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Forming those who form others

Children's Catechesis—Why Memorizing Scripture Is Vital for Our Children

Image of a family where parents are teaching Children to read the Sacred ScripturesIf you talk to an array of Catholics, you’ll likely hear differing experiences when it comes to memorization and their life of faith. Some are haunted by memories of being forced (and failing) to properly recite memorized facts about the faith in front of classmates and then being shamed for it. On the opposite pendulum swing, some were never tasked with memorizing anything about the faith. The truth of Catholicism, then, became like the seed sown on a rocky path, easily plucked away without deep roots.

What, then, is an approach to memorization in catechesis that is more closely aligned with the movement of the Holy Spirit in our times? The Church offers us the third way of meaningful memorization.

Memorization Cannot Be Severed from Catechesis

Pope St. John Paul II reaffirmed that “the blossoms, if we may call them that, of faith and piety do not grow in the desert places of a memory-less catechesis. What is essential is that texts that are memorized must at the same time be taken in and gradually understood in depth, in order to become a source of Christian life on the personal level and on the community level.”[1] As Catholics, we must memorize the truths of the faith. Memorization is essential to the fullness of life in Christ because in committing to memory his words and teachings, our whole person is formed more and more into his likeness. This is a lifelong process, which is why John Paul II reiterated that what we memorize must be understood ever more deeply.

When it comes to the catechesis of children, a worthy place to begin their life of memorization is in Sacred Scripture.

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Olivia Spears lives in Kentucky with her husband and four children and holds degrees in theology and catechetics. For over a decade, she has served in various catechetical ministries, most notably the teaching of her own children. Olivia now spends her work time creating catechetical resources that help parents build a legacy of faith in their homes at Into the Deep. Find out more at www.intothedeep.co.

This article is from The Catechetical Review (Online Edition ISSN 2379-6324) and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of The Catechetical Review by contacting [email protected]

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