, by which the reader experiences God as the One who prays within, who allows the person in contemplation to know the Word wordlessly and without image. By God’s grace, contemplatio gives one a unique ability to connect one’s newly discovered insights to daily life experiences, with the inspiration that comes from the Word of God and that has the gracious capacity to refresh the heart and mind.

The fourth and final step, “oratio,” meaning “oration” or “prayer,” invites one’s personal response to God. This response is dialogical and can be understood as “a conversation between friends,” as St. Teresa of Avila defined prayer. One takes the time to talk to God about what was read, heard, or experienced, or about the questions that have arisen in the depth of one’s being. This response can become transformative when one accepts the promptings of the Word toward an embrace of all that life now holds. One can find God in the ups and downs of life, in times of joy and pain, as well as in ordinary, everyday moments.

How Can Lectio Divina Enrich Parish Life?
In the Church today, lectio divina can provide a simple yet prayerful method for faith sharing among Christians at every stage of life. For example, Sr. Diane Simons, IHM, director of religious education (DRE) and pastoral associate of Annunciation Parish in Bellmawr, New Jersey, welcomes parishioners each Wednesday evening. They spend an hour in prayer, concluding with a period of lectio divina based on one of the coming Sunday’s readings. It is a sacred time for the parishioners, both communally and individually. As one participant remarked to Sr. Simons, “On Sunday the readings are already familiar to me. I hear the Word of God with my heart and find deeper meaning with Jesus in my life.”

Sr. Rosemary Quigg, IHM, who ministers in St. Rose of Lima Parish in Miami, Florida, hosts a mid-week morning Bible study session for people of varying ages and occupations. Among the participants are nurses coming home from night duty and flight attendants on their day off. The participants practice lectio divina as they reflect on and prepare for the proclamation of the Scripture readings at the following Sunday’s Eucharist. Sr. Quigg once heard a participant say, “This is the most important thing we do here!”

Is Lectio Divina for Catechists?
Around the time of the new millennium, I had the privilege of meeting with eleven diocesan catechetical leaders from around the country. We participated in a week of seminars each summer at a different Catholic university. Selected as National Catechetical Scholars, we were sponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and major publishers of catechetical materials. Each of us pursued a catechetical project under the leadership of Robert Colbert, the religion department director of NCEA.

During these sessions, one colleague, Sr. Finnuola Quinn, OP, designed a program for catechists in her Louisiana diocese that used lectio divina to foster a prayerful understanding of the justice themes found in the Lectionary readings of the liturgical year. As catechists practiced lectio divina, Sr. Quinn hoped, they would achieve a deeper understanding of concepts of justice as revealed in the sacred readings. Needless to say, Sr. Quinn returned the following summer with wonderful stories about catechists and lectio divina.

In the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, where I have often served as a master catechist, our diocesan catechist formation coursesalways incorporate lectio divina. This “divine reading” offers a methodology that catechists can use in the parish with those they catechize, whether they minister in Catholic schools or in parish religious education programs.

Catechists can find that lectio divina supports them as they undertake their ministry to teach the Word of God. As catechists pray with the Scriptures through lectio divina, their regular practice not only lays the foundation for an authentic expression of faith sharing, but it also serves as a resource for focusing communally on the teaching of Jesus found in the Gospels. Lectio divina correlates with the evangelizing mission of catechesis, which is no less than the mission of the Gospel, the mission of Jesus.

One Simple Way to Engage in Lectio Divina
As catechists and Catholic school teachers gather at a planning or faculty meeting, they might spend time praying with lectio divina. In a peaceful setting they can begin in prayer before undertaking the tasks of their meeting. The reading chosen might be the Gospel read at Catechetical Sunday 2009 (the Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Mark 9:30-37. First, the Gospel passage is read aloud. After a few moments of quiet reflection, the same biblical text is read again. After the text is read and heard a second time, each of those gathered is invited to speak a word or phrase that he or she has heard in the reading. One at a time each person says a phrase, such as “he was teaching his disciples” or “the Son of Man will rise” or “receives one child such as this” or “the servant of all.” All those gathered offer, without any commentary or explanation, words or phrases that have touched them or that they have heard anew.

