Franciscan at Home

Montessori’s name is associated with a teaching methodology for children that is particularly attuned to their needs and capacities.  We might wish to take this thought as a springboard for how God provides for us as his children, with the provision of a catechetical environment enabling us to receive all that we need for our growth as his free sons and daughters.

What is an effective and truly engaging model for Catechesis? R Jared Staudt argues that a new approach is needed, one that cultivates every aspect of faith to create a dynamic experience of the Christian life for those being catechized.

In a short piece entitled “Models of Catechesis,” Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., describes various approaches to catechesis practiced by the Church in the twentieth century. Foremost among these Dulles lists doctrinal catechesis, which “relies heavily on the authority of Scripture and the Magisterium of the Church,” and whose “objective is to produce Christians who are confident and orthodox in their faith.”[i] It is not surprising that a dire crisis in both confidence and orthodoxy afflicted the Church in the late twentieth century when doctrinal methods of catechesis were virtually abandoned.[ii] In what follows, I will argue that new approaches to catechesis, rather than being completely abandoned, should be integrated in a holistic fashion in which the doctrinal method holds priority. Such “holistic catechesis” will lead to a vibrant spiritual life for those catechized in which the faith that is learned is also encountered and, ultimately, lived out.

In this article Sr Hyacinthe examines the ways in which Notre Dame de Vie’s catechesis provides for an encounter with God to take place.

All catechesis can be thought of as a response to the fundamental human desire for God.

‘The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God’[i]. God is the origin and finality of the human person. Catechesis should never be thought of as something imposed arbitrarily and somehow artificially on children and young people just because Christianity happens to be the religion in which they are brought up. Catechesis is rather there to answer a need which corresponds to a thirst, present in all human beings created for God.

The first part of this article explored this desire for God and introduced the catechetical work of Notre Dame de Vie, a French programme and approach which I believe engages in a profound way with this desire.

In this second part of the article I would like to examine how Notre Dame de Vie’s catechesis provides for this encounter with God to take place and recount some catechists’ experience in using the programme Viens, suis-moi, tracing its impact in the sacramental, moral and prayer life of the children, in these ecclesial expressions of the life of grace.

What does it mean in practice to teach faithfully?

This series is about catechetical methods and how these methods are chosen ‘in the light of the pedagogy of God’ (GDC 148). So far in this series we have covered methods for teaching gracefully, prayerfully, biblically, liturgically, holistically, personally and attractively. By ‘methods’ we do not mean a fixed schema such as the ecclesial method or the method of shared praxis but a host of small practical ways of contributing to a session to enhance its unity with God’s own way of ‘treating us as sons’.

The GDC, as we know, sums up the need for faithfulness in the useful double principle of ‘fidelity to God and fidelity to man’(GDC 145). Fidelity to the Church is a perfect expression of this since it is in the Church that we find both God and man in the mystical body of Christ. The incarnation reminds us that as Christ is fully God and fully man, so our catechesis is to fully faithful to God and fully faithful to man, not a little bit faithful to each. It is useful to keep the distinction in mind, of fidelity to God on the one hand and fidelity to man on the other, in order to ensure that both are properly served because we each have a tendency to consider one more fully than the other. Fidelity to God means being faithful to all that God wants to reveal to his people. Fidelity to man means delivering the message in such a way that people can receive it, receive Christ.

Towards which half of the distinction are you inclined? Let us look at two examples to help identify the two tendencies. Consider a priest giving a faith-filled talk to a parish gathering for families - he spoke at such length that children started wandering around, then babies began crying, mothers began feeding them, fathers began finding games for the children to play quietly at the side of the room and still the priest continued, determined that the fullness of the message of the gospel would be expounded. By the time he had finished most of the people had left their seats empty in front of him. The example is an extreme one but a true story of fidelity to God - with no consideration of the audience.

Thomas Aquinas is not generally thought of in relation to catechesis. In fact, he is not referred to in the General Directory for Catechesis. However, Aquinas can render a valuable service to catechesis today as a model of pedagogy and a doctrinal resource for catechists.

