Multi-faceted Catechist Strives To Grow Closer To God
Name, Parish, Role in Parish: My name is Joe Paul Hayden, from Saint Joseph, Jasper (my home parish) and St. Bernard/St. Martin I, where I serve as religion teacher for grades 6-8 and grade 12. I also am the parishes’ youth group adult leader.
How was your faith formed? Formation of faith is something that is gradual and ongoing. My formation started when I was young with my parents’ example, and their efforts for teaching my siblings and me the importance of loving and owning the Catholic faith. Having the Baltimore Catechism in school, going to daily Mass often, and having conversations about faith with family members really helped shape my conscience. All of this and more had positive impacts on the way I live my life today.
Who or what has been a big influence in your life? Pope Saint John Paul II, Mark Hart, Matthew Kelly and Jason Evert, to name just a few. These modern-day role models and heroes of the faith have greatly influenced me on my perception of evangelization, prayer, devotion, and love for the Mass. They have given me, as well as so many others, a new desire and passion for Catholicism, and have helped me discipline my worldly desires and refocus my attention to Christ.
What do you do in your role as a parish catechetical leader? I teach students in grade grades 6-8 and high school seniors, and assist in the youth ministry of St. Bernard/St. Martin I Parishes. Outside of the parishes, I am a student at the University of Southern Indiana, where I currently serve as president of the Newman Catholic Community. Even though all of these positions deal with different age groups, the theme is the same across the board: What does it mean to be Catholic? We discuss the saints, sacraments, liturgy, the creed, vocations, the authority of the church and everything else that encompasses what the Catholic church is, to bring about a new sense of understanding and love for the faith that, for some people, was hardly ever there.
Who do you consider to be positive role models today? In addition to those mentioned previously, the saints have so much wisdom to share on how to strive for intimacy with God. They were sinners who sought forgiveness and repented. They were ordinary people who took on the change that was necessary to bring them back into the embrace of God. If that isn’t encouraging, I don’t what is. That should put an ache in everyone’s heart because we desire that closeness with the God who is so close to us. Every person, no matter how old or young, should model after the saints.
Describe a time when you have experienced God’s presence in your life? Everyone can experience God in different ways. Typically, I encounter Him through the people He places in my life. I think the more a person reflects on their day, the more they see how God was present in their life that day. My encounters with God are very informal most of the time, and they are typically with my peers at USI. It’s never anything profound or life changing in big ways, but rather in small, significant ways. The simplicity of asking me how my prayer life is can seem very unimportant, but it allows me to reevaluate my relationship with God. It’s in these moments that I realize God inviting me to have a closer relationship with Him – and all it took was one, simple question: “how’s your prayer life?”
What are your dreams for parish faith formation today? There is one word that I would really like to push, and my hope is to see it come up more with the formation we have today. That word is why. Why Catholic? Why formation? Why the Eucharist? Why the Saints? Why serve? And don’t just leave these questions lingering. We need to raise a culture that is based on truth and morals. How can we achieve that if we ourselves don’t own the very truths we are trying to teach? This word whyisn’t just for the youth of today; we as a community of faith are in a blur regarding what it means to be Catholic and what it means to love; and we are letting the secular society define that for us. It’s not a matter of being proud; rather, it’s a matter of knowing what’s worth living for.
How do you nurture your faith life? You nurture your faith just like you nurture your body: you feed it. I’m by no means perfect, but I try hard to put things in my life that will better me as a person, mentally and spiritually. Reading about the saints is so powerful. If you are like me and feel like time just gets away from you, and you don’t have time to read a book, then read short, one-page summaries about the saints. People also play big parts in developing the faith more fully. Seeking out like-minded friends who are striving for the same goal as you is one of the best things that contributes to my life of faith. Last but not least, the sacraments – specifically the Holy Eucharist at Mass, and Reconciliation. This is where I truly see the necessary change of heart take place.
What makes being a Catholic so important to you? What makes being Catholic so important to me is the truth that encompasses every aspect of the Church’s indentity. Everyone, no matter what denomination or faith, is constantly looking for purpose, love, truth and fulfillment; and I believe that the Catholic Church is all of these characteristics. It’s not a matter of personal bias or solely on my upbringing; it is a clear reality that is vivid in our everyday lives.
What is your best wisdom on life? Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI says, “you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” This is the true embrace of purpose. It’s too easy to just stay in our areas of comfort. There’s a world full of people who are hungry for God’s mercy, love, forgiveness and beauty, and there’s no way we can ever reach their hearts if we are not being all that God designed us to be.
What is a scripture quote that you would like to share? “Iron is sharpened by iron; one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17. This is short and simple, but it speaks to the heart of every person. We are all called to grow in love and faith, and to grow as a community of faith. Let us sharpen one another to be stewards of the Gospel, a people of compassion and a world of mercy.
The Diocesan Office of Catechesis coordinates the “People of Faith” column.
