When I saw the story I'm featuring today I couldn't really resist it. Not to pick on Italy--I know that I have regular readers in Italy, one of whom comments from time to time. The fact is this piece speaks more to me of things I've experienced closer to home. Anyhow, here's the story excerpt:
Italy professes to be a Catholic nation - but a majority of Italians do not know "even the most basic facts" about the Bible, according to a survey.
The international poll, conducted by Eurisko for the Catholic Biblical Federation, showed that in Italy only 14 per cent of those questioned were able to answer a series of questions about the Bible correctly. They included whether Moses or St Paul featured in the Old Testament, whether Jesus had written any of the Gospels, and whether the Gospels form part of the Bible. Another question which defeated most Italians was: which of the following - Luke, John, Peter and Paul - wrote the Gospels?
Among the respondents 88 per cent of Italians described themselves as Roman Catholics, three quarters said they kept a Bible in their home, and 79 per cent said they felt their lives were "protected by God". But only 32 per cent described themselves as "regular churchgoers", and only 28 per cent thought the Bible should be taught in schools.
Whereas in the US 75 per cent of Americans claim to have read a Bible passage recently, in Italy the figure is 27 per cent. Vatican officials said the survey, co-ordinated by Luca Diotallevi, a Rome University sociologist, offered "food for thought" for the Synod Bishops in Rome this autumn on the Word Of God, where its implications would be discussed.
It was just this past weekend that I was invited to attend a parish youth religious education event with my older son who will start high school in August. Overall I was impressed because I have been searching--even praying--for something to get my kid interested. "These kids are really excited," I thought to myself. The excitement was truly evident, and the program is obviously a fantastic success.
My son has gone to Catholic school his whole life and he's gotten a lot of positive things out of it; nevertheless, it hasn't been all that long ago that he asked me, "Hey dad, are we Catholic or Christian?" As a parent I sometimes blame myself but there are some gaps in his theological understanding. However, let's give him a break--he's a typical 13 year old, right? My hopes are that the parish program will get him into his faith. Still, he's not alone in the world of not knowing much about what his Church teaches.
Some of the kids at the event on Sunday had made a home movie and showed it as a closing thing for the evening. I got the feeling while watching that the adults in charge may not have previewed what we were watching--nothing really bad, just some teenage horsing around. However, what caught my interest was that they were interviewing fellow teens about biblical topics. They were asking those whom they were interviewing "Who was St. Lucifer?" When they asked the question I about fell down. "Okay, it's only a joke," but some things can't be faked and these kids were stumped by the question. Another kid was asked "Who was Moses?" She replied, "Wasn't he one of the disciples?"
Unawareness of the faith isn't all that uncommon, but we should expect folks who have had religious education and Catholic school not to be entirely ignorant. I am reminded of years ago hearing a forthright young lady explain that God was against sin and that it said so right on page 453 of the bible. This was before my conversion so I can't blame it on Catholic school or the shared praxis model of religious education (These days to utter the words "direct teach" is pure profanity in some circles--with the possible exception of special education).
Each year my mother-in-law invites family members to her home for major religious holidays. In our celebrations the children of the family are always invited to read scripture. I have been amused on several occasions to hear the highlighted chapter titles and footnotes of the NAB read as though they too were part of the sacred text. Coming from children it's one thing, but let's face it there are adults too who don't know that page numbers differ from bible to bible or that the sacred authors were not John, Paul, and George, and that the footnotes and NAB headings were not written by the hand of Jesus.
At first I was going to classify this post under religion and culture, but really it belongs in my rants category. I deserve a rant occasionally, but complaints should always be accompanied with suggestions for improvement.
So what's needed? How about adult religious education on a wide scale--forgive me but it's a harp I've been playing for years. Some direct instruction would be good too. Question and answer catechisms were mostly before my time, that is with the exception of Fr. John Hardon's notable work. Maybe it's time to bring back something like that.
Certainly a well planned approach to adult religious education is something that will go far. What's keeping it from happening is often the trouble of logistics and dealing with committee differences (I'm really not thinking about anyone in particular--Well, okay, maybe I am). Then there's the issue of training catechists. Too often we feel that a catechist should have a degree--not true. Forget it. And the folks who say that you can't give answers but you have to allow people to find the answers on their own? That's great, they should have their own bible study--maybe in their Small Christian Community.
The biggest success I ever had in teaching religious education was a class on the Catechism of the Catholic Church that I did before my ordination back in 1998. We read through the Catechism in nine months and I stood in front of a chalk board and lectured for an hour and a half every Wednesday morning. No one dropped out in the whole nine months and it changed several lives, including mine. Perhaps it's time to do something like that again...Okay, now that I've presented the action, allowed for critical reflection, dialog, story, and vision--modeled the praxis--please go to page 453 for the answer.
