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
2. The Person of Jesus: A divine person who took on human nature in the Incarnation
3. The Paschal Mystery: the suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ
4. The Dignity of the Human Person: made in the image and likeness of God
5. The Church: the Body of Christ brought to life in the Holy Spirit

Breaking It Down

Let’s take a look at each of these foundational truths individually.

What Does This Mean Practically?

The ordering of teachings within the catechumenal process requires a firm understanding of the foundational truths and the way in which all other truths flow from them. These foundational truths, then, should be laid out at the beginning and referred back to during subsequent sessions. In this way, the catechist can provide participants with an overarching framework in which the entire Deposit of Faith can and must be understood.

To break it down even further, if you’re looking for a system to put in place to make this work practically using a curriculum that respects the need for a year-round inquiry and a year-round catechumenate with the proper discernment of readiness before participants progress through rites… then be sure to check out our blog entry titled: “Integrating a Systematic Catechesis with a Year-Round Process.”

You may also be interested in these related blog entries:

• 8 Key Elements of Authentic Catechesis
• Analyzing Doctrines: What to Teach
• The Gospel Message in the Precatechumenate
• Catechesis in the Catechumenate

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

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 of the message of Christ who is ‘the way and the truth and the life’ (John 14:6).  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.” (Pope John Paul II, On Catechesis in Our Time, #22)

Key #4: Promotes the Sacramental Life – (John 6:56-57)

Catechesis always has reference to the sacraments.  Sacramental life is impoverished and very soon turns to hollow ritualism if it is not based on serious knowledge of the meaning of the sacraments, and catechesis becomes intellectualized if it fails to come alive in the sacramental practice. (Pope John Paul II, On Catechesis in Our Time, #23)

Key #5: Driven by Scripture – (2 Tim 3:16-17)

“The Ministry of the Word – pastoral preaching, catechetics, and all form of Christian instruction… is healtlhily nourished and thrives in holiness through the Word of Scripture.”  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #132)

“The Church desires that in the Ministry of the Word, sacred Scripture should have a pre-eminent position.” (General Directory for Catechesis, #127)

Key #6: Fosters the Moral Life – (1 Tim 6:18-19)

“Conversion to Jesus Christ implies walking in his footsteps.  Catechesis must, therefore, transmit to the disciples the attitudes of the Master himself… This moral testimony, which is prepared for by catechesis, must always demonstrate the social consequences of the demands of the Gospel.” (General Directory for Catechesis, #85)

Key #7: Connected to the Ecclesial Community – (Phil 2:1-4)

“Catechesis runs the risk of becoming barren if no community of faith and Christian life takes the catechumen in at a certain stage of his catechesis.  That is why the ecclesial community at all levels has a twofold responsibility with regard to catechesis: it has the responsibility of providing for the training of its members, but it also has the responsibility of welcoming them into an environment where they can live as fully as possible what they have learned.” (Pope John Paul II, On Catechesis in Our Time, #24)

Key #8: Directed to the Life of Prayer – (1 Tim 2:1-4)

“When catechesis is permeated by a climate of prayer, the assimilation of the entire Christian life reaches its summit.  This climate is especially necessary when the catechumen and those to be catechized are confronted with the more demanding aspects of the Gospel and when they feel weak or when they discover the mysterious action of God in their lives.” (General Directory for Catechesis, #85)

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.

A comfortable room temperature.
A too-warm room encourages drowsing.

Tables around which groups of participants and RCIA team members can sit.
This makes eye-to-eye interaction and conversation possible during breaks, which classroom-style seating cannot.  Even if there are no tables, chairs should be arranged in several groups, rather than having everyone seated facing one direction.  If the chairs are somewhat uncomfortable, inexpensive chair cushions might be a good investment.

Bibles and binders for all inquirers.
If the parish can afford it, giving to all inquirers inexpensive Bibles (preferably the translation used at Mass), Bible tabs, and empty three-ring binders (to keep handouts) upon their first arrival at a precatechumenate session is not only helpful to catechesis but also is an appreciated form of welcoming each person.  Here is a link to the New Catholic Answer Bible.  Eventually, participants might also be given copies of the Catechism of the Catholic Church or the recently published Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, again to the extent that the parish resources permit.

An RCIA library.
If the parish can afford it, a selection of books, CDs, DVDs, audiotapes, and videotapes – the choice of media will depend on what kinds of media players, if any, participants own or can use – allows participants to enrich what they have learned or to get questions answered on topics that cannot be covered in depth in the weekly catechetical sessions.  The library can be stored in one or more boxes between sessions, preferably on a cart so that it is not necessary to lift and carry the boxes.  Participants can be permitted to check out items for a specific period, depending on the likely need for given items by more than one participant. A checkout sheet allows the leader to know where items are at all times (and to ensure their return at the conclusion of the neophyte year!).  If there is a sufficient number of books, RCIA team members might be permitted to check out items as well, perhaps requiring a shorter return time or allowing items to be checked out only during periods when the regular catechetical sessions are not held, such as during the Christmas season. (See the blog post titled “A Lending Library“)

Tables for display and hospitality.
Tables should be available, ideally outside the room, for setting up the RCIA library, if one exists; for placing handouts; and for serving drinks and snacks.  In climates where part of the catechumenal period is cold, a way to provide warm drinks should be developed; conversely, in hot weather, if possible chilled drinks should be made available.

