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Catechesis in our Catechesis in our timetime
Personal notes from Pope John Personal notes from Pope John Paul IIPaul II
Sowers of TruthSowers of Truth
Catechesis is about Christ
Before Christ ascended to his Father, he gave the Apostles a final command–to make disciples of all nations and to teach them to observe all that he had commanded.
Catechesis is about Christ
“Go, therefore, and make
disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all
that I have commanded you.”
Mt 28:18-20
Catechesis is about Christ
WE HAVE BUT ONE
TEACHER, JESUS CHRIST:
PUTTING INTO
COMMUNION WITH THE
PERSON OF CHRIST
Catechesis is about Christ
Christocentricity of all
authentic catechesis
Catechesis is about Christ
At the heart of catechesis we
find, in essence, a Person,
the Person of Jesus of
Nazareth.
Catechesis is about Christ
It is Jesus who is “the way,
and the truth, and the life”,
and Christian living consists
in following Christ.
Catechesis is about Christ
The primary and essential
object of catechesis is “the
mystery of Christ”.
Catechesis is about Christ
To reveal in the Person of
Christ the whole of God’s
eternal design reaching
fulfillment in that Person.
“To make all men see what is
the plan of the mystery and
to comprehend with all the
saints what is the breadth
and length and height and
depth know the love of Christ
which surpasses knowledge
(and be filled) with all the
fullness of God”.
DIVIDER
SLIDE
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
6. Christocentricity in
catechesis means the
intention to transmit not one’s
own teaching or that of some
other master, but the
teaching of Jesus Christ, or,
the Truth that He is.
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
It is Christ, the Incarnate
Word and Son of God, who is
taught–everything else is
taught with reference to him.
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
It is Christ alone who
teaches–anyone else
teaches to the extent that he
is Christ’s spokesman,
enabling Christ to teach with
is lips.
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
Every catechist must
constantly endeavour to
transmit by his teaching and
behaviour the teaching and
life of Jesus.
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
The catechist will not seek to
keep directed towards
himself and his personal
opinions and attitudes the
attention and the consent of
the mind and heart of the
person he is catechizing.
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
Above all, the catechist will
not try to inculcate his
personal opinions and
options, as if they expressed
Christ’s teaching and the
lessons of his life.
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
Every catechist should be
able to apply to himself the
mysterious words of Jesus:
“My teaching is not mine, but
his who sent me”.
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
Saint Paul said: “I received
from the Lord what I also
delivered to you”.
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
In order that he can say: “My
teaching is not mine”!
every catechist must have:
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
every catechist must have:
[a] An assiduous study of the
word of God transmitted by
the Church’s Magisterium,
[b] A profound familiarity with
Christ and with the Father,
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
every catechist must have:
[c] a spirit of prayer, and
[d] detachment from self.
TRANSMITTING CHRIST’S TEACHING
Every baptized person,
precisely by reason of being
baptized, has the right to
receive from the Church
instruction and education
enabling him or her to enter
on a truly Christian life;
DIVIDER
SLIDE
Catechesis is about Christ
Every human being has the
right to seek religious truth
and adhere to it freely, that is
to say “ without coercion on
the part of individuals or of
social groups and any human
power”,
Catechesis is about Christ
21. There is absolute need
for systematic catechesis:
= it must be systematic, not
improvised but programmed
to reach a precise goal;
= it must be sufficiently
complete;
Systematic catechesis:
= it must deal with essentials,
without any claim to tackle all
disputed questions;
= it must be an integral
Christian initiation, open to all
the other factors of Christian
life.
Catechesis & Life Experience
22. It is useless to play off
orthopraxis against
orthodoxy: Christianity is
inseparably both.
Catechesis & Life Experience
Firm and well-thought-out
convictions (orthodoxy) lead
to courageous and upright
action (orthopraxis).
Catechesis & Life Experience
It is useless to abandon
serious and orderly study of
the message of Christ in the
name of a method
concentrating on life
experience.
Catechesis & Life Experience
No one can arrive at the
whole truth on the basis
solely of some private
experience,
Catechesis & Life Experience
No one can arrive at the
whole truth without an
adequate explanation of the
message of Christ, who is
“the way, and the truth, and
the life”. (Jn. 14:6)
Catechesis Is About Christ
27. Catechesis will always
draw its content from the
living source of the word of
God transmitted in Tradition
and the Scriptures,
Catechesis Is About Christ
For “sacred Tradition and
sacred Scripture make up a
single sacred deposit of the
word of God, which is
entrusted to the Church.”
Catechesis Is About Christ
Catechesis will be all the
richer and more effective for
reading the texts with the
intelligence and the heart of
the Church and for drawing
inspiration from two thousand
years of the Church’s
reflection and life.