In his essay entitled “Thomistic Theology and Religious Education,” Fr. Mark Heath provides a great service in bringing Aquinas into modern catechetical discourse. He lays out three main points, which he claims define Thomas’ contribution to catechesis: synthesis (systematic), theocentricity, and doctrine. Thomistic theology integrates all true insights (as seen especially in Thomas’ Aristotelianism), treats all things through and in relation to God, and is ordered toward a deeper understanding of the faith. These three points stand in stark contrast to current trends in catechesis, which focus on experience and praxis, as well as theories that emphasize whole-community catechesis. Therefore, Heath’s essay provides a helpful service in addressing the current crisis of catechesis, particularly by bringing Aquinas back into the discussion.

However, Heath’s essay can only be viewed as a preliminary effort. While he effectively brings forth key elements of Thomistic thought, the full catechetical significance needs further exploration. The content of Aquinas’ theology is actually tightly knit into a methodology intended to order one’s mind and heart to God. By focusing on the content of Thomas’ catechetical sermons (as well as of the Summa Theologiae) one can grasp how Aquinas’ presentation of doctrine is meant to draw the listener/reader into a deeper engagement with the realities that he presents.

“No one likes to be called stupid.” This statement spoken to me by a parish catechist attending a seminar I was presenting on The Story of Salvation provided me with a moment of clarity and grace. This catechist was hoping I could provide a way to speak about the accounts of Creation in Genesis that would deliver the truth without “looking stupid”. I had made the catechetical points and the catechist had accepted and acknowledged these. The question was not the faith of the catechist or her own assent to that faith. Neither did the question reflect timidity in proclaiming the Good News. The question was addressing the aspect of catechesis that is very real and perhaps the most daunting; how is the truth delivered to a culture which rejects the basic premise proposed? Perhaps even more to the point: how does a catechist respond, especially in areas where, in popular opinion, science or research seems to disprove, or at least test the credibility of the Word of God. When creation is proposed for belief, the response of the listener often contains terms such as “myth”, “story”, “childish”, “naïve” or just plain “stupid”. And no one likes to be called stupid.

Does a catechist need to know the scientific theories on evolution, quantum physics or genetics? Is it enough to understand how to read Sacred Scripture and that the account of creation was never meant to provide a scientific or even historical explanation of the origin of creation, including man? Perhaps we are not asking the right questions. The question to be addressed is whether the catechist has the confidence to propose the truth in a reasonable and intelligent way. The catechist needs to understand the difference between science and theology and how these two distinct threads of knowing are used in tapestry of God’s design to reveal his truth and glory and our salvation.

“After doing session 2 of Anchor on sin and forgiveness, a participant has decided to go to Confession. She hasn’t been for 20 years.” This was reported last month by a catechist who, together with a group of parishioners, leads the Anchor course in her parish as a formation for parents of children preparing for their first Holy Communion. The parents are prepared alongside the children, equipped to provide answers and a Faith environment at home that will allow the gift of God to take root and flourish in the children’s lives, by first taking root in their own lives. Preparation for the sacraments is a unique moment for evangelisation and catechesis, for children and parents alike.

“Mummy, what is that?” This is a question we often hear in the street or supermarket as we go about in our religious habit. The child is pointing at us and the mother doesn’t know what to answer. This family may come from a Catholic background, or the child may attend a Catholic school (1 in 10 in the UK). Yet children in the Western world are now generally far removed from any superficial layer of Christian culture that may have been handed down in previous generations.

Hence we face a challenge in children catechesis: can children be prepared for the Sacraments in Catholic schools and parishes when neither themselves nor their family have been evangelised? Are their dignity and freedom respected? How can catechesis integrate first proclamation?

A model of integration of first proclamation and catechesis is found in Come, follow me, a catechetical programme for children aged 7 to 11, specifically designed by members of Notre Dame de Vie Institute in France for the types of ecclesial situations we are facing.

La presentación de la doctrina debe de ser bíblica y litúrgica.

