July 2, 2010
The Story of TEC
TEC movement shapes young disciples of Jesus
By ZOE CANNON (Sacred Heart Church, Vincennes)
Third in a series
“I will show you my faith by what I do”. . . and the plan began at TEC!
One generation plants trees, another gets the shade. This little analogy says a lot in just eight words. For 2,000 years our Catholic Church has been planting seeds of faith so that generations of people may enjoy the beautiful traditions.
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Mt. 16:18
The world can be a tough place and we need disciples to lend a hand in continuing these beautiful Church practices, which began with St. Peter. I know three young adults who in their busy professional lives have chosen to be just that, disciples of Jesus, right here, right now, in 2010. What do Curt Klein, from Jasper, Jaclyn Snyder from Defiance, Ohio and Emily Giordano, raised in Den-ver, Colo. and now living in Vincennes, have in common? A desire to be leaders of the Catholic faith and each of these young adults has been in-volved with the “Teens Encounter Christ” Movement; in fact, that is how they met.
“Sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy everyone that asks you a reason of that hope which is in you.” — 1 Peter 3:15.
This scripture passage chosen by Emily Giordano, reflects the kind of life she shares with those around her. A nurse at Deaconess Hospital, Emily is studying to become a Nurse Practitioner. She was not raised Catholic, although both her parents are Catholic. She and her one sister were young when their parents divorced.
“My grandmother ‘mamaw’ always took me to church with her and I watched her live a Christian life. She prayed and read her Bible, even when no one was looking. She has a faith that can move mountains and it moved me with it.”
In her early 20s, Emily started attending Catholic Church with a best friend. She said even at a time when she had no idea that the Eucharist was Jesus himself, she felt drawn to it. She asked her friend what she had to do to take part in communion, and her friend told her she had to become Catholic.
With her friend’s support, she did just that in 2007. She said that over the last year her faith has grown, as she has come to realize that no matter what has happened in our past, God created us with a plan to love and serve him. She has come to realize that talking about faith does nothing if the actions do not speak louder.
Her pastor, Father Jason Gries, shared with her the quote by St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” This resonated with her, and she strives to make that her goal. Emily said that “every day is a struggle, but it is what I was called to do.”
TEC was an integral part of her spiritual growth this past year. It helped her to understand and appreciate the unique things which make us Catholic. “I was inspired by the people I met, including the youth, whose choice to make TEC, and whose maturity and faith wowed me. What a great gift we have in TEC,” Emily added.
She has also started a “Young Adult Catholic” group in Vincennes. They have been meeting for several months and the fellowship and faith formation are a great chance to connect with other young adults seeking a greater knowledge of our Catholic practices.
Emily and Jaclyn Snyder first met in Vincennes after Jaclyn was hired as the Youth Minister for the Blessed Frassati youth group, in October 2009. Growing up in Defiance, Ohio, Jaclyn smiles as she refers to her small Catholic family of 14 brothers and sisters, whose names all begin with the letter “J”. Jaclyn’s parents are devout Catholics. Daily Mass and Rosary with monthly confession and Euch-aristic Adoration were participated in by all the family.
Jaclyn said, “I did not always appreciate the treasure of Catholic faith, which my parents worked so hard to pass on to all of us.” In choosing a career path, youth and faith were her passion, and Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio her choice for college. She graduated in May 2009 with a degree in Catechetics and Theology. She also spent a summer in a program called Totus Tuus, which means “totally yours.” It was a course in learning to teach Catechesis and Theology to youth. This opportunity confirmed her desire to be a Youth Minister.
She was hired by Father Dave Fleck for the Vincennes Community through St. John Church. He encouraged her to attend a TEC weekend. She had heard of TEC growing up, but had never participated as a teen. Attending TEC 73 as an adult observer at St. Mary’s in Ire-land was yet another chance to deepen her love for Christ by sharing it with young people.
Of the three highlighted in this article, Curt Klein has been the most involved with the TEC movement. Having made nine TEC retreats himself, Curt just accepted the chairperson position for the TEC Core Planning Team. This volunteer responsibility is a big job, especially for one who has a full time position with Kimball Electronics.
“The influence I have had in my ability to share my faith started with my parents, Larry and Dianne. They encouraged me to make my first TEC when I was in high school. I enjoyed the experience of my first TEC so much that I wanted to keep being part of it. TEC gave me a chance to make different friends across the Diocese of Evansville.”
Curt is a member of Holy Family in Jasper. He has two older brothers, and he also credits TEC with increasing his faith in God, helping him get through life situations in high school, college, and as a young professional. He joined the TEC core group because he wanted to give back to TEC which has given so much to him.
Curt, Emily and Jaclyn all met through TEC and regardless of their diverse backgrounds, born in different states, family size, and career choices, their greatest common factor is love of God. Together they are working hard to bring Young Adults to appreciate the Catholic faith.
The first article of this series began with, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8 “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”
How fortunate for these young adults that they have experienced this blessing of truth. But most important, how blessed are we that they share that faith with others.
The witness in the lives of these three people is proof that one generation really does plant trees and another gets the shade.
Bearing great fruit I might add!