"Why should any intelligent young person even consider the kingdom of Jesus Christ?"

Jesus was "a crucified felon who could have escaped if he had only shut up."

"Kids cannot fathom that."


Random fragments adapted from the Jesuit magazine, America, September 14 - 21, 2009.

We're told that the author, Rev. Fr. William J. O'Malley, S.J., "Teaches religion at Fordham Preparatory School in New York City. His latest book, Help My Unbelief, won a first place award from the Catholic Press Association."

Father's current article in America is provocatively titled:

Faulty Guidance

A new framework for high school catechesis fails to persuade.


"The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has launched Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age.

"It is a colossal effort and theologically unassailable, but in the judgment of this 43 - years - in - the - trenches veteran and others, it is pedagogically counterproductive.

"The Framework exemplifies how Jesus did not teach -- analytically and preceptively; instead, he taught in stories, as societies have done since the caves.

"It also ignores the church's consistent practice of teaching first humanities, then philosophy and only then theology.

"Jesus often validated claims with Scripture, but to a people who all but adored it.

"Presuming such reverence in today's high school students is risky.

"Our audience does not have personally validated Christian faith.

"A majority are baptized but never converted and prefer not to be."


Teenagers as The Audience.


"Would it be heretical to ask the preliminary question: Why should any intelligent young person rooted in the kingdom of this world even consider the kingdom of Jesus Christ?

"Few religion teachers will be as convincing as Survivor's To win you have to screw your neighbor...

"Yet [the bishops' latest catechetical publication] the Framework makes bold to begin by idealizing a crucified felon who could have escaped if he had only shut up.

"Kids cannot fathom that."


Needed: A Prologue


"If the church to which I have given my life were to make a well - intentioned but tragic mistake and I kept silent, I would be no loyal servant.

"The Framework needs a prologue that acknowledges the horrific obstacles educators face just getting a hearing among teenagers."


Why??!! :)

Because....


"It presumes too much of what our audience does not have: faith, awareness of the transcendent, appreciation of altruistic values, among much else...

"This audience does not need catechists with the skills of Thomas Aquinas but those of Professor Harold Hill from The Music Man.

"Jesus might admonish today's sowers:

"Plow before you plant! "

Way to go, Reverend Father! :)