Priest encourages students to learn about Bible and faith knowledge in fun way

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
March 1, 2007

ALTON/HOSPERS - For over 30 years, Father John Vakulskas, pastor at St. Mary Parish in Alton and St. Anthony Parish in Hospers, has been using a unique approach to help young people learn about the Bible and aspects of the Catholic faith.

Father Vakulskas challenges students in third through sixth grade to learn the books of the Bible, commandments, sacraments, prophets, Jewish feasts, Corporal Works of Mercy and so on. The students also learn the definition of covenant, which Father Vakulskas noted is central to understanding the Scriptures.

"I challenge the young people to learn more about the Bible, about the Scriptures and to be more familiar with the Scriptures so they can find a home there all their life listening, reading and absorbing the word of God," said the priest.

Father Vakulskas uses incentives to encourage the students to learn and have fun in the process.

"This is not only for the Catholic school kids, but it is for the religious education program as well," said Father Vakulskas. "Both of them have that opportunity."

According to the priest, his friends in the carnival business have donated stuffed animals, toys and prizes that are given out at the midway carnival games. He uses these as one incentive to help motivate the students to learn.

"There are three levels of achievement and learning all about the Scriptures and the Catholic faith. When they reach each level, they get their choice of a stuffed animal or toy that came from my friends in the carnival business," said the priest. "It makes learning fun. You have to put fun into learning otherwise learning can be very dry and then we wonder why the young people don't want to learn. We need to learn more about the Bible anyway."

In the spring as another incentive, he takes an annual trip to Sioux City to visit the Carmelite Monastery, Cathedral of the Epiphany, Trinity Heights, Orthodox Church, Jewish Synagogue, Municipal Court and other places of educational importance. He noted that he has been doing this for 38 years.

"We pray afternoon prayer with the (Carmelite) sisters," said Father Vakulskas. "I take them to the Municipal Court to see people who have been accused of making bad choices. We tell the kids that we are not here to judge. The Lord says, 'Stop judging.' It is up to the court to judge."

He explained that the significance of visiting Sioux City is that "the more we learn about our faith and other people's faith, the more we can appreciate what we have. It makes the kids excited about learning about their faith."

Father Vakulskas pointed out that since he has done this for so many years, he has adults coming back to tell him how much they remembered the trip.

"I am proud to say that the young people I deal with are some of the most knowledgeable when it comes to the Bible and the teaching of the Catholic Church," said the priest. "I have challenged my students big time and they have responded. They actually enjoy learning about their faith and the Bible."

The priest mentioned that the reason it is so important to learn new religious knowledge is because it is the "basis of their faith. This is where you lay the foundation to appreciate the word of God."

"The kids have always responded to this, but in the past few years I have asked my friends in the carnival business to share some of the prizes that they use out at midway with me so I can use them as incentives to learning their religion and Holy Scriptures," said Father Vakulskas.