Man on a Mission: Dr. Joseph White

Evangelization is an education in the art of living.
-Pope Benedict XVI

Joseph WhiteHi Joseph! This is a genuine honor. Thanks for being with us. I'd like to have you tell us about the two talks for catechists that you'll be giving at the MidAtlantic Congress for Pastoral Leadership (MAC) next month. Your topics are very interesting and exciting! But first, would you tell us something about yourself that we won't find in your professional bio?

I came into the Church at the beginning of graduate school (for clinical psychology) from the Church of Christ. I continue to work in psychology, professionally, since it's one of those fields not integrated enough with what we know by faith.

Be an Amazing CatechistRSS

My wife and I do some work with a tribe in the rainforest in Panama, that was discovered about 15 years ago. Within the last several years, they've been making more and more contact with the outside world. But there are no roads to the village. It can only be reached by canoe. It was a wonderful experience for us, seeing our faith through their eyes and seeing a real enculturation of the Gospel message in a different language. We had five baptisms the last time we were there.

What an amazing adventure!

Yes, it has been an adventure! We also do some work in Cambodia, where child psychologists are not available, but child prostitution is rampant. There are a lot of good non-profits helping to end child sex-trafficking.

Can you tell us about your work in Cambodia?

The different non-profits that work with children rescued from some of these traumatic situations need training in recognizing the symptoms of trauma and helping them with the kinds of therapies they need. I'm board certified in child sex abuse, and over there I'm training either bachelor's degree level counselors or paraprofessionals working on the front lines with kids. I teach them to recognize the symptoms of trauma, to create a therapeutic environment, and help them work through what the children have been through.

Thanks, Joseph. Let's talk about the MAC and your presentation. First, tell us what qualities you feel make a great catechist.

For me, I think before anything else, what makes a great catechist is a person with a close, personal relationship with Jesus and His church. And the General Directory (for Catechesis) talks about this. No text and no method can replace the person of the catechist. That catechist's witness serves as the most important visual aid.

Second, this past Sunday's reading from St. Paul said, "I have become all things to all men, so that some might be saved." He was not talking about compromising values or the truth, but understanding people and meeting them where they are in order to enter into the conversation. What makes a good catechist means not only to speak, but also to listen.

Why is leadership an important quality for effective catechists?

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