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We are ambassadors for Christ!

"So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2 Corinthinans 5:20

How appropriate that we would be reminded during this year of St. Paul of our call to be "ambassadors for Christ." As ambassadors, we are called to not only act and speak on behalf of Christ, but to be an instrument of Christ love in today’s world. These words of commissioning, written by St. Paul to the Christian church in Corinth, echo the sentiments shared by Pope Benedict XVI during his World Youth Day homily this summer in Sydney, Austrailia: "The Holy Spirit enlightens us, revealing Christ crucified and risen, and shows us how to become more like Him so that we can be the image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ."

As ambassadors for Christ, we are called to find effective and Spirit-filled ways help the young people entrusted to our care know and encounter Christ present in the world today. To help you in your mission, we have compiled in this edition of the Emmaus Journal a series of articles written by Catholic educators who are as committed as you are to promoting our educational and pastoral mission. We have also highlighted for you a number of resources that we feel could be of assistance to you. Whether you are a classroom teacher, campus minister or service director, please let us know if what you see and read in this edition of the Emmaus Journal is of help to you!

Peace and God's good blessings,

Gary T. Meyerl
Assistant Executive Director
Secondary Schools Department
National Catholic Educational Association

In this edition….

Save the Dates:
Professional Development Opportunities

Articles:
Reflecting on our Frontiers of Justice Journey by Tanya Davis
Words of Encouragement: The Serenity Prayer by Barbara Younger
World Youth Day '08 by Bro. Dan O' Riordan, FMS
Overcoming the Digital Divide by Julie Donati
In search of identity: Who are today's Catholic youth? by Mike Carotta

Resources:
National Symposium on Adolescent Catechesis: Virtual Symposium
Education for Justice: Faithful Citizenship & Economic Crisis
Music Reviews by Top Music Countdown
The National Catholic Center for Student Aspirations at Assumption College

Save the Dates: Professional Development Opportunities through the Secondary Schools Department

Wisdom & Witness Conference for Religion Teachers, Campus Ministers and Service Directors
at the University of Notre Dame, June 29 – July 1, 2009

NCEA Convention 2009: Anaheim, April 14 – 16, 2009

Agents of Positive Change: A Leadership Conference for Deans and Administrators Responsible for Student Affairs and School Culture - San Francisco, CA
February 11 – 13, 2009

Special Needs Conference - Charleston, SC
January 20 – 22, 2009

Instructional Leadership Conference - Chicago, IL
November 20 – 22, 2008

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Frontiers of Justice: A Transformative Educational Experience

Six Catholic high school teachers, a representative from the Secondary Schools Department of NCEA and two representatives from Catholic Relief Service (CRS) traveled to the West African nations of Burkina Faso and Ghana from June 28 – July 13, 2008 as part of the 11th annual Frontiers of Justice trip. Frontiers of Justice, a partnership between NCEA and CRS, has been providing Catholic secondary school educators with a short-term, firsthand experience of developing countries like El Salvador, India, and Kosovo since 1998. This summer we returned to West Africa for the first time since 2002. The following reflection was written by Tanya Davis, the Christian Service Coordinator at St. Francis Catholic High School in Sacramento, California:

You Are Welcome
"You are welcome!" What does this phrase mean? In our American society we usually shorten it to "You're welcome” and say it as a response to someone who has offered us a sign of gratitude. Time and time again in Ghana, the phrase "You are Welcome" was said not as a response to "thank you," but as a greeting. At first it seemed out of context and a bit strange, yet we quickly grew accustomed to it and we truly knew that, yes we were welcome!

As a delegation we witnessed "You are welcome!" come alive before our eyes. We were frequently greeted by children walking along the roadside or people working in the fields with a huge grin and an exuberant hand waving hello. We were welcomed with a round of applause after being introduced at Mass. We were welcomed in schools, homes and even in the most remote of villages.

At each of the places we visited we were greeted with a personal handshake. This handshake was full of life, love and warmth. The phrase "You are welcome!" was repeated time after time, from person to person. We were strangers in a new land, yet we were made to feel like we were part of one human family by the most vulnerable and under served in society. At the end of many of our visits we were given guinea fowl eggs, peanuts and even live chickens by the most inspiring, hardworking, hope-filled people we had ever met.

