St. Mary, Mother of the Church
Catholic Parish
Faith
Formation
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Chris Keffer, Director Ellen Cook, Office Assistant Phone: 919-772-5199 Email: smgfaith@bellsouth.net |
2009-2010 Calendar (pdf format) Registration Form (pdf format) |
"Catechesis is an education in the faith of children, young people, and adults which includes especially the teaching of Christian doctrine…" Catechism of the Catholic Church, page 8, #5
The goal of catechesis is "to make disciples, to help men believe that Jesus is the Son of God so that believing they might have life in his name, and to educate and instruct them in this life, thus building up the body of Christ." Catechism of the Catholic Church, page 8, #4
Catechesis in the family: "The family provides a unique locus for catechesis. It is a place in which the word of God is received and from which it is extended. Within the Christian family, parents are the primary educators in the faith and the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children…Family members learn more of the Christian life by observing each other’s strengths or weaknesses than by formal instruction. They lean intermittently rather than systematically, occasionally rather than in structured periods. Often extended family members take on a primary responsibility in transmitting the faith to the younger members. Their shared wisdom and experience often constitute a compelling Christian witness." National Directory for Catechesis, page 101
Catechesis in the church community: Such continuing conversion and ongoing formation are the responsibility of the whole Catholic community and occur most fruitfully within the community. Ongoing catechesis fosters the growth of a more mature faith in the members of the community. It aims to make each person’s faith "living, explicit and active, … enlightened by doctrine." While catechesis seeks to enrich the faith life of people at every stage of their development, every form of catechesis is oriented in some way to the catechesis of adults who are capable of a full response to God’s word. Ongoing catechesis is "a lifelong process for the individual and a constant and concerted pastoral activity of the Christian community." National Directory for Catechesis, page 59
"The parish community must continue to be the prime mover and pre-eminent place for Catechesis." Catechesi Tradendae, Pope John Paul II, page 55, #67