Setting Up the Learning Space for Family Catechesis Gatherings

In her book, The Art of Gathering, Prya Parker begins by stating bluntly, “The way we gather matters.” How we gather families for family catechesis sessions is a critical factor in the success of our efforts. The most meaningful and productive gatherings happen when people:

• feel welcomed and free to be themselves.
• have time to warm up to one another and break the ice.
• are open to one another.
• have a sense of shared values, beliefs, traditions, or customs.
• engage in a meaningful shared experience.
• feel accepted and connected.
• have a sense of a shared cause or mission.
• know what’s expected of them.
• pull together to venture into the unknown (mystery).
• sense that the experience has a good balance between gravitas and lightness of being.

Let’s take a closer look at how we accomplish the above when preparing to welcome families to family catechesis sessions in the parish. 

Select the Best Space

One of the first things to do when preparing to gather families for family catechesis sessions at the parish is to review the available spaces and determine which space will provide the best hospitality and warmth while also being conducive to learning and sharing. Consider issues such as:

• Room capacity
• Preparing and serving refreshments
• Technology needs
• Seating arrangements best suited to sharing in conversation
• Lighting, cooling, and heating needs
• Proximity to restrooms
• Proximity to space for catechists and children to move to breakout sessions

While your parish may not have space that provides all of the above to the level you desire, do your best to choose the space that best suits your local needs.

Do a Dry Run

Family catechesis programs include multimedia aspects, so it is a good idea to do a dry run with the audiovisual equipment well ahead of the first gathering. 

• Be sure that the laptop and projector are compatible and easily accessible or that you have access and knowledge of how to use the interactive display board.
• Check the lighting to be sure that the images appear crisp and clear.
• If you need Wi-Fi, be sure to test ahead of time to be sure that you’re not in a “dead zone.”
• Test a portable speaker with your playlist to be sure you can play music if the space does not have a built-in sound system.
• Be sure that you have all the extension cords and connecting cables needed for all of your equipment.
• Test the microphone and sound system if the room and crowd are large enough to warrant amplification.

By checking everything ahead of time, if you run into any glitches with the equipment, you have the time to make corrections and fix problems without last-minute panic.

Arrive Early 

The last thing you want parents and families to see when they arrive is you and your team scampering around at the last minute doing setup for a gathering. This could inadvertently communicate to guests that this is a slapdash event that is not much of a priority. To avoid this, be sure to arrive at least an hour before the gathering to be sure that all of the preparations are in place by the time people arrive. Then families can arrive to a space with sacred music playing in the background, and they see coffee and other beverages ready, refreshments set out in a welcoming fashion, and technology in place.

Prepare a Prayer Center

One of the most critical preparations to make for a family catechesis gathering is the preparation of a prayer center that communicates the presence of the sacred in our midst. The prayer center can consist of a small table or bench upon which sacred objects are placed. Consider including these elements in the prayer space:

• a cloth that reflects the color of the liturgical season
• a Bible on a Bible stand
• a crucifix
• a candle, preferably flameless
• an icon or statue
• a plant or flower
• a bowl of holy water
• seasonal symbols, such as an Advent wreath.

All of the above should be acquired ahead of time and can be kept in a plastic storage container at the parish for easy access. My preference is to spread out the sacred objects on tables throughout the room and then to invite children to bring them up prayerfully during opening prayer to prepare the prayer center. This helps to create a sense of participation in sacred action and the creation of sacred space. 

Help Families Take a Breath

Family life is rarely calm, and getting the whole family ready for church can add to the chaos. When parish ministers have all of the preparations in place for family catechesis gatherings, families can enter into an atmosphere that is calm and welcoming and in which they are being served rather than doing all the work that the parents are so accustomed to doing. Such preparations send an important message to families: the parish is honored to have the domestic church in our midst!

Photo by Filipe Cantador on Unsplash.