AMORE gatherings inspire, inform

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
Posted January 30, 2003

SPENCER - The Northeast Deanery DRE's (directors of religious education) and catechists gathered to make Christ their center at an area catechist in-service on Jan. 19 at Sacred Heart Parish in Spencer. This was the sixth annual Northeast deanery AMORE in-service.

"It reached other people who were an hour from us that aren't necessarily in our Northeast area," said Kathy White, the site coordinator at Sacred Heart in Spencer.

There were over 100 people in attendance from the Northeast Deanery as well as other parishes from the surrounding area including Pocahontas, West Bend and Sheldon.

"It was a very good day for us to host at Sacred Heart," said White. "It was really affirming to have that many people come that cared about their ministry."

The group assembled for a catered lunch at noon and proceeded to listen to Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo and discuss between themselves.

Bishop DiNardo spoke for an hour with the theme of "Christ Our Center."

"He talked about our baggage, what do we have that keeps us from having Christ as our center," said White.

"We really enjoyed Bishop DiNardo's speech," said Kris McDermott an attendee of the gathering with her husband. "He really made us feel that our work was important, and he expressed his gratitude for what we do several times."

After the bishop spoke to the group, they split into grade level groupings for another hour. The hour went fast for the groups, added White. They introduced themselves and talked about their experiences in their classrooms.

"We talked about the things that keep us from being Christ centered," said White. They also discussed what does and does not work in the classroom.The bishop then answered questions for about a half hour. Some of it was about what curriculum teachers should be using, what he felt was important that they taught and how different things should be taught.

"I've gone to many of these and I always love the fellowship with other people around the diocese," said McDermott. "I love the sense that we aren't just a parish by ourselves, but that we have these other parishes throughout Northwest Iowa that are all kind of together."

The day ended at 4:30 p.m. after a prayer service.

"What we really wanted them to get out of it was that with Christ as our center if we keep Christ and focus on him as our center, then everything else comes out of that," said White.

The catechists were encouraged to pray before, during and after they teach in order to keep Christ as their center and be grounded and rooted in him. Another part of that was evaluating what keeps people from having Christ as their center.

"They were very pleased the bishop would spend an afternoon in our area with us on a Sunday," said White. "I think they really enjoyed listening to him and hearing what he had to say about catechesis. I think they also got a lot out of sharing."

The in-service takes place each year to give people fresh ideas and insight as to what other parishes are doing. This year there was a draw because the bishop was talking, commented White.

"I think the DREs in our area are very strengthened, first of all, because we work together and when we meet we are really a support system for each other," said White. "Then by having our catechists meet it helps them celebrate their ministry as a catechist. It also helps them see that they aren't by themselves in this ministry, that there are other people out there."

The gatherings take place to help people through their ministry. They are there to learn about what other people do in their parishes and to become aware that there are new and different things out there to do.

"Anytime you can share an idea and you don't have to reinvent the wheel, that helps someone else," said White. "It's just a lot of support for each other and sharing of our ministry and celebrating the fact that we are in this together."

"I learned the challenges of working with the different ages and how to incorporate some doctrinal elements trying to make it fun for the kids but also growing in my faith and knowledge so that I can contribute those things into each lesson plan," said McDermott. "I think that was my biggest challenge that I was given that day."