Accredited theologian Fr Anthony Gittins held a professional learning opportunity in Perth on 16 and 17 May. Photo: Matthew Lau.
By Matthew Lau
An internationally experienced missionary priest has imparted his knowledge to catechists and principals from across the Archdiocese of Perth with the aim of helping them in their field to educating others.
Father Anthony Gittins last week offered a two-day professional learning opportunity – a service he has provided in more than 35 countries – at the Catholic Education Office in Leederville.
The workshop on 16 May, tackled the challenge of engaging young people in discipleship – followed by a retreat day where participants garnered a deeper understanding of spirituality for mission.
Midway through his speaker tour of Australia, Fr Gittins gave his thoughts on teaching the values of discipleship in an exclusive interview with The eRecord.
“I look at what discipleship is in the general sense, then I look specifically into the Gospel for examples of discipleship and take a couple of extracts from the New Testament,” he said.
“Using those extracts, I look at how discipleship is created and applied to ourselves, because we’ve got to apply the lessons of the New Testament into our own lives.”
What the participants take away from the workshop and retreat depends on each individual, he said.
“I do what I can to open up to them some issues relating to the immediacy of discipleship, and then they use their own experience and their own context to go and apply it.”
Various educators of Perth attended Fr Gittins’ two-seminar at the Catholic Education Office, Leederville. Photo: Matthew Lau.
Fr Gittins identified what he believes is central to Catholic education in any context.
“I think we have too many rules and regulations, or too much doctrine and dogma, and not enough experience and encounter,” he explained.
“Jesus was very much into how people’s lives are affected. Not so much how much they knew about religion or God, but how much they were able to integrate what they’re understanding of religion with the lives that they led and the way that they treated each other as human beings.”
Margaret Tavelli, Religious Education Coordinator at Prendiville Catholic College, attended both days of the seminar last week.
“I was drawn to the seminar because the themes of Discipleship and Spirituality are central to everything that underpins the true Mission of our Catholic Schools,” she said.
“It is essential that people such as myself, have a clear understanding of what we are to be and what we are to encourage at our schools.”
Chicago-based priest Fr Anthony Gittins has authored 14 books on theology, anthropology, mission, and spirituality. Photo: Matthew Lau.
Mrs Tavelli has been in and around the Catholic Education scene since 1990, and said Fr Gittins’ talks opened a window into the Gospels that has provided almost a new encounter with certain stories.
“Fr Gittins’ has done this through his deep understanding of linguistics and anthropology, which have imprinted a very real picture of what may have been ‘happening’ as Jesus encountered these scriptural figures, how he touched and changed them.
“[He] presented the ideas that in discipleship we require the skills of prayer, reflection and meditation. These are things we need to teach in our schools very consciously; understanding that these are skills to be taught and practiced is important in our work.”
The Religious Education teacher said she has identified the need to incorporate more reflective opportunity for students to see, learn deeply and, therefore, better grasp Christian themes.
“Another use for my learning would be in better structuring the learning and practice of the skills of prayer, reflection and meditation within religious education in order to help students to ‘hear’ to ‘see’ and to experience their true selves in relationship with God,” she concluded.