The phrase "You are welcome!" is no longer foreign or unfamiliar. It is one that is enduring, real and an invitation to take part in a family that extends past our own families, nations, ethnicities and religions. "You are welcome!" truly embodies what it means to be a people of solidarity.

Frontiers of Justice will be returning to Burkina Faso & Ghana in June/July 2009. The application deadline is January 5, 2009. If you'd like to be considered for our upcoming Frontiers of Justice study trip abroad, download a copy of the application here: .pdf or word

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Words of Encouragement

Throughout his letters, St. Paul challenges each of us to be sources of encouragement to one another. This year we will feature the encouraging words of Catholic educators who have found the "little something" that is worth sharing with you. If you'd like to submit your own "words of encouragement", send a 400 – 600 word reflection to gmeyerl@ncea.org.

A New Way of Praying the Serenity Prayer
By: Barbara Younger
Guidance Department of St. John's College High School, Washington, DC

It’s that time again! Put on your running shoes for we have begun another school year. And so the marathon begins, that nine month, daily marathon with its sometimes winding, uphill and unknown courses. Do you have a workout routine that prepares you for the race each day?

I begin my class with the Serenity Prayer. This prayer has long been a favorite of mine. As a person who likes simplicity, this prayer encompasses that quality:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things that I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

I am asking for three things, serenity, courage and wisdom. It seemed to be a very simple prayer until one day I reflected upon it, there is nothing simple about it. After praying this prayer many times, I realized that I was looking at it incorrectly. You see, I was looking and praying it at face value; seeking serenity, courage and ultimately gaining wisdom, top down. The realization hit me that I first needed wisdom so that I could courageously seek serenity, bottom up. Without wisdom, I may be accepting things that I should change or changing things that I should accept. In approaching the race, the quality of the preparation determines the outcome.

With additional reflection, I recognized the Trinitarian element of this prayer, wisdom of the Holy Spirit, the courage of Jesus and the serenity of the Father. When Jesus spoke with the apostles about His impending death, He told them not to worry because the Holy Spirit would come with wisdom to guide them. Then as He prayed to His Father in the garden about His crucifixion, Jesus sought courage to carry out the Father's plan. In the book of Genesis, after completing creation, God looked at what He'd done and said, "It is good", that serene feeling that comes at the end of hours, days or weeks of seeing something through. We all know that peace, the serenity we feel when a project is completed, the papers are graded, or when the conferences are completed. This prayer is my daily preparation for the race.

There are times when you have done your preparation and you're in the race, but you slow down and find yourself off pace. When I am at this point, I have to check my breathing because breathing incorrectly tires me. This is when I begin to breathe in Jesus and breathe out self. When I am full of self, I loose focus, thus my vision is impaired. Scripture tells us that we perish due to the lack of vision. With impaired vision, I have lost sight of the mission. However, when I fill myself with Jesus, He helps me regain my vision and then I can maintain the mission.

Don't forget your colleagues as you are running, they are in the same race. From time to time, the race may require you all to become a relay team. One of you is running at your best time ever, but a member of your team has hit the wall. This is when you pass off your baton of courage, enabling them to get back in the race. Our colleagues are one of our greatest resources whether this is their fifteenth marathon or their first. In one of His parables, Jesus tells us that if we have the faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Just imagine the outcome of the race if we combined our mustard seed faith as we run, cheering each other on.

Now all runners on the track and the starting bell is about to go off. We’ve done our prep work and perfected our strategies. As that bell is about to sound, take a deep breath and remember what St. Paul told us. The race is not about our quickness but our endurance.

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A Pilgrimage of faith and hope to Australia for World Youth Day 2008
By: Brother Dan O'Riordan, FMS
Development Director at Roselle Catholic High School in Roselle, NJ

For two weeks in July, I had the privilege to journey with 15 members of the Roselle Catholic High School Marist Youth Group (NJ) on a pilgrimage to Sydney for both WYD2008 as well as the first Marist International Youth Festival (MIF08).