Setting up a sacred space.
The meeting room should have a place for a sacred space, the place of honor where a Bible is enthroned, together with a crucifix or appropriate icon, statue, or painting, and resting on a cloth of the color liturgically appropriate for the day of the catechetical session.

Using religious art.
If the room is used for other purposes, religious art (mounted prints, for example) might be placed around the room to change its tone during special events such as day-long catechetical sessions.  Large votive candles on tables can also contribute to a more prayerful atmosphere.

Placement of a wall clock.
If the room has a clock, the catechist should face it when teaching.  This not only allows the catechist to keep to the schedule of the evening, but also minimizes clock-watching by participants.

All the above elements may be difficult for some parishes with limited resources to provide.  Over the long history of the Church, catechesis has taken place, and the faith has been implanted and matured, in every setting imaginable.  Less-than-ideal settings are merely less than ideal; they do not make transmission of the faith impossible nor should the parish RCIA process be curtailed because everything is not “perfect.”

The above can be found on pages 78-80 of the RCIA Leader’s Manual published by the Association for Catechumenal Ministry and distributed by Liturgy Training Publications.

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.

Teach the Essentials

The essentials are those aspects of the doctrine, which cannot be left to chance that the students will get them on their own.

Let’s return to the example of Faith. Faith (1) Is certain. (2) Necessary for salvation. (3) Seeks understanding. (4) A gift. (5) Can be lost and increased. Like for the premise, you can find these essentials by using the Catechism of the Catholic Church. For these 5 essentials on “Faith,” look at paragraphs 153-165 of the Catechism.

For the doctrine of Scripture, three essentials are: (1) The human authors are true authors, so Scripture has a very human element to it, though without error. (2) The Magisterium is the authentic interpreter of Scripture. (3) Christ is the center of all of Scripture.

Teach What Is Commonly Misunderstood

Insufficient or ineffective catechesis has left many participants with a false understanding of the doctrines of the Catholic Faith. When we catechize, we should teach those misunderstandings so as to clear them away.

With regard to Faith, many often think it is a “blind leap.” Not so. Our faith has very good reasons upon which it rests, and there are many evidences that underly what we believe. Take the Resurrection for example. There are many very good reasons that we believe Jesus was raised from the dead. The Catechism calls these reasons “‘motives of credibility’ (motiva credibilitatis), which show that the assent of faith is “by no means a blind impulse of the mind.”

For Scripture, many have come to believe that Scripture is the only source of God’s revelation to us. We need to show that there is another coequal channel by which God’s divine revelation comes to us, and that is Apostolic Tradition (See Catechism #74-83).

Teach the Scriptural Basis

All doctrine is grounded in Sacred Scripture. Many Scripture passages enlighten our understanding of a particular doctrine. We should be constantly turning to Scripture and allowing for the Word of God to under gird everything we teach.

Faith: Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching…”

Teach Related Doctrines

The Deposit of Faith is an organic unity. The doctrines of the Faith are not independent of one another. Often, the teaching of a related doctrine will reveal to a participant what had been previously hidden. By teaching in an “integral” fashion, the catechumens/candidates will get so much more out of the catechetical sessions, and an excitement will soon begin to buzz among them as they grow in their understanding.

Jesus is the perfecter of our Faith. By Prayer, we can increase in Faith. Mary is the perfect role model for the life of Faith. The Church hands on the Faith. Faith is necessary for Salvation.

Scripture together with Tradition makes up the single sacred Deposit of Faith. Reading Scripture can give increase to one’s Faith. The Church determined the canon of Scripture. The Trinity is the principal author of Scripture. Scripture was written for the sake of our Salvation.

Related Blog Entry

To learn about how to devise a curriculum for the catechumenate, see the blog entry titled: “Catechesis in the Catechumenate.”

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  
7. Handing on the Story of Faith
8. Handing on the Faith Scripturally
9. Handing on the Faith Prayerfully
10. Handing on the Faith Liturgically
11. Handing on the Faith Truthfully
12. Handing on the Faith Beautifully
13. Holiness-the Point of Handing on the Faith

The cost for this resource is only $46 ($40 plus $6 for shipping), a price well worth the wealth of catechetist training material contained within these 4 DVDs.

To purchase your copy today and have it shipped as soon as possible, click here.

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. 

Table of Contents

Now, we will examine the different sections of the Catechist’s Manual using the table of contents as our guide.

Section One: Using the Catechist’s Manual

This section is very short: only 2.5 pages, and it explains the following sections.

Section Two: Introduction to Christian Initiation – A Liturgical, Catechetical, & Pastoral Process

This section provides a summary of the structure of the RCIA process, offering a basic context for the following sections that elaborate upon the catechetical aspect of the RCIA process in detail.  The liturgical and pastoral aspects of the RCIA process receive much more significant treatment in the RCIA Leader’s Manual.

Section Three: Teaching Variations – How Catechesis Changes in Each of the Four Periods

The RCIA ritual book tells us that catechesis should shift in emphasis (and in method to some degree) as a participant goes through the process (see RCIA, no. 4-7).  This section explains in practical terms how those changes serve the process and help foster conversion.  It’s important to note that the lesson plans provided in this Catechist’s Manual are primarily written for the Period of the Catechumenate.

