Roche Center Faith Feeds Guide: Joy - In Challenging Times
Having a faith conversation with old and new friends is as easy as setting the table.
FAITH FEEDS GUIDE JOY: IN
CHALLENGING TIMES
Introduction to FAITH FEEDS 3
Conversation Starters 6
• Children Discovering Joy by Angela Mitchell 7 Conversation Starters 9
• Suprised by Joy by Anne-Marie Funk 10 Conversation Starters 12
• People of Joy and Hope by Sean McGraw 13 Conversation Starters 14
• Gathering Prayer 15
Faith Feeds is an initiative by Boston College’s Church in the 21st Century Program (C21), a Center that serves as a catalyst and resource for renewal of the Catholic Church in the United States. Faith Feeds was originally designed for individuals in Catholic parishes who are hungry for opportunities to talk about their faith with others who share it. Considering many Catholic schools are an extension of a parish, in partnership with the Roche Center for Catholic Education, a Center that forms Catholic educators to become agents of change who work to create excellent PreK-12 Catholic schools, a customized set of guides have been developed for Catholic educators.
Educators who strive for this excellence embody the following five virtues that allow them to transform Catholic schools: adaptable, joyful, attentive, visionary, and humble. St. Ignatius stated, “All the things in this world are gifts of God, created for us, to be the means by which we can come to know him better, love him more surely, and serve him more faithfully. As a result, we ought to appreciate and use these gifts of God insofar as they help us toward our goal of loving service and union with God.”
The development of Faith Feeds guides around these five gifts or virtues, challenges Catholic educators to reflect on how they are living out being adaptable, joyful, attentive, visionary, and humble in their everyday life. Together, C21 and the Roche Center hope to deepen one’s faith and bring communities of people together, especially during this time of social isolation, through these Faith Feeds reflections and questions. All authors in these special Catholic educator editions are committed Catholic educators who have a deep love for Catholic schools. Some authors currently serve as leaders in Catholic schools, others teach Catholic educators at the university level. Drawing voices from the United States and Ireland, all authors are connected by their love for Catholic schools and strive daily in their vocations to love and serve God.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who should host a FAITH FEEDS?
Anyone who has a heart for facilitating conversations about faith, education, and leadership is perfect to host a FAITH FEEDS.
Where do I host a FAITH FEEDS?
You can host a FAITH FEEDS in-person or virtually through video conference software. FAITH FEEDS conversations are meant for small groups of 10-12 people.
What is the host’s commitment?
The host is responsible for coordinating meeting times, sending out materials and video conference links, and facilitating conversation during the FAITH FEEDS.
What is the guest’s commitment?
Guests are asked to read the articles that will be discussed and be open to faith-filled conversation.
Still have more questions?
No problem! Email karen.kiefer@bc.edu and we’ll help you get set up.
READY TO GET STARTED?
STEP ONE
Decide to host a FAITH FEEDS. Coordinate a date, time, location, and guest list. An hour is enough time to allocate for the virtual or in-person gathering.
STEP TWO
Interested participants are asked to RSVP directly to you, the host. Once you have your list of attendees, confirm with everyone via email. That would be the appropriate time to ask in-person guests to commit to bringing a potluck dish or drink to the gathering. For virtual FAITH FEEDS, send out your video conference link.
STEP THREE
Review the selected articles from your FAITH FEEDS Guide and the questions that will serve as a starter for your FAITH FEEDS discussion. Hosts should send their guests a link to the guide, which can be found on bc.edu/FAITHFEEDS.
STEP FOUR
Send out a confirmation email a week before the FAITH FEEDS gathering. Hosts should arrive early for in-person or virtual set up. Begin with the Gathering Prayer found on the last page of this guide. Hosts can open the discussion by using the suggested questions. The conversation should grow organically from there. Enjoy this gathering of new friends, knowing the Lord is with YOU!