I have been to many retreats and youth festivals in my life as a Brother, but nothing ever compared to the depth of faith and sharing that I witnessed during these precious days. There were inspiring talks, dynamic workshops on faith-related issues, dramatic prayer services and liturgies each day, and group discussion time which allowed the students to truly come to know and appreciate many new and exciting cultures. Although, we had all came from different ends of the earth, we soon realized that our Catholic faith united us as one.

WYD08 officially began with the opening Liturgy at Bangeroo. The mass was celebrated by Cardinal Pell, who officially welcomed us all to Australia and prayed that the WYD08 theme, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses" will live out in each of our lives when these days are over. Isabel, one of our student pilgrims, identified this liturgy as one of her highlights. She stated:

"The one experience that stands out the most for me is the opening mass of WYD. Hundreds of thousands of young people from all over the world were on the banks of Sydney Harbor for that liturgy. My favorite moment was during the Our Father just before communion. Everyone held hands and prayed in their native language. It was an astonishing sight to see. All the love and faith being projected under one common faith by so many young people".

For the next two days, there was a great buzz of anticipation waiting for the official arrival of Pope Benedict to WYD08. We spent much of these days meeting thousands of young people from every corner of the world. Each morning, we attended a catechist session which was given by a bishop. These sessions were located all over Sydney with different sites for different languages, but with the common WYD theme of receiving the Holy Spirit and being witnesses of our faith. Each Session ended with a powerful liturgy. We spent much of these two afternoons exploring the many WYD exhibits and workshops as well as just time sharing stories with so many young Catholics and discovering new cultures and traditions. We also attended a beautiful evening prayer conducted by the Brothers of Taize in one of the local churches.

Other members of our group reflected on these days as follow:-

"The trip was truly the trip of a lifetime. Prior to the trip, I felt that many teens are confused and neglected when it comes to religion, but this experience really gave me hope. It showed me how much the church and people really care. The support all of us teens received during the events was more than anyone could ask. So many people have faith and belief in my generation". - Kerrie

"Just thinking about how many people were there and from how many countries is awesome, but we were all there for one thing - to celebrate our faith. Seeing it and being emerged in those huge crowds gave me a sense of how alive Catholicism is and how many young people really believe. I will bring home a true belief that I can make a difference". - Ashley

"Everything we did really brought our entire group together. We all strengthened our relationship with God and came to know amazing people". - Owen

The Stations of the Cross that were conducted by the organizers of WYD through the streets of Sydney was the most dramatic acting I've ever witnessed. It truly made one believe they were present with Jesus as he walked and suffered his last hours with us. The city of Sydney simply became Holy Ground as the stations moved from St. Mary's Cathedral to the Opera House to Darling Harbor to its vivid conclusion at Bangeroo.

On Saturday, all pilgrims were invited to begin the 10K hike to the racecourse by crossing the famous Harbor Bridge. Once there, groups marked their space for the night and set up camp. Dinner was soon served and an incredible atmosphere of celebration, music and dance would be enjoyed under the stars. On the way to the racecourse, hundreds of local residents stood outside their homes and offered the many passing youth extra blankets for the cold night ahead. This was just one of many ways we witnessed how the city of Sydney truly accepted the young people of the world with open and loving arms.

WYD08 ended with the closing sunrise liturgy at the racecourse. By the time we left Sydney, we knew that our lives had truly been inspired. Like those apostles in the upper room, our eyes had been opened as we came to more closely know Jesus during these days. We left and will always remain grateful for the many gifts and blessings we received. During his homily, Pope Benedict offered encouragement as well as a challenge:

"Dear young people, let me now ask you a question. What will you leave to the next generation? Are you building your lives on firm foundations, building something that will endure? Are you living your lives in a way that opens up space for the Spirit in the midst of a world that wants to forget God, or even rejects him in the name of a falsely-conceived freedom? How are you using the gifts you have been given, the "power" which the Holy Spirit is even now prepared to release within you? What legacy will you leave to young people yet to come? What difference will you make?"

Our experience of WYD2008, truly ignited our hearts, allowed us to embrace our faith and with the power of the Holy Spirit will allow us to be the hands and heart of Jesus so that we might, in some small way, help to transform a world that needs us.

