By Dan Sullivan
Catholic Herald

Young adults participate in Theology on Tap sessions

RICE LAKE -- Excitement coming from the Turtleback Golf Course July 26 did not center on a golfer sinking a hole in one. It came from those taking part in a Diocese of Superior sponsored event for young adults. Fr. Andrew Ricci, diocesan vocation director and pastor of the Spooner, Shell Lake and Sarona parish cluster, led a discussion entitled "Catholic Faith in a World of Fiction," the second installment of Theology on Tap sponsored by the diocese.

Describing fiction, Ricci said its purpose is to amuse. "The first thing to remember, whether we are watching a movie, seeing a show or reading a book (is) they call it fiction for a reason," he said. "It's a story, it's meant to entertain. All fiction should be calculated and judged, based on if it was a good story. Did they do a good job telling it?"

In reading fiction or watching a movie based on fiction, Ricci recommended that people ask themselves: What does it say about God, people, Jesus, salvation and the world?

He talked about C.S. Lewis's book the "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." "Nowhere in the story does it say anything about Jesus," he said. "But you will read it and say, 'This is the betrayer; this is the Last Supper.' The book says a great deal about Jesus, even though Jesus is never mentioned."

Some fiction discusses salvation, some preys on fear and other fiction centers on hope. "Fiction can say explicit things about God, about people and about the world," Ricci said. "It can lay out a worldview, but our job is to take that and ask ourselves, 'Is it something I accept or do I reject it?'"

With the ever-popular Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling in its sixth book, Ricci said, "The world is now waiting eagerly for the next two years to find out what will happen to Harry Potter next."

In her series, Ricci said, Rowling attempts to depict good and evil. "It's Harry against the bad guy," he said. "You have to be careful; this is fiction; it's still a story. Stories can be used for great good or great harm."

Not all fiction is uplifting to a person's spirit, Ricci cautioned. "Sometimes it's just meant to sell," he said. "In that case, it doesn't necessarily do goodness to the human soul."

Ricci gave four questions a person can ask in order to evaluate fiction: Is it contrary or opposed to the teachings of the Catholic Church? Does it promote or lead to an unhealthy pattern of behavior? Is it being interpreted as fact by other people? Are people using fiction as a support for an argument?

Ricci said fictional stories may not speak about absolute truth, but they may be talking about values, virtues and attitudes that are important. "For us to deal with all this ambiguity, the first thing we have to remember is it is a story. The minute they are treated like facts, we're on dangerous grounds," he said.

Ricci cautioned that people cannot isolate themselves in a perfect Christian environment. "In order to do that, you would have to poke your eyes out right now," he said.

Kelly Orr, a member of St. Joseph Parish in Rice Lake, said she liked the evening because it supported her Catholic faith. "I would be interested in more," Orr said. "It was relevant to what people this age are going through. It showed us ways to live in this society and still follow in God's ways."

The first diocesan sponsored Theology on Tap, held in Tomahawk, featured Fr. John Anderson, pastor of the Harrison, Bloomville and Tomahawk parish cluster, in a discussion entitled "Recognizing God in Everyday Events: Is there More there than meets the Eye?"

Deacon Roger Cadotte and Christine Newkirk, of the diocesan Bishop Hammes Center for Religious Education and Youth Ministry in Haugen, said the two events were a test to see if this program is something that the diocese wants to regularly sponsor. "It is a trial run for us," said Cadotte, who attended the session in Rice Lake.

In an attempt to attract young adults, the evenings were done within a relaxed environment. "We do religious education for youth," Cadotte said. "You hear a lot about adult (religious) formation, but you really don't see a lot offered for young adults. Theology on Tap is an effort to try and do that."

Newkirk said Theology on Tap was well received by participants in Tomahawk. "People in attendance participated and asked questions," she said.

The relaxed atmosphere, Newkirk said, helped people open up more to ask questions. "In a parish setting, they may feel a little restricted to be able to ask certain questions," she said.

According to Newkirk, evaluations from participants in Tomahawk show that the concept was something they would like to see continue. "They appreciated the church's willingness to be flexible with different kinds of topics and areas of discussion," she said. "They didn't feel like they needed to know all the answers."

Theology on Tap was started in the Archdiocese of Chicago and in 25 years it has been used in 199 of its parishes. The program has attracted national and international attention. "It is being used in 46 different states and in seven countries around the world," said Kate DeVries, associate director of young adult ministry for the Archdiocese of Chicago. "There is a genuine hunger with people in their 20s and 30s for good spirituality."

St. Patrick Parish in Hudson and St. Bridget Parish in River Falls jointly sponsored Theology on Tap last year. The year before, St. Patrick Parish had sponsored the program alone.

Therese Bogenhagen, a member of the Hudson parish, has participated in the program over the last two years. "I like the fact that it's done in a relaxed setting and we can ask questions," Bogenhagen said. "We try to address controversial issues that people can take sides (on). It's a free exchange of discussion. In the coming year, we are trying to open it up to more discussion and not just one person speaking. I hope we can keep it going."

The Chicago archdiocesan young adult ministry office is in the process of developing a Web site database that lists all Theology On Tap events, "so that no matter where young adults travel, they will be able to find the nearest Theology on Tap site," DeVries said.

The program could possibly expand further. RENEW International, a Catholic organization that fosters spiritual renewal, evangelization and the transformation of the world through parish-based small Christian communities, is exploring the possibilities of taking Theology On Tap to other places on the globe.

Editor's note: As an aid to determining if a movie is good or bad, reviews are available online at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop's Web site at www. nccbuscc.org. Movie reviews may also be accessed by calling 800-311-4222.

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2003