Content of Catechesis How can we think about our message? We will explore possible frameworks which might help JP11: our teaching/sharing should be ‘a systematic teaching of doctrine’ and have ‘integrity of content’ Catechesae Tradendae 1979

But first What do you want to share with other people about your own life of faith? 5 mins

MY message What is MY vision? What do I most want to pass on? My ‘ecclesial’ role – who / what am I speaking for? What difference (if any) will that make to what I say?

3 frameworks to think about Eichstatt 1963/4 ish (Warren, 1983, pp23-39) Groome: 1990s Dunning: 1990s A useful tag: the 4 Cs: Creed, Code, Celebration, Community

Eichstatt 4 major elements: Bible Church Teaching / Tradition Witness / Experience Celebration / Liturgy

The Bible Both OT and NT Commentaries – informing yourself Breaking the Word – how?

Some Bible issues.... Translations - which one ? What form? Tatty bits of paper? Written word or visual? Helpful alternatives e.g. imaginative prayer Older people not used to scripture reading

Bible continued... Bible stories Keeping it fresh Using the visual - Church windows

Eichstatt: Church teaching Teaching(s) / Tradition Doctrine: a treasure house of riches An ‘and / and’ church (not either /or) How to access this?

Church teaching(s) Can be found in: The Catechism of the Catholic Church Encyclicals Councils of the Church Writings of the Church Fathers Work of theologians And the CCRS!

Vatican 11 The original documents are easily accessed online Simplified versions exist e.g. the Grail publications Books such as Bill Huebsch (1997)

In your catechism: Look at the index. Find an interesting topic Look it up Read what is said Pay attention to the references underneath To translate the sources look at the table in the beginning When were these sources written?

Eichstatt: Witness / Experience My Stories Our stories – the Christian community What we do (more important than what we say -Warren) How we are Church What we did: our communities What they did: our saints

Things to consider... Stories are the basic building blocks of religious belief God reveals Himself through human experience but this is limited for all of us Revelation in personal experience may be helpful but it’s dangerous to allow it to be the only source of faith

Celebration / Liturgy Celebrating the work of God in our lives Social - coffee after Mass etc Religious Eucharistic Non-eucharistic

Another framework: James Dunning storytelling questioning a living community of faith tradition conversion celebration mission

Thomas Groome’s framework ‘Praxis’ What is your present story-experience- praxis? What are your present vision-assumptions behind your praxis? What is the Christian story-tradition vision? Dialogue (reflect/share/discuss) between your own experience and the Christian tradition What will your future story-experience-praxis be?

So which approach would you prefer? Why? How would you feel about putting it into practice? Any additions you would make?

So how would you use these? Balance and emphasis Choose elements thinking about the aims of the activity Your aims will depend on your perception of the formational needs

Formational needs Where are your ‘client group’ in terms of faith formation? How would you know? Have a look at the chart ‘Educating disciples’ on the website Is it wrong to judge people in terms of their level of formation?

Educational approaches Instruction – by an expert Facilitated discussion Reflection / sharing Buzz pairs Story telling One to one Group work Silence

Some significant comments JP11: our teaching/sharing should be ‘a systematic teaching of doctrine’ Not selective but addresses ‘integrity of content’ ‘Hierarchy of Truths’ – some things are more important than others! Catechechesae Tradendae 1979

Integrity of Content -reflection Is selecting certain areas of Christian truth permissible? How can we be ‘systematic’ in our catechesis? Isn’t that something which belongs to a classroom rather than a parish?

Hierarchy of Truths - reflection What are the really fundamental truths? Which truths are most important to YOU?

Ecclesial role - reflection Do you feel that you speak for the Church? Do other people see you like that? Is it intimidating to feel that you are a representative of the Church? Does the Church acknowledge lay people as credible witnesses to the Christian life?

How should catechists be formed? Who should provide this? To whom? When and how? What challenges might there be?

Some examples Take one of the topics you thought about at the beginning and consider how you would devise a session for this. Which framework would you use? Make plan!