September 2, 2011
Formation Day brings humor, energy to ministry of catechists
Keynote speaker Mike Patin puts his face and whole body into telling a story, at the Catholic Center, Aug. 27. (Message photo by Paul R. Leingang) Click for a larger version.
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
It’s not as if it never happened before, that things don’t go as planned in catechetical situations, said Mike Patin, as he frenetically paced back and forth in front of the 180 participants at a diocesan Formation Day Aug. 27.
“Look what happened to Jesus. Five thousand people and only two fish to feed them. Who’s in charge of facilities?!?”
Patin, a popular return visitor to the Diocese of Evansville, was the keynote speaker at “A Formation Day for all who Share our Faith,” sponsored by the office of Catechesis.
The Lafayette, La., native blends energy, humor and stories to put across his point — most recently “the Passion Epidemic” and his discussion of “passion-robbers” and “passion-restorers.”
Patin believes (as did Pope Paul VI) that the world listens to witnesses more than to teachers. That’s why he asks teachers and catechists and others who seek to share their Christian faith, “How fascinating is your Jesus?” “How passionate is your discipleship?”
Patin “was fantastic,” said Mickie Paulin, DRE at St. Ferdinand Church in St. Ferdinand. “He uses his sense of humor to really inspire people to do their best. He had a really good message for catechists. I left feeling motivated.”
Paulin was one of the break session presenters.
Morning breakout sessions included a range of topics, including “Breaking Open the Word” by Benedictine Father Brendan Moss, “Lesson Planning and Learning Styles” by Angie Will and Denis Weil, “Storytelling” by Mary Jo Huff (and her puppets), “Teens with Screens” by Mike Patin, and “Who is the Holy Spirit” by Jack Tunier.
Afternoon breakout sessions included “Leading Prayer — Creating Rituals” by Theresa O’Bryan, “Making a Bigger Ripple — Expanding the Lesson” by Mickie Paulin, “Personal Spirituality — Finding My Way” by Connie Schnapf, and “the Joy of Forgiveness” by Benedictine Fath-er Denis Robinson.
Paulin’s session on “Making a Bigger Ripple” was on “connecting the kids with community and service,” she said. When a catechist talks about “the heads, the hearts and the hands, we want [students] not just to live the gospel but to know that they are actually builders of the Kingdom.” She said the people in her session had a lot of good ideas about what they did and what they were going to do, and they were able to share their ideas.”
Paulin, as both a participant and a presenter, had great praise for “the crew at the Catholic Center, the ladies that helped facilitate the day’s activities. They did a fantastic job . . . . they provided a lot more than two fish,” she said, laughing.