Catechesis

[bones_IV]

Catechesis, these days is non-existant. So, many catholics are taught a “barney” catechism. Many Catholics today are not catechized, due to the dissent in doctrine, liturgical abuse ect. The things mentioned here were some of the many things that led to the protestant reformation. So many people as a result are leaving the church.

 

[Jordan_1]

Hmmm, true. My priest doesn’t seem to chatechise people. However, having said that, he is a good priest, who ensures everything is done properly.

I sometimes think that priests are afraid to teach things about our faith because it might frighten people away . . .

 

[rjljune2]

Jordan,

I don’t think priests don’t proclaim the WORD and Church teaching because those I know do. Perhaps some (very few, Ihope,) don’t because of your reason but that would be very wrong and insecure. Do pray that all priests will boldly proclaim the Good News and bring many souls closer to God.

 

[buffalo]

The Pope has spoke out about this and said the homily should discuss the readings and should be catechetical too referencing the catechism.

 

[fhansen]

We can’t depend on the homilies for catechesis; that must come beforehand. The homilies, in conjunction with the gospel, can reinforce, clarify, remind us of, bolster and deepen our understanding of the faith.

 

[buffalo]

We can’t depend on the homilies for catechesis; that must come beforehand. The homilies, in conjunction with the gospel, can reinforce, clarify, remind us of, bolster and deepen our understanding of the faith.

Agreed - parents are the first teacher, but it would be nice to have it backed up from the high authority of the Church once in a while.

Look Mom and Dad I heard what you were saying, but I don’t even hear that from the Church. Mom and Dad you are just not with it…

 

[FidesSpesCarita]

The Mass, performed reverently and in accordance with the rubrics of the rite in use in that parish is the best form of catechesis anyone can hope for.

But I do pray that there will be more priests who are willing to:

1)challenge people to live their faith fully by informing their conscience and obtaining a deeper understanding of the faith

1. teach the truths of the Church regarding “hard” issues like abortion, contraception, euthanasia, and divorce
2. teach the importance of (and respect for) the sacrament of reconciliation and the necessity of being in a state of Grace (not aware of mortal sin) before receiving Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

 

[puzzleannie]

Catechesis, these days is non-existant. .

well thanks on behalf of thousands of my colleagues in every diocese I thank you for that blanket dismissal of our contributions to the Church in forming catechists and overseeing parish catechetical programs. Nice to know we are abject failures, we can all use a boost from time to time.

the homily is not primarily the place for catechetics it is for expanding on the readings of the day.

if adults are too dad blamed lazy to study their faith outside Mass, best they blame themselves rather than the catechists and parishes who knock themselves out providing those growth opportunities for them which they spurn.

If you are not happy with the state of catechesis in your parish, and are not contributing to that ministry and doing something about it, you are part of the problem.

 

[Joannm]

:clapping:

well thanks on behalf of thousands of my colleagues in every diocese I thank you for that blanket dismissal of our contributions to the Church in forming catechists and overseeing parish catechetical programs. Nice to know we are abject failures, we can all use a boost from time to time.

the homily is not primarily the place for catechetics it is for expanding on the readings of the day.

if adults are too dad blamed lazy to study their faith outside Mass, best they blame themselves rather than the catechists and parishes who knock themselves out providing those growth opportunities for them which they spurn.

If you are not happy with the state of catechesis in your parish, and are not contributing to that ministry and doing something about it, you are part of the problem.

:clapping:

I hear this so often as well and I agree with your assessment. In our parish I have some sort of adult catechesis offered practically each and every week and except for our ongoing Little Rock Scripture group (which has 15 people) I barely get a handful of people, and it is usually the same 5 every time. I was doing a workshop on the new missal in the parish and someone raised their hand and asked why they never heard about this until that night. I was shocked! Since Dec 2009 I have had monthly articles in the bulletin, our pastor wrote about it and preached about it, and I talked about it at every adult course I have taught in the last year…and its been in our diocesan paper.

We do parent education and they don’t come, then they question why we can’t do this or that. I had a parent question me after Mass that they read in their child’s book that the Eucharist is really Jesus and not just a symbol. Well if they came to the parent session they certainly would have heard that (what gets me is how they got to be an adult and didn’t know this). But it is their own fault. No, people don’t think about reading up on the faith. The priest has maybe 10 minutes during the Mass for his homily. It is not the ideal time to get into catechesis. First, the time element. Second, there are no questions so there is no clarification of concepts. Third, people hear, or don’t hear, what they want.

I could go on and on…and I may if this thread continues.

 

[buffalo]

the homily is not primarily the place for catechetics it is for expanding on the readings of the day.

Tell the pope this.

 

[quiet52]

**The Mass, performed reverently and in accordance with the rubrics of the rite in use in that parish is the best form of catechesis anyone can hope for. **

But I do pray that there will be more priests who are willing to:

1)challenge people to live their faith fully by informing their conscience and obtaining a deeper understanding of the faith

1. teach the truths of the Church regarding “hard” issues like abortion, contraception, euthanasia, and divorce
2. teach the importance of (and respect for) the sacrament of reconciliation and the necessity of being in a state of Grace (not aware of mortal sin) before receiving Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

So true.

Catechesis is handing down the faith, which is a component of the liturgy of the Mass (during which we pray what we believe).
Some priests are better (and braver) than other priests are in providing sound catechesis during their homilies, and I’m always grateful when they use the opportunity of this part of the liturgy to TEACH as Jesus, the high priest, taught.

article: “Priest and the Ministry of the Word”
frcooper.info/homilies

Pope John Paul II writes: “Respecting the specific nature and proper cadence of [the liturgical setting], the homily takes up again the journey of faith put forward by catechesis and brings it to its natural fulfillment. At the same time, it encourages the Lord’s disciples to begin anew each day their spiritual journey in truth, adoration, and thanksgiving” (CT, no. 48). Here the pope highlights the essential link between catechesis and the homily: Basic catechesis is foundational to further advancement in truth, adoration, and thanksgiving; and the homily is fruitful insofar as it advances the spiritual journey of the faithful towards the beatific vision.