Clearing the Clutter Focusing on the Core Aspects of the Ministry

Introduction: A cluttered mind is a terrible waste of space.

Michael Berger, Mark Buckley, Charleen Katra, Karen Pesek

Years ago, an article was written based on a survey of various ministers who had been place. As a diocesan catechetical asked to comment on the time leader, one prays by name for devoted to prayer. Sadly, many the parish catechetical leaders of the respondents mentioned of the diocese, who, in turn, are that sometimes the last thing asked to pray for their they did was pray. Over and catechists by name. over, the ministers responded that they were too busy to Prayer is not a static activity. To pray. Even saying this out loud keep from developing a routine was a revelation to the that can easily fall into a rut, it respondents. The importance of is important to strive to find prayer in catechetical ministry different ways to pray. There is requires every catechetical great value in setting one’s leader find ways to make prayer agenda each name within the a priority during a busy day and context of prayer. Joseph not the last thing on the “To Do” Cardinal Bernardin, in his book lists. The Journey to Peace, shared that he made Morning Prayer Too busy to pray? Prayer is not the first activity of the day and something that can wait till the was faithful to it rather than end of the day. It is the first getting up and immediately thing a catechetical leader does going to do something and it is one of the ministerial responsibilities. As a minister, When is the last time you tried a you owe it to those with whom new method or prayer activity? and to whom you minister. Each While it’s important to ministerial leader must make experience a wide variety of the time to be in a good prayer prayer forms, it is valuable to find a style that fits you and Another source of centering and your personality. You can’t give focusing on both the person and to others what you don't have. the message of Jesus Christ can Catechetical leaders have to be be a reflection book, as long as spiritually focused. If you don’t one is faithful to the task. One care for yourself, you can’t care year while using the Thomas for anyone else. Merton daily meditation book, it was amazing to read in his It is commonly accepted that reflections that the challenge for Jesus took time to pray with the him was to balance his need to disciples in his ministry, but also be alone in sanctuary and the took time to go off alone and challenge by his Trappist pray. If it is good enough for community to be in harmony Jesus, can it not also be good with his brother monks. Should enough for me? When one you be surprised if the same looks at the schedule for the tension exists in your life? day, is it obvious that time for prayer, both alone and in community, has been established?

Harmony and balance in our prayer life affects both our ministerial and personal lives. Both praying alone and in groups is necessary in our lives. As a married person, how often do I pray with my spouse? Do I pray with the staff team at the office on a regular basis or established time? For the organizer, it may be essential to schedule that prayer time in the daily planner. First thing each day: Make Catholic Community time for prayer. Forum: The Daily E-Pistle http://www.catholic- Before you arrive at your desk, forum.com/e-pistle.html how do you find 5-15 minutes to focus your attention on your  Books with daily readings relationship with God? You need and reflections can be to establish an early morning used by those who are ritual. There is a reason every able to find an early religious order begins the day morning space of solitude. with prayer. If you don’t find the Caution: Be sure to reflect time first thing in the morning, rather than just read. you can find yourself at the end Accompanying this ritual of the day without spending a with a cup of coffee is minute in prayer. permitted.

