December 2, 2011
People of Faith
Theology teacher shares journey of faith
BY STEVE HALBIG
The People of Faith feature is compiled by Steve Halbig, who asks a series of questions of people of the diocese — some who have reached the “age of wisdom” and some who are younger. All will share stories of faith.
This month’s People of Faith focuses on Mary Kaye Falcony of Holy Rosary parish and a theology teacher at Reitz Memorial High School. She talks about connecting with teenagers and how faith has made such an impact in her life. Read more below.
Have you lived in Southern Indiana all your life? I was born and raised in Youngstown , Ohio. I moved to Evansville with my husband and daughter 21 years ago. Joe was transferred here to manage a retail jewelry store and I took the position as Director of Religious Education at Holy Rosary Parish.
How long have you been teaching? I taught in the Diocese of Youngstown for eight years and have been at Memorial High School for the last 11 years. I also have spent 12 years in parish ministry; two years as a Youth Minister and Director of Adult Formation and 10 years as a Director of Religious Education.
What is the best part of your job? It is being with the teens and sharing this journey of faith with them. The most valuable thing I can do as a catechist is to acknowledge that I am on this journey just as they are and we are both called to help each other make our way back to God. The other thing I like about working with teens is their enthusiasm for life and their belief that life holds endless possibilities for all of us.
What is the hardest part of your job? The hardest part of this ministry is witnessing some of the struggles that confront teenagers in 2011. The other challenge is making sure that the information I share about the faith is presented in such a way that they can easily see how it relates to their everyday life experience. In doing this, hopefully they may come to see God’s presence in all things.
How do you connect with teens? Mike Carrotta says “we have never been their age” and for the most part that statement is true. I do acknowledge that there are some things about being a teenager today that I “don’t get.” But there are many things that always remain the same and this is what I focus on. Everyone, no matter who you are, wants to be accepted, respected, appreciated and loved for who you are. Teens are no different, so that is what I try to do. I hope they feel connected to me because they know that I genuinely love them and accept them for who they are.
Who has been a big influence in your life? There is something that I once read that says everyone we meet takes a little of us with them and we take a little of them along with us. In my life I have found this to be true. There are so many things that I have learned from so many people it would be impossible to include them all here. So I will only include three.
- My parents were a big influence in my life. They challenged me to be a “Great Lover.” They opened up their home to three children who had no one. My brother and sister are from Italy and I was adopted two months after I was born. They took us in and we became family.
- Sister Martina Casey, who was my high school dean of students and also my first principal. She was someone I learned a great deal from. She taught me to be compassionate and to put life’s experience in perspective, to learn something from everything, enjoy life and above all laugh a lot!
- My husband has also been a great influence in my life. He is my biggest fan. He has always encouraged me to go beyond what I think I can do and then supported me the entire time. He has always been a very prayerful person, which encourages me to make prayer a priority in my own life.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? What did you end up doing? When I was in high school I thought I wanted to be a commercial artist but once I got involved in helping special needs children prepare to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation, my thinking began to change. When I entered college I took an introductory course in Education and I was hooked. I went on to get a degree in Elementary Education and Special Education.
Who do you consider to be the best role models today? For me this would be Mother Teresa. If we would take to heart her call and her example to “do small things with great love” in our little part of the world, more problems than we imagine would slowly fade away.
Describe how your faith helped you through a difficult time in your life: One of the most difficult times in my life is when we moved to Evansville. In 1991 my husband was transferred here. Before he accepted the position we prayed to try to discern whether or not this was what God was calling us to. Our answer came — everything about the move fell into place with minimal effort on our part. We felt like Abraham, God telling us to go to the land he had chosen. We followed his lead and like Abraham we have been greatly blessed.
What is your first memory of church? I can remember watching Mass from the balcony of our church and seeing my brother serving Mass as an altar boy down below. I didn’t understand anything because it was still in Latin.
What do you like most about being Catholic? I love our liturgical celebrations, especially Holy Week services. I also appreciate the unwavering Social Justice teaching of the Catholic Church. It defines in real terms who we are called to be for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. I also appreciate the rich sacramental life offered to us. For me they act as a reminder of God’s constant presence in my life.
Do you have a favorite saint? A favorite religious item? My favorite religious item is my Dad’s First Communion prayer book. When he died that is what I chose as a keepsake.
Mary has always been a model for me and a confident. As a child I witnessed the devotion my Dad had for Mary, so maybe it was his witness that influenced me. I feel close to her because I know she understands my struggles to try to be a good wife, mom and catechist. In all things she put God first, so I ask her to help me do the same.
Tell us a few more things about yourself:
- I have a daughter who works at St. Mary’s.
- I am an animal lover so I have a dog and two cats.
- I love to travel. When I was in Mexico I swam with the dolphins; in Jamaica I climbed a waterfall; and in San Diego our family went whale watching. The older I get it seems the more adventurous I become! Someday I want to visit Italy and also experience the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
- I love facilitating retreats for all different groups.
What do you do in your spiritual life that you would recommend to others? My favorite prayer form is the Lectio Divina. It allows me to be still and just listen to what God is calling me to. One of my favorite books I use for reflection is “The Cup of Our Life” by Joyce Rupp. I also use the three-minute retreat by Loyola press on my iPhone.
What is your best wisdom on life?
- Rely on God in all things.
- Keep situations in proper perspective.
- Be present and pay attention to people.
- Use the gifts you have been given by God to bring glory to him.
- Be open to where God may lead you. His plans are greater and more fulfilling than what we can imagine for ourselves.
- Never miss the chance to tell those in your life that you love them.
Contact Steve at shalbig@evdio.org