Vision & Practice
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Exploring the Directory for Catechesis
Chapter One: Revelation and Its Transmission
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Catechesis as the Splendor of Divine Revelation: The Catechist as Echoing Divine Love
Timothy P. O'Malley, PhD This presentation explores the implications of the Directory for Catechesis’ account of divine Revelation and Jesus Christ for the formation of the catechist. Divine Revelation is not reducible to the content of catechesis. Instead, catechesis facilitates an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ and therefore must conform itself to the splendor of divine love revealed in His person. The catechist, for this reason, must become someone who first contemplates the gift of this love, allowing it to transform his or her imagination, and renew the will through the gift of the Spirit. The Directory for Catechesis, based on its account of Revelation, demands that we attend to the spiritual and contemplative dimensions of catechist formation. |
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Quenching Others' Thirst: Evangelizing and the Transmission of Faith
Becky Eldredge How do we offer those we encounter a drink of the Living Water that quenches their thirst and soothes the growing sense of hopelessness many people are experiencing today? There is an urgent need to share the Good News of the promises of God with those who are hurting, lost, and in need of comfort. We are called to be God’s vessels of Living Water boldly pouring out the Good News that we are unconditionally loved just as we are, that we are not alone, and that we always belong to someone. Drawing on 20 years of accompanying people, Ignatian-trained spiritual director Becky Eldredge offers concrete ways to walk shoulder to shoulder with people we encounter, to invite them to the deep well of hope, and to teach them to continue to drink deeply of the Living Water long beyond our encounter with them. |
Chapter Two: The Identity of Catechesis
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What Does An Evangelizing Parish Look Like?
Nick Wagner The reason our parishes exist is to evangelize. But evangelization is not merely dissemination of a message; it is an invitation to a life of joy. Evangelization is about accompanying seekers and also accompanying each other toward a new horizon. Together, we are on a journey of faith. But how do we make that journey when many baptized Catholics have never had a meaningful encounter with the mystery of Jesus Christ? Come learn the dynamics of not simply enunciating the gospel, but also of putting it into practice as a parish community of missionary disciples. |
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Goals, Tasks, and Sources of Catechesis
Fr. David Loftus Explore chapter 2 of the Directory and learn more about the Goals, Tasks, and Sources of Catechesis. Themes include: leading to knowledge of the faith, initiating into the celebration of the Mystery, forming for life in Christ, teaching prayer, the Word of God in Sacred Scripture and in Sacred Tradition, the Magesterium, and Christian culture. |
Chapter Three: The Catechist
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Catechists - The "Saints Next Door"
David Wells When thinking of catechesis it is tempting to focus almost immediately on the programme. It is essential to be clear about what we are teaching of course, but transformative catechesis has also to be personal and authentic. Catechesis comes not only from the resources and materials we use but also from the very nature of our being. Being what exactly? Do catechists have to be like the figures in our stained glass windows? Not necessarily. For Pope Francis, catechists are ordinary, real, balanced people, familiar to us. They live their faith practically. They are the saints next door! In these days of fake news people are looking earnestly not only for knowledge but also for truth that comes from trustworthy sources. Pope Francis along with his predecessors Pope Benedict, St John Paull II and Pope Paul VI encourage catechists to see themselves therefore not so much as teachers, but as witnesses. In this workshop we will focus upon chapter 3 of the Directory, where we learn about the identity and role of the catechist. These chapters are critical to our catechetical endeavour. Catechists who have a strong sense of who are and why they are, will offer a genuine authenticity, simplicity and credibility to their message. They will grow in confidence as catechists because they know intimately not only what they are teaching about, but who they are teaching about; They are missionary disciples. Let’s use this time to think more about that. |
Chapter Three: Reflections
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The Priest: Animator in Chief
Fr. Parker Sandoval To animate is to give life. The priest has the responsibility of bringing catechesis to life in his parish: he enlivens the community though his own preaching and teaching and equips and empowers catechists for ministry. Learn how priests and catechists can support each other in the one mission to evangelize. |
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The Role of the Deacon
Deacon Arthur Miller Chapter 3 of the Directory for Catechesis focuses on the Role of the Catechist. Deacon Art Miller from the Archdiocese of Hartford will reflect upon the distinct role of the Deacon in the transmission of the faith. |
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Consecrated Life: Making Visible The Marvels Worked By God
Sr. Rosalia Meza, VDMF The participant will re-discover in a new way the beauty of the role of consecrated people as catechist in the life of the Church. And will feel ignited to continue Jesus’ mission. |
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Love Beyond All Telling: Grandparents
Mike Patin There is a special chamber of the heart which is awakened when grandchildren enter our lives. We have a special role in their families as well as in the church to share the Good News as lived in our own stories and in their lives. How do we do that in these times? We truly are “essential personnel.” |
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Lay Women in Catechesis
Jessica Copeland |
Chapter Four: The Formation of Catechists
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The Formation of Catechists in the Christian Community
Nicole M. Perone This workshop will explore chapter 4 of the New Directory for Catechesis, focusing on the Christian community as a place of formation as well as the dimensions of formation. In doing so, we will discover how catechists can answer the vocational call to service “by relying on [their] living relationship with the Lord and on the desire to live the Christian life with authenticity, generously making available to the community the ‘five loaves and two fish’ (cf Mk 6:38) of [their] personal charisms.” (DFC 138) |
Chapter Five: The Pedagogy of the Faith
Chapter Six: The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Chapter Seven: Methodology in Catechesis
Chapter Eight: Catechesis in the Lives of Persons
Family Catechesis - Denise Utter from NCCL on Vimeo.
Chapter Nine: The Christian Community as Participant in Catechesis
Chapter Ten: Catechesis in the Face of Contemporary Cultural Scenario
Chapter Eleven: Catechesis at the Service of the Inculturation of the Faith
Chapter Twelve: The Organisms at the Service of Catechesis
Closing Keynote - dr. timone davis from NCCL on Vimeo.
