1. 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

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

3. 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?

4. 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

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

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

7. 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

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

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

10. 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!

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

12. 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?

13. 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

14. 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

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

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

17. 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?

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

19. 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

20. 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?

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

22. 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

23. 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?

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

25. 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?

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

27. 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!