The Priest As Empowerer of Catechetical Ministry
Chapter 2
Catechesis in the Parish (part 2 of 3)

Categories
After sharing responses to the questions listed on the previous page, a representative from each group reported the key points from the table discussions. As with any discussion, some points were repeated, while others were made by only one person or group. However, there were distinct trends. To report these clearly and with structure, the information has been organized into four categories:

Dei Verbum, 24

The participants continually emphasized the role of the word. One pastor wrote that the ministry of the word— evangelization, catechesis, and preaching— is basic and essential to fostering a living and active faith. Another explained that, in his parish, catechesis "is a continuation of the Sunday scriptures, the homily, etc., and a concrete application to the events of the parishioners' daily lives."

Throughout the symposium, participants repeatedly referred to the role of the homily in catechesis and the impact that it has. One priest spoke particularly eloquently about its importance. "My experience is that the homily has potential to awaken in people, tap into people, that hunger that can lead them to further catechesis....I can't think of liturgy without the word,....the few moments that we have with the people have the potential to awaken in them a thirst for the word and for growth and for life which is Jesus."

He also wrote about this in response to a reflection question. "Being in the heart of the Bible Belt you learn very quickly how significant the Sunday worship service is to people. As many as 70% of our couples are interfaith. These people come with real expectations of the worship experience. Preaching has for many become as important as the Eucharist. Because of the large number of Protestants, occasions such as weddings and funerals become opportunities for evangelization when the liturgies are done well."

This concern reflects the statement Pope John Paul II makes about the homily in Catechesi Tradendae. "Much attention must be given to the homily: it should be neither too long nor too short; it should always be carefully prepared, rich in substance and adapted to the hearers, and reserved to ordained ministers. The homily should have its place not only in every Sunday and feast-day Eucharist, but also in the celebration of baptisms, penitential liturgies, marriages and funerals." (Catechesi Tradendae, 48)

Another pastor expressed belief that the community is formed by the word, and so the value of praying the word must become a priority. He explained that reflection before and during Mass opens up the value of formation at all levels. He also expressed a hope that small communities gather around the word as a focus of formation. He sees these as including parish committees, ministry groups, and social groups.

During the discussion, one pastor told the group that the priority of the word is foundational to everything else. He explained that the priests at his table shared examples that illustrated how other religious denominations devote considerable energy to the word and are very effective in their ministry. The participant believes that this importance must be emphasized "without taking anything away from liturgy, or the integration of the word into liturgy."

These observations about the power of the word reflect Canon 528 ¤1. "The pastor is obliged to see to it that the word of God in its entirety is announced to those living in the parish; for this reason he is to see to it that the lay Christian faithful are instructed in the truths of the faith, especially through the homily which is to be given on Sundays and holy days of obligation and through the catechetical formation which he is to give; he is to foster works by which the spirit of the gospel, including issues involving social justice, is promoted; he is to take special care for the Catholic education of children and of young adults; he is to make every effort with the aid of the Christian faithful to bring the gospel message also to those who have ceased practicing their religion or who do not profess the true faith." (Code of Canon Law, 528 ¤1)

Reflection
How do the homilies in your parish catechize? What impact do the homilies have? How are parishioners encouraged to provide input or evaluation?

The Woven Fabric of Catechesis
A weaving image conveys an approach to catechesis shared by the participants. They do not view catechesis as a distinct component of the church community. Rather, it is woven throughout all activities, strengthening and coloring the fabric of parish life. "Every aspect of parish life is seen to have a catechetical component, minimally as a way to formally apply Christian values to the life of the parish and maximally to show that the work of evangelization and catechesis is paramount in what the parish is about."

One priest, reflecting the consensus of his table partners, said that catechesis helps individuals become part of the community, and so is essential for individual development and the development of parish life. "It engages us to respond in our own words, to tell our own story with the story of the church, to give us a sense that we understand and we have the experiences to share." Catechesis "impacts the worship experience, enables people to take what is said and cherish it and make it part of their own experience and share that with their families or their communities." The group also viewed catechesis as an entry into greater participation in the parish. Once people become involved through catechesis, they frequently apply their energies to other ministries.

The reports illustrated several ways in which catechesis affects the entirety of parish life. Several participants explained that catechesis and evangelization provide the framework for the mission statement, which in turn establishes the goals and direction for the parish. Catechesis then continues to be used in the formation of the parish and of the ministers and ministries in the parish. As one priest stated, catechesis sustains all the activities of the parish, for without it "you don't have anything else."

