This is perfectly acceptable as long as there is something resembling oversight, checking in, support, regular meetings with the pastor, etc… If it’s just, “Here’s a catechism, you do it.” and that’s it, then something is terribly wrong.
When I taught Catechism the sessions were right after Sunday Mass. A good 50% of the kids were dropped off by their parents and neither they nor their parents ever attended Mass. it was a hard year considering the lessons were about looking at Mass through the Bible. Those kids had no point of reference for either.
I do wish that the parents were more involved. I too teach CCD and the 12 year old kids don’t know their prayers, let alone go to Sunday Mass. Even if the parents just dropped them off to Mass, it would be better than none. How’re ever, sometimes it’s a cultural thing. These kids are Hispanics, and I think in Mexico church attendance isn’t emphasized though the parents do have them baptized, and have their First Communion and Confirmation. Another thing we’re facing is broken homes and single moms. It’s difficult to teach God the Father, when they don’t identify with a father! When my daughter attended in the 70s at hindsight, I should have taught her at home as then it was all fluff and no substance.
First we catechize ourselves then we catechize others. I like to invite people to join the Church’s journey of faith that the Pope asks all of us to participate in. I share my stories of walking this journey and why I feel it’s important then I relate it to the Gospel readings. The invitation is open to everyone: I’ve just planted the seed for the Holy Spirit to water and grow.
I think the ones that care enough to do that will probably do a fine job. My concern is for the parents who don’t care enough to catechize their children. I would think there must be a certain percentage of parents that will enroll their kids in CCD that won’t (or can’t) catechize their kids themselves, but without CCD those kids wouldn’t get catechized at all.
In my opinion, it’s the slow deterioration of our American society and culture. There was a time when we farmed our crops, hunted or fished for protein, and harvested materials to build our homes. (Some Alaskan still do but they’re a rare breed now!) There was also a time we cared for our horses not because they were pets but because they were also our main means of transportation. We dug our own wells and pumped our own water. We prepared and buried our own family and friends in areas near our homes. We taught our kids at home and maybe sent them to the single room school house where all grades learned together. We cooked our own meals and sometimes gave to our neighbors if they were having a hard period. We mended our clothes and passed them to others if they were destitute.
I’m not sure the Church is going to 100% Catechesis as much as placing a greater emphasis on the role of parents as the primary catechists in the family. I don’t believe pastors or parishes will not support ANYONE in need of catechizing. As a parish catechist, I certainly won’t!
I don’t know about anyone else but when I started school in 1959 (just about to turn 6) I knew the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be, the 10 commandments, the precepts of the Church, the Acts of Hope, Love & Charity, the act of Contrition and the Apostles Creed. We recited those every night. I knew the Christmas story, I’d been going to Mass for 2 years (where I came from it was a rare family that brought infants or very young children to Mass) and was following along in a children’s picture Missal. I knew that my parents received Jesus when they went up to receive. Most of my classmates were the same.I’m not sure the Church is going to 100% Catechesis as much as placing a greater emphasis on the role of parents as the primary catechists in the family. I don’t believe pastors or parishes will not support ANYONE in need of catechizing. As a parish catechist, I certainly won’t!