THE NATURE, FINALITY AND TASK OF CATECHESIS:

Introduction

1. NATURE OF CATECHESIS AS PASTORAL ACTION

1.1 Catechesis is an ecclesial action:

The Church is a teacher of the faith, which she has treasured in her heart and which she herself lives. She is inspired and animated by the Holy Spirit, while she continues the mission of Jesus Christ. Hence, she proclaims, celebrates, lives and transmits the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his followers. This message includes the mystery of God, His salvific plan, the high vocation of the human person, the style of evangelic life. This is a dual action: the traditio, or the receiving of the faith from the Church, and the reditio, or the giving back of the faith which is enrich by culture. By catechesis, the Church is also a mother who begets children by giving new life in the Spirit.

1.2 Catechesis is Communion with Jesus Christ

Catechesis aims at promoting communion and intimacy with Jesus Christ. Through proclamation and the power of the Spirit, individuals are called to conversion, to adhere themselves to Jesus Christ and to mature this union by a better knowledge of Jesus and Hi message.

The definitive aim of catechesis “to put people not only in touch, but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ: only he can lead us to the love of the Father in the Spirit and make us share in the life of the Holy Trinity” (CT 5, GDC 80), because Jesus is the WAY, TRUTH and the LIFE. Catechesis leads the people towards maturity of faith that is Christ-centered (CT 20).

1.3 Catechesis Helps Profess a Trinitarian Faith:

Baptism is done in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, and requires of the Christian a profession of faith in these three persons(one God in three Persons). Initiatory catechesis prepares one for his action, and continuing catechesis helps the Christian to mature in this profession. Such a profession calls one to witness this faith, even to the point of persecution and martyrdom. (cf. GDC, 82).

2. THE FINALITY OF CATECHESIS

The definitive aim of catechesis “to put people not only in touch, but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ” (CT 5).
All levels of catechesis – proclamation, initiation, on-going – should arrive at this definitive scope of catechesis, i.e. communion and intimacy with Jesus Christ. in fact, all evangelizing activity – proclamation, liturgy, Christian life etc. – should promote this union.

2.1 Growing in Communion:

First of all, there is the primary proclamation of the Gospel, which with the grace of the Holy Spirit, brings about an “initial conversion” in the heart of the hearer.

All catechesis with the help of baptismal grace, should help in solidifying and maturing this initial acceptance of Jesus. This, above all, involves knowing better:

1. the mystery of Jesus;

2. the Kingdom of God;

3. the demands of the Gospel message; and

4. the paths in following Jesus.

2.2 Meaning of Communion with Jesus

Communion and intimacy with Jesus expects that the disciples should be formed in such a way as to replicate what Jesus Himself treasured and valued. Christ becomes the model and paradigm on which the disciple’s formation should be constructed. Hence, the disciples, like Jesus will be united with:

1. God the Father who sent His son into this world;

2. God, the Holy Spirit, who assisted Him in his mission;

3. The Church, for whose body He gave his life; and

4. All human beings, with whom He tried to be identified.

2.3 Profession of Faith = Expression of Communion:

all catechesis has its origin in the profession of faith and leads to the profession of the faith; in other words, communion and intimacy with Jesus is expressed in the disciples being able to profess this faith in a living, explicit and fruitful manner.

1. Catechesis help in expressing a strongly Trinitarian faith, as it is matched by the disciple’s baptism “ in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit”.

2. Catechesis also leads to a Christological faith, where the disciple profess that “Jesus is the Lord”, and adheres to Him and relates to Him in fact and truth.

3. Catechesis prepares the disciple of Christ to show love of God, not in enslavement to idols of any kind, but in service to and love of Neighbor.

4. catechesis helps the baptized t a Communitarian faith in the Church, as “universal sacrament of salvation” and in her mission as witness of this faith.



3. TASK OF CATECHESIS AS PASTORAL ACTION
(cf. DCG, 24-30, GDC 85-86)


We are inspired by the manner in which Christ formed his disciples buy cultivating the different dimensions of faith, in what is to be known, celebrated, lived and prayed. The task of catechesis should constitute a totality, rich and varied in aspects. They are done by the transmission of the Gospel and built on Christian experience. They include the following, all of which are necessary, interdependent and should be Christological and Trinitarian:

8. Promoting the Knowledge o Faith: Adherence (to embrace) to the faith (fides qua) requires, a certain knowledge of the (fides quae) . this includes the knowledge of the whole truth as found/contain in the Scripture and Tradition. Thus the life of faith is strengthened by a deeper knowledge of the truth.

9. Liturgical Education: The disciple lives in communion with Christ especially by celebrating his presence in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist. Such a knowledge will help the disciple have a full, conscious and active participation in the liturgy.

10. Moral Formation: The follower of Christ requires that the disciple think, judge and act like Christ. Hence our catechesis should communicate his teaching as found in the Sermon fo the Mount, the spirit of the Beatitudes and the Decalogue, so that one can corm a genuine Christian morality.

11. Teaching to Pray: Catechesis should lead the catechized to assume the attitude of prayer an contemplation so as to be able to turn to the Father in adoration, praise, thanksgiving, filial confidence, supplication and awe for His glory. The catechesis of “Our Father”.

12. Education for Community Life: This includes many characteristics of Christian life, like simplicity and humility, option for the poor and the alienated, fraternal correction and mutual forgiveness. This formation should include also the ecumenical dimension.

13. Missionary Initiation: Educating to the missionary sense, an important dimension of Christ’s disciple, besides helping one to know how to permeate culture with Christian values, I should also prepare the disciple for interreligious dialogue.

14. Catechesis seeks to equip & prepares disciples of Jesus to proclaim the Good News to all peoples & to be present as Christians in society through their professional, cultural and social lives. In educating this missionary sense, catechesis is also necessary for interreligious dialogue.