With the new year just around the corner, I would like to encourage all Catholics to consider becoming better catechists –according to their specific responsibilities as pastors, parents, teachers, etc.– as one of the resolutions for the new year.
As many of you know, catechesis has been one of the most important priorities of the Church since its inception. The Lord himself commanded the Apostles to make disciples of all nations and to teach them to observe all that he had commanded (Matthew 28:19-20). This command is exactly that, a command. It is not a mere suggestion or proposition. Furthermore, it is of utmost importance to know and realize that this command is not just for the clergy. No, my brothers and sisters, this command applies to every baptized person as is clearly expressed on Pope John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation CATECHESI TRADENDAE (On Catechesis In Our Time). Let us also keep in mind, however, that we all have different responsibilities in regards to the work of catechesis. These responsibilities stem from each one’s own mission. That is, a priest has certain catechetical responsibilities, a parent has his own, a teacher also has his own, etc. Thus, if we want our Church to be successful –cathecetically speaking– we should not attempt to override our duties and our rights as Catholic Christians.
Finally, I would like to remind all catechists that they should comfortably be able to say “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me”. Otherwise, if we teach our teachings and not that of the Church…well, we’ll be in deep trouble!
A Special Prayer to Saint Charles Borromeo
O Saintly reformer, animator of spiritual renewal of priests and religious, you organized true seminaries and wrote a standard catechism. Inspire all religious teachers and authors of catechetical books. Move them to love and transmit only that which can form true followers of the Teacher who was divine. Amen.
For Pope John Paul II’s aspotolic exhortation, click here: http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2CATEC.HTM
David Bennett
Jennifer
asimplesinner
Fr. J.
Chad Toney
Jorge Flores
Jonathan B
carmelbennett
nicenehobbit
Jason S
jaybird68
papaz
December 29, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Excellent post Jorge.
As a teacher at a Catholic high school, I always have room for growth. Sometimes it is hard work to teach kids who don’t always see the purpose of religion classes, although one idea I am running with (and going to work harder on this new year) is evangelizing the kids before catechizing them. I attended an interesting seminar this year that emphasized that many kids haven’t even been effectively evangelized and this precedes catechesis, yet most classes just assume kids have heard the good news.
I also consider our work online (here at this blog, the other ancient-future.net materials, and the churchyear.net site) to be a form of catechesis. One of my goals for the new year is to post more on the blog and write more for the web.
December 29, 2007 at 9:18 pm
David b.
I am very impressed with your insight into the relationship between evangelization and catechesis. We live in odd times. So often the youth into whom parents, parishes and Catholic high schools are less evangelized than public high school students who have experienced a decent youth ministry. It is true also of students at Catholic colleges vs. Catholic students who have access to vibrant Newman clubs at public schools.
It has long been a reality that the classroom religion class can be deadly to ones faith. I suspect it has much to do with testimony and witness which on first blush do not seem like appropriate material for a course. But if we cant talk about the very real difference Christ makes in our lives and the lives of others, what difference does it make that we have learned such and such “material.” In the end, simple discreet information is not the material of evangelization.
Blessed Basil Moreau, the founder of Holy Cross was an educational reformer whose aim was the formation of the whole person. He said of Holy Cross:
“We shall always place education
side-by-side with instruction; the mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart.
While we prepare useful citizens for society, we shall likewise do our utmost to prepare citizens for heaven.”
December 30, 2007 at 4:09 am
Will all love and respect for David B, I want to preface by saying what I offer is NOT universely true. There are some good Catholic schools, some holy priests, some dedicated laity. Sadly, if you don’t go looking for them, they can be easy to miss.
The true difficulty of Catholic Schools where I was raised (K-12 here, plus some time at a post-Catholic “boutique college”) is that in their indifference, or outright dissidence or disobedience to the Faith and the magisterium, they confirm the acceptence of laxity and instill the worst ideals.
When I hear “I went to Catholic school, so I know all about…” I just wince.
At my Jesuit alma mater all-school Masses on Holy Days were NOT celebrated - not even for optional attendence on lunch hours (”That’s what your parish is for” was told to me by one of 6 priests there at the time…)
No fish or vegitarian option was offered by the lunch service (”Pack a sandwich”) on Fridays of Lent. Pizza was brought in (pepperoni) but plain cheese was “too much bother to change - pick it off”
$6K a year by my senior year, that is a lot of money for lax priests & laity (one married to an RC priest - they were now members of TEC) to demonstrate and confirm the acceptability of indifference.
If Catholic schools are just going to be used to offer an alternative to putting your kids in the public school system, or increasing their chances at better colleges, to hell with them.
I couldn’t afford the Jesuit colleges I got accepted into anyway.
Close them all yesterday, if that is what they are to be used for. Schools like that are only damaging the kids whose parents pay so very much to send them there. They could lose the faith at a public school for free, without the tacit endorsement of men wearing (on rare occasions) clerical collars.
January 1, 2008 at 1:36 am
Excellent post. Thank you! Also, I liked the “Beer Blessing.” Another good reason to be Catholic. Hey…it’s true. I was in a ‘church’ where no one knew if anyone drank wine or beer until we’d FINALLY find out…and then we were tickled. At least, Catholics are honest about their drinking. Not condoning without moderation, but the post was great!
January 1, 2008 at 2:30 am
Thanks Joyful Catholic!
Happy to know we helped you to recognize one more great reason for being Catholic!
If you are ever in Columbus, O. area, let us know. We will take you for a pint!