STEP FIVE
Make plans for another FAITH FEEDS. We would love to hear about your FAITH FEEDS experience. You can find contact information on the last page of this guide.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
Here are three articles to guide your FAITH FEEDS conversation. We suggest that you select two that will work best for your group, and if time permits, add in a third. In addition to the original article, you will find a relevant quotation, summary, and suggested questions for discussion. We offer these as tools for your use, but feel free to go where the Holy Spirit leads.
This guide’s theme is: Joy: In Challenging Times
CHILDREN DISCOVERING JOY
By Angela Mitchell
When I was a little girl, my grandmother gave me a gift of a very small but beautiful prayer book, simply called ‘The Child of Mary.’ I immediately fell in love with it. The size of the book and its simple name seemed to suit my young age, and I was delighted to find it contained over three hundred pages of what I considered very grown up prayers. As a little girl growing up in the Irish countryside with lots of free time, I loved to flick between the pages, encountering for the first time, the Saints who had composed these
beautiful prayers. I became especially fond of Claude de la Colombiere, Margaret Mary, Ignatius Loyola, and Thomas Aquinas. My favorite prayer by Pierre Charles, SJ, was on the first page, just above where I had written my name. It was a request by Pierre that God would consider him not as a scholar, nor as a philosopher, not as an athlete, nor yet as a hero, but simply as a child of Mary. This prayer spoke to me, as I did not yet know what I would be when I grew up, but I understood that knowing I was a child of Mary,
was most important. Many years later, I befriended another Saint, the wonderful Teresa of Avila who taught me to be content knowing that I am a child of God. She advised letting this presence settle into my bones to allow me ‘the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love’.
As a young teacher, I embraced her advice and tried to make my classroom a place of faith, joy, and freedom. One particular year, my class seemed to have an unusual number of children who were anxious and often sad. As a class, we spent more time that year singing, praying, dancing and learning how to be kind to one another. Looking back, it was one of my most tiring, but joyful years teaching. This was confirmed for me years later when one of those eight year olds, now a teenager, came back to visit and thank me for teaching her how to be happy. She talked about our singing, praying, and dancing together. She mentioned small kindnesses, words of encouragement, and an understanding that I loved each of the children and wanted what was best for them. I was now a principal for many years, often moving quickly from one task to the next. I worked hard for the children, but wondered would all the children of the school be as sure now that I loved them? How did I actively show them?
When I think about joy, I often think of children laughing, dancing, playing together, and enjoying celebrations. I can see why Jesus advises us to be like little children. Small children who know they are loved show incredible freedom. They do not take themselves too seriously. They are playful, joyful, and full of hope.
Unfortunately, not all children experience this love at home and may rely on us, as Catholic educators, to ensure they encounter the love of God in our schools. Through a small act of kindness, my grandmother’s gift opened up the beauty of the communion of Saints to me. In the same way, through small and repeated acts of love and kindness, we can give our school community an experience of the beauty and love that frees all of our souls to dance, sing, play, try new things, and learn from mistakes. With a playful spirit, we can model for our children through our words, actions, and our way of being, how to live joyfully out of the hope we have in us.
I also think that some of my most joyful moments as principal have been the moments of transformation where children discover the joy that comes from living in truth. Sometimes in tears, they find the joy of forgiveness, of beginning again, of knowing they are loved and belong, even when they make mistakes. This knowledge that each of us is a beloved child of God and Mary allows us to hope and believe, even in the most difficult situations. In the experience of this love, joy springs up and abides in us, so transformation is possible. This deep joy is something far more beautiful and powerful than happiness, it is the joy of the Lord, that becomes our strength.
Angela Mitchell Principal
Loreto Senior National School in Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
CHILDREN DISCOVERING JOY
“For the joy of the Lord is your strength”
—Nehemiah 8:10
Questions
for Conversation
1. Where do you find joy in your every day?
2. The author writes, “we can model for our children through our words, actions, and our way of being, how to live joyfully out of the hope we have in us.” How do your words, actions, and ways of being spark joy in others?
3. Do you find joy in your faith life? Are there prayers that comfort you and spark a sense of happiness within? Is there a faith community you are involved with that brings you joy?