ROFL! Well, as a long time catechist of differing grades, a Confirmation facilitator, and RCIA team member/sponsor/prayer partner, I thought I'd heard it all. Maybe I did. But I wasn't banking on hearing it later..from my own kids. Imagine my chagrin. We didn't leave it all to religious ed instructors, either. I don't understand what happened. All 4 kids went religiously to religious ed all their growing up years, and we lived the faith here -- every Sunday and holy day found us at Mass --we arranged the whole day or eve around it.. All received all the Sacraments. We prayed before meals, prayed whenever anyone was in trouble or hurt or sick. We gave the example of living the social justice aspect of the faith.. we even got them involved in the parish 'extracurricular' life as best we could, too.. How is it, then, that one of the kids snickered at me one day in late teen years, "You don't really believe the devil is real, do you??" (Uh, yeah, I do--he just kicked me in the teeth, girl.)
Anyway, excellent ideas, DDW. Adult religious ed, yes-- we have seen the difference it makes. Adult religious discussion series, too, and adult Scripture study of the upcoming Sunday readings helps, too. But for sure, a lack of knowledge of the Bible means a lack of knowledge despite anything given besides that. I grew up without a Bible as well as without Scripture familiarity -- but all the Protestant kids didn't! I felt really out of the loop, but Catholics just didn't read the Bible back then. My mom didn't get one until late in life, and only read it when she was troubled. She gave it to me, and I read it when I was troubled.. but read it a little beyond then, too, and I fell in love with the One Who loves me (us).
And I know for a fact that the kids are hungry for Him. They are so hungry for His love, despite what anyone says or forecasts. A couple years ago when working with a tableful of teen girls in their last year of Confirmation prep, I quoted a different and rather lengthy passage than what we had read, but it fleshed out and shored up what we had just read. I was looking down at the Bible pages the whole time, but our too-smart girl picked up on it right away. She gasped, "You weren't reading that! You MEMORIZED it??" I looked up and they all stared and I turned scarlet, but I choked it out, "Oh, if you only knew how much the Lord loves you..and how Personally! Read it--you'll see!"
And if Deacons offered a CCC study class to 8th or 9th or 10th grade confirmandi and their parents, and/or Scripture study.. well, I'm sure they would receive any help needed. It is time, well past it, actually, for a return to basics as part of the core teachings.
Posted by: Carol | April 30, 2008 at 09:47 PM
Hi DD...here I am!
Well, the Italian data is true, unfortunately. And just think, religious education was obligatory in public schools until recently and even though it's no longer obligatory, most kids take religious ed classes until 14 or 15 (many until 19) years of age, because the grade they get in that class may make or break their passing grade. Even if they learn facts and figures, that information remains just information and does not go beyond a few neurons, let alone reach the heart. It does not foster their perception that it is God whom they are learning about, or that their relationship with Him is the most important thing they could possibly discover, more necessary than the air they breathe or the water they drink.
I used to read Maria Valtorta's Poem of the Man-God to my eldest until he was about 12. I chose only the stories involving children and read only the simple passages. He loved it and told me so. But suddenly one evening, after he asked a deep question to which I replied very well I thought, he said "mom, why do you always talk like a Catechist?"
I realized that the child had entered a different phase...one of a net refusal of all things religious. It didn't help that that year we went to the Holy Land, where he saw the devastation of the Palestinian infrastructure, the long lines of workers waiting to get into Gerusalem to go to work, when he found out that Israel cuts off water and energy whenever a terrorist attack happens, thus crippling any attempt at a normal life especially for women and children, who are those who pay the highest price. He said "see what religion does to people?"
In recent years, he has warmed up just a tad, keeps a rosary near his bed, but he does not practice any recognizable form of faith...but it helps me to know that he still believes in God enough to pray and to entrust his life to Him.
My youngest on the other hand, makes the sign of the cross every time he passes in front of a cross on the street (crosses are set up every where here, along main streets and country roads. They are a sign that a mission has been preached in that town). He also still goes to mass whenever he doesn't have a weekend soccer game. His friends still go to church, and I am very surprised about this and about his lack of rebellion at this late age (15). But I don't ask questions-or talk to him like a Catechist!
Posted by: Pia | May 06, 2008 at 07:35 AM
Pia, maybe it's may also the kind of thing wherein "it's always there" so one takes it for granted. My husband lived in NYC until he went into the Peace Corps, then went back home for visits -- 30 years, and he'd never been inside the Statue of Liberty except when we all went. Same for leaf-peepers who travel hundreds of miles to take in our scenic roadsides here. I think we last did a trip to the mountains specifically for that when I was a child. There you are, just a car ride from Rome itself, where all roads lead, etc. So, maybe it's too much of a good thing.
Our old RE director asked me if I learned everything I knew of the faith in CCD. Well, of course not, and not even while praying with my mom at my bedside, or with my cousin at our grandmother's rockerside each morn. I probably learned what has carried me through horrendous losses while being an RCIA sponsor. Our RE director reassured me once (about how even others' kids were going to "get" all the material) by informing me that the Holy Spirit does way more than we know. I hope so, for I trust so.
Posted by: Carol | May 09, 2008 at 07:09 PM