April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
PERSPECTIVE
Living the faith after the 1950s
But just what is catechesis? It has been called by many names over the years: "catechism classes," "religious instruction," "CCD," "religious education," "faith formation."
Each of these names gives us a glimpse of our recent history, but none captures the essence of what catechesis is.
As a child, I remember walking from my public school to my parish every Tuesday afternoon for "released time religious instructions." In a 45-minute time span, Sister Rosaria was charged with making sure her class of 35 "publics" could properly recite from memory the responses to her questions from the Baltimore Catechism.
Some days I got a gold star, and some days I did not. But I later realized that I didn't "learn my faith" by going to those Tuesday-afternoon classes. My faith was learned as I watched my parents, my aunt, my neighbors and people in my parish in their daily life as they prayed at home and taught me to pray...as we worshipped on Sundays and holy days...as we fought and forgave, shared meals together, cared for the sick, buried the dead, treated people with dignity and advocated for their needs.
I learned to embrace a Catholic way of life first by "rubbing elbows" with real people of faith. Then I learned that there was a particular Catholic language to this way I was living. This is how I was catechized, as were many of my own generation.
Today, this is not always the case. Many people are disconnected from their extended families or other close-knit communities that can serve as models and mentors of living faith. Many are only peripherally connected to their parishes.
Weekly classes, however creative the methodology, will not substitute for this gap. Although these classes might teach a language of faith, if there is no lived foundation on which to give this language any meaningful context, what is taught will not likely be "caught."
This is a huge challenge today -- and a reality that Sister Rosaria, in the 1950s, never envisioned!
One step in the right direction was the reintroduction of the early Church's practice of Christian initiation in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). In the early Church, when someone desired to know Jesus Christ and become Christian, he or she would be enrolled in the "catechumenate" for an extended period of time.
The entire community would take these catechumens under its wing to help them grow in relationship to Jesus Christ and learn the "way" of Christian life. Their faith formation would involve exploring the Scriptures and the teachings of the Apostles, learning to pray and learning the how a Christian lived in community, served others and generally faced life.
The community's life was the "curriculum" and accompaniment was the method. This is the way to conversion for an unbaptized person today through the RCIA process.
The General Directory for Catechesis, which articulates the universal Church's vision for catechesis, says that "the model for all catechesis is the baptismal catechumenate." Essentially, we all grow in faith by accompanying one another in the faith journey, learning with one another as we walk the path of life.
Pope Francis reiterates this in "The Joy of the Gospel," calling us all to learn this "art of accompaniment," walking gently and patiently with each other, safeguarding the sacred dignity of each person and his or her journey of faith.
Many pastors and catechetical leaders are realizing that making disciples of Jesus Christ can best happen in community -- in the family and the parish - for the whole of life, and are taking steps to create intentional intergenerational experiences where people of all ages can learn, pray, eat and serve together; listen to each other; grow in relationship to one another, mentor and comfort each other; and challenge one another to live justly.
Catechesis has always been about making disciples of Jesus Christ. Although the methods change, the mission remains the same -- and I'm sure Sister Rosaria is praying for us and cheering us on!
(Mrs. Solimini is associate director of the diocesan Office of Prayer and Worship, supporting parishes in adult, intergenerational and sacramental catechesis.)[[In-content Ad]]
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