Section Four: Teaching Structure: How the Lesson Plans Work

Each one of the 60 lesson plans included in this manual are designed uniquely according to a structure developed by Msgr. Francis D. Kelly in his book titled The Mystery We Proclaim: Catechesis for the Third Millennium.  This section’s 8 pages are indispensable for someone who wants to glean the most from the Catechist’s Manual.

Section Five: Teaching Systematically: How to Determine the Order of Teachings

Ever wondered how to develop a curriculum within the RCIA?  This section help you build the skills necessary to determine what to teach when.

Section Six: Teaching Organically: How to Teach the Relationships among Doctrines

The General Directory for Catechesis tells us: “The various elements of the Christian faith should be presented in a well structured way and in harmony with each other by means of an organic vision that respects the ‘hierarchy of truths’” (GDC 241).  This section aids the catechist in making clear the connections among the doctrines of the faith, so that the catechumens and candidates are able to grasp the unity of the Catholic Faith, to see how every truth that we believe is important and connects with every other truth in a harmonious fashion.

Section Seven: Sixty Lesson Plans

This is the meat of the Catechist’s Manual and is priceless in and of itself.  We are given 60 Lesson Plans titled by topic.  Here is a complete list of the topics:

Angels
Anointing of the Sick and Redemptive Suffering
Baptism
The Battle of Prayer
The Blessed Trinity
The Blessed Virgin Mary
Cardinal Virtues and the Virtues of Chastity and Humility
The Church
The Communion of Saints
Confirmation
Creation
The Dignity of the Human Person
Divine Revelation
Ecumenism and Other Religions
The Eucharist (Lesson 1 of 2)
The Eucharist (Lesson 2 of 2)
The Existence of God
The First Three Commandments
The Four Last Things
The Four Marks of the Church
Freedom in Christ
God the Father
Grace
Holy Orders
The Holy Spirit
The Incarnation
Introduction to Prayer
Justification and Merit
The Kingdom of God
The Last Seven Commandments
Liturgical Prayer
Liturgy
The Lord’s Prayer
The Mass
Matrimony
Mercy and Justice
The Mystical Body of Christ
Natural Law
Original Sin and the Mystery of Iniquity
The Paschal Mystery
The Priesthood of the Faithful and Evangelization
Providence
Reconciliation
The Sacramental Economy
Sacramental Living
Sacred Scripture
Sacred Tradition
Salvation and Redemption
The Second Coming of Christ
The Social Teachings of the Church
The Son of God
The Story of the People of God
Temptation and Sin
Traditions of Prayer
The Two Great Commandments (The New Law)
The Universal Call to Holiness
The Virtue of Faith
The Virtue of Hope
The Virtue of Love
Vocations: God’s Call

Each Lesson Plan is composed of two pages.  The first page is titled Catechist Preparation and the second page is titled Catechetical Session.  Below, we have provided a sample of these two pages for the Lesson Plan on “Faith.”  Click on either image to view or download the entire page in Adobe Acrobat PDF format:

Appendix I: Table for Matching Catechist’s Manual Lesson Plans and Participant’s Book Handouts

This handy table helps you choose which handouts from the RCIA Participant’s Book to give out to participants according to which topic above you choose for an RCIA session.

For example:

Appendix II: Three Examples of Arrangements of Teachings

This section offers three examples of how parish RCIA directors and catechists have used the principles discussed in the introductory sections of this Catechist’s Manual to determine an initial ordering of their RCIA teachings.

Appendix III: Glossary of Key Terms for the Lesson Plans

Each lesson plan contains definitions of key terms.  This glossary is a compendium of all the key terms found throughout the 60 lesson plans.

Appendix IV: Alphabetical Index of Hymns and Songs in Lesson Plans

Each lesson plan contains recommended hymns and songs for that particular catechetical topic.  This section is a simple alphabetical index of all these hymns/songs.

Appendix V: Seasonal Substitutes for Liturgies of the Word and Hymns

These are wonderful recommendations of Scripture passages and hymns to use in lieu of what you will find in the Lesson Plans if you are in the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Lent.

Appendix VI: On Not Using Lectionary-Based Catechesis as the Primary Method to Determine the Order of Teachings

This 5-page section explains how Lectionary-based catechesis does not suit the demands of systematic catechesis because the Lectionary does not follow the hierarchy of truths from Sunday to Sunday.

Appendix VII: Doctrines in the Liturgy for Liturgical Catechesis

This appendix presents numerous citations from prayers of the Mass in the Roman Missal (a.k.a. the Sacramentary), from the sacramental rites, and from other rites and blessings of the Latin Rite that show how the doctrines presented in each lesson plan are prayed in the Church’s liturgy.

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.’”

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.

Here’s how you would go about using this resource:

1. Purchase the CD.
2. Give each participants an empty 1.5″ 3-ring binder.
3. Make copies of handouts on the CD for your next session and 3-hole punch them.
4. At the RCIA session, give the handouts to the participants to put in their binder.
5. Slowly, over time, their binder grows in size.

