Fortifying Culture - A Workshop by Katie Hinderer
(Article written by Ms. Shannon Watkins and Dr. Fiorella V. Simoni de Cannon)
On September 30, 2023, Oakwood Cultural Center hosted a workshop titled “Fortifying Our Culture,” given by Katie Hinderer, a renowned social media professional. The topic is prescient for our time. Looking at our world today, it is very tempting to feel afraid and discouraged. Afraid of how the culture’s woundedness might creep into our own homes and discouraged about our ability to help pull others out of the darkness. But during the workshop, we were reminded that the Christian attitude remains the same: being daring and hopeful optimism.
The path to fortifying our culture might be daunting, but it becomes a fruitful adventure if approached with the right spirit, preparation, and tools. Katie likened our desire to fortify the culture to hiking the Grand Canyon. She explained that a particular trail at the Grand Canyon is incredibly difficult, with lots of uphill on the way back. If not undertaken with the proper preparation and resources, this trail can—and has proven to be—perilous. Katie, who has successfully hiked the trail, teased out several key ways in which our quest to strengthen the culture is similar to tackling this challenging but immensely rewarding trail. Some of the commonalities she highlighted are outlined below.
Train for the Journey
To safely complete a tough trail, it is critical that the hiker train for months and remain in good physical shape. Likewise, to influence culture positively, we must put time into developing our spiritual health. The following questions can help us identify how we’re doing spiritually. Are we connecting regularly with God? Do I put my family first? Do our homes and family lives reflect a close connection with God? Are we discerning in prayer about what we see or hear about on the internet?
Pack and prepare for the Journey
A prudent hiker must also anticipate the challenges she may encounter ahead. She will need to study the route to her destination, pack the proper supplies, and, to the best of her ability, she should visualize the experience to prepare for the unknown. Likewise, we must find the “route” and consider the “supplies” we will need to strengthen our culture. That reliable roadmap that will ensure we stay on track consists of establishing and remaining faithful to a concrete daily plan of connecting with God. And in that daily connection with God, He will grant us the necessary spiritual “supplies” to transform culture.
Focused on the Goal
Mountain climbers have a heightened clarity of mission: to arrive safely to the trail’s end. Our mission should similarly be clear in our minds: to crowd the Heavens. Every person we encounter in this world—including acquaintances, strangers on the street, difficult family members, and impatient drivers—is someone we want to meet in heaven someday. Do we ask God to guide our encounters so that we help Him bring others to Heaven?
The Way Down is Always Easy
The start of this particular Grand Canyon trail is deceitfully easy: it's all downhill. Although less challenging, this partof the trail is still important because it progresses us toward our goal and gives us momentum to help carry us through bumpier terrain. Likewise, we’ve all experienced many natural and fruitful conversations about God with family and friends. Perhaps later, they picked up a book or tuned into a podcast we recommended that helped them on their own spiritual ascent.
The Way Up is Challenging
But both real life and hiking have their uphill moments. The second half of the Grand Canyon hike is a steep incline. Hikers must push through the mental and physical exhaustion to reach the end. Perseverance through each step is necessary and crucial. Likewise, the resolve to live heroically for others will sometimes feel like an uphill battle. Some may not be receptive to our efforts to befriend them. Others may have beliefs so contrary to our own that any possibility of change may feel hopeless. During these moments, we must persevere through prayer, mortification, and — in the last place— action.
Everyone We Encounter is Hurting
Hiking the Grand Canyon is an arduous process. Everyone undergoes some level of physical pain—made evident by those taking a break to catch their breath and rest their sore muscles. Likewise, every person we meet in our day-to-day activities is carrying some kind of hurt. We may not know what that pain is, but we empathize and pray for them.
Common Starting Ground
No matter how fast or slow someone completes the hike, everyone starts from the same place. The same is true in our life journeys. We all start from the same space, even if our experiences differ. We are all children of God, whom He willed to spend eternity with Him. Our common humanity unites us.
Truth, Goodness, and Beauty
Each person is innately attracted to truth, goodness, and beauty. The fact that the Grand Canyon receives nearly 5 million visitors each year is a testament to this reality. Beauty, truth, and goodness bring people together.
Encourage Others on the Journey
Both on the trail and in life, words of kindness, charity, compassion, and encouragement go a long way. Finding small ways to give encouragement and lift others up can make all the difference.
Refuel Along the Way
Just as a hiker needs frequent hydration and healthy snacks to stay the course, our spiritual and emotional resources can become depleted. To serve others, we need frequently to refill and strengthen ourselves with prayer, the sacraments, and little acts of sacrifice.
Live in the Moment
The challenging conditions of a mountain range demand that she live in the present moment because that is what matters. She must focus on her priorities to get to that next mile marker. Likewise, we must tune out the noise of what might be or has already happened in life and focus on doing the next right thing.
True Dialogue demands Listening with the Heart
Hiking is more enjoyable when doing it with other hikers. Likewise, we have “walking companions” in life, those in our sphere: those with whom we interact daily or regularly. For true dialogue to take place, it is crucial that we strive really to listen to what the other is saying in all our conversations. Our goal is to understand, not gather up our ideas for our response. When it is time for us to speak, do we remember to speak the truth with charity? We want to guide our friends lovingly to the truth.
Seek Silence
Throughout our journey, finding moments of silence is pivotal. It is silence that allows the still, small voice of truth to speak.
We invite you to put these ways into practice. By doing so, you will already be strengthening the culture around you.