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Overcoming the Digital Divide
By: Julie Donati
Theology Instructor at St. Agnes Academy Houston, Texas

Ah summer, blessed summer! As any high school theology teacher, I look forward to my summer vacation as much as my students! I use the break to recharge my batteries, work a bit on my own spirituality, and catch up on some of the latest instructional strategies, all areas sorely neglected during the frenetic school year. In addition, I try to brush up on current trends in employing technology in teaching, a driving force in my school. St. Agnes Academy in Houston has long been cognizant of the advantages to effective use of technology in the classroom to enhance learning and broaden student perspectives. St. Agnes is a laptop school, which means for the last 6 years all of our 800 students have laptop computers for all note taking, research, writing, communicating, and even test taking. Yet learning how to effectively use technology so that it is more than an encyclopedia, or simply an announcement board, typewriter, or on-screen workbook is a time-consuming challenge—a challenge that I tend to postpone until the summer months.

Last summer was no exception; my research directed on the ubiquitous group project. Group student projects are excellent teaching tools for many reasons, from a means of offering students who perform poorly on the standard test/quiz format a venue to be successful to learning to cooperatively work in a group. In addition, projects offer the opportunity to develop higher level critical thinking when constructed properly. The projects are technologically based; hence include some kind of finished presentation, usually power point or publisher newsletter. Yet, I had become dissatisfied with the learning outcome of these projects. When assigned a task to research and present, students tended to piecemeal out the various segments without any overall coordination of the finished product. I wanted to design memorable projects using technology that would challenge my students beyond using the internet as an encyclopedia and engage them in learning experiences in a subject that they occasionally feel is dry and meaningless.

So last summer, I discovered WebQuests, an informational adventure which appeared to solve my project dilemma. Designed by Bernie Dodge and Tom March, WebQuests utilize the powerful resources of the internet to engage students in higher level learning activities. WebQuests are more—they are not simply collecting information directly from the browser to the product without altering—or even entering—the learner's understanding, endemic in my projects. A properly constructed WebQuest is rather an adventure in finding a solution of an open-ended question and involves planning and participation in a group process that transforms newly acquired information into a more sophisticated understanding. A WebQuest improves on the traditional group project/research paper paradigm by using the internet in a targeted manner. In each section, the instructor will offer the exact websites to go to, eliminating the problem of unreliable sources that students often gravitate towards. As Bernie Dodge writes on WebQuest.org, "it isn't just a series of web-based experiences. Having learners go look at this page, then go play this game, then go here and turn your name into hieroglyphs doesn't require higher level thinking skills and so, by definition, isn't a WebQuest."

Just a caveat; WebQuests are not new but were developed over ten years ago in 1995. Yet, they were novel to me and as I came to realize, little utilized among religious educators. Bernie Dodge, the inventor, has created two websites, one informational and the other an authoring tool. (www.Webquest.org, www.Questgarden.com) Through each of these sites, as well as others, I searched to find any published Webquests that I might be able to use or pattern one after. Unfortunately, although many other subjects such as math, history, and science have explored creating them, in religious subjects there was practically nothing with the exception of some social justice issues. Among my eight other theology department members, none had heard of them although they all have extensive IT background.

All Webquests follow the same format, a several step process including an introduction, task, process, evaluation rubric and conclusion. They start with some sort of compelling question or challenge in an introduction, the most creative part of the WebQuest. It might be to imagine you are a detective with a crime to solve, prepare a new government policy, or you have taken a time machine back to a different era, or you are caught in a sand storm and wake up in a different place at a different time. Students are then given a task and there are different roles are assigned for students to understand different perspectives in the project that then have to be unified in an integrated whole. The process section then guides each role to the research that need to be accomplished and has the links to each particular web site. Finally, there is an evaluation rubric so the students can identify what constitutes an excellent project from a more mediocre one.

Even if you are not highly skilled on the computer, they are easily constructed. Creating a WebQuest is simple as long as you know how to create a document with hyperlinks. Fortunately, there are a few programs that allow you to use their pre-existing template to create your own WebQuests, a significant time saving tool. Bernie Dodge has developed QuestGarden, a subscription based step-by-step template as well as access to a vast library of created WebQuests that you can use as is or for ideas. Other online sites for authoring include Filamentality, ZWebQuest, and Teacher Web.