The handouts included fall under various topics including: ● Doctrines ● Special Topics ● Conversion Stories ● Lives of Saints ● Psalms and Canticles ● Litanies and Prayers ● Small Group Questions

So, for example, if you were to lead a catechetical session on May 2 on the Trinity, you could print out one copy of each of the following handouts: “The Blessed Trinity” (under Doctrines), “The Sign of the Cross” (under Special Topics), “St. Athanasius” whose feastday is May 2 (under Lives of Saints), “Finding the Desire of My Heart” by Fr. Ed Fride (under Conversion Stories), and “The Blessed Trinity ~ Suggested Questions for Discussion” (under Small Group Questions).

Then, you would head over to your parish copy machine and make multiple copies of each handout before 3-hole punching them in preparation for the upcoming session.  With a little creativity, you could even put handouts from different categories on different colors of paper.  For example… Doctrines (White), Special Topics (Yellow), Conversion Stories (Blue), Lives of the Saints (Light Brown), Psalms and Canticles (Green), etc.

If an inquirer, catechumen, candidate, elect, or neophyte misses a session, you can easily slip that session’s handouts in the mail or hand them to their sponsor/godparent who can hand-deliver them to their participant when they meet with them outside of the regularly scheduled RCIA sessions.

Let’s say that you don’t want to have to print out each handout before taking it to the parish copy machine.  Well, you have the option of spending an additional $100, which will buy you an entire set of master copies along with the CD.  Here’s the direct link to this option on the website for Liturgy Training Publications (Order Code RCIAPB).

But don’t just limit yourself to your parish catechumenate.  These handouts can be reproduced for adult faith formation sessions, parent meetings for parents of students in catechetical formation programs, bulletin inserts… and the list goes on.

Also, you are automatically given permission to copy the entire contents of the CD to your computer’s hard drive for easier and faster access to the handouts.  This saves you the hassle of having to insert the CD into your compact disc drive each time you wish to access the contents on it.

Would you like to view some sample handouts?  Click on the title you would like to review:

• Eucharist
• Amen
• Psalm 63
• The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy
• St. Thomas More
• From “Bible Only” Anarchy to the Adventure of Apostolic Authority
• Small Group Questions (for 7 topics)

Below, we have given an abbreviated list of handouts from each category.  This list is incomplete.

Doctrines

Aspects of Prayer
Baptism
Battle of Prayer
Catholic Family
Chastity and Modesty
Christian Meaning of Suffering
Christian Meditation
Covenants of God With Us
Deposit of Faith
Deuterocanonical Books
Dignity and Vocation of Women
Divine Revelation
Does God Exist?
Eucharist
Evangelization
God’s Plan of Salvation
Good Works
Grace

Special Topics

Advent
Amen
Apparitions
Canon Law
Canonization of Saints
Catholic Funeral
Chrism Mass
History of the Mass
Liturgical Vocabulary List
Liturgy of the Hours
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Solemnity of the Ascension
Stations of the Cross
Structure of the Bible

Psalms and Canticles

Assorted Psalms from Psalm 1-150
Canticle of Isaiah 12
Canticle of Luke 1 – The Magnificat
Canticle of Philippians 2
Canticle of Colossians 1

Litanies and Prayers

Litany of the Holy Spirit
Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
Litany of the Sacred Heart
Angelus
Pentecost Sequence
Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction

Lives of Saints

St. Anthony of Padua
St. Augustine of Hippo
St. Benedict of Nursia
St. Bernadette Soubirous
St. Bernard of Clairvaux
St. Charles Lwanga and Companions
St. Dominic de Gúzman
Bl. Francisco and Bl. Jacinta Marto
St. Gertrude the Great
St. Gianna Beretta Molla
St. Irenaeus of Lyons
St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Conversion Stories

Not Obligated, but Freely Choosing – Anonymous
From Bible Only Anarchy to the Adventure of Apostolic Authority – Doug Beasley
Waiting for an Invitation – Paul Bennett
In Mary’s Womb – Andrea Bolster
Seeing the Love of God – Anne Foy
Joy, Freedom, and Ecstasy – Steve Ray
Ready to Accept Christ into My Life – Randy Shaw
Starving for the Eucharist – Martha Tonn

Small Group Questions

The Battle of Prayer
The Blessed Virgin Mary
The Communion of Saints
Confirmation
Creation
The Existence of God
Holy Orders
The Incarnation
Liturgy
The Mass
The Priesthood of the Faithful and Evangelization
Sacred Scripture
The Second Coming of Christ
Social Teachings of the Church
Temptation and Sin
Vocations: God’s Call

Also

› The artwork on each handout has been selected to accommodate clear and sharp photocopying of all handouts.

› Comes with extensive printed indexes and cross-reference system.

› Over 2,000 quotations and citations of Scripture (not including the Psalms handouts)

› Over 800 photographs and images used throughout the 380 handouts

›  Art and photography selected to represent the rich diversity of the Catholic faith in many cultures and many eras, from our Old Testament heritage up to the worldwide Church of modern times.

› You decide what handouts to use, when to use them, and who receives them.

› Designed for systematic and organic catechesis, covering the entire content of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, with over 650 citations.

› Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur.

› No other publisher is offering their entire set of materials as copyable, and no other publisher provides all participant materials on CD.

Cost Comparison Chart

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.

Note: Please continue to come back to this post again in the future, as we will be continually updating it with new titles!

