M E ET PAR I S H I O N ER A N D
Respon ding Faithf
T
4
4
he Bible is filled with examested in apologetics,” John says. ples of God calling people to “To hear about what the Church do His work. There was Moses, fathers did to progress the faith who was not an eloquent speakis inspiring. er and yet was called to confront “That was the learning prothe pharaoh, or Amos, a shepcess,” he adds. “It’s what made herd whom the Lord called to be me feel like I could do this or a prophet, to name just a couple. was called to do this. I feel like John Virnig, who served as a there was a plan there for me catechist for a class of seventh, to learn more about the faith eighth, and ninth-graders this in my later years — that it was year, first served as a catechist to get me to do something like after he joined St. Andrew in this. There’s a need and I felt 1997, teaching two classes from like I was being called to serve 1998 to 2000. He then moved to as a catechist. You don’t have other roles in the parish from to be an experienced teacher in 2000 to 2021, while raising his order to volunteer.” family of five children. John saw the contrast beJohn Virnig When John was asked to serve tween the work of the Church as a catechist again, he admits that he didn’t feel enfathers to promote the faith and the increasingly tirely qualified for the task. But, he saw the need for secular culture in the United States. more catechists and was willing to help fill it. “Though I don’t feel super well-qualified and “I was absolutely nervous when I began,” he it’s not my forte, I felt that there’s a need to reach says. “I’m used to dealing with the public, talking our children and to teach them the faith and to people, and conversing with them, but I was hopefully give them confidence in the faith, and nervous about how good of a job I would be able then they can do their part to reverse the trend,” to do as a catechist. I’ve helped my own kids and he says. “With God’s help, I can help a little.” nephews and nieces with math, so I do think I His class of seventh, eighth, and ninth-graders can teach on that basis, but I had no experience learned about Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the teaching a group prior to these courses and am Body lectures. not particularly gifted in that way.” “It’s fun to see their curiosity and see them Yet, the Lord led John to this service. responding to learning more about the faith,” John “The Holy Spirit came before I was asked to do says. “Theology of the Body is very anti-cultural. this role,” he says. It’s almost the opposite of the messages they hear John traces the start of this path, in part, to in the outside world. It can be challenging to what Real Presence Radio, a Catholic radio station serv- they hear, but it’s good to see their curiosity and ing our area at 89.5 FM. John donated to some of to see them learning.” their fundraising efforts and had tuned in to the Teaching the course has also helped John to station one night when he happened to catch an continue to learn more about the faith as well. interesting story. Each catechist is given the subject matter and “It was about one of the Church fathers, and material to teach in their course, along with a that set me on a course of doing a lot of reading syllabus. In order to prepare for class, John says on the early days of the Church and got me interhe usually spends some time going over the ma-