Catechesis Is About Christ
29. Care should be taken not
to reduce Christ to his
humanity alone or his
message to a no more than
earthly dimension, but that
he should be recognized as
the Son of God.
Catechesis Is About Christ
It is important to display
before the eyes of the
intelligence and of the heart,
in the light of faith, the
sacrament of Christ’s
presence constituted by the
mystery of the Church.
Catechesis Is About Christ
It is important to explain that
the history of the human
race, marked as it is by grace
and sin, greatness and
misery, is taken up by God in
his Son Jesus,
“foreshadowing in some way
the age which is to come”.
Catechesis Is About Christ
Finally, it is important to
reveal frankly the demands–
demands that involve self-
denial but also joy–made by
this new life in Christ Jesus,
Catechesis Is About Christ
This new life in Christ Jesus
is the same thing as life in
the world but lived in
accordance with the
beatitudes and called to an
extension and transfiguration
in the hereafter.
DIVIDER
SLIDE
Catechesis is about Christ
30. In order that the
sacrificial offering of his or
her faith should be perfect,
Catechesis is about Christ
The person who becomes a
disciple of Christ has the
right to receive “the word of
faith” not in mutilated,
falsified or diminished form
but whole and entire, in all its
rigour and vigour.
Catechesis is about Christ
Theologians and exegetes
have a duty to take great
care that people do not take
for a certainty what on the
contrary belongs to the area
of questions of opinion or of
discussion among experts.
Catechesis is about Christ
Catechists for their part must
have the wisdom to draw
from the true sources, in the
light of the Magisterium.
Catechesis is about Christ
Catechists must refuse to
trouble the minds of the
people they are instructing
with outlandish theories,
useless questions and
unproductive discussions.
Catechesis is about Christ
The most valuable gift that
the Church can offer to the
bewildered and restless
world of our time is to form
within it Christians who are
confirmed in what is essential
and who are humbly joyful in
their faith.
Catechesis is about Christ
The man who wishes to
understand himself
thoroughly–and not just in
accordance with immediate,
partial, often superficial, and
even illusory standards and
measures of his being–
Catechesis is about Christ
but thoroughly - he must
come to Christ with his
unrest and uncertainty, with
his weakness and sinfulness,
with his life and death.
Catechesis is about Christ
He must, so to speak, enter
into Christ with all his own
self, he must ‘appropriate’
Christ and assimilate the
whole of the reality of the
Incarnation and Redemption
in order to find himself”.
Catechesis is about Christ
If this profound process takes
place within such a man, it
then bears fruit not only in
adoration of God, but also a
deep wonder at himself:
Catechesis is about Christ
How precious must I be in
the eyes of my Creator if I
gained so great a Redeemer,
and if God should give His
only Son, so that I should not
perish but have eternal life.
Catechesis is about Christ
In reality, the name for this
deep wonder and
amazement at man’s worth
and dignity is the Gospel, the
Good News.
It is also called Christianity.
DIVIDER
SLIDE
Every Catechist Must
Be Faithful to the
Integrity of Revealed
Truth
JP II General audience of
January 9, 1985
Every Catechist Must Be Faithful to the Integrity of Revealed Truth
Catechesis is a work of the
Church which spreads the
Good News throughout the
world.
Every Catechist Must Be Faithful to the Integrity of Revealed Truth
Through catechesis the
Church is aware of
responding to man’s most
essential questions.
Every Catechist Must Be Faithful to the Integrity of Revealed Truth
Where does man come
from? Why does he exist?
What are his relationships
with God and with the
invisible world?
Every Catechist Must Be Faithful to the Integrity of Revealed Truth
How must he behave in order
to achieve the goal of life?
Why is he subject to suffering
and death, and what is his
hope?
Every Catechist Must Be Faithful to the Integrity of Revealed Truth
To these problems
catechesis brings God’s
response.
Every Catechist Must Be Faithful to the Integrity of Revealed Truth
Catechesis aims to give an
understanding of a doctrine
that is not simply the product
of certain personal
researches, but the truth
communicated to us through
divine revelation.
Every Catechist Must Be Faithful to the Integrity of Revealed Truth
Therefore, in communicating
the truth of salvation,
catechesis is concerned with
making manifest the
fundamental questions
arising in man’s heart.
Every Catechist Must Be Faithful to the Integrity of Revealed Truth
Catechesis shows how God
has answered them in his
revelation with a gift of truth
and life that surpasses man’s
deepest expectations.
(cf. 1 Cor 2:6-9).
Every Catechist Must Be Faithful to the Integrity of Revealed Truth
The role of catechesis is to
give certitude, based on the
authority of revelation.
