The 5 Foundational Truths of Revelation

Posted on August 12th, 2010

The Hierarchy of Truths

The Deposit of Faith – much like a house – exists according to a Hierarchy of Truths, wherein some truths are more foundational than other truths.  The latter rest upon the former as the 2″ x 4″ studs constituting the frame of a home rest upon the concrete foundation and the plumbing.  Before the frame is built, the concrete must be poured, and even before the pouring, the first pipes for the plumbing must be set in place.  With regard to catechesis, the existence of a hierarchy of truths does not mean some truths are more true than others.  Rather, it means that for an effective pedagogy (or, method of teaching), the catechist must lay the foundation first and teach the remainder of the deposit with the foundation always in mind, connecting the pieces.

5 Foundational Truths

In order for RCIA participants to get a solid hold on the Deposit of Faith, it is critical to show them how all of the truths are grounded in several foundational truths. These truths are contained in one significant paragraph within the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

“God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.” (CCC, #1)

These five foundational truths of revelation are invoked throughout the Catechism and provide a framework in which all doctrine finds its proper context. They are:

1. The Blessed Trinity: God is an eternal loving communion of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: Hierarchy of Truths, Systematic Catechesis, The Gospel
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Integrating a Systematic Catechesis with a Year-Round R.C.I.A. Process

Posted on February 22nd, 2010

This presentation was given by Dino Durando and Stacy Phillips from St. Joseph Catholic Church in Modesto, CA at the Diocese of Sacramento’s Catechist Ministry Day on September 26, 2009 in Sacramento, California.

Handouts

This following handouts accompany this 65-minute video presentation. We recommend downloading and printing out all of these handouts before watching the above presentation. (If you prefer to download all of the handouts in one PDF document, we have compiled them as a download at this link)

• Paragraphs from the General Directory for Catechesis (GDC) and the RCIA
• How Long?
• 3-Cycle Structure
• 14-Week Inquiry Doctrine Cycle
• 14-Week Catechumenate, 3-Part Repeating Doctrine Cycle
• Using a Celebration of the Word of God in a Catechetical Setting

Background to the Presentation

The R.C.I.A. is a liturgical, catechetical, and pastoral process that requires signs and stages of conversion to take place before a participant progresses to the next stage (e.g. from Inquiry to Catechumenate). This necessitates a process that allows for an individual who is not ready to progress to remain in one period of the process while others who are ready to progress to move on to the next period of the process. This can only be facilitated by a year-round parish R.C.I.A. process.

Simultaneously, the catechetical documents of the Church clearly call for catechesis to be systematic and organic.

Systematic means that each successive teaching be linked to the teaching given beforehand, demonstrating the hierarchy of truths. A carefully laid-out systematic presentation of the faith does not leave any holes. It is complete. It does not skip over any of the essentials of the faith due to careful planning.

Organic means that each doctrine is linked to other doctrines, showing the integral unity of the Faith. Organic catechesis has more to do with how a lesson is presented, while systematic catechesis has more to do with how a curriculum or “doctrine cycle” is devised.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a prime example of a catechesis that is both systematic and organic. It systematically lays out the Deposit of Faith (what God has revealed in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition for the sake of our salvation) piece by piece, while at the same time, consistently demonstrating the unity of the Faith.

An example of systematic: The first section of the Catechism is structured around the 12 articles of the Apostles Creed and progresses from “Who is God?” to “The Four Last Things.”

An example of organic: While presenting the teaching on Mary (CCC 963-975), Mary is presented in relation to Jesus, the Church, the Holy Spirit, the life of faith, the Paschal Mystery, the resurrection of the dead, grace, and the list goes on!

Below are a number of quotations below from John Paul II’s Apostolic Exhortation titled: On Catechesis in Our Time (Catechesi Tradendae) (CT), which is quoted extensively by the General Directory for Catechesis as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

All in all, it can be taken here that catechesis is an education of children, young people and adults in the faith, which includes especially the teaching of Christian doctrine imparted, generally speaking, in an organic and systematic way, with a view to initiating the hearers into the fullness of Christian life. (CT 18)

The specific character of catechesis, as distinct from the initial conversion-bringing proclamation of the Gospel, has the twofold objective of maturing the initial faith and of educating the true disciple of Christ by means of a deeper and more systematic knowledge of the person and the message of our Lord Jesus Christ. (CT 19)

In his closing speech at the Fourth General Assembly of the Synod, Pope Paul VI rejoiced ” to see how everyone drew attention to the absolute need for systematic catechesis, precisely because it is this reflective study of the Christian mystery that fundamentally distinguishes catechesis from all other ways of presenting the word of God” … I am stressing the need for organic and systematic Christian instruction because of the tendency in various quarters to minimize its importance. (CT 21)

Nor is any opposition to be set up between a catechesis taking life as its point of departure and a traditional, doctrinal and systematic catechesis.[52] Authentic catechesis is always an orderly and systematic initiation into the revelation that God has given of himself to humanity in Christ Jesus, a revelation stored in the depths of the Church’s memory and in Sacred Scripture, and constantly communicated from one generation to the next by a living active traditio. (CT 22)

Why?

