-
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Where does the discussion of bearing fruit come from?
We will know that we have followed the direction of the Holy Spirit when our children:
2) What would it look like to have a children’s ministry that bears good fruit?
3) I don’t think I’ve had a conversion. What should I do?
4) I’ve had a conversion, but my child’s other parent has not. Where does this leave our family?
5) How will I know if my child has had a conversion?
6) Aren’t children too young to have conversions?
7) Where does the Church teach that conversion comes before religious education?
8) I think my child has had a conversion. Now what?
9) If my child doesn’t attend a regular Religious Education program this year, won’t they be behind?
10) My child is in 2nd grade next year. Can they receive the Sacraments?
11) My teen should receive Confirmation this year. What should we do?
12) Do you have resources for us to use at home?
13) We have questions or concerns about this. What should we do?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Where does the discussion of bearing fruit come from?
The bible has a lot to say about the need for Christians to bear fruit. Nowhere is this more apparent than in chapter 15 of the Gospel of John. It is in this passage that Jesus tells his apostles that he is the vine and they are the branches. He describes God the Father as the vine dresser who cuts off the branches that don’t bear fruit and prunes the ones that do, so that they will bear more fruit (Jn 15:1-2). Then he says, “anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned” (Jn 15: 6). He goes on to assure his apostles that if they remain with him, he will help them (15:7) and that he loves them. Jesus says that “by this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples” (15:8). Finally, he tells them that he chose them “and appointed [them] to bear fruit that will remain” (15:16).
Other passages in the New Testament echo this imperative to bear fruit. We are warned that Christians who do not bear fruit are false Christians and will not enter the Kingdom of God (Mt 7:17-20). In another biblical narrative, Jesus curses a fig tree because it is not bearing fruit (Mk 11:12-25). In a similar parable, he states that a tree that is not bearing fruit should be cut down (Luke 13:6-9).
The same standards should be applied to our ministries both at the parish and in our lives. As Jesus says, if a tree is not bearing fruit, “why should it exhaust the soil?” (Lk 13:7) Instead, we should focus on pouring our time and energy into ministries that are effective and led by the Holy Spirit.
How do we know if we are bearing fruit in our lives or in our parish ministries? The bible has a lot to say on this matter too. Scripture says that Christians who bear good fruit will do good works and have a deep knowledge of God (Col 1:10). They will receive the things they ask God for (Jn 15:16). Galatians says that the fruits of the Holy Spirit are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness” (Gal 5:22). And John the Baptist instructs us that in order to bear fruit, we must repent and receive the power of the Holy Spirit (Mt 3: 8-12). Likewise, ministries which bear fruit will always bring people to conversion in Jesus Christ and empower them with the Holy Spirit. Good works, answered prayers, deliverance, peace, joy, knowledge, and many other fruits will follow.
2) What would it look like to have a children’s ministry that bears good fruit?- Pray regularly and from the heart
- Speak about Jesus the way they speak about their family members or friends
- Talk about the Sacraments as if they have real power
- Ask questions about Mass, Catholic traditions and teachings
- Learn and recall things about the faith with joy
- Look forward to coming to Church
- Experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in tangible ways
- Sincerely explore their vocations
3) I don’t think I’ve had a conversion. What should I do?
Conversion in Jesus Christ is a lot like falling in love. When you are in love, you talk about the person a lot. You want to spend time together. You seek ways to show your love. You are willing to sacrifice other things for the sake of your relationship. Even on bad days, you are faithful to the commitment to love. Though your love will deepen and grow over time, your commitment to loving that person is rock solid. Being in love gives you a new energy, passion and purpose. Your life will never be the same because you are no longer the same.
Conversion is something we should all seek, but it is not something we can grasp on our own. God must move in us. The best way to seek conversion is to ask God for it. Discuss the following questions with God:- Do I really believe that God is a loving Father who wants the best for me?
- What images or words come to mind when I think about God? Where did I get them? Do they reflect the real God?
- Do I trust Jesus with my life?
- Are there barriers preventing me from fully trusting Jesus? Am I bound by fear, unforgiveness, anger, resentment, pain, sin or attachment to something incompatible with the Gospel? Do I believe that he is the Savior who can free me from these things?
- Am I willing to say yes to the Holy Spirit when he prompts me to act?
- Do I believe that God really wants to guide me and has a mission for me?
4) I’ve had a conversion, but my child’s other parent has not. Where does this leave our family?
It can be very challenging when one parent has had a conversion, but the other has not. However, rest assured that you are not alone. Staying connected to the community is important. It is important to have friends praying for you and with you at this time.
It can be tempting to push the other parent on this issue, but repentance and conversion cannot be forced. As you patiently pray for the other parent of your child, work to deepen your own relationship with God. Your child will learn a great deal from you. Your influence on his or her life is tremendous.
5) How will I know if my child has had a conversion?
Children are capable of great love and loyalty. Just as your child loves you deeply, they can also love the Lord in the same way. This may even come more naturally to them than to an adult.
You will know that your child has had a conversion when they begin to talk about God as a person who is real to them, whom they can talk to and trust. A child who has experienced a conversion will be sorry for their sins, but will also trust that God loves them. The child will ask questions about God and, when given the answers, will adjust their behavior accordingly. Remember, people who have had conversions live differently than people who don’t. A child who has a conversion will want to treat God with love and respect. They may tell you about conversations they have had with Jesus or things that God has told them.