SURPRISED BY JOY
By Anne-Marie Funk
It was April 2nd, and I sat down on the stone steps leading up to Saints Peter and Paul Church in San Francisco and closed my eyes in the warm sunshine. Like many of us, my eyes were strained from Zoom meetings, classes, and emails. It was good to step out for a bit and get some fresh air and a change of pace. The church was closed, but I felt like I was still in the presence of God as I sat on the steps.
I opened my eyes and saw a woman making a beeline towards me from Washington Square. She had a kindly countenance and was a little disheveled. She sat down on the steps (at the requisite social distance) and we chatted. Her name was “Emma” and she mentioned that she was hungry. I thought, “Oh, I could buy her some pizza.” I patted my pocket and realized that I had not brought my credit card.
“Emma,” I said, “I’d be happy to buy you some pizza but I don’t have any money on me. If you don’t mind waiting, I can walk back to my apartment, get
some money, and come back and get you some pizza.” She looked at me searchingly: “Thank you, Miss Anne. Do you promise to come back?” I said, “I promise, Miss Emma.”
It felt good to be on a mission of sorts. Mother Teresa often said that we must recognize Jesus in the Eucharist and in the poor. Our Lord said that we will be judged on how we treat the poor and those in need (Matthew 25). I grew up with wonderful parents who truly believe and live by these words, and who sometimes refer to a quote from Hebrews: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Life really becomes a marvelous adventure when you live by these words.
I hurried into my apartment, grabbed my credit card, and glanced at the gorgeous pink roses that stood on the nightstand in my room. I love roses and these had been extravagant at Whole Foods the day
before. I thought for a second and then took one. The beauty of the rose really reminded me of the beauty that was in Emma’s heart (so apparent in our brief interaction). The walk back to Saints Peter and Paul felt entirely different than it had felt just 30 minutes before, when my head ached and I was thinking about all the challenges and opportunities of distance learning.
I walked up to the step: “Hello again, Emma!” She glowed: “You came back! Thank you for keeping your word, Anne.” (I almost burst into tears.) “Here, this rose is for you. It is beautiful, just like your beautiful heart.” She shyly thanked me and took the rose. Now, on to the important business: “What would you like on your pizza?” The order settled, I headed off again. I glanced back over my shoulder and smiled as I saw her looking at her rose.
Pizza was ordered and freshly made, and I headed back with soda, napkins, and plates. “Thank you, Anne. Would you care to join me?” I had to get back to work. She thanked me again. As I walked away, I heard her say, “Oh, it’s warm! I don’t ever have warm pizza!”
Tears filled my eyes. There was a poetic beauty to her, and I was richly blessed by our interaction. I’ve looked for her every day since, but haven’t seen her again.
A gigantic box of fresh yellow roses arrived at my door a few days ago. I mean gigantic. I had to use three vases and the roses filled my apartment like rays of sunshine. I was stunned when they arrived and hurriedly looked through the box until I found a sweet little card. The roses were from a dear mentor and friend on the East Coast, who simply wanted to send some love my way during this time of quarantine.
In reflecting this evening, I suddenly realized that the one rose that I gave to sweet Emma has been returned to me with almost embarrassing generosity. My mom often says, “The Lord can’t be outdone in generosity.” The roses were a truly inspired gift. This time of the COVID-19 pandemic is such a challenging and difficult time for us all. Joy is a gift from God that sustains and animates us in every difficulty. We can’t create joy, because it is a gift, but we can create environments in our school communities and our personal lives that make it possible to receive and nourish the gift of joy when it does arrive. As you make a simple walk to the chapel in between meetings or have a conversation at a seemingly inopportune time, you may be “surprised by joy.”
Anne-Marie Funk
Assistant Principal for Student Activities Marin Catholic, Kentfield, CA
SURPRISED BY JOY
“No matter how tired you are, no matter how physically exhausting this work may be, it’s beautiful to bring a smile into someone’s life, to care for someone in need. What greater joy can there be?”
—Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
Questions for Conversation
1. The author writes, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Life really becomes a marvelous adventure when you live by these words. In what ways have you been attentive to the angels unawares in your life? How have these individuals influenced you?
2. Preferential service to the poor can come in many forms. How do you minister to those less fortunate, including those who may be defined as spiritually poor? In what ways do you bring joy to these individuals?
3. In what ways have you been “surprised by joy?” How did this make you feel? In what ways have you reciprocated this surprise of joy by being an expression of joy for others?
PEOPLE OF JOY AND HOPE
By Dr. Sean McGraw
If the Gospels are meant to be “Good News,” why are there are so many stories of fear, loss, illness, disbelief, isolation, brokenness, and even death? Why are the disciples, Jesus’ best friends and closest followers, always getting it wrong – and why would they want others to know this is the case? Why are the religious leaders often portrayed as close-minded, rigid, and hypocritical? And why, if we are to get excited about Jesus and becoming his followers ourselves, is his life filled with failure, misunderstanding and even outright rejection?
If we could re-write the Gospel, would we eliminate these parts that show Jesus, or his followers, in a bad light? I hope not! The whole point of the Gospel is to remind us of the first moments of creation – that we are made in the image and likeness of God, and that we are never alone. To know this is to know joy. To be human is to get lost, and to fail, and to misunderstand, and to get sick, and to get stuck on ourselves. To be human is to constantly get it wrong. And yet, in all things, God is with us, and this is what leads us to joy!
How appropriate it is that in the first encounter with the Risen Lord, the disciples only recognize Jesus when they see and touch his wounded hands, side, and feet? Jesus teaches them that not even death –or locked doors, or fear, or doubt, can separate them from him. He breaks down all barriers, and is present to them – to us. Jesus does not take away the wounds or death, but is present to us in these moments. The first disciples overcame their fear, uncertainty, and doubt once they realized they were not alone, and that there was no part of their life that God could not touch. This palpable sense of being loved, and not
being alone, freed the earliest disciples to be bold and zealous witnesses to God’s presence.
Rather than re-writing the Gospels to show how awesome they were, the Gospel writers and early followers reveled in the Gospels because they demonstrated how awesome God is. The Gospels are “good news” because they point to how powerful and transformative God’s presence is for each of us.
As Catholic educators, we are charged to be people of joy and hope, whose purpose in life is to witness to this same transformative power of God’s love. Being great Catholic educators is not just about the wellplanned lesson, or the cutting edge blended-learning methodology, or the masterfully designed prayer service, or the thoughtful parent-teacher conference, or the engaging faculty in-service – although these are all great and aspirational! True Catholic education is about witnessing to God in all things. Once each student, teacher, administrator, parent and visitor knows the true joy that comes with being loved, and not being alone, then real learning and community building, and service of others will happen. This choice to see God’s presence in all things is a decisive choice that transforms all things. It helps us see that failure, disappointment, loss, and misunderstanding are as much a part of our lives as excelling, achieving, and understanding. To stay focused on God’s healing and life-giving presence changes everything. Let’s pray we dwell here, and in doing so, we let the God who dwells in us guide us in all things.
Dr. Sean McGraw Political Science, Boston College
PEOPLE OF JOY AND HOPE
A Catholic educator imagines, even expects, that joy might somehow be present to the point of becoming a decisive influence. They hold hope, strategize with hope, and attend to ‘the task of consolation’.
—Broscombe
Questions for Conversation
1. The Gospels contain the full range of human emotions, all of which have the potential to lead us to a deeper relationship with God. Is there a favorite Gospel passage of yours that reminds you of how you are loved and never alone?
2. Can you identify two or three encounters or experiences in your (virtual or in-person) classroom or school where you were surprised, but grateful to discover God’s presence?
3. Is there a time when you were experiencing deep wounds and/or feeling ill, hurt, or alone when you had a sense that God was present to you in your heart or via another person? Have you ever been able to reveal God’s presence to another when they were feeling such loss?
4. What is one way you might decide to be a person of joy in your classroom or school in the coming days?
