Catechetical Framework for Lifelong Faith Formation

1. Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Catechetical Framework for Lifelong Faith Formation Brown-bag Inservice Chancery Personnel

2. Agenda for CFLFF Inservice • Welcome & Introductions • Prayer • Cardinal’s Video • Presentation on Vision and Rationale • Frequently Asked Questions • Sample Correlations • Small Group Activity • Discussion & Implications • Questions

3. Welcome & Introductions

4. Opening Prayer

5. Message from Cardinal DiNardo

6. History of Catechetical Guidelines in Galveston-Houston • Diocesan Catechesis for Children and Adolescents promulgated by Bishop Fiorenza on May 25, 1994 • “These guidelines provide the parish or school with established goals and objectives that are to be followed in all religious education programs.” (letter of promulgation, 1994)

7. History of Catechetical Guidelines in Galveston-Houston • Guidelines reflect different styles and approaches in different sections: • Early Childhood section • Grades 1-6 (New York) • Adolescent section (Faith Themes) • Human Sexuality (1997 addendum) • These guidelines were limited in reflecting the Church’s vision of catechesis as articulated in new Church documents promulgated after 1994.

8. Developments since 1994 • 1994 - Catechism of the Catholic Church • 1997 - Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry • 1997 - General Directory for Catechesis • 1999 - Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States • 2003 - National Directory for Catechesis

9. Key themes that emerged: • Christocentricity of Catechesis • Relationship of Catechesis to Evangelization • Baptismal Catechumenate as inspiration and model • Adult catechesis as the organizing principle for catechesis • Catechesis as an intentional, comprehensive, systematic, and lifelong process • The totality of catechesis includes six fundamental tasks

10. Christocentricity of Catechesis “The definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch, but also in communion and intimacy with Jesus Christ” (GDC, 80).

11. Relationship of Catechesis to Evangelization “Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity. She exists in order to evangelize. Catechesis is an indispensable stage in the rich, complex, and dynamic reality of evangelization” (NDC, 15). Catechesis & Evangelization

12. Baptismal Catechumenate as Inspiration and Model “The model for all catechesis is the baptismal catechumenate …. This catechumenal formation should inspire the other forms of catechesis in both their objectives and in their dynamism” (GDC, 59). “[C]atechesis must have a catechumenal style, as of integral formation rather than mere information” (GDC, 29).

13. Catechesis of Adults as Primary • “[T]he organizing principle, which gives coherence to the various catechetical programs offered by a particular Church, is attention to adult catechesis. This is the axis around which revolves the catechesis of childhood and adolescence as well as that of old age” (GDC, 275). • “[A]dult faith formation should serve as the point of reference for catechesis for other age groups” (OHWB, 41).

14. Intentional, comprehensive, systematic, and lifelong “Continuing or ongoing education in the faith follows upon basic education and presupposes it… It is necessary to have a Christian community which welcomes the initiated, sustains them and forms them in the faith” (GDC, 69). “[B]eing comprehensive and systematic, [it] cannot be reduced to the circumstantial or the occasional” (GDC, 68).

15. Six tasks of catechesis See GDC 85-86; NDC 20; OHWB 91-96 • Promote knowledge of the faith • Promote knowledge of the meaning of the Liturgy and the sacraments • Promote moral formation in Jesus Christ • Teaches the Christian how to pray with Christ • Prepares the Christian to live in community and participate actively in the life and mission of the Church • Promotes a missionary spirit that prepares the faithful to be present as a Christian in society

16. Frequently Asked Questions

17. Q. Is this Catechetical Framework thesame as or part of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan? A: Beginning work on the development of the Catechetical framework preceded the beginning of the pastoral planning process. The pastoral plan is clear that catechesis across the lifecycle is an important objective in realizing the pathways articulated in the plan. Work to implement the Catechetical Framework will certainly be consonant with work to realize the pastoral plan.

18. Q: What is the purpose or vision of the Catechetical Framework? A: TheCatechetical Framework serves the definitive aim of catechesis which is to put people not only in touch with, but also in communion and intimacy, with Jesus Christ.