We may ask the appropriate question: Why do the catechetical documents insist upon a systematic and organic catechesis?

When divine revelation is presented in this fashion, the student is able to better understand the big picture and see how each piece of the picture fits in its proper place.  This allows for greater ease of understanding and comprehension as previously learned truths shed light upon the truth at hand, which, in turn, leads to increased faithfulness (seeking holiness), which is the ultimate goal of Christian discipleship.  It also shows how the disciple cannot dispense from believing one doctrine without marring the integrity of all we believe.

On the contrary, when the Catholic Faith is presented in a merely topical fashion wherein the subjects from week to week in the catechumenate have no system that follows an order, the student is more prone to view Catholic doctrine as a smorgasbord of “beliefs.”

In Conclusion

The balancing act that the R.C.I.A. process must perform is this: It must present a systematic and organic catechesis while allowing for multiple points of entry and exit for participants.  We hope that the above video presentation with the accompanying handouts will give you, the viewer, a firm foundation to build from as you continually seek to improve and grow your own parish catechumenal process.

The viewer may also be interested in these related blog entries:

• 9-Month vs. Year-Round
• Catechesis in the Catechumenate
• Celebrations of the Word of God Held in Connection with Catechetical Instruction

Tags: 9-Month vs. Year-Round, Celebrations of the Word, Pastoral Formation, Systematic Catechesis
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8 Key Elements of Authentic Catechesis

Posted on September 15th, 2009

Ever wondered how to see if the catechesis in your catechumenal process is up to par?  Take a moment to see if it holds up the 8 Key Elements of Authentic Catechesis, as described below.

Key #1: Centered on Christ – (1 Cor 2:2)

“We must therefore say that in catechesis it is Christ, the Incarnate Word and Son of God, who is taught.  Everything else is taught with reference to him and it is Christ along who teaches.  Anyone else teaches to the extent that he is Christ’s spokesman, enabling Christ to teach with his lips.” (Pope John Paul II, On Catechesis in Our Time, #6)

Key #2: Systematic and Organic – (Acts 20:26-28)

“Authentic catechesis is always an orderly and systematic initiation into the revelation that God has given of himself to humanity in Christ Jesus, a revelation stored in the depths of the Church’s memory and in sacred Scripture, and constantly communicated from one generation to the next by a living active traditio.” (Pope John Paul II, On Catechesis in Our Time, #22)

Key #3: Associated with Life Experience – (1 John 1:1-4)

“No one can arrive at the whole truth on the basis solely of some simple private experience.  That is, to say without an adequate explanation [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

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Preparing for Catechetical Sessions

Posted on May 22nd, 2009

The Christian initiation process is such a fundamental activity of the parish that the pastor and RCIA leader should ensure that everything possible is done, within the available resources of the parish, to ensure that the setting for catechetical sessions is appropriate for adult learners and that they have the resources to learn.  Elements that are helpful in RCIA catechesis include:

The most appropriate day of the week and time of the day.
The experience of each parish will determine the specific times that most potential inquirers are available.  It is possible that, if there is a sufficient number of participants, more than one time period can be made available, especially if Sunday afternoons can be offered as well as one, perhaps two, evenings a week.  The demand for meeting space in most parishes is high, and the needs of other organizations must also be taken into account by the pastor and RCIA leader.

[Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: Environment, Preparation
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Analyzing Doctrines – What to Teach

Posted on May 14th, 2009

In a typical parish RCIA setting, we are given very little time to catechize in proportion to the beautiful depth of each truth of the faith. With such limited time, with so much to learn, what must I teach? What do they have to know?

Teach the Premise

The premise of the doctrine is the underlying truth upon which the doctrine is based.

For example, for the doctrine of Faith, the premise would be: “We believe because of the authority of God who reveals. He cannot deceive nor be deceived” (Catechism #156). For Scripture, the premise would be “God has chosen to speak to us in human words. He is the author of these human words” (Catechism #105). By conveying the premise from the get-go, the catechumens/candidates will have little lights go off in their minds as they come to grasp with the intellect the rhyme and reason behind this particular doctrine.

