For the Clay family, home-based catechesis through CtR Religious Education’s new “At Home With Jesus” program created in response to the pandemic has brought forth new opportunities to grow and learn together.
If you ask 8-year-old Odin who is in second grade and gearing up to prepare for his First Communion and Reconciliation, he says he is enjoying this time at home with his family and working through the Alive in Christ materials because "it’s a good workout for the mind.”
Odin’s grandmother Sandy Clay said their time together learning about the faith has been fruitful and rewarding.
“While it is true I often find God’s presence becomes potent and palpable when being with Odin, sharing the RE material often has spurred even more opportunities to visit about the reality of our faith and sparked good questions from Odin and commentaries,” Sandy said.
“He often has ideas also to act out the teachings in examples and I think this helps make the abstract, concrete. Shared time together in our prayer room with him is a treasured opportunity and gift from God to reflect together on how to live the Way in these unusual times.”
The Clay family has not been immune to the challenges of the year, of course, and Sandy reflected on the difficulties of managing a work schedule with at-home learning as well as the learning curve of religious education at home. But even tough questions from Odin about the faith has led to fruitful opportunities.
“We often discussed much beyond the book and lesson to clarify. It remains a blessing for me to get to visit with him about these teachings,” Sandy said. “We start and end with prayer and the [Holy] Spirit has always provided what words are needed in any small challenges that arise.”
The family has made use of the many resources outlined on the RE webpages, Sandy said, and particularly the story shared about Blessed Carlo Acuntis, a teenager who devoted his life to the Eucharist.
“[At Home With Jesus] has given us a chance to discuss with him our belief that life is a continual conversion of heart,” Sandy said. “We always have more to grow in and learn about our faith and how to listen and respond to God in whatever life sends us."
Myra Clay, Odin’s mother, said that balancing work, home-school, and religious education has been a challenge, but in many ways, the pandemic and subsequent changes have brought many blessings into their lives.
“Sure, we feel deprived of some kinds of interaction, like a lot of other people,” Myra said, “but we have had to call upon the quieter, more reflective parts of ourselves, and let those things grow.
“It’s more of a hermetic existence, and, personally, I have found it to be a relief from the frenetic way life was before, for the most part.”
At Home With Jesus has inspired many meaningful conversations in the family, said Justin Clay, Odin’s father, and what it means to be Catholic. It has given every family member the opportunity to reflect honestly on their faith journeys.
For Justin, one of the biggest challenges brought by the pandemic has been isolation, he said.
“Odin's only company is us and our dog, and this has been challenging in the fact that Odin gets lonely sometimes,” Justin said. “Also, helping Odin understand the grave circumstances of this year and not allow myself to resort to cynicism always takes soul searching and effort for me.”
Every member of the Clay family agrees, however, that the inevitable slowing down of life caused by quarantine has brought them closer than ever before.
“I feel like the merciful side of this virus slowing everything down is that during this really important stage in Odin's life I have been able to have some really quality father-son time together,” Justin said. “This is irreplaceable and a true treasure.”