19. Q: What catechetical approach does the Catechetical Framework envision? A: The Catechetical Framework utilizes an approach that calls forth conversion of life to Christian discipleship with a living, explicit, and fruitful faith characterized by comprehensiveness and integrity of formation, a gradual character expressed in definitive stages, and constant references to the Christian community.

20. Q: What documents of the Church were employed in the creation of this Catechetical Framework to ensure sound doctrine? A: Constant reference has been made to the Catechism of the Catholic Church to ensure doctrinal soundness. Completeness is assured by its reference to • Protocol for Assessing the Conformity of Catechetical Materials with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, • Doctrinal Elements of A Curriculum Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age, and • Guidelines for the Preparation and Review of Pre-School Materials.  

21. Q: What is the structure of the Catechetical Framework? A: The basic organizing structure is the six tasks/dimensions of catechesis articulated in the GDC and repeated and developed in OHWB and the NDC.

23. Q: The Catechetical Framework uses specialized terminology ‘tasks’, ‘strands’ & ‘learning targets’, what do those terms mean? • The tasks are the six tasks/dimensions of catechesis articulated in the GDC. • Strands are major topicsor subcategories that flow from that task. • Learning Targets identified at each developmental level articulate a critical element of a strand that is to be a focus of catechesis.

25. Spiral Development Two Illustrations of a Spiral Development for Catechetical Targets from Early Childhood through Adulthood

26. Task 1: Knowledge of the Faith Strands • 1.1 Jesus Christ • 1.2 Divine Revelation • 1.3 Creeds and Doctrines • 1.4 Social Teachings of the Church • 1.5 Philosophy and Theology

27. Divine RevelationStrand 1.2

28. MA 1.2.3, 1.2.4, 1.2.5 • Ever since the creation of the world, God’s invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. • Human reason can discern the existence of God as the origin and end of the universe, starting through careful attention to movement, becoming, contingency, and the world's order and beauty. • Persons can perceive God's creative handiwork revealed within the beauty, sense of order, and complexity of natural systems at work in the earth and universe.

29. A3 1.2.1 • God made all things.

30. A4 1.2.1 • God created all things good.

31. A5 1.2.1 • All of creation is a gift from God.

32. G01 1.2.1 • All creation shows God's love.

33. G02 1.2.2 • God is revealed in nature.

34. G03 1.2.2 • The beauty of creation, when experienced by means of the senses, allows people to know God's beauty.

35. G05 1.2.2 • God speaks to people through creation, which can never be fully understood.

36. G06 1.2.1 • God makes himself known through the works of creation.

37. G08 1.2.2,1.2.4 • Human intellect helps people to recognize and acknowledge aspects of God's power and presence in creation. • There are limits in human ability in naming God’s nature and presence.

38. G09 1.2.3 • Human reason, personal experience, and scientific observation point to a God who made a world full of beauty and awe, and who keeps everything in existence.

39. MA 1.2.3, 1.2.4, 1.2.5 • Ever since the creation of the world, God’s invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. • Human reason can discern the existence of God as the origin and end of the universe, starting through careful attention to movement, becoming, contingency, and the world's order and beauty. • Persons can perceive God's creative handiwork revealed within the beauty, sense of order, and complexity of natural systems at work in the earth and universe.

40. Task 3: Moral Formation • 3.1 The Commandment to Love • 3.2 Ten Commandments and Beatitudes • 3.3 Sin and Grace • 3.4 Conscience Formation • 3.5 Objective Moral Norms • 3.6 The Gospel of Life • 3.7 Living the Moral Life

41. Conscience FormationStrand 3.4

42. MA 3.4.12 • It is every Christian’s responsibility to strive for and follow a well-formed conscience. It is the responsibility of the Church to aid in that process.

43. A2 3.4.1 • Parents are called to practice ongoing conscience formation by praying and reflecting on Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church.

44. A3 3.4.1 • God gives people choices.

45. A4 3.4.1 • Good choices show love for God.

46. A5 3.4.2 • God wants people to choose to do good things.

47. G01 3.4.1 • God wants people to make good choices and not bad choices.

48. G02 3.4.1 • A conscience is that part of a person that helps one to distinguish between right and wrong.

49. G03 3.4.1 • A conscience needs to be formed.

50. G04 3.4.2 • A well-formed conscience helps people make the right moral choices.