THE PEDAGOGY OF THE FAITH

Catechesis on the Year of faith

Transmitting the faith is not done in words only; it requires a relationship in prayer with God, which is faith-in-action. The liturgy, with its proper pedagogical elements, plays a decisive role in the formation of this relationship in prayer, because the one who instructs is God himself and the true teacher in the ways of prayer is the Holy Spirit. 

The IV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops acknowledged the increased in number and dedication of catechists, that catechesis is a gift of the Spirit and that the Church has devised methods in transmitting the faith which lead people to a personal encounter with Christ.

The Synod on catechesis was intent on not losing past benefits and values which sought to guarantee a systematic, integral, organic and hierarchical transmission of faith. The Synod reproposed two basic instruments for transmitting the faith: catechesis and the catechumenate. In this manner, the Church actively transmits the faith, sowing it in the hearts of catechumens and the catechised so as to make their experiences particularly fruitful. The profession of faith received by the Church, which sprouts and grows in the catechetical process, is, in turn, re-given, after being enriched with the values of different cultures. In this way, the catechumenate essentially becomes a centre of growth in catholicity and the seed-bed of ecclesial renewal. (No. 14)

The Local Churches: Agents of transmission

The agent for the transmission of faith is the entire Church which manifests itself in the local Churches, where proclamation, transmission and the lived experience of the Gospel are realised. The local Churches, besides performing this task, are also the fruit of this activity of proclaiming the Gospel and the transmitting the faith, as seen in the experience of the first Christian communities. The fundamental identity of each Christian community as described by the Second Vatican Council,  is  that “This Church of Christ is truly present in all legitimate local congregations of the faithful which, united with their pastors, are themselves called Churches in the New Testament. These are the new people called by God in the Holy Spirit...”

Considering the gifts and positive expectations, we must also note the challenges which many local Churches face as a result of a new situations and various developments. The scarcity of priests makes their activity less incisive than desired. The general state of weariness and fatigue of many families undermines the role of parents. The lack of common sharing in this evangelising task limits the influence of the Christian community and endangers that the important and fundamental task will fall upon the catechists alone, who are already feeling the burden of the task entrusted to them and the loneliness in doing it. (No. 15)

Source: The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of Faith, Paulines Publications Africa, 2012