Catholic Bible school puts youngsters on firm ground

Submitted on August 15, 2003

Send to friendFaith combined with a whole lot of fun took center stage recently at the Vacation Bible School at Immaculate Conception Parish in Union. In one corner of the parish center, youngsters with brooms in hand giggled with delight as they swept coconuts before them while racing each other up and down the floor. A muu-muu-clad mother spurred them to the finish. Other groups of children were making crafts, selecting prizes at a trinket table, singing songs and listening intently to storytellers talk about the life of Blessed Damien of Molokai, a priest who served lepers in Hawaii. The large room grew quiet as small heads bowed for a short prayer recited by a grade-schooler. The youngsters then dived into their mid-morning Hawaiian-themed snack. Surveying the action was Immaculate Conception program director and parishioner Carla Filla. Filla had earlier suggested the parish offer a Vacation Bible School, and because of her interest was asked by pastor Father Matthew M. Mitas to take on the task. The young mom wanted to use a Catholic-based Bible school formation program. Her choice: the Catholic Kids Net’s "Win the World for Jesus!" summer mission. A lay initiative, Catholic Kids Net, or CKNet, came about when a group of Catholic parents agreed families needed practical tools to help them teach the faith to their children. The 12-month, virtue-based character education program out of Irving, Texas, is aimed at children pre-kindergarten to 12. Each month participants receive a Kids4Jesus mission pack. The information packet helps children to learn the faith using such items as theme-oriented puzzles, games, projects and a monthly mission. The program’s summer Bible school component can stand on its own, which is how it was used at Immaculate Conception. "The great thing about it," Filla said, "is you can take that Vacation Bible School excitement and extend it throughout the year. It has the potential to really bring excitement to religious education." CKNet’s summer mission camp teaches children about their faith through the example of the Church’s saints. Youth learn that even at their young age, they already are missionaries for Christ. This past week they heard stories and participated in activities built around saints’ lives. Bible school participants also were asked to donate toothbrushes and spare change to support the Helping Hands Catholic Medical Mission for the poor. This activity enabled them to serve as missionaries; to see that they, too, could make a difference in other people’s lives, Filla said. Father Mitas, who dropped in regularly during the weeklong school, said he was "just really blown away by how well everything’s going" and by the number of participants and volunteers involved. "They’re really bringing in the saints. The Scriptures we have in common with every (Christian) denomination," he said, but lives of the saints really help to make the program Catholic. The priest also found it "very apostolic and missionary oriented." CKNet has received the endorsement of both the archdiocesan Office of Laity and Family Life and its family life ministry coordinator, Carol Tempel. She called the effort "a wonderful evangelization tool for families." "CKNet helps parents ... to learn more about their faith through the eyes of their child," Tempel said. "Children learn what it means to live out their baptismal promise and to know they can make a difference in our world." Filla was introduced to CKNet and its Bible school program at Gateway Academy, a private, Catholic pre-K-12 school run by the Legionaries of Christ in West County where she used to teach. The Legionaries serve as advisers for CKNet. Gateway Academy offered CKNet’s Vacation Bible School program last week, too. More than 200 children participated. In its inaugural year, the Vacation Bible School at Immaculate Conception had nearly 50 children from kindergarten-age through fourth grade taking part. A cadre of 30-plus teen and adult volunteers helped make it a success, Filla said. One such volunteer was Matthew Tucker, 17, a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Washington. The St. Francis Borgia High School senior had portrayed Father Damien in a skit. The CKNet program, he said, has taught participants "a lot about Jesus." They learned they can be like Christ and lead others toward salvation, he said. Laurie Gill, a member of St. Alban Roe Parish in Wildwood whose children participated in Gateway’s Vacation Bible School, is a strong proponent of Catholic Kids Net and its Bible school component. "I would say that ours is just the best Catholic program out there," said the mother of six and CKNet volunteer group team leader. Gill said many other faith-formation programs teach children that, ‘"OK, you’re in training now. Someday you’ll grow up to be Christian. Here’s all the things you need to know to be a Christian.’ And K4J just looks at kids and says, ‘You’re baptized now. Christ needs you now. Here’s what you can do to live as a Christian.’"