The premise should be very short and sweet. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an excellent resource to use to find the premise underlying this or that particular doctrine.
[Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: What Must I Teach?
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Handing on the Faith Series

Posted on April 22nd, 2009

We here at The Blog That’s All About RCIA want to introduce you to an invaluable set of 4 DVDs that will tremendously aid each of your catechists.  These DVDs contain a series of 13 twenty-five minute discussions on the nature of catechesis… a perfect training tool for catechists within the parish R.C.I.A. process.

Each segment is very manageable at a length of only twenty-five minutes, and the content is given in a conversational setting, in bite-size pieces.  This resource takes much of what is said in the Church’s General Directory for Catechesis and puts it into video, to make this rich understanding of catechesis available and accessible to the average person.

Using a variety of professionals in the field, each segment approaches catechesis from a unique angle, giving the viewer a multifaceted and beautiful vision of what it means to hand on our Catholic Faith in a meaningful way that changes lives through the power of God’s grace!

Here is a list of the titles of the 13 segments:

1. Handing on the Faith Today
2. The Pedagogy of God
3. Handing on the Faith Personally
4. Handing on an Adult Faith
5. Handing on Faith Holistically
6. Handing on an Organic Faith   [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: DVD
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RCIA Catechist’s Manual

Posted on February 24th, 2009

RCIA Catechist’s Manual, 2nd Edition
Association for Catechumenal Ministry
Barbara A. Morgan and William J. Keimig, Editors
ISBN: 978-1-933374-07-9
Distributed by Liturgy Training Publications
To Order by Phone: (800) 933-1800
Orders outside U.S. & Canada: (773) 486-5630
Price: $39.95 ea. – Purchase Online

This spiral-bound Catechist’s Manual is a priceless gem for catechists who serve within the parish RCIA catechumenal process.  It was designed by a team of clergy, catechists, directors of religious education, RCIA directors, diocesan officials, and theologians to be a practical help for catechists as they craft the catechetical portion of any RCIA session.  Each copy of the Catechist’s Manual comes with a free copy of the RCIA Overview Chart.  [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: Catechist's Manual
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Purification and Enlightenment

Posted on January 14th, 2009

Download and read the PDF article titled: Preparing to Receive the Life of God: RCIA Catechesis in the Period of Purification and Enlightenment to learn about how catechesis changes when you exit the period of the Catechumenate and enter the period of Purification and Enlightenment.

A quote from the above article:

“During the period of purification and enlightenment, the focus becomes a stronger emphasis on the spiritual and mystical life in preparation for the sacraments. The guidelines for this period (which normally coincides with Lent) as well as the rites associated with them, enable catechists to shift the focus of teaching from an exposition of the Deposit of Faith to reflection and meditation. Before they receive the sacraments of initiation, ‘the elect must have the intention of achieving an intimate knowledge of Christ and His Church, and they are expected particularly to progress in genuine self-knowledge through serious examination of their lives and true repentance.’”

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RCIA Participant’s Book on CD

Posted on December 10th, 2008

RCIA Participant’s Book on CD, 2nd Edition
Association for Catechumenal Ministry
ISBN: 978-1-933374-06-2  (Order Code: ERPDC)
Distributed by Liturgy Training Publications
To Order by Phone: (800) 933-1800
Orders outside U.S. & Canada: (773) 486-5630
Price: $189.95 ea. – Purchase Online

This one-time purchase gives you a CD with 380 beautifully designed handouts in PDF format.  The original purchaser (the parish) then has unlimited permission to reproduce these handouts.

Rather than having to continually repurchase participant materials year after year, you now only incur the cost of using your parish’s copy machine.  Also, you are freed from having to follow a pre-set curriculum created by a publisher and are given the flexibility to choose the order of topics to follow that best suit the particular group of participants you have this year, right now. [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: RCIA Participant Materials
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A Lending Library

Posted on October 31st, 2008

At each RCIA session, you should have a lending library available for RCIA participants.  This way, your inquirers, catechumens, elect, and neophytes can check out additional resources at any time during the RCIA process to grow in their knowledge and understanding of the Catholic Faith as well as the spiritual life.

We recommend including a variety of different types of media (VHS, DVDs, books, compact discs, pamphlets, audio books, etc.) that cover a wide range of interests from apologetics to Bible study, to Catholic spirituality.  This library would then allow participants to check out materials whenever they wish to go deeper into a particular topic or to have their questions/concerns answered.

So you ask: What do you recommend? Well, due to the prolific work of Catholic publishers over the past couple of decades, there are many, many excellent resources available.  Below, we have listed a few suggestions, but by no means at all should this be taken as an exhaustive list!  Each suggestion is linked to a place on the Internet where you can get it, to make it even easier on your part. [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: Lending Library
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