Franciscan at Home

The evangelist Luke has reproduced in the Acts of the Apostles the journeys that the Apostle Paul undertook along with others in order to set up Christian communities the length, and breadth of the Roman empire. Highly significant is the use of the Greek verb ‘discipling’[i] that is used towards the end of the first journey (see Acts 14:21). Discipling could be considered as a synonym for catechesis. The very purpose of catechesis is to make disciples, disciples in the true sense of the word. In this article we shall examine the first journey of Paul (Acts 13:1­-14:28) so as to take note of the methods that the Apostle Paul used in order to win converts as well as to confirm them in their faith.
Luke has presented the person of Paul as an ideal catechist who is able to consolidate with his own personal life the faith of those entrusted to his care. What Paul is, is no doubt as important as what he does on behalf of the community by way of imparting faith formation.

At the outset of the first missionary journey, Luke refers to Saul [Paul] and Barnabas (along with three others) as prophets and teachers. This is what Paul is—a prophet and a teacher. These are two complementary gifts given by God in order to establish others in the faith.

A question I have often asked myself is, ‘Would I be willing to die for the Creed?’ It is natural to think that we would die for Jesus Christ or for the Church – well, at least I think it is natural. But would we die for what we believe? Is the Creed for us, as it was for St Ambrose, ‘unquestionably, the treasure of our soul’?[ii]

The General Catechetical Directory states, ‘In fusing his confession of faith with that of the Church, the Christian is incorporated into her mission: to be the “universal sacrament of salvation” for the life of the world. He who makes the profession of faith takes on responsibilities that not infrequently provoke persecution. In Christian history the martyrs are proclaimers and witnesses par excellence’ (GDC 83).

Miguel Pro, a Jesuit priest, understood this very well. He was born in 1891, in the tiny Mexican village of Guadalupe. His father was a mining engineer and Miguel learned compassion for the poor and suffering at an early age. He also learned his love for God and for the Church from his parents.

Catechists can learn from two Popes, beatified together by John Paul II: each called a Council; each loved Tradition; each wanted the Faith to reach today’s new audience.
During the Jubilee year, John Paul II beatified two of his predecessors: Pius IX and John XXIII. He said, ‘By divine design their beatification links these two popes who lived in very different historical contexts, but beyond appearances, share many human and spiritual similarities.’ Each of these Popes called an Ecumenical (universal) Council of the Church: Pius IX called Vatican I and John XXIII called Vatican II. Each of these Popes can be seen as deeply concerned to ensure both continuity with the past, within a dynamic sense of Tradition, and were also preoccupied in how to meet the challenges presented by their contemporary situations.

This Summer, the National Association of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd announced the that one of the founders of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Dr. Sofia Cavalletti, 94, died peacefully in her home in Rome, Italy. She died on Tuesday, August 23, 2011.

Sofia Cavalletti is certainly one of the most significant figures for catechesis, and in particular children’s catechesis, in this century. Dr. Cavalletti, together with her colleague Gianna Gobbi, began to work with children in 1954 in the area of children’s religious formation. She was first inspired to understand children’s spirituality following a discussion over a passage of scripture with several children. The children’s engagement and response to the discussion caused her to seek a deeper understanding of the relationship between God and the child.

Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi collaborated for more than 50 years listening to and observing children in the context of a prepared religious environment called an atrium, basing their approach on the principles of education developed by Maria Montessori. What children revealed to them was, above all, their profound capacities for relationship with God. Children from very diverse geographical, social and cultural environments responded to this relationship with a profound sense of joy which, Sofia Cavalletti said, “puts them in a particular state of peace, such as to make us think that this relationship satisfies a vital need within children.”

As well as visual appeal, YOUCAT significantly highlights the words of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, more than any other saintly inspiration. She has for many years had world-wide iconic status among all age groups, especially the young, for her relentless devotion to the poorest of the poor. Her prayer-soaked words marinate every section of the catechism. They need to be returned to often so as to savour them. By bringing Mother Teresa’s teaching together in this article I intend to allow the reader to view the full landscape of her thought, adding only brief commentary as a navigational aid.

In his forward to John Paul II: Catechist, Terence Cardinal Cooke stated that the Holy Father viewed ‘catechesis as one of the principal elements of his ministry of service to all of us.’ In the Preface to the same text, the author states that in Catechesi Tradendae, John Paul II, the Church’s first teacher of the faith, expounds his authoritative teaching on teaching the faith of Christ: the Pope appears in this document in his role as the Church’s principal catechist. He goes on to say that it is ‘no exaggeration to call it [CT] a new charter for religious education today.’

The formation of the laity is a life-long process, consciously undertaken in faith, as Newman well knew, but there is a special problem in awakening, retaining and reviving the Faith among the young. The problem is not new. It faces every generation. There are several reasons for this youthful resistance. In the first instance there is the natural disinclination of the young to accept the beliefs and customs of their elders. But one of the more corrosive causes of unbelief in the young is the relentless barrage of secularist propaganda that bombards them. Another contributory factor can be the reluctance (often well intentioned) of adults to give ‘a reasoned defence (apologia)… with gentleness and reverence’ of the Faith they hold (cf. 1 Peter 3.15). The fact remains that many people fail to recover the Faith to which they were introduced when young. Catholics may form the largest religious group in the United States, but it is said that the second largest consists of lapsed Catholics.

Pope St Gregory I, Doctor of the Church, was indeed a great Pope, and is one of the two popes formally considered ‘great’ by the Church. St Gregory the Great is a model of many virtues and for many vocations. This article will consider two of Gregory’s attributes, both of which are fundamental to the catechist: his understanding of the bishop as a physician of souls and his emphasis on the virtue of humility.

In the last issue we looked at the use of St. Augustine’s story of salvation as a unifying context for catechesis. Here we take a look at another of his catechetical contributions: the role of the theological virtues in teaching for conversion.

Ten years ago, I attended a debate between a Lutheran minister and an atheistic philosophy professor. The venue was a small theatre that seated about 300 people, but by the time it began, it was certainly pressing the limits of the fire code. People were seated in the aisles, behind the stage, and even out in the foyer.

The gentlemen took their places at their respective podiums and the Lutheran minister spoke first, saying ‘Those of you who believe in God, please pray that we do not have a fire!’ This drew much applause from half of the audience. He continued, ‘And for those of you who do not believe in God, well, you better just hope like hell.’

And thus, within his first two sentences, he had set forth the key theme of his presentation, not to mention the distinguishing feature of Christianity itself: namely, we are a people who believe, hope and love. Without Christ, we have no life.

This column highlights some of the complex positions, questions and comments experienced by catechists, teachers and parents. It outlines the knowledge necessary to be faithful to Church teaching and which will best help those we teach who call us to account for the hope that is in us (cf I Pet 3:15).

We look at how Mary helps us to ask the most important questions about our lives, and to find the answers to those questions.