My students really learned a great deal in the WebQuests I developed. Yes, I had to work out some bugs as the project was unfolding and it requires more teacher supervision than the standard group project—but the learning is well worth it. Initially, some students resisted the project since it involved more thinking on their part. However, as time passed, they became enthused. Perhaps on your next vacation you can investigate WebQuests and give them a try!

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In search of identity: Who are today’s Catholic youth? By: Dr. Mike Carotta

Soul Searching by researchers Christian Smith and Melinda Denton is a book that details the findings of the National Study of Youth and Religion in 2004. From the data compiled in this highly regarded study, the researchers have come up with a name for the spirituality of adolescents: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD). Sounds like another medical condition. Backwards, it goes like this; young people believe that There is a God who wants you to be happy, healthy, and kind to others.

The data tells us that 80% of Catholic teens are believers. They acknowledge God's existence, have faith in basic claims about God, pray often, accept the concept of heaven and hell, talk about God more than 5 times a month, and say that religion influences their decisions ( 40% say somewhat). 7 out of 10 are interested in learning more about their Catholic faith

About 75% of Catholic teens care about the poor, believe in racial equality, and say they have a good idea of right and wrong. They say that family life is favorable, life has meaning, and they have adults to talk to. Though no one has actually asked them, it may be safe to say that their beliefs help them "make sense" of the stuff that happens in life and the world. They clearly identify themselves as Catholic believers, those attending Church say that they plan on staying Catholic, many religions are true, and parish membership is not important.

The researchers who conducted the National Survey of Youth and Religion made it abundantly clear that Catholic youth were by far, the most inarticulate of all those who believed. According to the research, Catholic teens are not able to articulate much about their beliefs, the teachings of Jesus, or the strength, struggle, promise, pain, or potential of their religious faith. Their Catholic beliefs are simplistic, vague, and general. They make no mention of the Virgin birth, real presence, or the Trinity. In fact, they believe that Jesus was a son of God, taught us the ways of God, and got killed for it. But 2 out of 3 Catholic young people say they have not had a powerful religious experience or even been on a retreat. 50% of our young people say they have never read the bible.

MTD or not, love 'em or not, participation is at the heart of our Catholic identity. Their Catholic identity is about identification. Our sense of Catholic identify includes articulation. Theirs rests with affiliation. Suppose we intentionally re-acquainted students with the rich layers, diverse colors, and complex fabric of Catholicism? We are so not beige. Suppose we intentionally expected and empowered our students to articulate what it means to be Catholic? To articulate what they understand to be the Catholic way? To articulate what it is about things Catholic that they find most helpful? Suppose we took them to a place where they could identify what it means to be Catholic in the modern world, and what it is to be fully initiated in what Michael Warren lovingly calls an "inconvenient Church"? Now that's something to think about!

Dr. Mike Carotta has worked with the spirituality of adolescents for over 3O years as a classroom teacher, author, researcher, and coach. He currently teaches graduate courses on adolescent spirituality at several Catholic universities and is the national consultant for adolescent catechesis for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Religion. His latest books include Have Faith: sustaining the spirit for Confirmation and Beyond (23rd Publishers) and Lincoln Park a junior high paperback trilogy with spiritual themes which he co-authored with John Shea. (Harcourt Religion)

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National Symposium on Adolescent Catechesis Virtual Symposium November 5 – 8, 2008

As indicated by Dr. Mike Carotta in the previous article, the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR) identified challenges facing our Church regarding the ability of Catholic adolescents to articulate their faith and live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Committed to supporting the educational mission of the Church and the spiritual hungers of our young people, the Partnership for Adolescent Catechesis (PAC) will be hosting a National Symposium on Adolescent Catechesis in November. Although on-site participation is invitation-only, others who are interested in the Symposium proceedings will be able to participate via a remote web-based process. If you are interested in learning more about the Virtual Symposium, please contact Ela Milewska at elam@nfcym.org or visit www.adolescentcatechesis.org/symposium/virtual.htm

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Education for Justice

Education for Justice has prepared two timely features for you and your students. One is a succinct, visual overview of the current economic crisis facing our country and the intersecting causes and effects to help your students better understand the bigger picture. An accompanying background resource lays out the details, causes, connections and consequences. Secondly, with the election season in full swing, they have prepared a variety of resources which include quotes, prayers, a PowerPoint Presentation, lesson plans and links to other election related websites.

