20 years of 'My rainbow magazine'
MIRA BODAK
The editorial team of the Catholic Weekly 'Niedziela' have cared about the formation of the youngest readers since the beginning of its existence (1926). In its publishing offer, in the Polish market it has had a bimonthly 'My rainbow magazine' for 20 years. This magazine was established as a result of cooperation of the Catholic Weekly 'Niedziela' with the French Publishing House 'Fleurus Presse'. The Holy Father at that time, and now blessed John Paul II, not only expressed his joy about editing the new magazine, but he also recommended that it should be 'a new kind of apostolic ministry among children and their parents'. Here it is how the initiator of the work, an educator of generations, the chief editor of 'Niedziela' - Fr. dr. inf. Ireneusz Skubiś recalls: 'When I decided to edit 'My rainbow magazine' - and these were the early 90s. - I considered a fact that in the Polish publishing market there are very few publishing offers for children. Today the situation looks different. I think that 'My rainbow magazine' is an exceptional offer. For it is deeply set in the Holy Scripture. Symbolism, events and biblical texts as well as comments are very carefully chosen and bring a child into the essence of Christianity, into the essence of life. The purpose of the magazine is help parents, grandparents and catechists in leading a talk about faith. We know that today also very young parents may have problems in a dialogue with children about God. Therefore, 'My rainbow magazine' goes out towards them, addressing a special pedagogical supplement to them which touches on issues of faith as well as discussing psychical needs of a child in a particular phase of his development'. In France deeply advanced secularism caused a situation that the 'Rainbow' as too Catholic magazine for children had to be removed from that publishing market. The Polish version underwent metamorphosis in order to meet parents' expectations.
It has already been 20 years
The anniversary of publishing the 'Rainbow' encourages us to perceive its contribution in the work of religious upbringing of the youngest. On pages of the 'Rainbow' there are texts of prominent writers, like Małgorzata Nawrocka (an author of over 40 books for children and the youth, texts of songs, scenarios), and Brother Tadeusz Ruciński from the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools ( the chief editor of 'Angel the Guardian', an excellent pedagogue, writer - an author of many books for children, a composer of songs, a lecturer of meetings for parents and teachers). Throughout many years there has also been a cooperation with psychologists: Marek Kużnik and Łukasz Dracz. 'My rainbow magazine' shares its fate with other 12 children's Catholic magazines present in the Polish market. Similarly as them, it is struggling with promotion and reaching to a wider group of readers. We address a particular gratitude for promoting our magazine to the Friend of the 'Rainbow'- bishop Ryszard Karpiński, a senior bishop of the archdiocese of Lublin.
For a child, a parent, a catechist
Concern of the whole editorial team is that 'My rainbow magazine' would be a quiet helper for parents, catechists, one of tools for integral, noble upbringing of a child. We make a lot of effort so that 'a strong thought' would prevail on its pages, we put a strong accent on the role of reason and supernaturalism: the value of good is preferred, as well as gaining a success which is the effect of effort; we promote chastity and permanent role models, as well as the value of the word is restored. What is essential, that is a conflict of the good with the evil, is presented clearly as a sign of a constant fight of the man about the good, about values. This magazine is inscribed in the Catholic personalism, it shows a wide range of rich spirituality of the Church. The current invasion of picture - the modern tool of communication - we are trying to balance with texts of biblical comments, stories based on the Holy Scripture. We want a child to get to know the Holy Scripture from his earliest years, because 'the lack of knowledge of the Holy Scripture is the lack of knowledge of Jesus'. In her stories Małgorzata Nawrocka touches on issues creating appropriate moral and social attitudes. There are also other forms on the pages of the 'Rainbow', for example, comics or poetry. There are also liturgical tips or information about events of the Church life. Children who cannot read yet, need parents' help. Albert Einstein used to say that: 'If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales'. According to these words, reading not only develops the range of vocabulary, a child's imagination, creativity, personality, skill of expressing opinion, but, first of all, it allows a parent spend time with the child and create culture of reading, a habit of reading a book. Considering a spiritual aspect, reading a book to a child, multiplies his religious knowledge and faith, because as St. Paul says: '….faith is born from what is heard' (Roman 10.17). The newest proposition of the 'Rainbow', appreciated by catechists are biblical scenarios of Brother Ruciński. It is worth noticing that the staging, both the one played at home and on a stage in a kindergarten, or at school, develops a child's perception, teaching of issues develops a skill of expressing an opinion, forms the emission of voice and diction. Theatrical plays have a big influence on forming a character and personality of children. The favourite pages of our Readers are pages designed for cutting out. Art propositions to make something by a child or with parents' help is a fantastic time of being together, joy of creating, for example, Noah's Ark, or a mock-up of Jasna Góra, Vatican, board games - for example, about Lourdes, Fatima, maps, calendars. Among manual propositions there is also the Christmas crib.
'What grain will fall into Your hearts….the harvest will be such later' (Stanisław Jachowicz). Let's feed our children with a good grain, good texts, beautiful pictures bringing them closer to God, not magazines promoted in the market which support the culture of death, and include a poison for the soul and mind.
(AA)
"Niedziela" 50/2013