Valodas

Franciscan at Home

Forming those who form others

Youth & Young Adult Catechesis: From Education to Transformation

St. John Bosco, the patron saint of working with youth, was known not only for how he taught the boys about the faith but how he formed them in the faith. John Paul II, in his letter Iuvenum Patris, wrote that St. John Bosco’s concern for the evangelization of his boys ‘was not limited to catechesis alone, nor to liturgy alone, nor to those religious practices which call for an explicit exercise of faith and lead to it, but covered the whole vast sector of the youth condition.’

St John Bosco did not only want his students to succeed in faith; he wanted them also to succeed in life. He knew that leading the boys to holiness required an orthodox curriculum. And he saw that it required other things as well. It involved him in building community, in job training, in involvement in government, in a whole range of social interactions, in finding the boys a place to live, and so on.

The National Directory for Catechesis, released by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, seems to agree with the saint’s vision. ‘The most effective catechetical programs for adolescents are integrated into a comprehensive program of pastoral ministry for youth that includes catechesis, community life, evangelization, justice and service, leadership development, pastoral care, and prayer and worship.’[i]

The phrase ‘comprehensive program’ and the list of components involved came out of Renewing the Vision, a USCCB document about youth ministry. Some wondered, ‘Are the bishops saying only youth ministry can do effective catechesis? Can nothing be done in the classroom anymore?’

The rest of this online article is available for current Guild members.

Join the Guild today!

Dr. Bob Rice is an internationally known speaker, acclaimed musician, and innovative writer. He is Professor of Catechetics and the Director of the Masters of Arts in Catechetics and Evangelization at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He has a PhD in Theology from Liverpool Hope University where he researched Catholic youth and evangelization. He is a highly sought after presenter at youth conferences, young-adult gatherings, men’s conferences, parish missions, and catechetical workshops. Bob has authored many books, articles, and award-winning scripts that have helped people come to a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith. Bob has recorded numerous CDs and leads worship for over ten thousand people every year, mostly through the Steubenville Adult and Youth Conferences. He is the host of EWTN’s Franciscan University Presents. Bob lives in Steubenville with his beautiful wife Jennifer and their seven adorable children. You can find out more about him at bob-rice.com. He is the author of the life of Christ novel, Between the Saivior and the Sea, written through St. Peter's eyes and the spiriutality book, A 40-Day Spiritual Workout for Catholics.

This article is from The Sower and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of Maryvale Institute. Contact [email protected]

Categorized Under
Categorized Under: 
Issue: 

Articles from the Most Recent Issue

Free Mary’s Motherhood: A Healing Balm in Our Modern Times

There ’s something particularly mysterious about the motherhood of Mary. Her fiat that shook the whole world as the uncontainable God chose to be contained within her womb. Her prompting at the wedding at Cana, “do whatever he tells you,” echoing through generations as if she is saying it directly to us. Her overwhelming trust in God as she endured... Read more

Free The Eucharist and Our Call to Mission

What does it mean to receive the Eucharist, to enter into communion with Jesus? We catechists can be so (rightfully!) focused on explaining how the Eucharist is Jesus himself that we might not spend time with our students considering the ramifications of receiving this divine gift. What does receiving the Eucharist mean for us? Is it for our personal spiritual... Read more

The Passover and the Eucharist as Redemptive Sacrifices

I suspect that most Catholics who have some familiarity with the Bible and the Eucharist could tell you that the Eucharistic celebration, rooted in the Last Supper, has connections with the Passover of Exodus and Jewish practice. We know that Jesus celebrated the Last Supper in the context of the Passover Feast and that he and his apostles used some... Read more
Designed & Developed by On Fire Media, Inc.