24. The tasks of the catechist include:
- To go deeper into the Christian message through knowledge of the biblical and liturgical sources and of the ongoing living tradition of the church, including the theological, social, and ecumenical movements which enliven the Church today.
- Preparing an environment and maintaining order in that environment (the atrium) so that it fosters concentration, silence, and contemplation in both the child and the adult.
- Preparing the materials oneself as much as possible while collaborating with others in areas that are beyond one’s abilities.
In this point we see that the first task of the catechist is to continue her own personal formation, drinking deeply from the primary the sources of our faith, Scripture and Liturgy. In order to offer the most essential truths of our faith to the children, we must first listen and receive them ourselves. Only then can we set them before the children as an invitation to their own growth in relationship with God. In some ways we could see this point as part of being able to be an authentic “proclaimer of the Good News.”
The second and third tasks align with our role of “preparer and facilitator” of the Atrium space. We prepare materials, set up the Atrium, maintain the physical setting, and also facilitate its use by the children. In The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 28, Dr. Montessori speaks of three stages of the adult’s role in the environment. In the first stage the adult prepares the materials and sets up the space in an accessible and orderly way. The second stage is the time when the adult begins to connect the child with the materials. However, until the children have truly become drawn in by their work, the adult must be a “seducer,” enticing the children, stepping in when needed, always preparing and watching for interest and for the beginning stages of concentration. In the third stage the child begins to allow his interest to bring him to a focus that grows in intensity. At this point the adult’s role is to protect that child in his work so that through concentration he will begin to listen more clearly for the inner teacher.
Humility:
Humility is another foundational virtue which must characterize the true educator. What is humility? Most simply, "humility is truth" (Teresa of Avila). It is the attitude of being attuned to the truth of things and desiring to grow in this truth. Obtaining the consistent virtue of humility is a life-long process. It involves much reflection and meditation upon the experiences of life and one's own reactions to these events. Humility requires two-fold knowledge: knowledge of God and knowledge of self. In other words, to be humble is to acknowledge one's own weaknesses and strengths as well as God's love in spite of them all with the honesty of a child. Perhaps this is why children can assist an adult in the process of obtaining humility. The child is by nature full of both faith and humility. They live constantly in the present moment and function with a profound trust in providence. The child is the teller of truth, and the adult will do well to listen closely. It is this virtue which fights against pride, arrogance, vengeance, and anger, the vice that Dr. Montessori names as the prevalent defect in an educator (The Secret of Childhood, p111). "Even after the first desultory experiments hitherto made, a new type of mistress has been evolved; instead of facility in speech, she has to acquire the power of silence; instead of teaching, she has to observe; instead of the proud dignity of one who claims to be infallible, she assumes the vesture of humility” (The Advanced Montessori Method, Volume One, p105). When have you seen your own plan fail but have simultaneously seen God’s plan, so much better than your own, shine through? Perhaps this week you might tune your heart to look for where your pride may be blocking your ability to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit.