Contemporary Religious Education, Catechesis, Pastoral Approaches, Etc

[ExCorde]

This topic is about discussing our knowledge and experiences with contemporary catechetical programs and resources. I've searched the rest of the forum and I'd like to understand in particular Groome and Moran better, and how to proceed from there. Check out these posts:

[quote name='Raphael' timestamp='1272688279' post='2103036']
[Thomas] Groome is the guy who ruined catechetical methods following the Second Vatican Council. Gabriel Moran imported atheistic philosophy (Nietzsche et al.) into catechetical content and Groome, his student, brought in atheistic psychology (Freud et al.). Groome led to the school of catechetical thought that said methods should focus on making collages and singing Kumbaya. My understanding is that the thought behind this (presented in a VERY basic way) was that associating happy thoughts and such with "Jesus-time" would make people like God. Of course, in such a scenario, they're not actually having a relationship with God at all, just themselves.
[/quote]

And elsewhere:

[quote name='Raphael' timestamp='1232060548' post='1752254']
Gabriel Moran, who stated that Revelation could be cast aside in favor of a personal relationship with Jesus and subjective feelings about God, Thomas Groome, who single-handedly destroyed catechetical methods with German pop-psychology (...)
[/quote]

Brother Adam also mentioned it:

[quote name='Brother Adam' timestamp='1111122918' post='549347']
Fr. Thomas Groome in the 1970's decided the best way to teach the Catholic faith was to take the content out of it and have everyone share their feelings in religion class. And instead of religion class it was "values class". He wrote a report excitedly saying "Every once in a while the students would talk about God". He developed the teaching style "Shared Christian Praxis" which removed Christ from the teaching of our faith. Basically, it is why we have so many poorly catechized Catholics today and Fundamentalists are bringing them away by the boatload.
[/quote]

And this was written 6 years ago:

[quote name='Brother Adam' timestamp='1107913968' post='517950']
Yes, therein lies hope. Followers of Gabriel Moran and Thomas Groome are dying out and they do not have people to take their place. You can expect major changes in catechesis in the next five years.
[/quote]

So, just the right time to take a look at what's going on!

Raphael analyzed Gabriel Moran's Catechesis of Revelation on his [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=73748"]Justification thesis[/url], which is quite helpful in understanding it better. I take this line in particular from it: [b]"The subjective experience of God is only valuable to the degree that it points accurately to the objective reality of God."
[/b]
I was once a catechist (and contemplating doing it again), so I know the materials were really poor the last decade (in Portugal but the trends seem to easily globalize). I'm interested in knowing what steps in the right direction others have been taking.

[list][*][i][color="#0000ff"]What I'm asking:[/color][/i][/list]
Does anyone know where one can learn more about this history of catechetics and the sources used by Moran and Groome, why it was appealing? (try to salvage as many positive things as you can from it)

And most importantly, what have you been using instead of it and to counter those who still do?

Those psychological foundations mentioned in the quote are particularly relevant to me, so anything you heard of in the way of a good psychological basis (that isn't just mind tricks, but about a complete human development) would be appreciated.

I'm not concerned with a proper theory as much as I'm concerned with what actually happens inside the catechesis room! The ideas are what we intend to do and therefore shape practice; they also are the source of motivation for catechists and therefore relevant to how they persevere.

Apparently Brother Adam is part of the [b][url="http://catecheticsonline.com/"][b]Catechetics Online[/b][/url][/b], associated with [url="http://catfoundations.com/"][b]Catechetical Foundations[/b][/url]. How have you been able to use and adapt these materials in your parish settings?

Have you heard of the [b][url="http://adolescentcatechesis.org/"][b]National Initiative for Adolescent Catechesis[/b][/url][/b] or the [b][url="http://www.cgsusa.org/"][b]National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd[/b][/url][/b]?

[list][*][i][color="#0000ff"]What I'm thinking:[/color][/i][/list]
I understand that much of the issue is related to the general drive of [i]aggiornamento[/i] in the law and practice of the Church particularly in the last 50 years. I'm particularly concerned as to how we can best move forward from here and find (authentically Catholic) new ways of removing the obstacles present in human nature as they manifest themselves in our present age. So this isn't so much about bashing and blaming, as it is about realizing that real pastoral needs have to be met in fruitful ways, namely meeting the person of Christ as their main goal.

This may include a formation on [b]critical thinking (what is truth?), personal identity (who am I, what do I stand for?), on habits and virtues (what was I made for, why are choices and sacrifices so meaningful?), scheduling a time of service in a charity (proper use of time, awareness of mission), knowledge of history (and stories, saints), liturgy and explicitly christian art[/b], etc. Because I don't think kids need just theology, but to develop themselves fully, growing in such a healthy way that they might as soon as possible find it evident that it's best for them to keep offering their life to God. Especially in early ages, there should be a [b]strong sense of love, prayer and adoration, and opening their heart to the fascination of big questions[/b], having them find strength in the immense dignity they have as persons; in essence, that they are[b] loved by God (and not any god).
[/b]
We ideally could use an educational synthesis that covers a lot of fronts. In the case of children, it needs to be guided mostly by example; to have children appreciate things, themselves and others. I hope I'm not misunderstood as preaching "self-esteem", but something that includes that and much more - and I'm still looking for how to make that all work in practice.

Thanks for reading this, I pray we can gather at least a few hints!

Edited February 10, 2011 by ExCorde

[TeresaBenedicta]

You've raised some great questions, ExCorde, and I'm looking forward to continued discussion on this matter. As a current DRE and likely in the business for life, at one level or another, these are questions that are important to me.

To be honest... I don't know much about the history of catechetical approaches. Nor do I really know anything that is taught nowadays. I'll leave those questions for Brother Adam, since he went to FUS, which has the best, so I hear

My focus since I began in August, as been catechizing my catechists. These folks are just as lost as anybody... and if we have the lost teaching our children, what do we expect? There has been so much in the way of A) false teaching or B) no teaching whatsoever, that I have my hands full just trying to get these folks the basics. Then trying to encourage adult conversion in these folks... If I can get them from "I'm Catholic and I like that and I care" to being on fire for the faith and on fire for Jesus... And if I can get them to a basic knowledge of the faith... That will bring us a long ways.

That being said, having sound doctrine in the materials used for catechesis is huge. When I came into my parish, the former DRE had just bought new materials. So... we'll see. We use Sadlier's series, "We Believe". It's not my favorite, but it's not horrendous either. I think that the new missal might give me the chance to change, if publishers are planning on updating the Creed in the books (which I sure hope happens).

[i]lex orandi lex credendi[/i] holds true for children as well as for adults. Offering opportunities for the children to [i]pray[/i] as Catholics is [i]huge[/i]. You'd be surprised how much a child learns about God and about what the Church believes through prayer. Again, I'm new to my parish, so I haven't been able to make lots of changes yet, but I plan on introducing the children to adoration, the stations of the cross, rosary, etc. We'll see how the format works.

For too long we've hid the secrets of the Church from the kids... we've hidden real truths of the faith, both in doctrine and in prayer.

I'm also a fan of the Don Bosco model. I've been toying with the idea of oratory, in addition to catechism classes. I'd envision this on say, a Saturday afternoon. The kids would come and we'd have sports/games, some sort of prayer (rosary, adoration, etc), a short catechesis, and snack.

Sorry this post has been so scattered. Just some of my random thoughts here. Honestly, I don't have much experience in this area. I never went through CCD as a kid (I converted at age 18). And I studied Philosophy with a minor in Theology. But nothing necessarily catechetically centered. I came into DRE position with a fire for bringing people to Jesus... but very little experience in technical "catechesis".

[ExCorde]

Teresa, I'm humbled by, and grateful for, your life. Perhaps I could try and synthesize what you said and then be inspired to lay out a few other practical insights (anyone, please correct me if I'm wrong). I'll bullet the important points you make, as I was able to see and understand them:

[list][*]Rekindle awareness of doctrine and spiritual tradition in order to rekindle faith - do not hide teaching from teachers, rather empower them with it[*]It's not about culture - it's about conversion; guide them from cultural generalities to a culture of Redemption and mission[*]Oratory/Prayer - enable children as well as adults to frequently experience Adoration; Stations of the Cross; Rosary; etc[*]Resources: [u][b]Don Bosco model[/b][/u] - "Saturday afternoon": sports/games + prayer + catechesis + snacks [i][this sounds great, go ahead with it!!][/i][*]Resources: [b][url="http://www.sadlierreligion.com/webelieve/overview.cfm"][b]Sadlier Religion - We Believe[/b][/url][/b][/list]I'll just share as I go. [b]There is no reason for someone not to contribute or comment just because they wouldn't consider themselves an "expert" yet.[/b] (I personally fit into that description, yet look at all I found to say!) If I sound too complicated, please consider that we all work together and that our children and the faithful of tomorrow deserve no less as we prepare for them the way of the Lord!

One of the most fascinating experiences I've had here on PM, and of the Church in North America in general, is the presence and active role and support given to DREs.

I strongly believe in the ability of DREs/Catechists to organize themselves and even create their own materials. I've seen some great things here and there and I've also rehearsed my own sessions, so I'm fully confident in this. Participation in catechist associations should foster true adoration of the Divine Master in faith and reason and build each other up as an authentic ecclesial community of a particularly vital mission. They should be strongly supported by parishioners and the resources available to the parish should be intensely used for evangelization.

Catechesis is necessarily aimed at being [b]both a kerygma and synthesis of the faith[/b]. It is asked of it to be introductory and to accompany the sacramental initiation of the faithful (typically up to Confirmation) and also to be somewhat comprehensive about the reality of the Church so they can seek and find their own place.

Materials should therefore[b] chiefly provide catechists with a picture of integral human development and flourishing[/b], attentive to the many challenges and traps that assail their little brothers in their journey of life and faith. A discerned and age-appropriate apologetics should be visible throughout, seeds should be keenly scattered so as to surmount the expected needs before they surface as an already rooted problem. so that it doesn't build upon what was already learned and would im a change of direction). This perspicuity of normal human development allows for a concerted progress and continuum as the person is brought closer to a saving knowledge of Christ through the program.

In this sense, [b]the catechist is a preacher[/b]. S/he emboldens the faith with specific themes in mind. There should be a modular approach (i.e. lessons) that is pedagogical and heart-opening through the presentation of a truth that enlightens, clarifies and supplies a memorable explanation to counter the connections that bind us to error and the ways by which we may persevere in the freedom Christ won for us. The purpose of using concepts and keywords - in the context of the synthesis - should be for clarification and mnemonics (not for repetition, but sedimentation), rather than a need to conceptualize everything away into neat boxes that generate disconnections in the overall understanding of things.

Consequently, a catechist isn't just the faithful who implements a program, s/he needs to understand what it aims for (i.e. what is actually relevant and indispensable), so s/he may[b] focus on and meet each child's particular needs[/b]. The catechist is never there for "a class", much less "a mass" of people; s/he is there to be a link in the urgent salvation of those children and everything is at the service of what best makes the seed of the Gospel to sprout from them.

A catechesis of conversion, the experience of a catechumenal path (e.g. dutifully give RCIA and even enrich it with venerable traditions - historical devotions, classic spiritualities and short histories of the impact of religious orders, particularly those in their diocese) seems particularly beautiful, fulfilling and culminating in an adult mystagogy that will firmly implant the neophyte in our day and age, fostering ecclesial bonds throughout the parish structure and the activities of the national and global Church (e.g. customary generosity, Pro-Life issues, Internet ministries - PhatMass! -, personal spiritual friendship with religious communities and retreat centers, etc - note: I'm saying this could all be a part of the manuals!).

Rich prayer should always be present; we are there because the Lord has gathered us, and to Him, through Our Lady, we entrust the ultimate success of our efforts. Conversational and ejaculatory prayer should be introduced early on.

One theme that should be consistently underlined throughout is that of[b] personal freedom in the world and personal, eternal belonging to Christ[/b]. Of attention are issues related to intimacy, whether focused on the body (e.g. virginity), emotions (desires, needs, forgiveness, etc) and spirituality (suffering, meaning, etc).

The psychology/philosophy I mentioned in the sub-title of the thread is to explore their (often unclarified) foundations in catechetical programs, that shouldn't be neglected by those with the interest and time to understand them better, particularly those entrusted with the older catechumens.

[tinytherese]

I took a class on catechesis at Benedictine College before transfering and learned a heck of a lot. Finding out how the problems in catechesis that we have today came to be was depressing.

One of our textbooks was The Craft of Catechesis, (which I definitely recommend.) We didn't go through all of the text, but I intend to do that on my own. Here's the outline of chapter one.

Chapter One The Craft of Catechesis

p1 defines “Craft” = working with loving intelligence. Uniting intellect, will, and practical skills in drawing out the very best.

Holy Spirit CCC#1647 “interior Master of Life” to be crafted in the Lord Eph 2: 9-10

Holistic approach involving the heart, mind and body

p2 the Catholic faith is not a series of isolated propositions to be believed, but a unified whole, rooted in God, to be lived.

P3 Today devastated moral landscape
virtue/conscience/ faith have now been cut loose from their original context

p4 Second Vatican Council
“ressourcement” recovery / return to the sources
Many have lost the vocabulary and grammar of the faith
“aggiornamento” updating
to allow people to better know the faith.

Problem - “Updating” sometimes became an excuse for replacing.
p5 Church looks to the past & future
-we need balance of both updating and recovery
loss of framework, overarching picture, world view
→ too often beliefs/morality today is too often a series of unconnected fragments

p6 We can see symptoms in catechetical material → lack overall picture that would make sense for people of terms, phrases, truths.

Catechism as organic synthesis of doctrine.

p7 not simply a list of points, or isolated truths connections between belief & practice.
Spiritual life and dogmas, liturgy and moral life, person and community.
p8 “the Catechism arrests the deterioration and disintegration of a coherent understanding of the Faith as a whole.”

Catechesis as Craft
-learned slowly, appreciated
-examine how Church has developed her educational work over the centuries.

p9 Charlemagne's preoccupation : how to transmit the culture of faith?
Medieval or Dark Ages were in fact a period of extraordinary activity, faith and vitality.

p10 Alcuin of York
8th century educational reformer
→ the seeding of faith in culture
neglect from England techniques for legible copying of manuscripts
set up schools for monks
introduced standards for writing (common communication)
after teaching reading and writing we taught how books were to be copied.

p11 – developed standard curriculum for 2 types of schools (cathedral & monastic)
-Bible Study, esp doctrines
-reform of liturgy – unification of rites

p12 – Principles we learn from Alcuin of York
1) focus on formation of persons
catechism is on instrument → catechist is focus
2) Formation involves head, heart, and body
intellect in not isolated → whole person catechesis
p13 3) Context of friendship/relationship
self-giving love for one another.
4) Value the heritage of culture and faith
p14 5) Universal vision served by common faith
diversity of cultures does not exclude common expression of the faith.
p15 6) Practical dimensions serve spiritual goals
resources and techniques assist teach of faith.

Holistic Formation Through the Catechism
p15 garbage in – garbage out
one can only hand on the which one has received.

Dimensions of the Faith : prayer, liturgy, scripture, doctrine, life in Christ.

4 Parts of the Catechism
Creed, liturgy (Sacraments) Life in Christ (commandments), Prayer
p16 4 Pillars
Acts 2:42 first speech of Peter in Jerusalem
“they hold steadfastly to the apostle's teach and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.” --CCC refers to this verse in each of its four parts (#89, #1329, #2178, #2624)

p17 Two metaphors
A) Four Pillars – holding up a roof, remove any one pillar and expect disaster. Faith as a dwelling place or home.
B) A Symphony – notes and music form a harmonious whole. Reminded to listen and appreciate the beauty.

p19 Whatever part of the Faith we teach – we are called to present it in a holistic way
Primacy of Grace
we humans always are merely responding to God and his works
p20 God's Action Our Response
creed Life in Christ and Commandments
Liturgy & Sacraments Prayer



Outline from Chapter 3

Craft of Catechesis Chap 3 A Personal Pedagogy : Teaching The Living Tradition of Faith

p41 problem “Elements of the craft that ought to have been placed in a harmonious relationship have been isolated from one another.”

revelation as propositional vs. revelation as personal.
As one is teaching, is one acquainting the student with the knowledge and truths of the faith.
Or introducing them to a person, Jesus Christ?

revelation as propositional vs. revelation as personal
Truths Person
Deposit of Faith Experience of God
Doctrine & Degree Spirituality and Prayer

p42 “there remains an antipathy to doctrine in catechesis that is worth exploring. We need to examine them, the roots of the opposition...”

CCC opposes any sense that we are faced with an either/or choice; rather, the catechism sees the faith as both propositional AND personal.

p43 See CCC #170 “We do not believe in formulas, but in those realties that they express.”

p44 “We cannot love God if we know nothing about him”

p45 Doctrine is Personal
John 14: 6 “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

p46-47 Foundational Personal Realities
• God, The Trinity and the Plan of Salvation
• The Person of Jesus Christ
• The human person
• The work of our redemption
Whatever you teach, you should relate it to one of these four foundational realities.
 

p48

Creed



Trinity Redemption
Sacraments Commandments
Jesus Christ Human Person




Prayer



p48 Hierarchy of the truths denotes the way individual doctrines depend upon foundational realities.
Christ's divinity  Mary as Mother of God

p59 Personal Transmission of the Faith
CCC #53 “God communicates himself to man gradually.”
CCC#54-67 identifies stages of revelation in the form of developing covenants (Noah, Moses, David)

p62 The Faith is handed on from person to person
etymology of the word “catechesis” means “to echo”

St. Paul “I delivered to you...what I also received.” I Cor 15: 3

In the transmission of the faith, personal transmission implies ecclesial transmission.

p63 “The Word of God lives in the Church, and through the apostles and their successors.”

Key #4 Personal

[tinytherese]

Implications and Applications of NDC (National Directory for Catechesis)

I. Meta-Implications

• Evangelization and catechesis are the responsibilities of those in ministry at the diocese/parish/school.

• Everyone must agree that the 3 purposes of the NDC which are to affirm NDC’s fundamental pastoral and theological principles for catechesis, embrace the guidelines for application of the principles, and agree on the purpose, nature, tasks, object, content, and some methodologies for catechesis.

• Everyone needs to agree to engage in catechesis and evangelization in the context of an overall pastoral plan.

• The cultural context for catechesis and evangelization needs to be paid attention to in regards to its challenges and opportunities.

II. Other Implications and Applications

• “All catechists must be intentionally evangelizing catechists.”

• “All catechesis is Christocentric, Trinitarian, and ecclesial.”

• “Catechetical method is informed by the divine methodology.” (“Catechists must connect the dots between scripture/doctrine and human experience.”)

• “The witness of the community of faith (family, parish, school) is a critically important element.”

• Use memorization as needed.

• Understand, critique, and use the media.

• “The RCIA gives us the recipe for sound catechesis at all levels.” Its ingredients are instruction, formation, gradual stages, rites, symbols, biblical and liturgical signs, worship, prayer, and the experience of community.

• Because the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Church’s life, catechesis recognizes it as the heart of the Christian life.

• Catechesis must focus on the element of penance.

• Faith as believed and professed must be connected to the faith as lived.

• Adult faith formation is very important. “…all other forms of catechesis are oriented in some way to it…” (NDC, 188).

• The responsibilities and roles of catechists are spoken of very much in the NDC.

• The curricula in seminary and ongoing education for priests must offer the proper formation regarding catechesis and evangelization, as well as emphasize the responsibility and role of the clergy in this ministry.

• Catechist formation must be a top priority.

III. Conclusion

• Commitment, teamwork, and trust are key aspects in a catechetical team.



From Catechetics Online (I saved it to microsoft word on my computer, but don't have the link to where it came from along with it.)


CATECHETICAL LESSON PLAN
ACCORDING TO THE ECCLESIAL METHOD


Topic of Catechesis: Date:___________________
Audience:

I. Learning Objectives (the participant will…)

Objectives for deeper understanding

Objectives for Inviting Learners to a change of heart

II. Materials/Resources Needed (textbooks, media/technology, supplies, handouts, etc.):

III. Catechetical Foundations:

A. CHRISTOCENTRICITY: What does this topic have to do with Jesus and the “love that never ends?”

B. SCRIPTURAL DRIVING FORCE: Which foundational scriptures will be used so the teaching relies on God’s Word?
C. PRIMARY CATECHISM SECTIONS: Which texts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church are central to understanding this topic?

D. OTHER IMPORTANT RESOURCES: What other creative resources will be helpful in this catechesis? (Textbook pages, websites, other books, maps, movie clips, music, art, stories, newspaper articles, etc.)

III. Procedure:

A. Preparation (calculated disengagement/prayer)

B. Proclamation (short, poignant statement of heart/core truth of teaching)

C. Explanation (content and method of delivery)

D. Application (of doctrinal topic to personal life and to culture/real world)

E. Celebration (ending in a place of gratitude and praise) and assignment:


IV. Evaluation/Alterations for next time…

[tinytherese]

Catechesis for the Disinherited Since Vatican II, or,
What the Hell Happened to Catholic Religious Instruction?
Biff Rocha

Catholic commentators on both the left and the right acknowledge that the current state of catechesis is a disaster. By every measure today’s Catholic youth are unable to understand, articulate or live their Catholic faith as well as the generations of Catholics living fifty or more years ago. Most polls suggest statistics that well over 50 percent are ignorant or inactive. When Catholic youth are asked basic questions such as, “Can you name the four New Testament gospels?” Fewer than 10% can correctly identify all four gospels, while over 25% include noncanonical texts such as the Gospel of St. Thomas or Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail.” A majority of respondents attribute the Immaculate Conception, the doctrine that Mary was conceived without sin, incorrectly to Jesus. Similarly, while the Church has always taught the need for full four-fold sense of scripture which includes the literal sense, yet a majority of students answered that the Catholic Church does not use, or explicitly rejects the literal sense.

Prior to the Second Vatican Council Roman Catholics in America formed a community living in the margins of American society, what many authors have labeled the “Catholic ghetto.” Disinherited and disenfranchised these uprooted immigrant Catholics struggled in hard labor to build in brick and mortar the foundations in which to practice their ancient faith. Ostracized by the larger Protestant society, Catholics were forced to build their own alternative system of schools, community centers and social service institutions such as orphanages and hospitals. By means of religious instruction older Catholics were able to pass along the Catholic faith and identity to the younger generations. Something has gone terribly wrong. Catholics have left the ghetto both geographically and intellectually. This paper plans to trace the catechetical shifts seen in Church documents and Catholic publishers since the Second Vatican Council in order to begin to understand why so many young people have been so poorly catechized.


Pre-Vatican II Developments

From before the American Revolution Catholics, while present in America, were such a small minority the dominant Protestant society did not feel threatened. As the numbers of Catholics increased, through both immigration and conversion, so too did the hostility of the dominant society. To educate the child and prepare the newly arrived immigrants for possible theological attacks and political intimidations, every plenary council in America called for better catechesis of Catholics. Ultimately this led to the creation of the Baltimore Catechism, the first authoritatively issued national catechism for the United States. Promulgated in 1885 by the U.S. bishops of the Third Plenary Council in Baltimore, the Baltimore Catechism aided in establishing for Catholics what James Youniss, John Convey and Jeffrey McLellan as well as many others call the “golden age of Catholic schools” where every child was “Catholic through and through, from the common religious curriculum grounded in the Baltimore Catechism to shared rituals such as First Friday Eucharist, the May Queen crowning, and prayers for the Notre Dame football game on Saturday afternoon. Most elementary schools were attached to parishes which served ethnic neighborhoods of believing Catholic families. Hence, schools were embedded in a Catholic context and, in turn, promoted the perpetuation of practices which enhanced that culture.” Together the schools and the catechisms sustained Catholic identity through many troublesome years, so much so that later Catholics would accuse their predecessors of triumphalism for the many honors they heaped upon the tiny text and the simple parish classroom. Thus the Baltimore Catechism reigned supreme as the religious education textbook for Catholics in America from the Third Plenary Council of 1884 until the close of the Second Vatican Council in 1965.


Vatican II Developments

What exactly occurred at the Second Vatican Council is a point still hotly debated by modern theologians. The Second Vatican Council was a meeting of Catholic leadership throughout the world with the stated purpose of aggiornamento, which is, bringing the Roman Catholic Church up to date. The council was to be pastoral, to bring the Church into better dialogue with the modern world.

After the council, in the wake of many changes, different groups defined the issues differently. The Church Emerging from Vatican II by Dr. Dennis Doyle is an excellent summary of many of the most hotly debated issues and documents from the council. It is also a book which tried to give a fair and balanced account of how each issue is viewed by the traditional Catholics, often called the Religious Right, and progressive Catholics, called the Liberal Left.

There is no doubt that Vatican II was a reforming council. With little or no advanced warning the bishops abolished the regulation of abstinence from meat on Fridays, in liturgy the Latin could be swapped out for the vernacular and the principle of religious liberty required ecumenicalism instead of isolationism. While perhaps small things in themselves these practices had been an important part of the previous Catholic identity. The impression given by the abrupt change was that centuries old Church teaching and practices could now be tossed aside at the drop of a hat. Just how far could this reform go? There have been two main interpretations. Those traditionalists on the right read the documents of Vatican II as one in conformity with the continuity of Catholic tradition, and find the documents themselves to be anchors of their understanding. Liberals on the left however see the documents as a mere starting point from which the reforming “Spirit of the Council” may move as the wind blows. Here the council is seen as having made a sharp break with the Church’s past.

Post-Vatican II

According to the leaders of the “new catechesis,” the “Council Fathers at Vatican II decided not to produce a catechism” but to instead encourage the production of directories and guidelines which would then be particularized and enculturated at the local level. After the council many markers of Catholic identity were ejected from the Catholic community: popular devotions such as the rosary and novenas ceased to be practiced, traditional publications such as American Ecclesiastical Review and Ave Maria folded, Catholic summer camps closed, the Baltimore Catechism was discarded for the “new catechetics” and the value of maintaining a separate Catholic school system was called into question. In their place religious programs tried to incorporate changes in the liturgy, new higher-critical understandings of scripture, and an emphasis on social issues. According to new catechist Catherine Dooley, “It is a truism to say that the 1960s were a time of unparallel change.” Catholic dissent against the Church became a reality, diversity was seen as a positive value, the civil rights movement challenged provincial racism, the sexual revolution challenged traditional Christian morality, feminism challenged marriage and motherhood while Vietnam and Watergate shook America’s confidence in their political leaders.

The small cadre of progressive religious leaders in the United States pushed for greater professionalization which in turn required certification and training within the halls of academic institutions. This allowed the few, to train the next batch of catechetical leaders in a particular reading of Vatican II and with a particular outlook on catechesis. As new catechetical leaders were trained, their methods, assumptions and aims ran into conflict with the vast majority of traditional Catholic laity who were still unclear on the meaning and renewal required by Vatican II. Catechesis / religious education became a laboratory for experimentation in the name of implementing the Spirit of the Council. According to Dooley, Catechesis “became the focal point of the backlash. ‘Crisis’ and ‘polarization’ were words used frequently used to describe the reaction to the ‘new catechetics.’” Abandoning the Catholic doctrinal basis of the Baltimore Catechism, new catechesis took a subjective turn by favoring personal experience over doctrine; such experience was read through then current secular psychological theories.


Catechetical Directories

The General Catechetical Directory was called for during the council itself and was published with six short years of the council. When published in 1971 by the Congregation for the Clergy, it was observed that the renewal movement was in a “period of crisis.” The catechetical experts focused on the fact that in the GCD, “two methodologies were affirmed, the deductive and the inductive.” The religious establishment advocated that this meant that “the value of human experience became a way of learning the faith.” Traditional clerics read the GCD as “A very ‘doctrinal’ and orthodox document; it very much served the purpose of reaffirming the importance of doctrine and cognitive learning of the faith at a time when these things had gone out of fashion.” The GCD outlined the content and appropriate methods for catechesis and provided a blueprint for individual national directories.

The religious establishment in the United States received the GCD with an outward show of respect—there was no open rebellion or overt signs of defiance. But the new catechetical leaders declared the GCD had to be assimilated into their existing system. One historian observed that “For Father Berard Marthaler, a perennial leader in both the [new] catechetical movement and the religious education establishment the General Catechetical Directory symbolized the move away from the chimera of a universal catechism . . . [and] another step away from book-centered catechesis.” Truth was too pluralistic, the new catechists argued, for there to be any one document or formulation of it. Many in the American religious establishment preferred a directory over a catechism because it appeared to them to permit experience over doctrine, and to particularize to the truths of individual cultures.

At the International Catechetical Congress held in Rome in 1971, the American catechists were able to get a statement issued that the GCD was a “service document” and not binding legislation. This statement had the effect of changing the GCD into reference material used at the religious instructor’s discretion. In practice then, the directory did not direct. Leaders could give lip service praising Rome’s concern and effort at producing the GCD yet continue to teach as they did before.

The first religious instruction material to be produced after the publication of the GCD was Benziger’s The Word Is Life (1971-1973, revised in 1977-1978). The books relied heavily on insights from the behavioral sciences. The material was built around characteristics of the life process: dimensions of individuation, belongingness, and availability. Instead of drawing upon the traditional sources for catechesis, the books incorporated stories from talking animals, fairy tales and other cultural icons.


Focus on American Catechetics

The General Catechetical Directory became available in December of 1971. It was clear and concise and a relatively small document. Yet already by September of 1972 the religious establishment in the United States answered with their own commentary in their effort to assimilate the directory into their system. Focus on American Catechetics: A Commentary on the General Catechetical Directory, was authored by fathers Thomas S. Sullivan and John F. Meyers on behalf of the National Conference of Diocesan Directors of Religious Education (NCDDRE). Focus on American Catechetics emphasized the GCD was not legislation while interpreting the directory as favoring the American catechetical sensibilities. The format of FAC offered a summary of the contents of the GCD then provided the American commentary. Only occasionally does FAC outright contradict the GCD. Moreoften the American commentary simply shifts the focus of the directory’s material to affirm an already present practice or principle of American catechetics. For example FAC relays the GCD’s no. 10 assertion that faith is a gift of God whereby man accepts divine revelation. But FAC comments (contrary to the GCD and Catholic doctrine) that there are two types of revelation: the old type where revelation is seen as a body of doctrines or truths revealed to us by God. “Another view of revelation has become more prominent in the Church, at least since the time of Vatican II. It looks at revelation as a process . . . it is a more personalistic approach and sees man’s participation in this loving community as integral to the notion of revelation.” Later the commentary expands on this second type of revelation. “If the educator views revelation in more dynamic and personal terms, he will seek to become conscious of the signs of the living God present in their own lives. He will not see his task as primarily transmitting unspoiled doctrines fro the deep freeze of the past, but rather as helping the student reflect on his own experience.” In the end, Focus on American Catechetics directs the religious directors and catechetical experts towards an anthropocentric, experiential catechesis with minimal doctrinal content.


To Teach as Jesus Did

The U.S. Catholic bishops released a pastoral message in 1973 titled To Teach as Jesus Did which focused on Christian education. It was a development of an earlier statement on the importance of Catholic schools from 1967. The document makes clear that the bishops recognize there is a problem in catechesis, although they might not grasp fully the source or extent of the problem nor the intentional promotion by religious experts of the experiential approach and an anthropocentric model. The W. H. Sadlier publishing company produced The Lord of Life series (1976-1978) organized around To Teach as Jesus Did. The catechetical process was a “life-centered approach” consisting of three movements: life experience, faith development, and faith response.


Basic Teachings For Catholic Religious Education

The American bishops were so concerned with the then current state of religious education in 1970s that the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) released a document which aimed to set down principal elements of the Christian message to be covered in all stages of religious formation in every type of catechetical program. Basic Teachings For Catholic Religious Education (1973) was an effort in affirm doctrine in religious education and address the polarization taking place throughout the country. The document was very concise and the bishops attempted to be circumspect but the document’s introduction gave the justification for its creation in the following words, “It is necessary that the authentic teachings of the Church, and those only, be presented in religious instruction as official Catholic doctrine. Religious texts or classroom teachers should never present merely subjective theorizing as the Church’s teachings.” Traditional catechist Fr. Michael Wrenn notes, “The problem of defective teaching was only part of the problem of errors, distortions, and omissions in doctrine; another part of the problem was the preoccupation of religious teachers with psychological factors that had little to do with teaching at all.”

By the fall of 1974 the religious establishment in the United States produced a “study aid” to be used as a companion document for the bishops’ Basic Teachings For Catholic Religious Education. It was released by the Division of Religious Education, a division under the bishops’ own United States Catholic Conference (USCC). Entitled, A Study Aid for Basic Teachings for Catholic Religious Education, the publication was a bibliography of 82 books recommended by this USCC religious education office for those teaching the Catholic religion. A quick perusal of the books makes it clear that a religious teacher using these books would encounter doctrines and principles at variance with and at times in direct contradiction to the doctrine and teachings mandated by the American bishops. For example, Basic Teachings For Catholic Religious Education states, “In the Old Testament God revealed himself as the one true personal God” while a study aid book claims, The manner of thinking and speaking about God in traditional Christian piety, and even in most professional theology, is no longer in harmony with the contemporary experience of reality.” Or again, the American bishops naturally refer to the teaching authority of the magisterium in doctrinal and moral matters, but a study aid book responds, “Seeking moral guidance through our Roman Catholic Church alone is an appeal which we are not wise to make in any Christian matter, doctrinal or moral.”


Catechesis in Our Times (1979)

In 1977 the bishops of the universal Church met in Rome to discuss a serious problem that had been developing since the Second Vatican Council. The general assembly of Bishops’ synod was on catechesis. The council fathers noted that since the Second Vatican Council it has been a “hazardous time” for theological research, a time of unpleasant “stirrings.” (8.61) Despite the abuses of a few renewal leaders, the synod saw catechesis as a precious gift of the Holy Spirit for genuine renewal of the Church. While the theme of the synod was chosen by Pope Paul VI, he was succeeded by Pope John Paul II who had taken part in the synod. It was Pope John Paul II who wrote the postsynodal apostolic exhortation, which was a new type of papal document that summarized the thoughts and concerns of the pope and bishops.

Catechesis Tradendae (Catechesis in Our Times) was published on the first anniversary of Pope John Paul the Great’s anniversary of election, Oct 16 1979. It consisted of nine chapters. One may read each chapter as a potential corrective to the many misdirections new catechesis had taken. The first chapter explained that all catechesis must focus on the mystery of Jesus Christ. The second, illustrated how catechesis was historical. The third chapter situated catechesis as a pastoral activity and demanded that doctrine be imparted in a systematic way. The fourth reminded readers that the content of catechesis was the good news. Fifth, emphasized that not just children but everyone needed catechesis. The sixth and seventh chapters offered some ways and means of catechesis. Eight explored the joy of faith even in a troubled world and the nine chapter reminded all Catholics that the job of catechesis concerns us all.

Surprisingly and significantly the document begins with a discussion of Jesus’ teaching in Mark 10. It should not go unnoticed that the harshest critics of Jesus’ teaching were the religious leaders of the day. The exhortation itself assumes a positive tone but offers a gentle chastening to the current religious leaders of the day, the progressive catechists and directors of religious education. In 1.17 we hear, “Renewal is sometimes unequal in value; the synod fathers realistically recognized, not only an undeniable advance in the vitality of catechetical activity and promising initiatives, but also the limitations or even deficiencies in what has been achieved to date. These limitations are particularly serious when they endanger integrity of content.” Light criticisms of the new catechesis are spread throughout the document. in section 7.55 the fathers observe that the new catechists have demanded “almost a complete suppression . . .of memorization in catechesis.” This the Church fathers reject and call for a “restoration of judicious balance between reflection and spontaneity, between dialogue and silence, between written work and memory work.” Finally one of the most direct corrections strikes at the heart of the new catechetics. In section 3.22 the pope writes, it is “useless to campaign for the abandonment of serious and orderly study of the message of Christ in the name of a method concentrating on life experience.”


Sharing the Light of Faith (1979)

Sharing the Light of Faith was the first national catechetical directory submitted by a national hierarchy to the Vatican for approval. The bishops of the United States national catechetical directory followed the same outline as the General Catechetical Directory produced by Rome but focused its attention on the catechetical needs of the American Church. This national directory expressed a keen awareness of issues within American catechetics and took a very balanced approach whether dealing with doctrine versus experience, the inductive method of teaching versus the deductive method, religious instruction as cognitive versus emotional, or even the “People of God” understanding of Church as it had been placed against the institutional model, all were held in tension for their value and usefulness. From the accompanying letter from the Congregation for the Clergy giving official approval to the document, it was evident that the work was greeted by the magisterial review with pleasure.

