Kids and Parents Urgently Need a Stronger Catholic Formation

CLEVELAND - July 1, 2013 - PRLog -- Is Catholic education that crucial? The following interview with Sister Jeanette Marie of the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament shows how the Mercedarian charism is integrated into their life and apostolate in Catholic schools.

Q. What trends are you seeing in children today in the schools where you teach? In family life?

Sr. Jeanette: The education of children and youth is of transcendental importance.  It has always been a challenge, but it seems to be a real challenge nowadays. Three main factors come to my mind:

1. Higher rates of divorce and single parenthood leading to parents working double shifts, and therefore, not spending time with their children.

2. The traditional family (formed by mom, dad and children) is not the common feature in our society any more.

3. A secularized society in which values are not a priority or perceived as "old fashion".

Many children are pressured to leave their childhood behind at a very early age.  They do not play with cars, dolls, and dinosaurs. They play games in tablets, cell phones, x-boxes, etc., where many times they are left unsupervised or under the supervision of older siblings who initiate them in violent or impure video games.    

The Church does not play an important role in their lives; therefore, in many instances, the media teaches the moral standards and behavioral patterns.

Q. What, then, is the role of Catholic Education in society?

Sr. Jeanette: In the past, parents sent their children to Catholic Schools to support the Catholic education imparted at home. Today, many parents send their children to a Catholic School because it is seen as a haven from violence in public schools and because of the quality education they offer. Catholicity in itself is not a main decision-making factor.

It is exactly because of this that Catholic Education is now more necessary than ever. The Catholic School becomes a center for the New Evangelization. We must educate children to have a critical mind capable of discerning what is God's, what is good, immovable, true.

Being a teacher in Catholic school should not be seen as a job but mainly as a "ministry" to save souls and lead them to God.

Q. What can you say about religious life today? About the kind of attitudes and expectations of young women who may have a vocation?

Sr. Jeanette: Religious life has to be at the center of the New Evangelization, along with all the people of good will. The vocation of all of us is to be with the Lord and wherever the Lord wills us to be. In our case, as Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, we are called to be with those who are captives, in whatever form this captivity may take.  

In 1218, at the time the Order of Mercy (known as Mercedarians) was founded, the captivity was a physical enslavement due to the not-so-healthy relations between the Muslims and Christians. However, in our days, the captivity may take many forms. We unfortunately still have physical captivity, but there are more subtle ones: first of all ignorance of Catholic teachings and its implications in all aspects of our life; addictions, not only to drugs and alcohol, but to websites, virtual games, and the media in general.  

Our Constitutions say that it is in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, where we discover our own captivities and the captivities of our brothers and sisters; and it is from the Blessed Sacrament, from the Liturgy, that we receive the strength to free ourselves from any kind of captivity and help others to do the same in order to be witnesses of the Truth, of the eternal Truth, God.  

Q. How does the New Evangelization affect your apostolate in schools?

Sr. Jeanette: Our Institute is not a missionary institute per se; our apostolate develops mainly in schools. However, we have ample opportunities to do mission work in our schools. We encounter students who lack food, supplies, clothes, hygiene, knowledge and, most importantly, love and moral values.

The Mercedarian School must be the epicenter of truth.  It is a school where practicing Catholics and not so practicing Catholic children meet; where the New Evangelization takes flesh; where children learn that God is at the center of all scientific knowledge, and that there is no rupture between faith and science. A Mercedarian student is a girl/boy who goes out into the world with a heart full of mercy, an intellect full of truth and stands for what he/she believes. It is a Christian who evangelizes with Mary in the light of the Eucharist.

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Helping Travelers on their Journey to Heaven

Sr. Jeanette Marie Estrada is the vocation director of the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a teaching order based in Cleveland. In the United States, they teach catechism and other subjects from grammar schools to the adult level in Cleveland, OH; San Diego, CA; and San Antonio, TX. In Baton Rouge, LA, they operate a prayer center for the sick. They also work in the evangelization of adults.

Are you called to become a Mercedarian Sister of the Blessed Sacrament? Take our short Test Your Call Survey at http://mercedariansisters.org/Formation/TestYourCall.aspx. You will receive a personal response from Sr. Jeanette Marie. Also, you can follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mercedarians?fref=ts.