Catholic Identity: The Gift of a Remarkable Career

Q: How do you define Catholic identity?

A: Identity can seem difficult to define. I serve in so many roles that shift from day-to-day. Often, I am a teacher, mentor, student, mother, daughter, friend, coach, etc. I feel like these roles are determined by how I relate to and interact with the people that I encounter in my daily life. My Catholic identity, at its basest level, is how I relate to God.

My children have watched me tackle some difficult situations, and have taken note of the fact that, even when I’m my faith hasn’t wavered. I take the opportunity to remind them that when challenges arise, we can always turn towards God to show us the solution. I have been very open with them that there were times in my life when I didn’t attend Mass faithfully. I let the distractions of life fill my schedule and my mind, and there were certainly periods of my life when I missed Mass more than I attended. But I felt the loss of that connection, and always returned, each time with more intent and presence than before.

Catholic Identity Activity

Ideal for use with children and families, this customizable booklet invites reflection and expression of our unique Catholic identity and faith experiences. Download the free booklet with instructions and a corresponding Catholic identity sticker set to affix to completed pages. Add pages focused on prayer, evangelization, learning, and celebrating.

Q: What does being Catholic mean for you?

A: My Catholic journey has led me to my current career, which has been a remarkable gift. I was raised in a Catholic home, and attended Catholic school in Boston, Massachusetts, as a child. My Catholicism has always been an important source of faith and comfort, but my interest in my following and learning about my faith strengthened when I started my family.

My husband and I chose our home based on the parish where our children would one day attend school, and as they grew, I realized that my own faith would guide me in helping them realize and grow their own faith. Watching my children’s faith develop, and their tremendous learning that they experienced about their own Catholic identity, made me realize that I could be more involved serving by exploring this vocation and sharing my faith with children.

One piece of being Catholic that is the most fulfilling to me is seeing a reflection of my own faith and love for God in my children.

When we lost my dad, my daughter, a teenager, feeling all her strong emotions, pushed back about attending his service. We try not to force our children when it comes to religious decisions, in the hopes that we will quietly lead them to where they need to be—and she had been skipping Mass and attending more and more school-related activities on the weekends. She was angry and heartbroken, and she wanted no part of a formality that in her mind would bring finality to his life.

I tried to acknowledge her feelings but asked her to come and sit with me as a favor. The priest that my uncle asked to celebrate my dad's Mass is just remarkable, and his homily was beautiful and uplifting, and I watched her lean into his words. At the end, my daughter leaned her head on my shoulder and whispered, “If he was our priest, I would go to church every week.” It was like a curtain was pulled back—the window wasn’t quite open yet, but I could see that glimmer of faith. In a time when she needed comfort, she found it in God—she arrived with a heavy heart and left feeling lighter. Her burden of grief was lifted from her shoulders. It was beautiful to see that she recognized in her moment that she was still a child of God, and that this would always be a home for her.

Q: How does your role as a 3rd Grade Catholic school teacher help you to develop and express your Catholic identity?

A: As an educator in a Catholic school, I feel that my Catholic Identity serves as an important tool in supporting families in solidifying their child’s blossoming Catholic beliefs and faith. As teachers, one way that we lead children down the road to learning and mastering skills is by being “magnetic.” We invite students to learn, to show off their new skills, to use them in new ways. Similarly, we invite them to grow their faith by living our own faith.

I attended Catholic elementary school, but later moved to private school, and my own religious education slowed. When I started teaching religion, it was a great chance to brush up on and refresh my knowledge.

Personally, my Catholic Identity is the set of ideas that guides my daily decisions and reactions. Once I incorporate my role as a teacher, I know that my own Catholic beliefs are in the spotlight and serve as a constant example for my students. Over time, my own faith has grown deeper, and my understanding of my own beliefs has strengthened and evolved as I’ve shared them with my students.

Q: How do you integrate being Catholic into your daily life?

A: Working in a Catholic school creates so many wonderful opportunities to integrate my Catholicism into my day! Our classroom routine of prayer throughout the day is a great reminder for me to continue those routines after I leave work. Working prayer and prayer intentions into our thoughts throughout the day changes the way that I view challenges that come up.

I love teaching, and being able to serve God through guiding children, sharing my faith, and living this vocation is an exceptional gift. Aside from weekly Mass, working on campus with a beautiful church allows me to attend Adoration or Mass or quietly pray the Rosary when I can.

When I worked in a Kindergarten classroom, we made a habit of stopping everything and praying a Hail Mary whenever we heard sirens nearby. This habit is now ingrained in me, and I find myself stopping and praying when I know that someone nearby is experiencing suffering.

I try to incorporate an intention into each day. Whether it’s something that someone close to me is struggling with, a natural disaster that is affecting people, or a personal intention that I want to keep close and reflect and pray on, this helps keep my prayers throughout the day purposeful and focused.

Q: Who are your models for being Catholic today?

A: Most of my models lately are people that I know: friends, family members, and co-workers. I am fortunate to work with so many people who have taught me a lot about faith and are my Catholic role models. Members of my extended family have followed the call to serve the Church as nuns, and their level of devotion is so beautiful. I have spent time with co-workers asking them questions about their faith, and they have been so open and humble about the ways that they choose to serve. Seeing their expressions of faith really reminds me that there are endless opportunities each day to practice my faith and impact others by sharing it with those around me.

Q: What are your favorite resources and activities for building Catholic identity in your students?

A: I find that students thrive when concepts are presented with a tangible element. In addition to the text and workbooks that we use as the basis of our classroom teaching, I also use a lot of supplemental materials for certain lessons, and I love a hands-on project or activity. Here are some activities we use during the year:

In October, my class begins their first research project when we prepare for a Saint project day around All Saints’ Day. They each choose a saint that they are interested in or pulled to learn about, and we research and tell the saint’s story, culminating in a presentation by each student teaching others about their saint.

All Saints' Day for Kids Mini Book

Download a printable activity for young children to celebrate All Saints’ Day. This mini book teaches about the work of some saints and can be personalized and shared with family and friends.

Another project that we complete is during the Lenten season. We venture on a Lenten journey and talk and write about each of the Stations of the Cross, what each station represents, and how it relates to our own lives. In the springtime, I love to make Rosary books with my class, using visuals to teach them about all the Sacred Mysteries.

Before we end for the year, we spend some time painting and creating a personalized prayer rock, which they can keep in their pocket, next to their bed, wherever, as a reminder to say a little prayer.

In Summary

This article is fourth in a series on Catholic identity. Visit the Sadlier Religion Blog to read previous and upcoming guest posts written by individuals who serve the Church in many ways. Each author will reflect on what Catholic identity means to them personally in their life and work.