Just as the National Conference of Diocesan Directors of Religious Education (NCDDRE) moved to undermine the Roman Congregation for the Clergy’s General Catechetical Directory and the USCC Division of Religious Education sought to overburden the U.S. bishop’ Basic Teachings For Catholic Religious Education so too did both groups react against the Vatican approved Sharing the Light of Faith submitted by the Unites States National Conference of Catholic Bishops. In April 1979 the NCDDRE released their Discussion Guide utilizing familiar techniques summaries of content were followed by “commentary” and list of recommended readings (many from open dissenters against Catholic teaching). The Discussion Guide again becomes a quasi-official vehicle for disseminating on the local diocesan level teaching, viewpoints and practices at odds with the directives of the American bishops or the Vatican. The USCC Division of Religious Education sought to subvert Sharing the Light of Faith by sponsoring a special issue of Living Light, the professional religion education journal it publishes, to critique and raise questions that the bishops had answered and settled in the document. In her article Sister Anne Marie Mongoven obfuscates “the Directory reflects our diversity and unity. Every reader can look at and find whatever he or she wants to see.”

Paul Likoudis recounts how top officials of the Vatican and key U.S. Bishops had a mini-summit in 1989 where Cardinal John O”Connor remarked that there had not been any genuine catechetical renewal in the United States in over thirty five years. “Years of confusion and diversity in catechetical instruction material . . .[have] left an entire generation in a state of ambiguity.” Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger observed that “religious education had been turned over to the so-called professional, [resulting in the] “confusion of voices, making it all the more difficult to recognize that of the Gospel.” Bishop Raymond Lucker, who has been called a tragic figure of the new catechesis later quipped, the cardinals views sounded like those “reactionary” groups such as “Catholics United for the Faith,” the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars and the readers of the Wander.

Religion Texts of the 1980s

W. H. Sadlier published the God With Us series in the early 1980s. The approach underlying the series was focused on the practice of Catholics. As described by the new catechist Thomas Groome praxis instruction involves “enabling people to live humanly and freely by interpreting and living their lives through the paschal event” The Sadlier instruction materials used a methodology of five movements: first, the student looks at his own experience; second, the student tries to understand the implications of that experience; third, the student considers the tradition which speaks to their experience; fourth the student reflects on the faith and experience of the community and finally the student should make decisions on how they want to live and experience the faith.

In light of continuous criticism that the catechetical material lacked doctrine or content in 1988 Sadlier revised God With Us renaming it Coming to Faith. The content and program remained basically the same but more explicitly Catholic terminology was used. Biblical material was introduced and emphasis was placed on the teaching social justice.

Benzinger published In Christ Jesus (1981-82) in both a Catholic school edition and one for parish religious education programs. The catechetical material included graded activity books, teacher resources books, testing components, family handbooks, music programs, catechist enrichment books, Hispanic resource materials, posters, and recommended media. The overall program took its direction from Catechesis in Our Time and the other catechetical directories. After the now common criticism of a lack of Catholic doctrine or content the series was revised in 1986 to focus on Catholic identity. To calm criticism from traditional Catholics, mention of historic devotions like the rosary and Way of the Cross were made. The series reintroduced traditional topics such as the lives of the saints and the Church’s liturgical calendar.


Guidelines for Doctrinally Sound Catechetical Materials (1990)

Responding to continued dissatisfaction of the faithful, the U.S. bishops published Guidelines for Doctrinally Sound Catechetical Materials. In view of the ever increasing quantity, and diversity of materials available the bishops decided to offer just two basic principles for doctrinal soundness: catechetical materials are to present the Christian message authentically and second, biblical, ecclesial, liturgical tradition needs to inform the content of all catechetical materials. The bishops directions were intended to have the religious experts express the Catholic faith as an incarnate and dynamic mystery. But the variety of materials and teaching approaches made it harder and harder to regulate catechetical materials. It has been observed by many that “religious educators were almost always able to do quite well was to lead the bishops away from familiar areas that the latter knew well, such as theology and the faith, and lead them into the thickets of new pedagogy, the new psychology, the new educational techniques, and so on, where the only possible guides the bishops had were the religious educators themselves.”


Catechism of the Catholic Church

The publication in 1992 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church was a major event and shift in the history of catechetics. The text is written in a narrative style and returns to the traditional four pillars used by the Baltimore Catechism and the earlier Catechism of the Council of Trent: Creed, Sacraments, Commandments and Prayer. The catechism is a positive, objective, declarative and authoritative exposition of Catholic doctrine.

Before early drafts of the new universal catechism had been released officially, American theologians and leaders of the new catechetical movement attempted to have the catechism killed. As it became clear that the project was moving forward by Rome’s command, the religious establishment tried to shape and limit its impact by analyzing and critiquing sections of the catechism as they became available for review. For example, the Woodstock Center at Georgetown University held conferences on the catechism and ultimately published a collection of American responses to it. From the back cover of the book we read, “The Universal Catechism Reader is a response to the Universal Catechism by 15 American experts in theology and religious education. Each scholar explains, evaluates, and critiques the catechism from his or her field of expertise.”

Father Thomas J. Reese of Georgetown writes the Introduction where he explains, “After the Second Vatican Council, religious educators revised their methods and texts to reflect the reforms and teachings of the council. Incorporated into the texts and courses were fruits of contemporary scripture scholarship, ecumenism, [and] liturgical renewal . . . these changes did not come without controversy. The improvements were opposed by conservatives . . . [However] few Catholics want to return to the old and simple days of the Baltimore Catechism . . . but these few were often vocal and active.” What is interesting to note is that the experts who are in fact the minority cast the opposition as the minority as well as conservative and backward glancing, loud and vocal. These experts, while claiming to be simply following the Vatican and the reforms of the council, actually react against the Vatican. When Father Thomas reviews the new catechism he states, “The catechism fails to reflect contemporary developments in scripture, history, doctrine, catechetics and moral theology. In my opinion, the document needs to be totally rewritten.”

A few snippets preview the articles and provide a flavor for the scholarly response to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Sister Mary Boys of Boston College writes, “As a commentary on Scripture, the catechism is an unreliable guide” (p 43). Elizabeth Johnson then from Catholic University of America adds, “The figure of Jesus comes across as a cold fish, knowing everything [and] in complete control . . . the Christ is far above our human struggles, and so rather useless for preaching, evangelization and catechesis” (p 70). Lisa Sowle Cahill sees it as a negative that the “catechism’s basic frame of reference for understanding sexuality’s meaning is heterosexual, permanent, procreative marriage” (p 166). Religious educator William O’Mally of Fordham comments, “I find it not just unhelpful for its ultimately intended audience, but a positive obstacle” (p 201). He writes further, “I was not ‘disappointed’ in the catechism, since much of it was just what I feared, : mind-vising prose, the suffocating proliferation of quotations from scripture . . . consistently sexist language” Fr. Richard McBrien of Notre Dame continued to advocate that “this project should be abandoned.” Fr. Thomas reaches the conclusion that, “Official approval of this text . . . would be more than a setback, it would be a disaster” (p 11).

