{"id":4805,"date":"2013-05-23T23:33:02","date_gmt":"2013-05-24T05:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/marccardaronella.com\/?p=4805"},"modified":"2020-09-10T15:16:29","modified_gmt":"2020-09-10T21:16:29","slug":"catechesis-for-new-evangelization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marccardaronella.com\/blog\/2013\/05\/23\/catechesis-for-new-evangelization\/","title":{"rendered":"Is This Catechesis for the New Evangelization?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"new-evangelization-catechesis1\"<\/a>
A new catechesis that’s the right fit for the current situation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Conversion<\/a> is an essential element in the whole catechetical process.<\/p>\n

But conversion isn’t automatic after Baptism<\/a>. It requires evangelization.<\/p>\n

The Church’s process of evangelization works, but only when\u00a0people follow the stages<\/a> in a certain order.<\/p>\n

And that’s not likely to happen in our current catechetical situation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But \u00a0hope is on the way.\u00a0The Church is proposing a new evangelization. And, with a new evangelization comes a new catechesis–one that doesn’t need to work within the stages.<\/p>\n

With a little help from the General Directory for Catechesis<\/em>, I’ll explain what catechesis for the new evangelization\u00a0should look like.
\n<\/p>\n

What catechesis is supposed to be<\/h2>\n

In a previous post I talked about the stages of evangelization<\/a>. This is the process for taking someone from zero faith to spiritually mature Christian. It was developed by missionaries evangelizing\u00a0people with no knowledge of Christ.<\/p>\n

In this process, conversion is the first priority\u00a0because, of course, people have to care about what you’re saying\u00a0before they’ll want to learn more about it.<\/p>\n

“Primary [first] proclamation is addressed to nonbelievers and those living in religious indifference. Its functions are to proclaim the Gospel and to call to conversion.” General Directory for Catechesis<\/em> (GDC),\u00a0<\/em>61<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Catechesis is where they learn more. It matures initial conversion, further educates the person, and integrates them into\u00a0the community of\u00a0believers.<\/p>\n

It goes\u00a0without saying that both are dependent on each other. Without the initial proclamation there’s nothing to mature. Without maturity, faith remains shallow and eventually withers.<\/p>\n

“Both activities are essential and mutually complementary: go and welcome, proclaim and educate, call and incorporate” GDC 61.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So, when you’re a catechist in a parish religious education program, your job is simply to teach the doctrinal depth, right?\u00a0After all, it’s a catechesis program, and catechesis matures existing faith. But it’s not that easy.<\/p>\n

What catechesis really is<\/h2>\n

In reality, the stages are never quite that clear.<\/p>\n

Even though they’re enrolled in catechesis classes, students will come to you unconverted. First off, evangelization and primary proclamation are not really emphasized. Also, you’d still have students that, for whatever reasons, don’t follow the process and start in the middle.<\/p>\n

These unconverted students really aren’t ready for catechesis.<\/p>\n

“Because of this the Church usually desires that the first stage in the catechetical process be dedicated to ensuring conversion. In the ‘mission ad gentes<\/em>,’ this task is normally accomplished during the pre-catechumenate.” GDC 62<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the old missionary catechesis model, the “mission ad gentes<\/em>” or “to the nations,”\u00a0this happens in a dedicated pre-catechumenate. This is a period of catechesis focusing on proclamation of the gospel and conversion. That’s what happens\u00a0in the RCIA, which is modeled after this.<\/p>\n

However, you won’t have that luxury. What\u00a0should you do?<\/p>\n

Missionary once again<\/h2>\n

The Church in the U.S. hasn’t been missionary for a long time, but it’s\u00a0becoming that way again…in a new way.<\/p>\n

This new missionary effort, this new evangelization, calls for a new catechesis. If students need a pre-catechumenate period for evangelization, but there’s no way to have one, then catechesis will have to look like one. Catechists will have to make their catechesis evangelizing.<\/p>\n

“In the context of ‘new evangelization’ it is effected by means of a ‘kerygmatic catechesis<\/strong>,’ sometimes called ‘pre-catechesis,’ because it is based on the precatechumenate and is proposed by the Gospel and directed towards a solid option of faith.” GDC 62<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A new “kerygmatic” or “evangelizing” catechesis would be oriented\u00a0toward conversion at the same time it taught doctrine.<\/p>\n

An evangelizing catechesis would:<\/p>\n