 On-line daily reflections Magnificat can be found in your http://www.magnificat.com/ind mailbox before you ex.asp awake. They can be a great impetus to start Daily Word your day with God if you http://www.dailyword.com can avoid answering emails and just focus on  Audiotapes and CD’s can the meditation that was be played in your car, sent to your mailbox. especially if you drive alone. Be careful to pay 3-minute retreats – attention to your driving. Daily Online Prayer - Praying in your car is not Loyola Press a guarantee that you http://www.loyolapress.com/ won’t have an accident. 3-minute-retreats-daily- online-prayer.htm My Morning Prayer: Seven Daily Services for People on the Go, GIA USCCB Daily Reflections http://www.usccb.org/video/ My Evening Prayer: reflections.shtml Seven Daily Services for People on the Go, GIA Richard’s Daily Meditations  Program your I-Pod so http://www.cacradicalgrace.o you can listen during your rg/richard- morning walk/run. rohr/dailymeditations  Engage in a morning Use Train the Trainers cleansing ritual starting concept with your baptismal shower. It’s simple multiplication. It’s the idea behind Pay it Forward”  Use a sacramental like a except you provide the training Pillow Crucifix. As you rather than just the teaching. awake and put your feet You may not be able to find on the floor, pick up and individuals who can do hold the crucifix in your everything you desire but you hand and simply talk to might be able to create some God. When done, fix your duos. One member of the duo bed and place the crucifix could provide a strong on your pillow. In the theological foundation while the evening before retiring, other person in the duo could again pick up the crucifix, provide creative techniques to share your prayers and share these concepts with the then place it on your night various age groups. stand, ready for tomorrow morning. Know the Difference Between Urgent and Important Organizing Your Work and Day One of the more intriguing concepts in Stephen Covey’s  Use task lists for daily, book The Seven Habits of Highly weekly and monthly, by Effective People is that of the project four quadrants of activity management:  Create time in your calendar for planning Not time, even to intentionally Urgent Urgent +------+------+ carve out time for your | | family. Important I | II | |  Paper clutter is no longer +------+------+ | | necessary - keep Not | III | IV electronic records. If you Important| | feel the need to keep +------+------+ paper files, then at least color-code them by year. Many people spend their time marketing and running meetings on Quadrants I and III. Unless and strategic planning. I found you spend time on Quadrant II, that my increased knowledge improvement and great ministry made me a better and more will be difficult to achieve. Lack efficient minister. of planning on the part of the leader does not constitute an How to determine what to read emergency on the part of the is simple. Ask the woman next other members of the team. to you at the pastoral council Step back and look at the big meeting who owns a business. picture--establish long term Ask the business man across plan or goals and then regularly from you at coffee and donuts. hold stakeholders accountable Ask what business management for their part of the puzzle: ideas have helped them the Plan, Do, Review. most. Ask what they are reading. It is amazing what can Use business and happen when we ask that management ideas, question. concepts, books Use team approach and When I started in parish team building approach ministry, I realized that I was often sitting at the table with Recent research continues to women and men who were affirm the strongest support for constantly reading the latest the value of teams to concepts and theories in the organizational effectiveness. world of business. I figured that Team building applies to it would be helpful for our everyone, whether you are in a communicating if I read a few of one-person office or part of a those books and tried to link staff of twelve. No one them over to theological possesses all the skills and concepts, the writings of the talents. While team building Doctors of the Church and the takes time, the end product teachings of Scripture and generally proves to be worth the Tradition. I do not know how energy, effort and time successful I was at making the commitment. In fact, once a links that I was originally team has been successfully seeking. I do know that I formed, they can excel at learned a great amount about performing again and again. See leadership principles and the chapter on collaboration. Bring spirituality to your job? It is worth the time to management and Google the full article management to your (http://www.americamagazine.o spiritually rg/content/article.cfm? article_id=11746) and reflect on Ann M. Garrido, director of it. In fact, several chanceries graduate programs in preaching have used the article for faith and catechesis at Aquinas sharing during days of Institute of Theology in St. reflection. Louis, Missouri wrote an article in the July 6, 2009 issue of Create policy, procedures America magazine entitled More and enforce them--with good Than A Desk Job in which she pastoral reasoning addresses the spirituality of administration. She begins by Many of the most time citing 1 Cor. 12:28 Some people consuming and emotionally God has designated in the exhausting tasks of church to be, first, apostles; administration arise from a lack second, prophets; third, of clear policy, followed teachers; then, mighty deeds; procedures, and consistent then, gifts of healing, application. The time taken to assistance, administration, and explain or appease is draining – varieties of tongues and eliminates the possibility of doing something else with that After recognizing that time. Communicating written administration is included in this policies and reminding people of list of