En el cuarto artículo de esta serie escribimos acerca de cómo asegurar que la presentación de la doctrina sea litúrgica. Este quinto artículo forma un díptico junto con el cuarto (una segunda mitad conectada con bisagra a la primera), es decir, la presentación de la doctrina debe también de ser bíblica. La Escritura y la Tradición – de las cuales la liturgia forma gran parte son los dos paneles del díptico que son distintos pero que no deben de ser separados.

La tarea primaria de la catequesis es de transmitir la Palabra de Dios, llamada a veces el ‘Evangelio de Cristo’. A menudo se entiende por ‘Palabra de Dios’ la sola Escritura, mientras que de hecho la Iglesia se refiere, mucho más plenamente, a la Persona entera de Cristo quien es la Palabra del Padre. Es Él quien es el Evangelio, la Buena Nueva. Es tan importante conservar la unidad de la Escritura y la Tradición que cuando se enseña desde la Escritura, es también provechoso considerar al Catecismo, y conversamente, cuando se enseña desde el Catecismo, también se debe de desarrollar el hábito de recurrir a la Escritura. i

Concretamente, entonces, se debe de cuidarse de usar un enfoque que utiliza o el Catecismo solo o la Escritura sola. Si en tu sesión, quieres referirte a un pasaje de las Escrituras durante tus enseñanzas, asegúrate de relacionarlo con un punto de la doctrina de la Iglesia. Si en tu sesión deseas referirte a un pasaje del Catecismo, asegúrate de relacionarlo con un pasaje de la Biblia.

¿Cómo podemos asegurar que demos un enfoque litúrgico a nuestra catequesis?

El corazón de lo que quiere decir la Iglesia con el término de catequesis litúrgica es que procedamos desde ‘lo visible a lo invisible, del signo a lo significado, de los "sacramentos" a los "misterios"’ (CIC 1075). ¡Este es el secreto de toda catequesis litúrgica! La liturgia, en fin de cuenta, permite un encuentro espiritual con Cristo Nuestro Señor – y es la razón por la cual la liturgia se describe como ‘la cumbre a la que tiende la acción de la Iglesia’ (CIC 1074).

Podríamos decir que la catequesis litúrgica tiene tres aspectos:

Primero, está la preparación catequética para la liturgia: podemos llamarla ‘la enseñanza para el Rito’. Catequizamos acerca de la liturgia para que la gente sepa qué esperar, para enseñarles el sentido de lo que verán y experimentarán.
Segundo, está la catequesis que sucede a través de la liturgia misma: Cristo y su Novia nos instruyen por medio de la liturgia, iluminando nuestra mente y nuestro corazón.
Tercero, hay una catequesis que sigue desde la gracia de la liturgia: ésta se llama ‘mistagogia’.
El enfoque de este artículo está sobre la primera de estas tres – estamos buscando cómo catequizar para preparar la gente para la liturgia. También damos sugerencias concretas sobre cómo proporcionar oportunidades para aquellos que están siendo catequizados para que experimenten más la liturgia, y así puedan ser catequizados por la liturgia misma. Para esto, tiene que haber un compromiso por integrar a las celebraciones litúrgicas a la catequesis para que podamos dar seguimiento a nuestra catequesis con, por ejemplo, la Santa Misa, la bendición, un tiempo de adoración, el Oficio Divino, o un acto de penitencia. Nos aseguramos que la liturgia de la parroquia forme una parte integral del programa catequético. El gran pensador y escritor catequético, Johannes Höfinger escribió:

‘He aquí la razón última y más decisiva del por qué la enseñanza a través del culto es superior a todas las demás formas de enseñanza cristiana: la liturgia da lo que enseña, no solamente presenta el misterio de Cristo de forma concreta: sino que también nos permite participar de forma inmediata en este misterio’.i

Esta es una verdad que podemos reiterar para aquellos a quienes enseñamos – y por supuesto nos ayuda a ver el por qué de la importancia de dar una catequesis sobre la liturgia para que las personas nunca queden sordas y ciegas ante las realidades espirituales que están al corazón de la liturgia.