Catholic Schools Week Supplement

Priest is driven to build bonds of faith with students

Father Michael Keucher led the fourth- and fifth-grade students of St. Joseph School in Shelbyville on an All Souls Day visit to St. Vincent Cemetery in Shelby County and St. Joseph Cemetery in Shelbyvile. Father Keucher led a prayer service at each cemetery where students performed the spiritual work of mercy of praying for the dead. Many students knew where some of their relatives are buried so their pastor blessed those graves. (Submitted photo)

By John Shaugnessy

Ten-year-old Eli Connolly laughs as he talks about Father Michael Keucher driving a school bus full of students on a field trip, honking the horn and waving hello to people along the way.

Eleven-year-old Macey Robbins enjoys how energetic Father Keucher gets during his homilies at Mass, including when “he jumps up and down” to make a point.

And both fifth-grade students at St. Joseph School in Shelbyville love the way their parish priest makes learning about the Catholic faith fun when he teaches religion to their class and the fourth-grade class.

As for Father Keucher—who has a bus driver’s license—he’s driven to making a lasting impact on the students, especially when it comes to their faith.

“I believe our students are not just the future of our Church, but the present,” he says. “It’s important to teach them the traditions that have been handed down to us from our ancestors, from the Apostles. I want to help children get excited about Jesus, the Blessed Mother and the Church.”

To help create that connection, he works on building bonds with the students.

“It’s important that the kids have a good relationship with the priest and know him,” he says. “I love doing things with the kids in religion class, activities and trips. I find it very rewarding and fun.”

So do the children.

“Every time we see him, he asks us a question about something holy,” Eli says. “I’ve learned a lot of stuff that way this year. When we were learning about the books of the Bible, he made up songs about them.”

Marcy chimes in, “When we started learning the Ten Commandments, he made hand signs to help us remember. He makes learning about our faith a lot more fun.”

He brings that same approach to the school’s rosary club, meeting once a month with members from the third, fourth and fifth grades. The students get to use their creativity in making rosaries that they then share with loved ones and other people who are homebound, in hospitals and in nursing homes.

The children also enjoy it when he brings his dog, Sister Glory, to club meetings.

“They get to pick the colors and make the rosary the way they want,” Father Keucher says. “I love it. These kids love the rosary, and they love to pray the rosary with their families. There’s a relationship going between these kids and the Blessed Mother that is very beautiful.”

The students at St. Joseph School have a similar bond with him, according to Eli, Macey and the school’s principal, Beth Borland.

“Relationships are a two-way street,” Borland says. “As much as the kids adore Father Mike, he adores them. He’s so full of joy and enthusiasm in all that he does. And he weaves the lessons of our faith into everything he does.

“He’s so fun loving that they want to be around him. He plays dodge ball with them, eats lunch in the cafeteria with them, rides scooters through the school. That builds that connection. He’s open with his joy and his love. He’s open with his mistakes. The kids can identify with that. And they all know his love of donuts, chicken wings and pizza. I don’t know who gets more out of the relationship—him or the kids.” †

 

See more from our 2021 Catholic Schools Week Supplement