It is not about where we've been

it's about where we are going!

In 1982, in response to a plea from the pulpit, followed by the song “Here I Am, Lord” based
on Isaiah 6, my wife and I began to teach catechism classes at St. Thomas Aquinas parish to
High School age children. At first we did not realize that the parish was looking for a four
year commitment, following the ninth graders as they made their journey towards
confirmation as seniors, but we stuck it out and my wife actually became confirmed along
with the seniors in our fourth year.

When the chance came in year five to pass up the opportunity to continue teaching, I decided
to press on and my wife, with our second child on the way, decided to let me “go it alone”.
Now, two pastors, three different curriculums, four DRE’s, and five confirmation classes
later, I am still showing up to share the excitement I feel for my faith with high school
children. This year, however, I finally have one of my own children in my class. A whole
new dimension is now added to the annual experience of teaching!

At first I taught because I knew I needed God, His church needed me, and if I could just stay a
few chapters ahead of the children I would learn a lot and, hopefully, help some folks along
the way. Now, I know I still need God more than ever, His church still needs me, and
although I am more than a few chapters ahead of the children in my understanding I am still
learning new things and new ways of bringing the message alive in the hearts of my students
every year. But I also have come to believe that if there is any “helping of folks along the
way” going on it has more to do with the grace of God than it does with anything I say or do.

When I started teaching I was a young man in a hurry, but I don’t think I really knew where I
was going, or where I should be trying to get to. In my life at that time I could quickly tick
off on the fingers of both hands all the accomplishments, awards, ribbons, and projects I had
successfully completed - but deep down I felt that it all seemed pointless. Now, although I
could come up with a similar list nowadays if prodded, I feel that where I am going is so
much more important than where I’ve been. Like St. Paul said, “Not that I have already
obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus
has made me his own....but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward
to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in
Christ Jesus.” (Phillipians 3:12-14)

So like St. Paul I know I am not perfect, but I owe it to God, my wife, my family, my friends,
my employees, and the children I teach to try my best to be perfect - as we are all called to be.
By the grace of God, I can continue to process the experience of learning and teaching the
Catechism of the Catholic Church until the day that I have integrated it fully into my own life
and I can see God “face to face”.
1ex•pe•ri•ence \ik-"spir-È-€ns\ n 1 : observation of or participation in events
resulting in or tending toward knowledge 2 : knowledge, practice, or skill
derived from observation or participation in events; also : the length of such
participation 3 : something encountered, undergone, or lived through (as by a
person or community)

1pro•cess \"prä-'ses, "prÖ-\ n, pl pro•cess•es \-'se-s€z, -s€-s€z, -s€-'sÈz\ 1 :

PROGRESS, ADVANCE 2 : something going on : PROCEEDING 3 : a natural phenomenon
marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result <the ~ of
growth> 4 : a series of actions or operations directed toward a particular result
<a manufacturing ~> 5 : legal action 6 : a mandate issued by a court; esp :
SUMMONS 7 : a projecting part of an organism or organic structure

in•te•grate \"in-t€-'grÀt\ vb -grat•ed; -grat•ing 1 : to form, coordinate, or blend

into a functioning whole : UNITE 2 : to incorporate into a larger unit 3 : to end the
segregation of and bring into equal membership in society or an organization;
also : DESEGREGATE — in•te•gra•tion \'in-t€-"grÀ-sh€n\ n
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