Weeding out ‘pew potatoes’: New ministry targets lukewarm faith

By Ambria Hammel | Sept. 3, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

MESA — Steve Kohl gets great joy and affirmation when he sees the faces of his students light up during Mass.

As an acolyte at All Saints Parish, Kohl, who also teaches Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, can clearly see when certain parts of the Mass take on a new and profound meaning for his students. Their faces change as the ritual becomes real to them.

Seeing his students enter more deeply into their faith is a reward Kohl can’t explain. But it’s a look that he hopes he can help multiply through his new role as coordinator of Faith on Fire.

The Mesa-based Catholic ministry officially got underway last month. Faith on Fire offers on-site courses, workshops, missions and retreats designed to ignite a universal passion for the faith.

The hope is for Catholics and catechetical leaders to be renewed in their faith, grounded in solid teaching and equipped to truly live and spread their faith.

“Faith on Fire is a response to the need in the diocese that we saw for ongoing formation, retreats and missions. The things that parishes always need, but don’t always have the personnel,” explained Sr. Ginger Downey, OLVM, a local liturgical expert and one of two presenters with the ministry.

Both Sr. Ginger and Barry Sargent, former director of the diocese’s Kino Institute, expect that Catholics will walk away from their presentations on liturgy and evangelization strengthened in at least one of the four pillars of faith formation: theological, pastoral, spiritual and human.

They each gave sample presentations to more than 50 local Catholics during their kickoff events Aug. 18-20.

Sr. Ginger addressed some 30 Catholics at All Saints Parish Aug. 20 about grounding their ministry — whether it’s catechetical or missionary — in the prayer of the Church. Similar presentations were held in Glendale and Flagstaff the same week.

“If you’re a catechist, you are going to be teaching others,” Sr. Ginger said. “We can only give what we have ourselves, so if we don’t have a prayer life, we can’t give that to others.”

She talked about ways the universal Church creates a prayerful atmosphere through architecture, statuary, lighting and incense. Sr. Ginger also challenged local Catholics — largely catechists — to think about similar things when setting up prayer space in the classroom.

Even where the leader stands makes a difference, Sr. Ginger said. She added that how Catholics pray shapes their understanding of God.

 “It was a good presentation of how to connect theology with spirituality in action,” said Cecilia Roderick, an All Saints parishioner and chaplain at local hospitals. She hopes to learn more concrete ideas for the “action” part.

Faith on Fire also offers specific classes through its catechetical formation program. Sargent, who has a doctorate in religious studies, hopes parishes will encourage catechists to take one or all three courses in the program.

“We need to be people who are active and conscious of what it means to be a Catholic people,” Sargent told Catholics at the kickoff.

Only then can they communicate the faith in effective and meaningful ways without fear of rejection, he said. That means knowing what people are hungry for in a contemporary society and modifying practices to meet those needs.

Faith on Fire’s pastoral skills program provides formation training in communication, leadership and ministry to help those in pastoral ministry better serve their Catholic students.

That’s why Ryck Kramer, a parishioner at All Saints, came to the Faith on Fire presentation. He helps facilitate the “Why Catholic?” program at the parish and wanted to be better prepared to answer student questions and represent his faith “in a proper manner.”

Faith on Fire also hopes to reach Catholics not involved in a ministry to prevent them from becoming a “pew potato.” Sargent wants to inspire Catholics to embrace their ongoing call to conversion and understand their vocation. He said vocations open a relationship to Christ, to the Church as a ministry and to the world as a missionary and witness.

“All of us are called to be on mission,” Sargent said.