In his book, Gospel Catechesis Catechism, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who would later become Pope Benedict the sixteenth, wrote with regret how the new Catechism of the Catholic Church had been “shut-out” of academia and the religious establishment of experts. “Meanwhile, there is no overlooking the fact that the Christian world has pronounced a very different judgment. Wherever it is published, the Catechism generates a demand that puzzles not only sociologists and pollsters but . . . catechetical experts.” Interestingly enough, not only has the Catechism been well received by the hierarchy and laity of the Catholic Church, but furthermore, many Protestants, especially Evangelicals have given the Catechism resounding praise. In the book, Is the Reformation Over, Dr. Mark Noll devotes a chapter to evaluating the Catechism. Noll writes, “Evangelicals or confessional Protestants who pick up the Catechism will find themselves in for a treat. Sentences, paragraphs, whole pages sound as if they could come from evangelical pulpits . . . readers will also notice the depth of scholarship, worn quite lightly, with hundreds of references to Scripture but also citations from early theologians of the Christian faith.” Many other have noticed this ever widening dichotomy between religious experts and the rest of the Church. Father Wrenn wrote a more recent book chronicling how these experts have acted against the teaching of the Catholic Church called, Flawed Expectations: The Reception of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1996). Wrenn observes, “Many of these critics were to be found in the ranks of academics, theologians, and religious educators, in general among . . . the very kind of people who should have been interested in a clear, consistent, post-Vatican II statement of what the Catholic Church holds and teaches.” However, “the catechetical establishment in the United States does not much like the Catechism of the Catholic Church and has been expending considerable energies preparing commentaries and training materials evidently aimed at neutralizing if not replacing it.”

How have the publishing firms in the United States responded? Benzinger published Come Follow Me (1991-92, revised 1996-97) reflecting the emphasis of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The program and the text changed in many ways: activities, practices and prayers were included which fostered Catholic identity, definition and points to memorize were added. W. H. Sadlier published a new edition of Coming to Faith (1995-96) to promote “a continuing commitment to religious literacy . . . [for] children in their Catholic faith practice.” Texts include reference to the CCC and instructors are urged by the guide to use the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a resource. It appears as if the universal catechism and the resolve of the Vatican have reached the ears of the publishers. Even as I present this paper there are two further documents of significance on their way to the shelves of the bookstores. First is the new National Directory for Catechesis (2005) and second is the new national catechism recently approved by Rome. As of yet I have not heard a title given to it but the new catechism is scheduled to enter publication today (April 1, 2006). Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will move theologians, religious leaders, and DREs, as well as the rest of the Catholic faithful, to embrace and abide by these authoritative guides to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

(Footnotes)

1.This paper resulted from discussions with the seminarians at the Pontifical College Josephinum who became students in a course I taught on Catholic catechesis. I offer them my sincere thanks and pray for their continued influence in the field of catechetics.

2.Writing in Spring of 2005 M Jane Carew, OV. writes, “There are three generations of catechetically illiterate Catholics. Of the very large numbers of inactive Catholics in the United States, the largest group is those who detach from the practice of their faith prior to their twenties.” “Are Seminaries Meeting the Current Challenges of Catechetics?” Seminary Journal Vol. 11 No. 1 (Spring 2005) 68. See also John C. Cavadini, “Ignorant Catholics: The Alarming Void in Religious Education,” Commonweal, April 9, 2004.

3. James Youniss, John Convey, and Jeffrey McLellan (eds.) The Catholic Character of Catholic Schools (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2000) 2, 11.

4.Dennis Doyle, The Church Emerging from Vatican II (Mystic, CT. : Twenty-Third Publications, 2002)

5.Carew, “Are Seminaries,” 70.
6.Mary Perkins Ryan, Are Parochial Schools the Answer? Catholic Schools in Light of the Council (New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1964)
7.Catherine Dooley, “The Religious Education Curriculum in Catholic Schools,” in The Catholic Character of Catholic Schools (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2000) 160.


8.Carew, 70.
9.Wrenn, Catechisms, 157.
10.Michael Wrenn, Catechisms and Controversies: Religious Education in the Postconciliar Years, (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1991) 158.
11.While there are many publishers of catechetical materials available today, I have chosen to focus on the work of W.H. Sadlier and Benziger publishing companies, since these two companies have been producing Catholic materials since before the creation of the Baltimore Catechism of 1885.

12. Referring to the GCD’s no. 38 requirement to teach the “entire structure of the Christian message” FAC replies that such a requirement is “educational nonsense.” Focus on American Catechetics: A Commentary on the General Catechetical Directory, (Washington D.C.: NCEA, 1972) 63.
13. Focus on American Catechetics, 23-24.

15.14.Wrenn Catechisms, 171
Division of Religious Education –CCD, United States Catholic Conference, A Study Aid for Basic Teachings for Catholic Religious Education (Washington D.C.: 1974).
16.Gregory Baum, New Horizons: Theological Essays (Mahwah, N.J.: Paulist Press, 1972) 56-57.
17.Gerard S. Sloyan, How Do I Know I Am Doing Right? (Dayton, OH: Pflaum, 1966) 116.

18.Discussion Guide to Sharing the Light of Faith (Washington D.C.: NCDDRE, 1979).
19.Anne Marie Mongoven, Living Light (1979)136.
20.Paul Likoudis, “Bishop Raymnd Lucker: A Tragic Figure of the ‘New Catechetics’” available at http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=3961; Internet; accessed March 29, 2006.
21.Thomas H. Groome, “Christian Education for Freedom: A Shared Praxis Approach,” in Foundations, ed P.O’Hare, 10-11.

22. Wrenn Catechisms, 203.
23.When writing his article on “True and False Reform” in the 2003 August / September issue of First Things, Cardinal Avery Dulles observers “religious illiteracy has sunk to a new low” yet suggests optimism identifying the Catechism of the Catholic Church as the first step towards genuine Catholic revival. Avery Cardinal Dulles, “True and False Reform,” First Things, August /September 2003.


24.Thomas J. Reese, The Universal Catechism Reader (1990),1.

25.Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Gospel Catechesis Catechism: Sidelights on the Catechism of the Catholic Church (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1997), 7.
26.Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom, Is the Reformation Over? An Evangelical Assessment of Contemporary Roman Catholicism (Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic, 2005), 116.
27.Wrenn Flawed, 164, 204.
28.Coming to God’s Word, Grade Six, Teacher’s Annotated Guide in Coming to Faith (New York: W.H.Sadlier, 1996), T6.

[tinytherese]

Can Reform Come? by Donna Steichen http://www.catholicculture.org/library/view.cfm?recnum=551

Discussion of Medieval Catechesis (From My Contemporary Religious Education Class)

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, civilization loses its literacy. Priests were often poorly educated while most lay people were illiterate.

Catechesis tends to rely on visual communication and memory tools such as basing instruction on the number seven (7 sacraments, 7 capital sins, 7 works of mercy, etc)

Much of the religious instruction was done thru the arts, sculpture, paintings, stainglass, plays, music, etc. Morality plays and stories focusing on the lives of the saints become popular. Visiting shrines and celebrating festivals and feast days were part of the Church’s catechesis.

The rise in traveling preachers like the Franciscans and Dominicans led to preaching as another source of instruction.

Introduction of Aristotalianism to Middle Ages

Saint Thomas Aquinas preached several series of influential sermons based on the Creed, Our Father & Hail Mary, the Sacraments and Commandments.

Catechesis was often devotional in nature, that is to say it was acted out or embodied (such as a pilgrimage).

-Growth of monasteries, birth of universities, theology considered a “science”
-tendency to downplay historical narrative of Christ's life.