Next, the reading is proclaimed to the group a third time, and once again a brief time of reflection follows. Now catechists are asked to share any part of the reading that they find to be meaningful, instructive, or formative. In addition to repeating the words of the Gospel, the individuals may also remark about family life, give some catechetical insight for the year of ministry ahead, or recall Jesus’ presence among them (see Mt 18:20). As people begin to share what they have heard in the reading and listen to one another’s insights, a spiritual bond can begin to form that can help each catechist deepen his or her relationship with God, who is present within the assembled community.

At this point in the meeting, other questions might arise in the catechists’ hearts: What is God communicating to us through the Word? What does this reading say to me personally? What does it mean for the catechists gathered here, or for the whole parish? Does the Word really function as a “two-edged sword” (Heb 4:12)? Does it cut to the heart? How does the Word help us to change our hearts? How will we carry this message from God gently and gratefully into our lives this week?

As one becomes familiar with lectio divina, one can adapt its simple methodology for use by any group in the parish, whether for the youth group or for ministry to seniors. Lectio divina can be a useful form of prayer for each stage of lifelong faith formation.

Article by Sr. Antoine Lawlor, IHM, Dmin

Copyright © 2009, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to duplicate this work without adaptation for non-commercial use.

To show that God is at the center of their lives, many families enthrone the Bible, the Word of God, in a visible place in their homes. By placing the Sacred Scriptures in a prominent place decorated with flowers and art, and by gathering at this spot for daily prayer, families show that God is present and active through his Word.

Enthroning the Bible in your home is easy. Simply pick a place where the Bible can be honored. The Bible should be placed where it will be seen regularly, but the location should be apart from the noise and confusion of the family entertainment. Place the Bible, opened to a favorite passage or the readings of the day (these can be found at www.usccb.org/nab), on a table or shelf. Decorate the area around the Bible with a cloth, flowers, and/or a candle—whatever makes sense to you. Use the following ritual prayer when you gather as a family to enthrone the Bible.

Things to Prepare

• Bible
• A shelf or table where the Bible will be placed (the shelf may be adorned with a cloth and candles)

Ritual

When possible, the ritual may start outside the main door to the house or outside the main entrance to the room. One member of the family holds the Bible, raised slightly. The father, mother, or other leader begins the celebration with the opening litany:

Leader: Our Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Word of the Father.
Response: Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Leader: You became one with us to tell of the Father’s love.
Response: Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Leader: You are the light that shines in the darkness.
Response: Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Leader: You save us from fear and break the bonds of sin and death.
Response: Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Leader: You come to guide our steps and lead us to God.
Response: Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Leader: You are the Word of eternal life.
Response: Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Leader: You fill us with the Holy Spirit.
Response: Come, Lord Jesus, come.

As everyone enters the house or room, they may sing a suitable song.

Then one of the following Scripture passages is read from the Bible:

Matthew 4:17-23 Jesus calls and heals through the power of his Word.
Mark 4:1-20 The Word is like the seed.
Luke 4:14-21 Jesus proclaims the Word in Nazareth.
John 1:10-14 Jesus is the Word of God and the light of the world.

After the reading, the leader places the Bible in the place prepared for it. All bow deeply before the enthroned Bible.

Leader:
We have heard your words, Jesus.
They give us joy and bring light and truth into our lives.
Your presence gives us peace in our troubled and divided world.
Let your Word create in our hearts a deep desire for you.
Be with us in our hearts and homes, in our community and country.
Give us your Holy Spirit to help us to understand your Word.
We enthrone now this Holy Bible in our midst.
Make your Word the center of our lives.
May your Word inspire all that we think and say and do.
May your Word bind us together in unity with each other and with you,
today and forever.

Response: Amen.

All join in saying the Lord’s Prayer.

All repeat after the leader:

We promise to respect the Word of God in our midst.
We shall read and reflect on it as a family of God.
May we draw from it inspiration for our decisions,
strength for our work,
and comfort in suffering.
Jesus, help us to be faithful to our promise,
you who live forever and ever.
Amen.

The celebration concludes with a sign of peace.

Adapted from Enthroning the Bible in the Family, by Pauline Publications Africa. Used with permission. Handouts may be reproduced to use in promoting Catechetical Sunday.

Copyright © 2009, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to duplicate this work without adaptation for non-commercial use.