The Daily Banner, Greencastle, Putnam County, 11 February 1967 — Page 5

Th« Daily Banner, Draancastla, Indiana Saturday, Ftbruary 11, 1967

Religion in America

By Louis Caasds Parochial schools in 50 U. S. Catholic dioceses are experimenting with a radically now kind et catechism which aims at helping a child enter into a personal relationship with God rather than memorise facts about God. Pilot-pariah tests have been successful, and it is anticipated that the new catechinn win be introduced for regular use in the first grades of thousands ef parochial schools next fall. Although developed by and for Catholics, it is based on psychological insights which are equally applicable to the rail* gious training ef Protestant and Jewirii children. Hence it should be of interest to all parents and teachers, regardless ef denonv ination. In the past, religious education in Catholic schools was oondueted, even at the first grade level, with the aid of a catechinn that required children to memorise answers to a long series of questions.

hble to him,” says a teacher’s handbook. “He may repeat this definition word for word but this eannot assure us that he has the sense ef God. Rather, he runs the risk ef remaining within a purely verbal knowledge which givee him the illusion of ‘knowing all’ about God.’* But the 8-year-old does have a capacity for awe and wonder and a great emotional need for personal relationships. So the new catechism approaches him through these open doors. With the help of pictures, songs and coloring hooks, he is made aware of the beauty of the worid around him. God la presented as the one who made all of this, and the child Is immediately Invited to “praise God for our beautiful world” through simple prayers of adoration. Thus worship begins as a spontaneous response to the beauty and wonder of the uni-

For example, the would ask: "What is GoA?"

teacher

And the well-rehearsed child would reply: "God Is a purs spirit, infinitely perfect, creator and muter of all things.’* Developers of the new catechism decided it was worse than useless to confront a 8-year-old child with such an answer. “If on# begins by explaining and defining what God is, the child is at best faced with an abstract definition incemprehen-

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Although the child is made aware of the greatness and majesty of God, the new catechism carefully avoids words and pictures that would make God appear threatening. "The thought of God should be aaseeiated not with fear but with feeling of awe for one who sde the worid so beautiful, with a feeling of filial confidence toward the one who surrounds us with his tenderness and his power,” says the teacher’s manual. For example, the first-grader should never be told that “God is everywhere” since this idea either baffles or frightens him. H* is told instead that “God is always with him,” which gives him a warm sense of security. The new catechism is published by the B&ulist Press, Glen Rock, N. J. It is similar to eateehlsns recently adopted in Canada, France and Belgium— all growing out of the Vatican Counctt’a mandate for reform of religious education. Although only the first grade oourse is now available in English, the Paulist Press plans to offer new catechism materials for all grades of parochial schools over the next two years.

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The Way 1 See It by Frank Puckett, ir.

Why make ’em if you don’t keep ’em . . . f That’s what I say! Why make ’em if you don’t intend to enforce them? Greencastle fathers, better known as City Councilmen, saw fit tq set up and pass Ordinance Six in 1965. The ordinance designated streets upon which parking is limited to one side, designated one-way traffic, and regulated traffic upon the streets and alleys of our fair city. Among the streets named in the ordinance was Columbia. The ordinance says that parking is permissable from Market Street to College Street as long as it is on the south side of Columbia. After the city passed the ordinance advertised it prop' erly, they went tq the trouble of erecting signs on the north side, about six of them, along the street that clearly stated “NO PARKING THIS SIDE.” What am I getting at? Drive by and take a look sometime. All but two of the signs have been knocked down or pulled from the ground and the two remaining signs have been bent at an angle. Not only does this disturb my tax dollar, but cars are parked on top of the sidewalk all along the street. Can you imagine parking on top of a sidewalk and getting away with it? The ordinance clearly states that this is prohibited and that it shall be the duty of the police department to enforce the provisions of this ordinance. Why not do it?

Selective Service says . • • Our clerk at the local draft board, Wayburn Fitzsimmons, says that only one induction was made from the area this month, She said it is more than likely there will be only one induction during March. Will the real Naomi please stand . . • We recently received a post card from a Reelsville reader asking if the poem “Ever Since Greencastle” by Naomi Lazard was about our Greencastle. The poem appears in this week’s issue of Saturday Review, but after reading the poem I can’t seem to place the surroundings.

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