10 St. Joan of Arc, LaPlace, students set to enter church

Above: Standing around the baptismal font at St. Joan of Arc Church in LaPlace (clockwise, from front, center) are St. Joan of Arc students and 2023 catechumens Liam Williams, Christian Hargrove, Darwin Taylor, Delilah Burdette, River Moya, Kevin Edwards, Rey Ocana, Germond Williams, Brandon Sanchez and Matthew Mazzeno. All 10 are preparing to receive the sacraments of baptism, Eucharist and confirmation at St. Joan of Arc’s April 8 Easter Vigil Mass. (Photos by Beth Donze, Clarion Herald)

By BETH DONZE
Clarion Herald

The 10 children inside St. Dominic Church formed a remarkable group, sitting among the nearly 300 people announcing their desire to enter the Catholic church at the Feb. 26 Rite of Election.

Ranging in age from 7 to 14, all were students from a single Catholic school – St. Joan of Arc in LaPlace – who had not been baptized, but who were publicly stating their wish to enter the church at their parish’s April 8 Easter vigil.

“I just wanted to be closer to God – I’ve learned that you can never turn your back on him,” said seventh grader Kevin Edwards of his decision to become Catholic and anticipating his reception of three sacraments alongside his fellow St. Joan of Arc School catechumens: baptism, Eucharist and confirmation.

Chances are, the young people would have not been inspired to consider Catholicism were it not for the excellent formation they received during their St. Joan of Arc religion classes and at weekly school Masses.

It is also likely that some of the catechumens might have fallen under the sacramental “radar” had not Linda Monistere – St. Joan of Arc Parish’s coordinator of religious education and sacramental preparation – made some extra efforts to get to know school families.

Every July, a few weeks before the start of the school year, Monistere requests a spreadsheet from the school of all incoming students and their listed religion.

“I go through the list and I mark off the ones who are Catholic, so I have an idea of how many are coming in for First Communion,” Monistere said. “Then I’ll send an email to all the parents introducing myself and to verify the religion of each child – because we run into a lot of cases where a parent will put down ‘Christian,’ ‘Baptist’ or ‘non-denominational,’ but when I speak to them, I find out their child is not baptized, so the parents are listing their own religion and not the religion of their child.”

Importance of following up

In early September – around the time Monistere starts gathering her RCIA class – she sends out another email to school parents asking if they or someone they knew might be interested in learning more about the Catholic Church, leaving her phone number and inviting them to give her a call.

“I also make phone calls to the parents as well, because sometimes they don’t read their emails,” Monistere said. “By making the phone calls (last fall), I had eight children right off the bat who had not been baptized. Their parents said, ‘I want my child baptized!’”

The group of St. Joan of Arc School catechumens, who span grades 2-7, is composed of one girl – Delilah Burdette – and nine boys: Kevin Edwards, Christian Hargrove, Matthew Mazzeno, River Moya, Rey Ocana, Brandon Sanchez, Darwin Taylor and brothers Germond Williams and Liam Williams.
 
At the Easter Vigil, they will receive the sacraments of baptism, Eucharist and confirmation.

Monistere insists there was nothing complicated or magical about getting such a large group of catechumens. She never puts pressure on the parents or their children to make a decision, but is always prepared to gently respond to a regular comment she hears from non-denominational or non-practicing parents: “I want my child to make his own decision on what religion he wants to be when he’s an adult.”

“So, I’ll ask them, ‘Are you exposing them to different religions by bringing them to other churches on the weekends – because they come here (to St. Joan of Arc School) for Catholic education and are attending the weekly school Mass,” she said. “If you want your child to experience different religions, but you’re exposing them only to the Catholic church, what religion do you think they’ll choose?”


Catechesis made fun

To make their sacramental preparation classes as convenient as possible, Monistere holds a 90-minute RCIA class designed exclusively for the St. Joan of Arc student-catechumens every Wednesday after school.

“I go a little bit deeper than what they’re learning in religion class,” she said. “We’ll do a chapter and talk a little bit. Sometimes, depending on what it’s about, we may play a little game.”

One game involved asking her students to stand horizontally in a line, close their eyes and take one step forward if they thought a behavior stated by their teacher was a sin.

“You would think that they would be a little bit staggered and still be in that straight line, but they were all over the place!” Monistere said.
Other hands-on, catechetical enhancers included acting out the Parable of the Good Samaritan – three times, so that the catechumens could portray different characters.

“I’m excited to learn with other students from other grades and learn about the correct path to choose,” said fifth grade catechumen Germond Williams, noting that he was looking forward to learning more about “God and the history of the Catholic religion.”

Third grader Delilah Burdette said she has enjoyed learning more about the Holy Family and the Holy Trinity. Becoming Catholic has also sparked a future possibility.

“I would like to work with the missions,” Delilah said.
 
Children feel God’s tug

Father David Ducote, St. Joan of Arc’s pastor, said he is amazed not only by the record number of catechumens from the school this year – usually there are one or two – but also at the wide range of grades from which they hail. In addition to four second graders, there are four third graders, a fifth grader and a seventh grader.

“I was struck by the fact that they weren’t necessarily (wanting to be baptized) because it’s ‘second-grade, first Communion-time.’ Seeing those from the upper grades is inspiring!” Father Ducote said.

The pastor said the impetus to become Catholic “is all coming from the kids,” noting that the sole Catholic parent in the circle of catechumens is someone who has not practiced for many years.

“I want to say this year is an anomaly, but I hope it’s not; I hope this continues,” he said, commending St. Joan of Arc’s teachers for doing an excellent job teaching and  for “not being afraid to live their faith.”

The school’s vibrant Catholic identity is also forged through Father Ducote’s frequent visits to classrooms and by reminding students and faculty that they are journeying right alongside this year’s catechumens.

Second grade teacher Tiffany Juneau said she teaches her students – both Catholic and non-Catholic –  “just like they are also preparing for first Communion and first reconciliation.” All are welcomed into the family of faith and are given opportunties to be Mass readers and choir members.

“They found their own inspiration within themselves to ask to be baptized,” Juneau said. “After a tough lesson, if it’s something we’re struggling to learn, we’ll stop and talk about why a struggle’s good. Jesus struggled, we’re struggling, too, so we’ll offer it up.”

The art of the invitation

Father Ducote said an important question arises after uncovering the desire of young people to receive the sacraments: The children are asking to be part of the faith, but many of their parents are not – so, what’s next?

“We’re not pushing (parents) to get in the RCIA program, but there is that encouragement to walk this journey with their children,” Father Ducote said. “They’re not doing it yet, but there is that invitation of, ‘Look, your children are doing this, where do you stand? What is your faith like?’ It opens doors.”

Father Ducote also invites lapsed Catholics to meet with him to “find out their story” of why they stopped practicing the faith and how – or if – reconciliation might begin.

“As Catholics, I don’t think that we do a good job at this – we’re not good at the invitation and reaching out to people. It’s not part of our culture as Catholics,” he said. “We’re not saying you have to be part of the RCIA, but would you like to learn more? It’s about relationships. Not, ‘we want to check a box.’”

Monistere, who anticipates that some of her catechumens’ families will follow their children’s lead in the coming years, also reminds her parents that “the door’s open whenever you’re ready.”

“It’s not me that’s doing this. The Holy Spirit is talking to these children and their parents,” she said. “I’m just here, and I’m excited!”

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