By Rose O’Connor | Correspondent

Almost 800 Catholic school elementary teachers and administrators from the four-county Diocese gathered in St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square, March 31 for an in-service day, “Catholic Identity and Integrating the Catholic Faith in the Curriculum.”

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The in-service day provided the opportunity for educators and administrators to gather in faith and fellowship and was designed as a “response to the 2013 Commission on Elementary School Sustainability in addressing our Catholic identity. 

“We begin with the basics, informing teachers of the focus on the Diocesan Religion guidelines and expanding to Catholic tradition, practices, and the integration of the Catholic faith throughout the curriculum,” superintendent of Catholic Schools JoAnn Tier said, as she welcomed those in attendance.

“We must be knowledgeable and formed in our faith. As Catholic school educators we are held to a higher standard and we accept that responsibility,” she continued.

Daniel O’Connell, associate director for curriculum in the Department of Catholic Education joined Michele Williams, principal of St. Joseph School, Toms River, in leading the Opening Prayer. Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Mary Agnes Ryan, director of the Department of Catechesis introduced Franciscan Father Gabriel Zeis, the diocesan vicar for Catholic education, who delivered the keynote address, “That Which Makes us Catholic: Evangelization as an Essential Element of Catholic Education.”

 “Today I want to encourage you in your own faith journey -- to broaden it, to deepen it, to now first of all, how much the Lord, Jesus Christ, loves you, cherishes the vocation that he had given to you, empowers you through his grace, invites you to know him more and more deeply so that you can bring that knowledge, that zeal, that witness, to your students,” said Father Zeis.

Father Zeis reminded the audience about their responsibility in giving witness “to Jesus Christ through our lives, in and through our teaching our students.”

“We’re preparing future parents, parents who understand that witness, that discipleship are going to now hand on to their children in and through family.  It begins with you.  You prepare the future,” said Father Zeis.

He spoke to the first witnesses to the faith that he encountered and shared personal stories of his own time in the classroom where the witness of his teachers inspired him to be a Catholic educator.

In his presentation, he referred to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which reaffirms the idea that regardless of the subject matter or grade level, all teachers are teachers of the faith.

Specifically, Father Zeis referred to Catechism citation 1213: “Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons and daughters of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the Word (CCC).”

“It is through Baptism that we form a Spirit-filled community among faculty and students,” said Father Zeis. “We are called to allow our students to become saints.,”

Father Zeis’ words resonated with the educators as they had the opportunity to visit vendors and reflect on his works with one another before attending the next portion of the in-service day.

Brigid Moran music teacher in St. Raphael School, Hamilton, reflected on how all teachers are called to pass on the faith.

“It helps us all remember what we are called to do every day,” she spoke.

Samantha Powers, Pre-K3 teacher in St. Charles Borromeo School, Cinnaminson, was reminded of how all Catholic educators “incorporate our faith somehow” into their work. “It’s really everybody’s mission and we incorporate in different ways,” she said.

Mary Dowling, who teaches middle school math and computer teacher in St. Rose of Lima School, Freehold, found the talk to be “inspiring,” and aims to “bring what God’s love is all about to my students.”

Part of the day included the teachers joining in breakout sessions according to their grade levels and subject matters. All breakout sessions focused on the diocesan Religion Guidelines and the “Six Tasks of Catechesis” as outlined by the National Directory of Catechesis, which include: 1. Knowledge of the Faith, 2. Liturgical Education, 3. Moral Formation, 4. Learning to Pray, 5. Education for Community Life, 6. Missionary Discipleship and Service.

Each session provided an understanding of the curriculum Guidelines and offered practical applications of each, tailored to grades Pre-K-3, Grades 4, 5, Special classes and the Middle School grades 6-8.

The 800 administrators and educators dodged the raindrops and headed to St. Gregory the Great Church for Mass celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.

In his homily, the Bishop reflected on the Readings from the Book of Wisdom and the Gospel of John, connecting them to the vocation of being a Catholic school educator.

Speaking of Jesus’ public ministry and then his call to the disciples to carry on his ministry in which they “spread his Word, preached his Gospel, baptized all nations, built his Church, revealed his continued presence, handed on the faith, shared his grace, continued to fulfil his mission,” the Bishop said, “Two thousand years later, here we are, still witnesses to Jesus Christ --- as teachers in Catholic Schools. 

“We and 1.2 billion baptized believers have the benefit of those two thousand years.  And the youngsters before us, sent to us, entrusted to us, come to us with the question: ‘who is Jesus?’  No matter what subject we teach in our Catholic schools, no matter what tasks we perform in our Catholic schools, it is our responsibility in our Catholic schools to help these youngsters, our students, answer that question.”

As for how to help children live lives of faith, the Bishop said, “By our own faith, our own conviction, our own example and witness, our own words, our own actions.  Children not only live what they learn ... they learn what they live.  And it is our God given task and calling to help them do both.”

Mercy Sister Carole MacKenthum from St. Catharine School, Spring Lake, reflected on the graces of the day saying, “We are all here together as a visual witness and it shows what we do makes an impact and it’s important to support one another. I’ve been doing this for many years and it’s energizing to hear different ideas, inspired by the Church’s teachings.  You can always get a new idea.”