Dead Theologians Society

[4588686]

[quote name='Brother Adam' timestamp='1332423804' post='2405289']
I am starting to look at this now, but I am confused by the curriculum - for $500 there doesn't seem to be one. I can have black hoodies made up for a lot cheaper, and downloading information about the saints is pretty easy from Google. Life Teen isn't meaty enough for my teens, and yes, the name of this group sounds amesome, but it seems that is all they have going for them. I called 5 parishes locally that are on their national roster, and none of them have the group any longer. Frustrating.
[/quote]

It's really not worth it. As I said, I was a major force in starting one at my old parish and, while I got a razzle dazzle rosary out of it, there was really no other benefit I can think of the doing an 'official' group. We basically designed our own meetings. I don't remember ever getting any curriculum. And if there were such a curriculum it would probably not be terribly substantive.

I'm not bashing the idea. I really enjoyed the group that we started. It's just that I don't think there are any real benefits to doing the 'official' thing as you can make your own model for a lot less than $500.

[arfink]

I second Hasan on this one, actually. The "curriculum" can be easily replaced by anyone smart enough to use the internet and look up saints. Or if you don't like those post-vatican II innovations like internet, grab a hard copy set of the Lives of the Saints. Get hoodies made, etc. If you do decide to roll your own you might want to reconsider the use of the name, since I suppose they maybe might sue you. But probably they will not. Your call though.

[Brother Adam]

How did they open their meetings? Did you have to be a member to go? Was there some sort of rite of initation?

I actually have been trying to think of another name that would have the same sort of appeal.

[4588686]

[quote name='Brother Adam' timestamp='1332449623' post='2405522']
How did they open their meetings?[/QUOTE]

Prayer.

[QUOTE] Did you have to be a member to go?[/QUOTE]

No. But the leadership did.

[QUOTE] Was there some sort of rite of initation? [/QUOTE]

Yes. Opened the Church late at night, did some prayers, the Priest blessed the hoodies/ shirts and rosarys with Holy Water and did a blessing for us.

[4588686]

I was a bit disappointed with my group because when the adults recruited me to help start it I was under the impression that we'd be doing more theology/philosophical theology, yet it quickly became clear that the group only really focused on studying the lives of the Saints. I tried to fight against this a bit by also picking Saint philosophers like Aquinas and Edith Stein, but I feel like it's pretty difficult to stop the group from sliding into a more superficial enterprise. That said, it is useful perceived because it tends to attract the more serious kids who were willing to serve a vanguard function. So on our summer trips to the Monastery we ran a program based on a Saint's life that lasted throughout the week. The first time we did it we focused on St. Benedict and the second time some Italian young woman whose name began with a G.

[Brother Adam]

Thanks. I have been looking at the group primarily because we have a lot of teens who are ready and want to go deeper. I agree that it needs to promote biblical literacy and theological inquiry, not just the lives of the saints (though that is important too). Life Teen has been way too lightweight, though I appreciate their resources - we used the Hope lifenight when a teen was killed in a tragic accident, and the ice breakers and some of the skits are useful. I think Life Teen assumes a full time youth minister with a huge budget and dedicated group of core adults who have nothing else to do with their time.

[Basilisa Marie]

My parish started a DTS when I was in high school, and I can honestly say that it was the greatest thing ever for me as a young Catholic teen trying to get more out of youth group - all of us that already had a solid catechetical education and wanted more. Instead of the standard "curriculum," we read different spiritual books and talked about them every week, each session followed by prayer. Among the books were Theology for Beginners (by Sheed), The Screwtape Letters, I Believe in Love, most of Augustine's Confessions, that one biography of Pier Giorgio Frassatti, and Introduction to the Devout Life. My youth minister got permission from the head DTS people to adjust it and still use all the group "stuff" (hoodies, etc). We got holy cards every week with a different saint or prayer or whatever.