As stated in the General Catechetical Directory: "It is necessary, therefore, that catechesis be associated with other pastoral activities, that is, with the biblical, liturgical, and ecumenical movements, with the lay apostolate and social action, and so on. Besides, it must be kept in mind that this cooperation is necessary from the very outset, that is, from the time the studies and plans for the organization of pastoral work are started." (GCD, 129)

Another group's report explained that catechesis entails a partnership among all the members and generations of the parish community—lay people and priests, adults and children, single people and families. Each contributes to the faith journey of the other. If people are to love Jesus, they must love all the members of the body of Christ and therefore become the body of Christ actively loving. Catechesis helps them achieve this.

The discussions highlighted several methods for the implementation of catechesis involving the entire community. People from one group commented that catechesis is not just an intellectual process. Rather, it is the faith developed, an integrated message of community and service. One of the participants stated that, in his parish, catechesis is part of the agenda of all meetings and societies. His parish's mission statement provides for this.

Responses from symposium participants about informing the parish about catechetical responsibilities.

Once catechesis becomes an integral focus of the parish's mission, the mission statement becomes an important tool to implement catechesis. One report explained that the mission statement keeps the pastoral council and other groups in the parish focused. It serves as a standard to help them set goals and as a tool to evaluate progress in the light of their mission. Catechesis and dialogue lead to the mission statement, and reflection and evaluation lead back to catechesis. It is both a circular and dynamic process.

To establish and sustain this focus, one parish holds an annual meeting. Here the expectations of the parish are explicitly stated. Members of the staff present their plans for catechetics in the parish for the coming year, and they address their hopes and expectations for the involvement of the parishioners. Ideas from parishioners are solicited. What do they think of the plans? How can they participate? What will be their level of commitment? What other areas would they like to see covered?

Overall, participants related a number of things being done to help instill in the parish community a sense of responsibility for catechesis. A number of responses from the reflection questions appear on the opposite page. Several additional ideas surfaced during the meeting. For example, one parish has a community gathering on occasional Wednesday nights for fellowship and some instruction. Several pastors said they make sure that catechesis or religious education can take place on Sunday mornings without conflicting with liturgy or other activities. In order to bring the community to awareness, some pastors said they hire qualified, professional people involved in catechetical ministry, and try to model with their own staffs what the whole parish ought to be in terms of catechesis. And, of course, the homily plays a prominent role.

A participant observed that the role of catechesis as a ministry, and calling people into ministerial formation, is a key element that had added a new dimension to catechesis. Catechists now see themselves as ministers, not only helping in the work of the church, but making it their work. This outlook has had a broad effect. During the discussion a pastor observed that people who are actively involved in catechetical programs frequently develop a strong sense of ministry and become parish leaders. "Since catechesis/religious education is viewed as a formation process, it plays a key role in the life and mission of our parish. Leadership in all other ministries comes from an effective catechetical ministry and lay formation. It is through parish leadership that the parish's mission is more clearly articulated and carried out."

Another pastor stated that in his parish the people who are involved in intentional catechesis are also involved in social action programs and other parish ministries. They see catechesis as part of a much broader vision of the Church and ministry, and they recognize that the life of the parish requires many things. He thought it was pertinent that in the reflections on catechesis no one viewed catechesis as exclusively designed for children. The participants themselves have this broad vision of catechetical ministry.

This observation contains a distinction made by some participants—intentional catechesis versus unintentional catechesis. One might refer to these terms more commonly as formal and informal. To them, what might be called formal catechesis includes programs designed for information, formation, and spiritual growth in which a person chooses to participate. Complementing this would be informal catechesis. As a participant said, it is the awareness that "each moment of liturgy, fellowship, social activity, community outreach, play, work, study and service is an opportunity to catechize through word and example."

A similar distinction is expressed in Adult Catechesis in the Christian Community, a document of the International Council for Catechesis. "Catechesis per se has to be distinguished therefore from other activities, even though it cannot be separated from them: it is different from evangelization, which is the proclamation of the Gospel for the first time to those who have not heard it, or the re-evangelization of those who have forgotten it; it is different from formal religious education, which goes beyond the basic elements of faith in more systematic and specialized courses; it is also different from those informal occasions for faith awareness in God's presence, which arise in fragmentary and incidental ways in the daily life of adults." (Adult Catechesis in the Christian Community, 32)

Finally, the participants noted that although some people are active catechists and parish leaders, obstacles still exist. As one person reported, a large portion of the parish budget is devoted to catechesis, but that does not mean that the whole community feels responsible for catechesis. The staff finds itself struggling to bring the community to that awareness.

Reflection
In what ways does your parish incorporate catechesis into its activities? How can this integration be improved or increased?

Adult Directed Catechesis
Hence, it is not only legitimate, but necessary, to acknowledge that a fully Christian community can exist only when a systematic catechesis of all its members takes place and when an effective and well-developed catechesis of adults is regarded as the central task in the catechetical enterprise.

