The Ecclesial Method
Posted on August 18th, 2008
The Ecclesial Method is a method of carrying out catechesis that is rooted deeply in our Catholic tradition, which can be used effectively within the parish catechumenate. This blog entry will give a very practical and brief overview of the method so that the reader will be able to become familiar with the method and use it in his/her own parish RCIA catechesis.
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. [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]
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St. Paul – A Catechetical Saint
Posted on August 13th, 2008
St. Paul: A Model Catechetical Saint for Contemporary Catechesis
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. [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]
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Catechesis in the Catechumenate
Posted on August 4th, 2008
Download and read the PDF article titled: The Standard of Teaching: Catechesis in the RCIA Catechumenate Period to find the answer to the question: What do I teach and when should I teach it?
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“
Tags: Systematic Catechesis
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