Testimonies

Book: Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism, by Scott & Kimberly Hahn
Book: Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historical Church, by Stephen K. Ray
Book: Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic, by David Currie
CD: Quest for Truth, by David Currie
CD: The Conversion of Scott Hahn, by Scott Hahn
CD: John Corapi’s Amazing Story, by Fr. John Corapi
Book: Surprised by Truth: 11 Converts Give the Reasons for Becoming Catholic, ed. by Patrick Madrid
Book: No Price Too High: A Pentecostal Preacher Becomes Catholic, by Alex Jones
Book: My Life on the Rock: A Rebel Returns to the Catholic Faith, by Jeff Cavins
Book: Home at Last: 11 Who Found Their Way to the Catholic Church, ed. by Rosalind Moss
Book: Honey from the Rock: 16 Jews Find the Sweetness of Christ, ed. by Roy Schoeman
CD: The Bible Made Me Do It, by Tim Staples

Apologetics

Book: Catholicism and Fundamentalism, by Karl Keating
Book: Where is That in the Bible?, by Patrick Madrid
CD: Why Do We Have a Pope?, by Scott Hahn

Topical

Book: A Map of Life: A Simple Study of the Catholic Faith, by Frank Sheed
Book: Catholicism for Dummies, by Fr. John Trigilio
Book: Theology for Beginners, by Frank Sheed
Book: Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach, by Kathryn Hermes
Book: Annulments and the Catholic Church: Straight Answers to Tough Questions, by Edward Peters
Book: Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception, by Sam & Bethany Torode
CD: The Four Marks of the Church, by Scott Hahn
CD: Anger and Forgiveness, by Bob McDonald
CD: Seven Reasons to Be Catholic, by Peter Kreeft
CD: Overcoming the New Age Movement, by Mathew Arnold

Sacraments and Liturgy

CD: The Mass Explained, by Fr. Larry Richards
CD: Marriage and the Eucharist, by Christopher West
CD: Confession, by Fr. Larry Richards
CD: Seven Secrets of the Eucharist, by Vinny Flynn
Book: Lord Have Mercy: The Healing Power of Confession, by Scott Hahn
Book: Sacraments in Scripture: Salvation History Made Present, by Tim Gray
Book: The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth, by Scott Hahn
CD: The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Christian Life, by Scott Hahn

The Bible

Book: Making Senses Out of Scripture: Reading the Bible As the First Christians Did, by Mark Shea
Book: You Can Understand the Bible: A Practical Guide to Each Book in the Bible, by Peter Kreeft
Book: A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God’s Covenant Love in Scripture, by Scott Hahn
Pamphlet: The Bible at a Glance (Faith Charts), by Scott Hahn
Book: Catholic for a Reason: Scripture and the Mystery of the Family of God, ed. by Hahn & Suprenant
Book: Coming Soon: Unlocking the Book of Revelation, by Michael Barber
CD: The Bible is a Catholic Book, by Michael Barber

Prayer

CD: Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet
Book: Prayer for Beginners, by Peter Kreeft

The Spiritual Life

CD: Healing and Holiness, by Vinny Flynn
Book: The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis
Book: The Way, by St. Jose Maria Escriva
Book: A Call to Joy: Living in the Presence of God, by Matthew Kelly
Book: Introduction to the Devout Life, by St. Francis de Sales
Book: The Story of a Soul, by St. Therese of Lisieux
Book: The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose, by Matthew Kelly
CD: Wisdom of the Saints, by Fr. Shannon Collins
CD: The Spirit of Sacrifice, by Fr. Benedict Groeschel
CD: 15 Things to Do in the Midst of Suffering, by Jeff Cavins
CD: The Battle for Souls, by Fr. John Corapi

Salvation History

DVD: Jesus: The Word Became Flesh, by Stephen Ray
DVD: Mary: The Mother of God, by Stephen Ray
DVD: Peter: Keeper of the Keys, by Stephen Ray
DVD: Paul: Contending for the Faith, by Stephen Ray
DVD: Moses: Signs, Sacraments, and Salvation, by Stephen Ray
DVD: David & Solomon: Expanding the Kingdom, by Stephen Ray
DVD: Apostolic Fathers: Handing on the Faith, by Stephen Ray

The 5 Stages of the Ecclesial Method:

1. Preparation
2. Proclamation
3. Explanation
4. Application
5. Celebration

The RCIA Catechist’s Manual (from the On the Journey Series distributed by Liturgy Training Publications) follows this method in its outline for each catechetical session.

Step 1 – Preparation

This first step is calculated disengagement. The individuals coming to the catechetical session have their own worries, preoccupations, excitements, griefs, and anxieties. So, the first thing we want to do is to prepare the minds and hearts of our students for the truth God wishes to feed them today in our session. We want to put them in the right frame of mind, to be docile to what the Holy Spirit wishes to do in the hour or so to follow as they receive the catechesis.

The first and indispensable component of Preparation is the environment. The room should be clean, well lit, well ventilated, at a comfortable temperature, and beautiful. The room should reflect Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. One essential component of your environment should be a designated area called “sacred space,” which should be a bit different for each session, depending upon the content of that session. To adapt the space to the liturgical year, you could use green cloth during Ordinary Time, purple in Advent/Lent, white on Solemnities, etc. Display an icon, a crucifix, a statue, or a painting/print that draws upon the theme of the session or is related to the current day on the liturgical calendar. For example, if you are catechizing on the Resurrection, use Carravaggio’s Doubting Thomas.

