Students from the Year 3 class at Applecross Parish After school Catechism classes learnt how to make rosary beads. Parish Priest Fr Nelson Po blessed the beads at a special end of term liturgy. Photo: Bev Funga.
How do you teach a child that the Rosary is not a beautiful necklace, but so much more?
This is the question that has been posed by Applecross Parish After-School Catechism teacher, Bev Funga.
In her initial stages as a Catechist, Mrs Funga explained to The eRecord that her goal has been to ensure that lessons were engaging, fun, but most of all interesting, so that the message resonated with the students long after the lesson had concluded.
“This year, in third term, we learned about Mary and the Rosary,” Mrs Funga explained.
“Not only is this a very broad and complicated, yet beautiful subject to teach, I was faced with the challenge of how I was going to help the children digest the enormity and the immense power of the Rosary.”
Students from the Year 3 class at Applecross Parish After school Catechism classes learnt how to make rosary beads. Photo: Bev Funga.
Mrs Funga said she decided to go back to basics, showing the children how to make their own rosary.
With beads and cord purchased and glue guns ready, the students were set the task of making their rosary beads over the course of the term.
“It was no surprise that all the children took to the project so well, interestingly it was the boys who seemed to embrace the task more whole heartedly,” Mrs Funga explained.
Students from the Year 3 class at Applecross Parish After school Catechism classes learnt how to make rosary beads. Parish Priest Fr Nelson Po blessed the beads at a special end of term liturgy. Photo: Bev Funga.
Mrs Funga noted that while the process of creating the beads was being carried out, the students were also learning the meaning and ritual that goes with it.
“I am pleased to announce that the end product was far better than first anticipated and the delight the children expressed at having completed making their very own rosary beads was without a doubt a memorable moment for us all,” Mrs Funga noted.
Students from the Year 3 class at Applecross Parish After school Catechism classes learnt how to make rosary beads. Photo: Bev Funga.
As part of the end of term celebrations, the parish catechist groups gathered for a special liturgy that included a presentation to Parish Priest Fr Nelson Po, who blessed all the rosary beads.
“I simply cannot put into words, the pure joy and sheer pride that each child exuded at presenting Fr Nelson with their rosary beads,” Mrs Funga said.
“It was the end of such an extraordinary journey for the children but only the beginning in their faith journey.
Mrs Funga went on to say that for her, she started the year as a teacher but ended up learning as much as her students.
“I have each and every one of my students to thank for this,” Mrs Funga said.
“The journey has been incredible and I cannot wait to commence the program again in 2018 and share this incredible program with the next group of children,” she said.