ministries, she examines them can limit confusion and what this could mean for those, increase efficiency. Having like herself, who serve through procedures that clearly define administration. I think that the steps to be taken in a administration, to put it in particular situation or for a theological language, can be a yearly project should increase ‘praxis,’ an activity with the efficiency, decrease the quantity potential to transform not only of time required in meetings, the lives of others, but oneself and increase the sense of in the process. This is a empowerment of associates who powerful thought to bring to do not have to check in on the your administration and process every step of the way. management. Could you transform lives through your There are a couple of cautions management? Could you move regarding policies and towards greater communion procedures. First, never forget with Jesus through your desk that the mission of our ministry is helping people grow closer to employees and volunteers must God. Policies and procedures know and believe that you will cannot assume an excessive “have their back” if someone importance nor imprison goes to you to complain about a catechetical leaders from decision that was made appropriate pastoral responses. according to procedure. If you Second, communicating policies want the procedure to be is not a once and “it is done” followed, it is essential that you task. In the 1980’s, marketing do not undermine those who are research stated that if one seeking to adhere to it. desired to saturate a targeted demographic with a message, it Periodic evaluation and was necessary to present that review of operational message seventeen times. For procedures and policy example, if you were a diocesan director of religious education It is easy to forget to evaluate and wanted to have every and review when it appears parish catechetical leader aware there are too many tasks to of a new policy on social media, finish. Nevertheless, it is a it would be necessary to never a good decision to communicate that message to sacrifice evaluation and review. the parish catechetical leaders Efficiency is often discovered seventeen times. through evaluation. Furthermore, a solid review of a However, times have changed. project, procedure, or policy can With the rise of the internet and provide the opportunity to the super saturation of the express gratitude to the people human mind and consciousness who were important in the due to the hyper connected implementation of the policy or culture, marketers are now procedure. Individuals who have discovering that, in order to been thanked are more likely to permeate a particular audience, choose to excel in the future. it is necessary to give the Policies and procedures need to message twenty-six to thirty- change with the times. In this two times. This means that era of rapidly changing creating policy is beneficial only technology and communication, if one is also committed to the it is very easy for procedures, in effective communication of the particular, to become outdated. policy. Third, procedures are Periodic evaluation and review is only effective if associates are necessary to stay current and supported when they adhere to efficient. them. Stated differently, Doing Less with More priority requires excellent planning. It is important to realize that one can’t keep doing more with Know yourself, your learning less. While people will do their styles, management profile, best to step up when a crisis personality traits, and occurs, they are unable to individual strengths sustain the increased pressure and stress for any length of Do you know what you do well? time. Crisis mode can only work Can you structure your ministry for so long. It is then necessary description to capitalize on your to enter into a new normal. Part strengths? It is important to of finding a new standard know oneself along with one’s process usually involves letting strengths and weaknesses. The go of some activities, programs, weakest minister is the one who and efforts. It is necessary to refuses to recognize what (s)he determine the core priorities. does poorly. The greatest This is where periodic evaluation minister is the one who shines. It is also necessary to recognizes the gifts and talents accept that some important of others and empowers them efforts or priorities may need to to succeed. be dropped for the short term. This can be difficult, but there Build relationships with others. are only a limited number of Find complementary person(s) activities that can be done well who can work with you to during a given time. balance your strengths. If you are a creative, spontaneous In doing less, some things will person, find an organized, need to be postponed. Some detailed person to assist you. tasks may need to be done on a Learn to be vulnerable and ask rotational basis, i.e. every other for help. To paraphrase one of year rather than annually. Some St. Catherine of Siena’s goals may need to be moved to Dialogues, God made us lacking a later time. Inevitably, some so that we would recognize our duties will need to be brought need for one another. It is back to the forefront. The task through community that we of determining when items may become the body of Christ here move to a resting position and on earth. when they must be active Mr. Michael Berger is currently serving as Diocesan Director of the Office of Catechesis at the Diocese of Tuscan.

Mr. Mark Buckley is the Director of Religious Education at St. Bede Parish, Ingleside, Illinois. This Representative Council member is part of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Mrs. Charleen Katra is an Associate Director in the Office of Continuing Christian Education at the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Mrs. Karen Pesek currently is serving as the Diocesan Director of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.