When you first begin, explain the sacred space. If you’re going to begin by reading from Scripture, place the Bible in the sacred space and pick up the Bible from the sacred space to read from it.

Next, begin the session with an activity that disengages the participants from their previous frame of mind and prepares them for the truth they are about to receive. One example would be to begin with singing a hymn or song as a group to instrumental music. Or, celebrate a small liturgy of the Word as outlined in RCIA #84-89. Or, show a short clip from a film. There should be a nice lead into the doctrine.

Step 2 – Proclamation

Next, proclaim the truth to be explained in one or two sentences. It could be a brief passage from Scripture. It could be a reading from the Catechism (The “In Brief” sections are a good place to look). It shouldn’t be longer than two or three sentences. Proclaim this truth in an evangelical fashion: “If there is nothing else that you take from what I say to you today, remember this…” If you have a white board, write it down for display. In the blog entry “Analyzing Doctrines – What to Teach,” the Proclamation would be the Premise.

For example, let’s say that your catechetical session is on The Blessed Virgin Mary. Here is a sample proclamation: “God chose, from all eternity, to enlist the free cooperation of a young virgin to bring salvation to the human race.” For Original Sin, your proclamation might be: “Our first parents, temped by Satan, brought evil into the world. We inherit their fallen nature and can only hope in God’s mercy to redeem us.”

Step 3 – Explanation

This is the meat of the catechetical session. Now is when you systematically lay out the essentials of the truth, to enlighten the intellect and to move the heart of your hearers. In the blog entry “Analyzing Doctrines – What to Teach,” the explanation includes the essentials, what is commonly misunderstood, the Scriptural basis, and related doctrine.

Use markers and a white board, PowerPoint, and video. Give handouts. Elicit questions. Ask questions of the candidates and catechumens. By all means necessary, do not turn this step into a boring lecture. It takes a gifted teacher to successfully explain God’s truth so as to move the participants to Faith, Hope, and Love.

Step 4 – Application

Often in an RCIA setting, this step takes place by breaking the larger group into small groups and answering pre-written questions that apply the doctrine to the participants’ lives. This step fosters conversion and intends to bear fruit in the lives of the students.

Your students should be thinking, “Wow, this truth has profound implications for my own life,” and they should hear the call to conversion, to be changed.

Often, the explanation and application are not so distinct and separate. The explanation should include points of application because all doctrine is life-changing.

Step 5 – Celebration

We want to end the session in prayerful gratitude and praise to God. Here are some examples:

• If the session was on Mary, slowly sing the Hail Mary a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment) as a group or pray the Hail, Holy Queen.
• End with Night Prayer (Compline) taken from the Liturgy of the Hours.
• Play a song from a CD and mediate upon the words.
• Offer intentions individually and conclude by offering a general prayer for those intentions just mentioned.
• As a group, sing one of the hymns or songs suggested for that particular doctrine in the RCIA Catechist’s Manual.

The goal of this final step of the Ecclesial Method is to wrap up the lesson, bringing the session to closure. It it is feasible, try to tie the Celebration to the doctrine.

In Conclusion

The threefold goal of the Ecclesial Method is (1) to bring the participants to understand the Deposit of Faith, (2) and move their hearts affectively, and therefore, (3) having them respond with a faith working in love.  This method is intended to bridge the gap between doctrine and an authentic, lived spirituality.

To learn more about this method, see “The Mystery We Proclaim” by Msgr. Francis D. Kelly (Our Sunday Visitor, 1999 or Wipf and Stock, 2008).

Also, see the Article on the Ecclesial Method published by Catechetics Online.

Throughout the history of the Church, men and women rise to the occasion of exemplary holiness, and the Church holds up such children of God as models for holiness in our own lives as well as intercessors for our own needs as they number among the Church Triumphant in heaven. Specifically, a catechetical saint is such an individual who was devoted to teaching the faith in some capacity. It is to these saints that today’s catechists look for inspiration and intercession as the faith is tirelessly proclaimed to all men and women of goodwill. Among the number of catechetical saints, Saint Paul stands in the beginning among the original apostles as a “holy one” who, after a tremendous and sudden conversion, engaged in catechesis for the rest of his earthly life as he bore incredible hardships for the sake of his students. Therefore, St. Paul serves as a model for the catechist serving the parish catechumenal process. By looking to Paul, the catechist can grow in his/her formation in a truly authentic way.

St. Paul lived a life of profound holiness. When writing to the Church in Philippi, he was able to express his personal hope that Christ be magnified in his own body, thus summing up the purpose of his earthly existence: “For to me life is Christ, and death is gain” (Phil 1:21). He understood that the life of the Christian is that of self-denial in order to allow the life of God to be manifest in one’s own person. We are able to see this attitude in St. Paul’s autobiography in miniature when he exclaims, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20). St. Paul endured numerous sufferings for the sake of the Gospel, thus walking along the path of the Via Dolorosa in imitation of Christ. For the sake of his Lord, St. Paul endured imprisonment, beatings, stoning, shipwrecks, dangers, hunger, thirst, and even exposure to the cold (2 Cor 11:23-27). By the end of his life, St. Paul was able to confidently state, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). St. Paul was so devoted to following the Lord that he even bore “the marks of Jesus” on his body (Gal 6:17). It is this marked sanctity of St. Paul, by the grace of God, which allows his name to be numbered among the canonized in the celestial court above.