Adult Catechesis in the Christian Community, 25

Woven throughout the reports were references regarding catechesis for adults. This outlook closely reflects the National Catechetical Directory, which states that the lives of adult Christians should exemplify gospel values to the young members of the Christian community and the rest of society. Therefore, "it is essential that they express gospel values by living with the hope and joy that come with faith. The Church, for its part, must encourage its adult members to grow in faith and give them opportunities to do so." (NCD, 40)

Referring to adult catechesis, a pastor recalled former modes of catechesis in identifying present and future needs. "When I was a kid we had presacramental catechesis- we didn't use those words perhaps, but CCD. All those structures are already in place and they are traditionally things that people are looking for in a parish. Our task is to shift the paradigm, insert the updated, to use the new language, to share the new vision in a structure that's already there."

Commenting on this, another pastor said that in addition to existing realities, there is a new dimension to catechesis. Not only are there opportunities to learn more, but these opportunities "are the means whereby we become ministers. The whole sense of ministry, the development of lay ministries as an integral part of the parish, calling more and more people into those ministries gives [catechesis] a whole new dimension that manifests itself in many, many other subconscious ways." He continued to say that "the whole development of the small group ministries gives people a sense that they become ministers and they're doing it as a result of their basic baptismal Christianity, and not because they are called to do so by the priest." Another priest echoed this: "The whole parish is the catechist via baptism. That is our function."

The participants spoke of programs for adult catechesis that use an adult to adult way to get adults talking about faith and where the Lord is in their lives. Areas mentioned include small faith communities, RENEW, and involvement in RCIA. Adult Catechesis in the Christian Community explains that adults must "actively participate in [the community's] various faith expressions and accept some form of responsibility for community life. For this reason, the building of small communities or ecclesial groups is conducive to the strengthening of adult catechesis. (Catechesi Tradendae, 24)" (ACCC, 69) One pastor stated his belief that an added benefit of small communities is that they reach out to those who do not join with the assembly for worship.

Several other approaches to adult catechesis surfaced during the discussions. The role of sponsors in sacramental formation programs helps both the sponsored and the sponsor, involving the support of the community in this process. One parish has sponsor couples for marriage preparation as a way of deepening faith life and family life. Another parish offers unusual catechetical moments, such as a couple getting married at a Sunday Mass and reflecting on their own future life, thus giving witness to the sacrament of Matrimony. One pastor referred to his parish's baptismal seminars, saying: "The key [is] baptism, know who we are in baptism. Our baptismal seminars can help parishioners understand who they are and what their mission is in terms of their own role."

The National Catechetical Directory explains that the form adult catechesis takes will depend on a variety of factors, such as the size and makeup of the parish, and the cultural and educational background of the parishioners. "There are a number of appropriate models: small group discussions, lectures with questions and discussions, retreat programs, sacramental programs, dialogues between adults and young people, adult catechumenate." (NCD, 225)

Two impediments to adult catechesis were identified by the participants. The first may be defined as the historical philosophical viewpoint of a parish. One participant wrote that some adults in his parish do not view formation as a priority, that they "do not experience the church as addressing their life needs. Formation preference around life needs seems to offer the best possibility."

The design of the physical plant was identified as another potential obstacle. One participant referred to ". . . the architecture of our churches or buildings, which are either conducive or non-conducive for good catechesis." He said that in many Protestant churches, people can often walk into a complex and recognize the priority of education. However, Catholic parishes also address this need. As one pastor explained. "We built a new religious education parish center with ten meeting rooms. We have monthly formation sessions for our catechists. The coordinators form together the parish religious education committee. We want to expand our youth ministry and hire a part time youth ministry director."

It is not necessary to build a new wing for the parish plant, but it is necessary to offer adequate facilities for study and reflection. What does the parish budget to develop and maintain the worship space as compared to the space used for catechesis? A commensurate effort should be spent on creating an environment conducive to catechetical endeavors. Does the parish have rooms that are comfortable, well-lit, quiet, and free from distractions? As appropriate furnishings facilitate participation in liturgy, comfortable chairs, tables or desks facilitate catechesis. Catechesis and worship are synergistic, so the quality of the space designated for catechesis cannot be underestimated.

Reflection
What specific catechetical opportunities does your parish offer for adults? How is adult catechesis integrated into other parish programs?

What facilities in your parish are used for catechesis?

The third part of Chapter 2, Catechesis in the Parish in The Priest as Empowerer of Catechetical Ministry will be posted next Thursday. For information about ordering this book, please see the Sadlier Religion Catalog.

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