As citizens and disciples, forming our consciences is an important process in preparing to exercise the right to vote. Education for Justice is members-based website; if your school isn’t already a member of Education for Justice, you can request a free 30-day trial membership by clicking here: https://www.educationforjustice.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=4)

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Music Reviews by Top Music Countdown • Did you know that the average young person listens to music for four hours per day? Open up this on-line resource and you will find addressed the issues and values presented in each of the songs featured in this month’s issue of Top Music Countdown. • Looking for ways to use today’s popular music to spark meaningful dialogue with your students about faith, values and relationships? This resource provides you with discussion questions and activities that can be incorporated into your classes, retreats or other youth-related activities. • Want to know what values are represented in a particular song? Top Music Countdown identifies if the song is positive, negative, or neutral, and highlights songs that can be used for discussion, prayer, or dance.

The Time of My Life / David Cook
Issues: How often have you found yourself saying, "Tomorrow is going to be better"? Well, he has been waiting for things in his life to turn around, and the wait may be over soon. "I've been waiting for my dreams to turn into something I could believe in". Realizing that he may need to let go of some past issues to be able to move on is a big breakthrough for him. "I'm coming alive body and soul and feeling my world start to turn". At times, looking inward can be the most rewarding journey. "I'm rising from the ashes, finding my wings, and all that I needed was there all all alone within my reach."
Questions: What changes would you like to make in your life this year? What obstacles will you need to overcome to follow through with these changes?

Better in Time / Leona Lewis
Issues: Nothing can be more painful than lost love. And here, the adage, "Time heals all wounds" is giving comfort to this type of pain. "If you didn't notice you mean everything. Quickly I'm learning to love again. All I know is that I'm going to be OK." She is beginning to pick up her life and remember who she is. Despite simple daily reminders of what used to be, she questions how he is able to live without her, and wonders what she needs to do in order to improve. She also knows this is part of the process. "Even though I really love you I'm gonna smile ‘cause I deserve to." She knows that time will soothe some of the wounds she feels, but ultimately knows that she deserves to not dwell on the sadness, but experience the joys and happiness of life.
Questions: Do you believe that time heals all wounds?...why or why not? How can dwelling on pain keep you from living your life?

Just Stand Up / Artists Stand Up to Cancer
Issues: "The heart is stronger than you think, like it can go through anything." When tough times present themselves, where do you find the strength, courage and power to overcome? Much of the strength comes from within, and knowing what convictions you possess. "You ain't gotta find no hiding place. The heart can beat the hate. Don't wanna let your mind keep playin' ya and sayin' you can't go on." The answer is within each of us; you just have to learn to hear your own voice. "You will know that you're good if you trust in the good." Instead of looking elsewhere for all the right answers, listen to your instinct. "Don't you know you can go be your own miracle."
Questions: What people, things or ideas motivate you when life becomes difficult? Share a time when you were able to overcome a major obstacle in your life.

If you found this review useful and would like to view a free issue of Cornerstone Media’s Top Music Countdown, highlighting 25 current songs plus additional resources to use modern media in ministry with young people, go to www.cornerstonemedia.org/freetmc (username: ncea, password: teens). This resource will be accessible for free through November 15, 2008.

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National Catholic Center for Student Aspirations at Assumption College

The National Catholic Center for Student Aspirations (NCCSA) believes that aspirations are fundamental to student success. Believing that there are 8 Conditions® that affect the development of student aspirations, the NCCSA has a survey and several programs designed specifically for Catholic elementary and secondary schools to help all members of your school community realize their role in fostering these Conditions and reach their full potential. You are invited to explore the many ways that the NCCSA supports Catholic school communities by visiting their website at: http://www.assumption.edu/nccsa
  

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