When Pope Paul VI wrote, “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses,” (Evangelii Nuntiandi 41) he may very well have had St. Paul in mind. Alongside the fact of deep personal witness by living a life of sanctity, St. Paul was numbered among the didaskaloi or “teachers” of the Christian faith in Antioch (Acts 13:1). This lifelong work and vocation of St. Paul is what makes him out to be a catechetical saint. After his extraordinary conversion on the path to Damascus and his subsequent personal healing and baptism, Paul spent a lifetime preaching the Gospel from the beginning of his first missionary journey in Cyprus to his own martyrdom for Jesus Christ just outside the walls of Rome. Appointed a “teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth” (1 Tim 2:7), Paul devoted his time and energy to giving “sound instruction”, holding “firm to the sure word as taught” (Tit 1:9). His catechesis was evangelical, faithful, Christocentric, ecclesial, systematic and fully immersed in the word of God.

In his Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae, Pope John Paul II reminds us that the specific aim of catechesis is twofold; Christian instruction should aim for understanding as well as conversion. Throughout the catechesis of St. Paul, we witness the constant endeavor to nourish the Christian life of each student so that they might be “changed by the working of grace into a new creature” (CT 20). This ultimate goal of Christian instruction is evident when we read of St. Paul’s paternal concern for his students: “My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you” (Gal 4:19). The configuration of his students to the image of God in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit is the perennial goal of St. Paul’s catechetical effort. So intertwined were catechesis and conversion in St. Paul’s mind that he felt no tension in speaking of knowledge as a primary instrument by which the Christian’s participation in the divine nature is renewed “after the image of its creator” (Col 3:10). He knew that the end of learning the mysteries of the Christian faith were ordered towards the personal response of faith, hope, and love. Paul describes the person with an understanding of all mysteries and knowledge as one reduced to nothing if such an individual is not converted to share in the divine life of love: “if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Cor 13:2).

Our Holy Father is adamant in reminding catechists that the “disciple of Christ has the right to receive the word of faith not in mutilated, falsified or diminished form but whole and entire, in all its rigour and vigor” (CT 30). The faith must be taught in its integrity, with no portion of the faith omitted for the sake of false sensitivity. We witness this faithful concern to pass on the deposit of faith as received in St. Paul’s teaching ministry. St. Paul exhorts his disciple, St. Timothy, with the strong command: “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you” (1 Tim 6:20), and he urges his disciples in Thessalonica to stand firm and hold fast to the doctrine he has taught them, whether it has been taught “by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thess 2:15). St. Paul admitted to the Galatians that the integrity of the Gospel was more important than his personal reputation, for the Gospel he preached was not his own possession (Gal 1:10). For St. Paul, the faith is like a treasure not his own, which has been entrusted to his care. He understood deeply that no gold coin within this treasure may be discarded or dirtied. Every last doctrine of the Christian deposit of faith must be guarded and transmitted, for it is God’s own personal revelation to humanity, a treasure worth guarding and sharing in its fullness.

The catechist’s teaching should be wholly Christocentric, having at its center and heart the person of Jesus Christ. John Paul II explains that “everything else is taught with reference to him and it is Christ alone who teaches anyone else teaches to the extent that he is Christ’s spokesman” (CT 6). We discover a profound Christocentricity woven throughout St. Paul’s teaching, which reveals St. Paul’s understanding that Christians must be “taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus” (Eph 4:21). When St. Paul instructed the Corinthians on the doctrine of the Eucharist, he took care to note that his teaching was not his own but entirely that of the Master: “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you” (1 Cor 11:23). In the case of each particular doctrine, St. Paul taught the faith with reference to the central mystery of Christ. For example, when imparting instruction on Christian unity and humility, he makes reference to the selfless humility of God in the sublime event of the Incarnation (Phil 2:1-8). Instruction in Christian morality is imparted in view of the fact that the Christian is a member of the Body of Christ and the Christian’s body is now a temple of the Holy Spirit, purchased by the blood of Christ (1 Cor 6:15-20). Slaves are to be obedient to their masters as to Christ (Eph 6:5). Even Christian marriage is taught as a participation in the love of Christ’s mystical marriage with his Bride, the Church (Eph 5:21-33).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms that the Church’s missionary task “must involve a process of inculturation if the Gospel is to take flesh in each people’s culture” (CCC 854). Accordingly, St. Paul understood that authentic catechesis always entails knowing one’s audience; in this way, he strove to become “all things to all men” so that he might “by all means save some” (1 Cor 9:22). For example, when St. Paul was escorted to the Greek city of Athens, he was profoundly disturbed at the sight of a city so full of pagan idols. In his ensuing monologue at the Areopagus, St. Paul appealed to the Greek world’s belief in divinity as responsible for the origin and existence of the universe. He lends sympathy with pagan religiosity, handling the subject of idol worship gently and even quotes two Greeks: Epimenides of Knossos (6^th century B.C.) and Aratus of Soli (3^rd century B.C.). Not surprisingly, this attempt at acculturating the Gospel message won several of the Greeks over, including Dionysius and Damaris (Acts 17:16-34). Another example of inculturation in St. Paul’s ministry may be seen when St. Paul circumcised St. Timothy “because of the Jews that were in those places” to which St. Paul was to travel (Acts 16:3). Paul knew that his message would be better received among the Jews if his traveling companion were circumcised, even though this sign of the Old Covenant was already previously determined to be unnecessary at the Council of Jerusalem.