Integrity of Content
Far from raising doubts or
confusion through the
problems it considers,
catechesis enlightens the
intellect and strengthens it
with firm convictions.
Integrity of Content
Certainly, with the answers it
supplies, catechesis
introduces the human soul
more deeply into the mystery
of revelation.
Integrity of Content
But this mystery gives light to
the mind even if during this
earthly life it does not dispel
all the shadows.
Integrity of Content
We cannot understand
everything, but what is
understood is enough to
point out the fundamental
truths and the meaning of
life.
Integrity of Content
The fundamental structure of
catechesis is the meeting
between man’s question and
God’s response.
Integrity of Content
Although being attentive to
the human side of the
problem, catechesis is not
limited to reflections of a
human character,
Integrity of Content
= nor to investigations of a
philosophical, psychological
or sociological order,
= nor to the effort merely to
preface revelation.
Integrity of Content
Catechesis is aware of
having to expound revealed
truth and have it understood,
a truth which it does not have
the power to reduce or
attenuate.
Integrity of Content
Catechesis seeks to adapt its
teaching to the capacity of
those who receive it.
Integrity of Content
But catechesis does not
claim the right to veil or
suppress a part of the truth
which God himself has willed
to communicate to man.
A Problem of Faith
It can be clearly seen that the
Christian message may be
difficult to understand and
accept. Many ideas contrary
to evangelical doctrine are
circulating in the world.
A Problem of Faith
Some maintain an attitude of
opposition to everything that
is taught in the name of the
Church.
A Problem of Faith
In the face of such
resistance, the catechist
could be tempted to retreat,
= not to expound the
Christian message in all its
truth and all its demands on
life, and
A Problem of Faith
In the face of such
resistance, the catechist
could be tempted to retreat,
= to limit himself to some
more admissible points.
A Problem of Faith
It is then that the catechist
must remember that he has
been charged with a teaching
that surpasses him.
He must strive to propose the
teaching as he received it.
A Problem of Faith
Above all, the catechist must
be aware that in his work of
catechesis he has at his
disposal a divine power that
enables him to transmit his
faith,
A Problem of Faith
The Holy Spirit makes the
word penetrate into the heart
of his listeners to the extent
that the catechist’s word is
faithful to the truth it has to
express.
A Problem of Faith
The problem of catechesis is
a problem of faith.
Catechesis therefore counts
on the power of grace to
transmit to children and to
adults the integral gift of the
faith.
A Problem of Faith
Every catechist has the duty
to communicate the whole
Christian message and
receives from Christ himself
the ability to carry out this
mission fully.
Catechesis
Pope John Paul II
General audience, 1/9/1985
DIVIDER
SLIDE
The Spirit of Faith Is
Essential to Every
Christian Catechesis
Pope John Paul II
General audience of January 16, 1985
The Spirit of Faith & Christian Catechesis
Christ offered his listeners
the whole doctrine he had
been sent to teach.
The Spirit of Faith & Christian Catechesis
In the face of the resistance
of those who heard him,
Christ expounded his
message with all the
demands of faith that it
involves.
The Spirit of Faith & Christian Catechesis
Despite objections and
defections, Jesus maintained
his doctrine and asked his
disciples to accept it.
(cf. Jn 6:60-69).
The Spirit of Faith & Christian Catechesis
In transmitting the entirety of
his message to his listeners,
Jesus counted on the
illuminating action of the Holy
Spirit, who would later make
them understand what they
couldn’t yet grasp.
(cf. Jn 14:26; 16:13).
The adaptation of catechesis
must not mean the reduction
or mutilation of the content of
revealed doctrine, but rather
the effort to have it accepted
with an adherence of faith,
under the light and with the
power of the Holy Spirit.
Catechesis: Organic & Systematic
Catechesis stresses the
necessity for an organic and
systematic teaching, not an
improvised one.
Catechesis: Organic & Systematic
If it is true that “routine leads
to stagnation, lethargy and
eventual paralysis,
we must acknowledge that
improvisation begets
confusion on the part of
those being given
catechesis;
Catechesis: Organic & Systematic
Improvisation also begets all
kinds of deviations, and the
fracturing and eventually the
complete destruction of
unity”. (CT 17).
Catechesis: Organic & Systematic
= Catechesis must deal with
essentials, without any
claims to tackle all disputed
questions;
= Catechesis must be
sufficiently complete;
Catechesis: Organic & Systematic
= Catechesis must deal with
essentials, without any
claims to tackle all disputed
questions;
= Catechesis must be
sufficiently complete;
Catechesis: Organic & Systematic
Catechesis must be an
integral Christian initiation,
open to all the other factors
of Christian life. (CT 21).
