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TRAINING THE TRAINORS
By Fr. Renato De Guzman, SDB
REALITY FACTORS
1. Some religion teachers or catechists were allowed
to teach simply because they studied in Catholic schools.
Their religion classes during their elementary and high
school years are enough to make them do catechesis.
In a parallel manner, some are assigned as coordinators
simply because they underwent a basic catechetical formation
(which may be from one year to four years).
2. Students received a systematic faith formation due
to a religious education program organized by the schools;
however, the on-going systematic faith formation of
faculty and other staff of the schools is neglected.
In a parallel manner, our ordinary catechists continuously
received formation; however the continuing systematic
formation of their formators seems to be wanting.
3. Most of the leaders of the various ministries in
the parish are activity-oriented; often formation of
the parish leaders is taken for granted or totally neglected.
In a parallel manner, many catechetical coordinators
at the parish and diocesan levels are activity-oriented;
often their formation is taken for granted or organized
haphazardly.
PARADIGM SHIFTS DEMANDED OF CATECHESIS TODAY
- From a basically school/student centered catechesis
to a life-long process of adult education in the faith,
emphasizing family and community-based catechesis
- From stressing informational, doctrinal catechesis
to a more experiential and contextualized religious
education
- From an apolegetic centered on the individual believers
and their committed allegiance to their particular
Church to the new call to inter-religious dialogue
Summary
“ Any catechesis which supposes an initial
commitment of faith before those to be catechized
have in fact committed themselves will end in failure.”
( Johannes Hofinger )
Richard Reichert, in his book “Renewing Catechetical
Ministry A Future Agenda” proposes this paradigm
shift as the agenda of catechesis for the third millennium.
Guidelines for Drawing Up a Formation Program for Diocesan
/ Parish Catechetical Coordinators
1. Luke 5:4 “Put out into the deep”
2. NMI 15 Much awaits us, and for this reason we must
set about drawing up an effective post-Jubilee pastoral
plan.
It is important, however, that what we propose, with
the help of God, should be profoundly rooted in contemplation
and prayer. Ours is a time of continual movement which
often leads to restlessness, with the risk of “doing
for the sake of doing”. We must resist this temptation
by trying “to be” before trying “to
do”.
In this spirit, before setting out a number of practical
guidelines for your consideration, I wish to share with
you some points of meditation on the mystery of Christ,
the absolute foundation of all our pastoral activity.
3. GDC 238
The dimensions of formation: being, knowing and savoir-faire
4. GDC 237
It is a question of forming catechists for the need
to evangelize in the present historical context, with
its values, challenges and disappointments.
To accomplish this task, it is necessary for catechists
to have a deep faith, a clear and ecclesial identity;
as well as a great social sensitivity.
5. GDC 250
Institutes for those with responsibility for catechesis
6. GDC 266
The diocesan service of catechesis
The principal competencies of the diocesan office are
the following:
a) to analyze the state of the diocese with regard
to education in the faith: such analysis must identify,
among others things, the real needs of the diocese
as far as catechetical praxis is concerned;
b) to develop a plan of action which sets out clear
objectives, proposes definite suggestions and shows
concrete results;
c) to promote the formation of catechists: in this
respect suitable centers shall be set up;
d) to elaborate, or at least to indicate to parishes
and to catechists, the necessary instrument for catechesis:
catechisms, directories, programs for different ages,
guides for catechists, materials for those being catechized,
audio-visual aids, etc.
e) to foster diocesan institutions of a specifically
catechetical character; these are the “basic
cells” of catechetical activity;
f) to improve personnel and material resources at
diocesan level as well as at the level of the parish
and the vicariates forane
g) to foster diocesan institutions of a specifically
catechetical character; these are the “basic
cells” of catechetical activity;
Herman Lombaerts
Catechetics will also prepare catechists to interact
vitally with the broad social context in which catechesis
is done. Such an interaction involves four interpretive
skills:
- discerning the impact of the social context of the
church itself, and especially on catechetical situations;
- listening to what is happening in the midst of ecclesial
life itself;
- foreseeing and fostering competencies indispensable
for Christians ready to fulfill their vocation
in the future
- performing the work of summary evaluation in the
light of these three interpretive analyses.
Catechetics is mandated to develop a solid interdisciplinary
study capable of directing actual practice. For this,
nuanced models are needed, both for the study and for
the formation of catechetical agents
Emilio Alberich, SDB
There is a need to rediscover the competence of the
catechists as authentic ecclesial minister, worthy of
being officially recognized in the context of the structure
and of pastoral projects
We need to look at formation in a new way and to invest
in it. A praxis that is often superficial and improvised
should be avoided so as to promote a more accurate spirituality
of the catechists and their professional growth in three
fundamental dimensions: being, knowing and how to do
or operational competence.
Proposals or Practical Guidelines
1) Survey the needs, gifts, dreams, obstacles of the
diocesan / parish catechetical coordinators.
2) Draw up / Review vision of the diocesan catechetical
ministry and determine a profile of the diocesan / parish
catechetical coordinators (those with responsibility
for catechesis) along the three fundamental dimensions:
being, knowing and savoir-faire dimensions
3) Design a formation program with objectives, scope,
time frame etc.
The Program should have the following characteristics:
- Holistic
- Theological pastoral
- contextualized
- systematic
- interdisciplinary
- employing the principles of andragogy
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