Pope Paul VI, in Evangelii Nuntiandi, observes that the task of evangelization is “one that is deeply ecclesial” and therefore, “no evangelizer is the absolute master of his evangelizing action … he acts in communion with the Church and her pastors” (EN 60). St. Paul understood his mission in this ecclesial sense. Near the beginning of his ministry, St. Paul paid a visit to Jerusalem and consulted Peter for two weeks, and fourteen years later, he returned to Jerusalem once again to confirm the authenticity of his gospel by consulting, in private, those of repute (Galatians 1:18-2:2). Another fact that demonstrates the ecclesial nature of St. Paul’s evangelization is his love for the Church and recognition that it is the depository of truth. In his first epistle to St. Timothy, St. Paul refers to the household of God as “the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.” This strong and vibrant metaphor demonstrates St. Paul’s ecclesial mindset; the Church guards the truth, and the truth, in turn, brings unity among the children of God. St. Paul adamantly defends and exhorts the truth that there is “one body and one Spirit … one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all” (Eph 4:4f). His work is not an individual enterprise fueled by a personal agenda but one born of love for Jesus Christ and his Immaculate Bride.

It should be noted that St. Paul’s catechesis was organic and systematic insofar as it initiated his “hearers into the fullness of Christian life” (CT 18). St. Paul imparted Christian doctrine according to the spiritual maturity of his audience. Thus, when writing to the church in Corinth, he explains himself by saying, “I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready for it; and even yet you are not ready, for you are still of the flesh” (1 Cor 3:2). A good catechist imparts instruction in a manner befitting the developmental stage of and the level of receptivity among the students so as not to inundate the Christian and in order to foster proper growth in the spiritual life. The catechumenate of the early Christian church, as witnessed to by the Early Church Fathers, took this approach, and even today we acknowledge this need to catechize progressively in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. We may also look to the letter of St. Paul to the Romans to see for ourselves a prime example of his systematic instruction. Each successive section of this epistle builds off of the previous section as St. Paul presents Christian doctrine systematically. First, St. Paul demonstrates the universality of sin and its consequences. Second, the redemption Jesus Christ won for us is presented as God’s solution to the problem of sin. Third, justification is taught as achieved by the principle of faith as opposed to the ceremonial precepts of the Mosaic Law. Fourth, we are incorporated into this life of faith through the sacrament of baptism. Fifth, the doctrine of concupiscence is discussed in relation to sin. Finally, St. Paul gives a valuable instruction on redemptive suffering as the solution to concupiscence. From this one sample epistle, we have a survey of the systematic nature inherent within the catechetical activity of St. Paul.

The driving force of catechesis is the power of the word of God, and so the catechist must be immersed in Sacred Scripture, drawing strength from this divine wellspring. St. Paul knew that his preaching had power because it was filled with the very word of God: “when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God” (1 Thess 2:13). Throughout his epistles, St. Paul consistently quotes Old Testament Scripture passages and incorporates God’s Word into his writing through the use of literary allusion. In his catechesis on the Paschal Mystery, St. Paul affirms his profound knowledge of and need for the Christian proclamation to be grounded in Scripture when he teaches that “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3). He emphasizes the value of Sacred Scripture in teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). St. Paul even refers to the Scriptures with the powerful metaphor of “the sword” in the task of spiritual warfare (Eph 6:17). This catechetical saint even authored a good portion of the Sacred Scriptures!

In the person of Saint Paul of Tarsus, the contemporary catechist is given a model of sanctity and catechesis. This saint was a convinced and faithful disciple of Christ and his Church, a true witness in his life to the doctrine he imparted. Simultaneously, we witness in St. Paul the qualities the twentieth century catechetical documents of the Magisterium are calling for. St. Paul’s catechesis aimed for conversion; it was faithful to the deposit of faith as received; it was centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ; it presented the word of God in all its rigour and vigor; it was ecclesial; it was imparted systematically and comprehensively; and it was entirely immersed in the word of God found both in the inspired Sacred Scriptures and the living Sacred Tradition.

A quote from the above article:

“Catechesis cannot be considered systematic and organic solely because it covers a great deal of material or is lengthy. A defining characteristic of a systematic and organic catechesis is its presentation according to the hierarchy of truths (see CCC 90, 234; GDC 114-115). Participants need to understand certain truths first in order to be able to understand others, and as catechesis proceeds, each truth needs to be linked to those taught previously.”

An example: In their catechesis, the catechumens and candidates must come to understand the person and work of Jesus before they explore the Marian dogmas. Then, when Mary is presented, her Immaculate Conception, Perpetual Virginity, Divine Motherhood, and Assumption are shown to have relevance insofar as to who her Divine Son is and what his plan is for her. “What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #487).

Related Blog Entry

Also, see the blog entry titled: “Analyzing Doctrines – What to Teach“