6) Aren’t children too young to have conversions?
A conversion requires only two things: 1) a repentance for sins and 2) a commitment to follow Jesus. While children younger than 7 may not be capable of repenting from sin (since they likely haven’t willingly sinned yet), they can still make a commitment to follow Jesus. Children older than 7 can have genuine conversions.
We might say that if children have the capacity to love and exercise loyalty, as they do in the case of their family members and friends, then they also have the capacity to have a conversion. Remember, it is God that converts hearts. We can only cooperate with Him. Children may be more open to this cooperation than adults.
7) Where does it say that conversion comes before religious instruction?
The General Directory of Catechesis, the major document for all religious educators and one which draws from many church documents, states that we are to evangelize (bring the life of Christ) to people through a series of stages. These stages include: “Christian witness, dialogue and presence in charity, the proclamation of the Gospel and the call to conversion, the catechumenate and Christian initiation, and the formation of the Christian communities through and by means of their sacraments and ministers” (GD, 47). It is important to note that the General Directory places catechesis (religious education) after conversion. Conversion is possible because the person has “a well-disposed heart” that is open to a relationship with Christ (GD, 15). They also see Christians witnesses who are joyfully and vibrantly living the faith (GD, 15). Then, they hear a clear and authentic proclamation of the Gospel:
“This first proclamation is addressed especially to those who have never heard the Good News of Jesus, or to children. But, as a result of the frequent situations of dechristianization in our day, it also proves equally necessary for innumerable people who have been baptized but who live quite outside Christian life, for simple people who have a certain faith but an imperfect knowledge of the foundations of that faith, for intellectuals who feel the need to know Jesus Christ in a light different from the instruction they received as children, and for many others.” (EN, 52).
As a result of this clear and moving proclamation of the Gospel, the person may convert. It is only
at this point that the Church “ initiates into the faith and the Christian life, by means of catechesis and the sacraments of Christian initiation those who convert to Jesus Christ or those who take up again the path of following him” (GD, 48).
While a certain level of information needs to be communicated to children prior to conversion, this information should be focused on helping them come to conversion. Once a child has committed their life to Jesus, catechesis is both easy and life-giving because it becomes an apprenticeship in the Christian life God has called them to and they have accepted.
8) I think my child has had a conversion. Now what?
If your child has had a conversion, he or she will ask you questions about God, want to go to church and desire to pray. Nourish these desires as much as possible. After going to Mass, ask them how God was present to them. Read them stories from a children’s bible or have them read to you. Watch movies together that discuss Christian themes and talk with your child about them. Follow your child’s interests. For example, if she is asking questions about religious sisters, take her to visit a sister. If he is curious about the bells at Mass, show him the bells and explain why we ring them. If you ever get stuck, the parish is here to help! We are happy to answer questions, provide resources or make introductions for you. This is your church and we are here to serve you and your children.
9) If my child doesn’t attend a regular Religious Education program, won’t they be behind?
When I am asked this question I like to clarify what we are really discussing. It’s unlikely that a year away from a classroom model will negatively affect your child’s relationship with God. In fact, the biggest indicators that your child will have a strong faith have little to do with their formal education. A Swiss study found that a great determiner of whether a child will become a regular church goer as an adult is if the child’s father is a regular church-goer (The Demographic Characteristics of the Linguistic and Religious Groups in Switzerland” by Werner Haug and Phillipe Warner). Pew research indicates that one of the biggest determiners of whether someone will remain Catholic is if they are certain that a personal relationship with God is possible (Forming Intentional Disciples, 44).
If you are concerned that your child will not know enough information about the Church or about God, let me reassure you. The standard curriculum for religious education is cyclical, meaning that many of the same concepts are taught year after year. For example, a child will learn about the trinity in the first grade and then again in subsequent years as the child gets older. Each time they are taught about the trinity, the lesson is more detailed. The problem is that if a child is not interested in learning about the trinity, he or she will most likely not remember the material at all. This is especially true if a child does not hear the same material at home or at Mass on the weekends. The great news is that a child is far more likely to remember material—even complex material—when he or she is interested in the subject. Once a child has had a powerful experience of God, they are likely to absorb a great amount of information almost unconsciously.
Further, children who undergo a conversion routinely seek out information. They become life-long learners. This is far more valuable to them than the small amount of information they can learn before they graduate high school.
10) My child is in 2nd grade next year. Can they receive the Sacraments?
Yes. We will be running sacramental preparation programs this year. If your child is going into 2 nd grade, you will receive information about First Reconciliation and First Communion. You can contact me if you have any questions.
11) My teen should receive Confirmation this year. What should we do?
Please contact us to set up a meeting. I would be happy to talk to you and your teen about their options for this year and how they can best prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
12) Do you have resources for us to use at home?
Yes. We are blessed at this time in history to have a wealth of great Catholic resources for all ages. The important thing is to find the right resources for your unique child. If you would like some resources, contact the parish office so that we can set up a time to meet.
13) We have questions or concerns about this. What should we do?Please contact Shannon Ausloos at mbssausloos@gmail.com or (920) 231-9782 to make an appointment. She would love to hear from you.