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~ ‘Catechesis is an education in the
faith of children, young people and adults which includes
especially the teaching of Christian doctrine imparted,
generally speaking, in an organic and systematic way, with a
view to initiating the hearers into the fullness of
Christian life.’8 6 While not
being formally identified with them, catechesis is built on
a certain number of elements of the Church’s pastoral
mission which have a catechetical aspect, that prepare for
cateche— sis, or spring from it. They are: the
initial proclamation of the Gospel or missionary preaching
to arouse faith; examination of the reasons for belief,
experience of Christian living; celebration of the
sacraments; integration into the ecclesial community; and
apostolic and missionary witness.9 7
‘Catechesis is intimately bound up with the whole of
the Church’s life. Not only her geographical extension
and numerical increase, but even more her inner growth and
correspondence with God’s plan depend essentially on
catechesis.”° 8 Periods of
renewal in the Church are also intense moments of
catechesis. In the great era of the Fathers of the Church,
saintly bishops devoted an important part of their ministry
to catechesis. St Cyril ofJerusalem and St John Chrysostom,
St Ambrose and St Augustine, and many other Fathers wrote
catechetical works that remain models for us.”
9 ‘The ministry of catechesis draws ever fresh energy
from the councils. The Council of Trent is a noteworthy
example of this. It gave catechesis priority in its
constitutions and decrees. It lies at the origin of the
Roman Catechism, which is also known by the name of that
council and which is a work of the first rank as a summary
of Christian teaching. .“~ The Council of Trent
initiated a remarkable organization of the Church’s
catechesis. Thanks to the work ofholy bishops and
theologians such as St Peter Canisius, St Charles Borromeo,
St Turibius of Mongrovejo or St Robert Bellarmine, it
occasioned the publication of numerous catechisms.
10 It is therefore no surprise that catechesis in the
Church has again attracted attention in the wake of the
Second Vatican Council, which Pope Paul VI considered the
great catechism of modern times. The General Catechetical
Direc tory (1971), the sessions of the Synod of Bishops
devoted to evangelization |
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