Catechesis: Organic & Systematic
The intention to give a
complete teaching arises
spontaneously from an
attitude of faith and love
which is loyal to all of
revelation and wishes to
communicate it.
Catechesis: Organic & Systematic
The spirit of faith is essential
to every Christian catechesis.
Catechesis: Organic & Systematic
Catechesis must be
regulated in its contents and
in its methods by the
structure proper to such
transmission.
Catechesis: Organic & Systematic
This includes the inseparable
connection between Sacred
Scripture, Tradition and the
Magisterium. (cf. DV 10).
DIVIDER
SLIDE
Adequate Doctrinal
Preparation Is Fundamental
for Catechists
General audience of March
6, 1985
The obligation of catechesis
implies for the Church an
intense work of formation of
catechists.
Again, Christ’s example
enlightens us. During his
ministry, Jesus devoted
himself above all to forming
those who were to spread his
message throughout the
whole world.
He dedicated much time to
preaching to the crowds, but
he reserved more time to the
formation of disciples.
He had them live in his
company in order to inculcate
in them the truths of his
message. He did this not
only by his words, but by his
example and his daily
contacts.
He revealed to his disciples
the secrets of his kingdom.
He had them enter the
mystery of God, whose
revelation he himself
brought.
He stirred up faith in them
and gradually developed it
with an ever more complete
instruction.
When he gave them the
mission to teach all nations,
he was able to entrust this
task to them because he had
gifted them with the doctrine
they were to spread. But the
full understanding of that
doctrine would come to them
from the Holy Spirit, who
would give them the divine
power of the apostolate.
The formation of catechists is
an essential element in the
common commitment to the
development and the vitality
of the Church. It is necessary
everywhere.
Doctrinal formation is a
fundamental necessity,
seeing that catechesis
cannot be limited to teaching
a minimum of truths that are
learned and repeated by
rote. If catechists have the
mission to inculcate in their
listeners the whole Christian
doctrine, they must first have
learned it well themselves.
They must not merely
witness to their faith, they
must communicate its
content.
The teaching received in
preparation for Baptism,
Confirmation or Communion
is often insufficient for an
exact and profound
knowledge of the faith to be
transmitted. A more
systematic study is
indispensable.
At times, circumstances have
forced those responsible for
catechesis to have recourse
to the cooperation of people
of good will, but who lack an
adequate preparation. Such
solutions are generally
wanting.
To assure the future of a
solid catechesis it is
necessary to entrust this
work to catechists who
through study have acquired
doctrinal competence.
This doctrinal formation is
even more necessary in so
far as catechists live in a
world in which ideas and
theories of all kinds abound.
These are often incompatible
with the Christian message.
Catechists must be able to
react to what they see and
hear, discerning what can be
accepted from what must be
rejected. If they have
assimilated the Christian
doctrine and have
understood its meaning, they
will be able to teach it with
fidelity, even maintaining an
open spirit.
Doctrinal formation requires
an effort of the intellect for
learning revealed doctrine,
yet it must at the same time
deepen the faith. The
essential goal of catechesis
is the communication of the
faith, and this must guide the
study of doctrine.
A study that would question
the faith or that would
introduce doubts about
revealed truth would not
serve catechesis. The
development of doctrinal
knowledge must coincide
with a development of faith.
For this reason, institutes of
catechetical formation must
be considered above all as
schools of faith.
Catechesis cannot be
considered a mere
professional activity, since it
exists in order to spread
Christ’s message in the
world. For this reason
catechesis is at the same
time a vocation and a
mission.
It is a vocation, because
there is a call from Christ for
those who want to devote
themselves to this task.
It is a mission, because from
the very beginning
catechesis was established
in the Church in order to
carry out the command of the
Risen Savior: “Go and make
disciples of all the nations”
(Mt 28:19).
The teaching of Christian
doctrine aims not merely at
knowledge of truth, but at the
spread of faith. It stirs up an
allegiance to Christ in the
intellect and in the heart and
enlarges the Christian
community.
Catechesis must therefore be
undertaken as a mission of
the Church and a mission for
the Church. Catechesis
contributes to building up the
Mystical Body of Christ, to its
growth in faith and charity.
The missionary spirit inspires
catechists to dedicate all
their strength and talents to
teaching. This makes them
more aware of the
importance of their work and
enables them to face all
difficulties with greater
confidence in the grace that
sustains them.
We therefore hope that
progress in the formation of
catechists will foster
everywhere the development
of the Church and the
Christian life on the basis of
that sincere, convinced and
consistent faith to which
catechesis is directed.
v.villa jpa1 catechesis.doc
5/14/97
It is also called Christianity.
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