Discussion on Early Catechesis

Biblical Period

The term “catechesis” is used repeatedly in the New Testament. See Luke 1:4, Acts 18:25, Romans 2:18 and Gal 6:6 As examples of oral instruction and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

Early catechesis (centuries 1-5) often focused on the “two ways” (one leading to death, the other to life) as exemplified in the Didiache.

Essential instruction concerning Jesus Christ and his kingdom of God was given person to person, frequently in the home or in small home-churches.

-personal evangelism and instruction based on life events and encounters. (families)
-development of memorized formulas (creeds)

Apostle Period

Gradually catechesis became an integral part of the ritual of initiation into the Church. Instruction would take place as part of one’s participation in the liturgy, particularly through homilies.

Much of the focus was centered on the Apostle’s Creed and the Our Father going phrase by phrase in the explanation. Catechesis was strongly biblical.

-Preparing for Baptism (liturgical)
Sermons and Lectures becoming Church centered
Evangelism (out groups) Catechesis ([almost] in groups)


-Fall of the Roman Empire
Shift from adult to child catechesis
missionary catechesis (converting barbarians)
(6-15th centuries) As missionaries converted the barbarian tribes at times there were mass conversions with minimal instruction before baptism. Infant baptism became the norm. Instruction becomes the primary responsibility of the parent, and Godparents, after baptism.


Augustine's Enchiridion uses a two-fold structure of faith and hope. (creed and Lord's Prayer)
-Shift from simple chronology of events of Christ's life to a deeper reflection and recognition of material. Augustine urged the use of a narrative approach tracing salvation history through the Bible.

Augustine arranges his next catechism around the three virtues of Faith, Hope and Love. He links the Apostle’s Creed to Faith, he links the Our Father to Hope and he links the Ten Commandments to Love.

Early instruction remains primarily oral, and a strong connection is made between belief/doctrine and a changed life/daily living.

-Synodal decrees
tell parent/teachers to use Creed and Lord's Prayer

700 AD Disputatio Puerorum per Interrogationes et restonses adopts an explicit Q & A format

Edited February 13, 2011 by tinytherese

[ExCorde]

[quote name='tinytherese' timestamp='1297546204' post='2211747']
I took a class on catechesis at Benedictine College before transfering and learned a heck of a lot. Finding out how the problems in catechesis that we have today came to be was depressing.
[/quote]

Woah, that's quite a bit of stuff! Thanks a lot therese!

What we have here is a few articles that greatly contribute to explain the history of catechesis, particularly since Vatican II!

It was interesting to realize that even Sadlier, as Teresa mentioned before, has went through several editions, revisions and improvements, but that it was said that «[b]On Our Way, Sadlier's pre-conciliar series[/b] by a pre-conciliar[b] Sister Maria de la Cruz Aymes[/b], [are] the best elementary catechetical series ever published.»

That book, [b]The Craft of Catechesis[/b], came recommended on the IgnatiusScoop blog post about the YouCat catechism. On it, a link was offered to read the whole preface online:

[img]http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/images/featureart1/july08/craftofcatechesis.jpg[/img]

[b][url="http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2008/craftcatechesis_preface_july08.asp"][b]The Catechism: Proclamation and Pedagogy | The Preface to [i]The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Craft of Catechesis[/i] | Petroc Willey, Ph.D., S.T.L., Pierre de Cointet, and Barbara Morgan[/b][/url]
[/b]
Another insightul article is to be found there:

[img]http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/images/featureart1/oct2005/liturgy_catechesis.jpg[/img]

[b][url="http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2005/bmorgan_catech1_oct05.asp"][b]Liturgy, Catechesis, and Conversion | Barbara Morgan[/b][/url] (1997 - 2 parts)[/b]

There are also some interesting references on [b]Franciscan University of Steubenville's[/b] [b][url="http://franciscan.edu/Programs/Default.aspx?id=572&menu_id=80"][b]Why Catechetics?[/b][/url][/b] page, where she teaches.

[ExCorde]

This testimony is precious! It's from another thread, pretty related to this one, that looks into the matter from the perspective of what is missing in the lives of those catechists teach, [i][url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=110909"][i][b]Why Are We So Distracted From God When We're Young? What are young people really looking for?[/b][/i][/url][/i]

[quote name='Sister Marie' timestamp='1297553185' post='2211811']
I'm a religious sister in my twenties. I teach the middle school grades in a Catholic school. I have found that the most important thing I give to my kids as far as religious education is concerned is myself. I try as often as I can to be an open book. It is amazing how deeply it has affected them and myself. First, they are not afraid to broach any subject with me because they know I'm going to be real with them about it and I'm not going to be embarrassed to talk about anything they need to talk about. Second, I tell them how I struggle and deal with things in my own life. I tell them how I feel when I pray. I tell them how I pray. I give them specific examples from my own life. I tell them about my life before I was a sister and my life now that I am a sister. I tell them about my family. The third thing I do is challenge them. Are they man or woman enough to follow Christ? I make sure that I don't water it down because my kids are looking for a challenge.

I see the fruits of this when they come back after a tough lesson and say that they think they understand and they will try. I see it when they tell me about the sacrifices of their wills they have made to God. I see it when they admit they have failed to do the right thing. I see it when they suggest prayer over a difficult time (like right now in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia).

Because I'm able to connect with their emotions and experiences they get it. It is standard educational practice in any subject area that if you want them to learn you have to appeal to emotion and experience.

We have a really tough world to fight against though. They are constantly being bombarded by lies and sin. Whatever we do, we have to do it from a deep relationship with Christ because He alone can touch their hearts. Kids are amazing at detecting "fakes" or "phonies". Not to suggest that anyone teaching religious education is fake or phony; however, if we aren't willing to be really truthful and vulnerable with them they might see it that way. The greatest compliment I got from a student was "Sister is holy, but she knows the business." The "business" being the world's definition of happiness which they are trying to conform to but are not finding any fulfillment in; I'm just challenging them to think a little differently.
[/quote]

[tinytherese]

This song makes me think of what a catechist is supposed to be like and what we can do to evangelize.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgrigf-Ca48

[fides quarens intellectum]

[quote name='ExCorde' timestamp='1297371113' post='2211040']
[list][*][i][color="#0000ff"]What I'm asking:[/color][/i][/list]
Does anyone know where one can learn more about this history of catechetics and the sources used by Moran and Groome, why it was appealing? (try to salvage as many positive things as you can from it)
[/quote]

You would probably like Eamonn Keane's [u]A Generation Betrayed[/u] as an excellent source for understanding some of this. I know that book dealt a lot with Groome and Elizabeth Fiorenza, but I don't remember it touching on Moran. However, it is a great book for the recent history of catechetics.

[ExCorde]

[quote name='tinytherese' timestamp='1297680886' post='2212232']
This song makes me think of what a catechist is supposed to be like and what we can do to evangelize.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgrigf-Ca48"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Dgrigf-Ca48[/url]
[/quote]

I hear ya... Love it and already shared it with a "seeker".

[quote name='fides quarens intellectum' timestamp='1297830494' post='2212849']
You would probably like Eamonn Keane's [u]A Generation Betrayed[/u] as an excellent source for understanding some of this. I know that book dealt a lot with Groome and Elizabeth Fiorenza, but I don't remember it touching on Moran. However, it is a great book for the recent history of catechetics.
[/quote]

Thanks! It seems to be sold out everywhere though, the used copies have some of those ridiculous prices, bummer.