National Survey on the Catechetical
Situation in the Pastoral Setting
Appendix C
The two-pronged national catechetical survey
(2000) was envisioned to
The partial returns, constituting thirty -
five percent of questionnaires that were released
in June 2000, cover 787 respondents from the parishes.
A total of 2,242 questionnaires were sent to the parishes.
A. General Situation in Respondent Parishes
1.
Overall population : 22.6 Million
2. Public School Population: 5.2 Million
B. Catholic Public School Students : 4.16 Million
C. Catechists in the Parish Catechetical Ministry
¨ School Setting : 15,260
Ė Parish Setting : 5,726
Total: 20,986
D. Profile of Catechetical Agents
¨ Priests : 471
x Rel. Sisters : 871
y Rel. Brothers : 117
ū Seminarians : 274
z Lay Catechists : 19, 227
E.
Catechetical Agents in Public Schools
F.
Professional Background of Lay Catechists
G. Educational Background of Lay Catechists
Elementary
H. Average Duration of Religious Instruction/Week
Public Elementary School
-
30 min. - 26.7 %
-
40 min. - 21.9%
-
60 min. - 21.6%
-
90 min. - 17.3%
-
80 min. - 8.4%
-
50 min. - 1.9%
-
70 min. - 0.5%
-
20 min. - 1.7%
-
40 min. - 30.7%
-
60 min. - 10.0%
-
30 min. - 6.5%
-
90 min. - 5.8%
-
80 min. - 5.4%
-
50 min. - 1.6%
-
70 min. - 0.7%
-
20 min. - 0.8%
I.
Degree of Involvement of Local Catholic
Schools
Public Schools
x Parish
F
High percentage of no response is interesting, but raises
disturbing questions.
J.
Areas Needing Attention:
-
Funding -
45.7%
-
Recruitment of New Catechists
– 42.5%
-
Formation of Catechists -
37.5
-
Catechetical Materials -
30.9%
-
Awareness of Parishioners
- 18.5%
-
Relations with Public School Authorities
- 6.8%
-
Relation with Catholic SchoolAuthorities
- 4.8%
-
Others -
1.9%
Summarily, the partial data reveal an approximate
realistic picture of the catechetical situation in
the Philippine pastoral setting. Nationwide, some
features of the landscape, such as the following,
pose points for deep reflection and a challenge to
the entire Christian Community:
Conclusion:
Ten years after the Second
Plenary Council of the Philippines the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines, in the recently - concluded
National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal,
identified nine priorities. Most, if not all, have
a direct bearing on catechesis and catholic education.
If Integral Faith Formation is
top priority in the Church of the Philippines,
in-depth comparative analysis, reflection and interpretation
of these three survey reports are in order. Since
the latter two surveys are focused on the RE and Catechetical
landscape, data reveal that religious education and
catechetical instruction are primarily, although not
exclusively, school - based. At this point, it is
noteworthy to site that about nine percent of catholic
students are enrolled in catholic schools. Where
are the ninety - one percent (91%)? Therefore, family
and adult catechesis are alternatives for depth exploration
in the quest for integral evangelization that will
touch “all strata of humanity.”
It is premature
to draw conclusions from the survey findings, given
the constraints posed by time and some statistical
limitations. However, a quick look at the data can
provide information that is vital in the generation
of a transformative curriculum that gives importance
to integral human development, service and human promotion,
and social transformation. A shift of focus, worldview
and priorities appears inevitable if we hope to “breathe
evangelization” in a Local Church that is promotive of the Asian soul.
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