Katie’s Blog

CPE has ended… my two weeks of summer flew by (which I spent sleeping in, seeing my friend Jackie get married, and watching season 2 of Heroes)… and now here I am nearly two weeks into my last (!) semester! There are so many new things to share, I just don’t know where to begin.

This week I began working at Aquinas (again). A change in plans led me back to working in the Admissions office. Having been my home-away-from-home the past two years, I’m excited to work with Jen and Dave in the office. Heck, the more I get to talk about Aquinas the happier I am!

Newly added to my plate this semester is my third semester of SPM (Supervised Practice of Ministry- aka “Field Ed”) and my time (8-10 hrs/wk) at Sacred Heart Villa. I’ll be working with five classes of children, ages 3-6, in the atrium. I’m so excited to gain more experience in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Although, I must admit it’s a bit scary to entertain the idea of working with such young children after being with 9-12 year old the past few years!

Well, that gets me started for now… more on my classes in an upcoming post! Happy New Semester!

Well here we are… the semester has ended (thankfully) and my hiking trip with my dad and sister was GREAT! I’m finishing my last few days working in the admissions office before I start my summer internship. (More on that on Jen’s blog.)

While I was blog-surfing today, I came across this wonderfully prayerful reflection on Pentecost that I wish to share with you all. Peace!

Pentecost is the day of love

Happy Summer to all!!!

The following is an email sent to me by a catechist I work with. She and I work together with a group of 9-12 year old children at St. Francis Xavier (College) Church. The children, as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, are amazing. True sources of inspiration. I think the insight shared by this catechist shows the deep wisdom and faith children have.
“I wanted to tell you that we had a “blessed” day in the Atrium this past weekend. I floated on a cloud the rest of the day. There was so much fullness of their knowledge, so much “coming together” of words from the Bible. For example, we discussed Lent and preparation for the Resurrection. One child asked why we wait for 40 days. We talked about whether that was too many days, too few days, why we must prepare… But then they all started to interject the other times in the Bible when 40 days are referred to … Noah’s Ark, Jesus in the desert, and so on. Then there was the discussion of why Jesus wore white. Then the fact that he was clad in white swaddling clothes at birth and very similar white wraps at his death, and then baptism and then communion and weddings and why don’t they HAVE to wear white at confirmation? The connections were wonderful! What a humbling experience to my knowledge and depth of understanding at their age. WOW!”
***Their prayers of petitions from this past week:***
- For all people in Iraq, and wars all over the world, that peace will conquer the world. We pray

One of the first blog entries I posted was a reflection on petitions written by the 9-12 year olds I teach at College Church. This past weekend, I was blown away once again. Two fourth grade girls, clearly reflecting on the goings on in the world around them, wrote and read the following during our communal prayer:

~ We pray for all the children in the world, especially those in Iraq or who are orphans. We pray to the Lord…

~ For all those people who are in the war, that peace will spread over the world. We pray to the Lord…

~ For all people who do not have homes this winter, that they will be warm and safe. We pray to the Lord…

~ That all parents who have lost their children, that they will stay happy. We pray to the Lord…

~ For all our prayers that we hold in our hearts. We pray to the Lord…

~ That God’s help will be ours whenever we need it. We pray to the Lord…

Each month, I spend two Sunday mornings praying with 9-12 year olds at College Church. They\’re a quieter bunch, yet very much full of energy. Using the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd approach to religious formation, we gather for an hour and a half to read and talk about how we see God in the world. We reflect on stories from the New and Old Testament and explore the meaning behind each sacrament. At the end of our time together, before we return to Mass for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we pray communal prayer. Usually a group of three or four children come together and select opening and closing songs, a scripture passage, and a psalm. In our atrium (classroom), it is typical for children to write petitions to read during prayer. Sometimes they consult the large group when writing their petitions. Other times, a smaller group composes them.

The petitions prayed at our last gathering have had a deep impact on me. Each week I am humbled to be in the presence of children who teach me how to pray. So I asked the four 10 year-old girls who wrote them if I could share them with you. Thus, I offer you (copied just as they wrote them) prayers of wisdom and insight that is great beyond their years.

- For all who have suffered starvation, thirst, coldness, or loss of loved ones. We pray…

- That anyone who is in Iraq, they will be safe. We pray…

- For all who are poor, sick, shelterless, or unloved, that they shall have all their needs. We pray…

- For world peace, that we come to the parousia soon. We pray…

AMEN.