Sharing the Faith: Catechesis

 4. Very soon, the term catechesis was used to refer to all the efforts made in the Church to make disciples, to help people believe that Jesus is the Son of God so that, through faith, they may have life in his name, and to educate and instruct them in this life, thus building the Body of Christ.

5. Catechesis is an education in the faith for children, young people, and adults, which specifically includes teaching Christian doctrine, generally delivered in an organized and systematic manner with the aim them into the fullness of Christian life.

6. Without being confused with them, catechesis is articulated within a certain number of elements of the pastoral mission of the Church, which has a catechetical aspect, which prepare for catechesis or derive from it: the initial proclamation of the Gospel faith, the search for reasons to believe; the experience of Christian life, the celebration of the sacraments, the  integration into the ecclesial community, and apostolic and missionary witness.

7. Catechesis is intimately connected with the entire life of the Church.  Not only the geographical expansion and numerical growth of the Church, but also-and even more so-its inner development, its alignment with God´s plan, essentially depend on it.

8. Periods of renewal in the Church are also significant times for catechesis.  Thus, in the great era of the Church Fathers, we see holy bishops dedicate an important part of their ministry to catechesis.  In the time of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem and Saint John Chrysostom, of Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine, and of many Fathers whose catechetical works continue to serve as models.

9. The ministry of catechesis continually draws new energy from the councils.  The Council of Trent represents an example worthy of note in this regard: it gave catechesis a priority in its constitutions and decrees, from it arose the Roman Catechism, which also bears its name and stands as a first-rate work summarizing Christian doctrine.  This Council stimulate a remarkable organization of catechesis within the Church; thanks to holy bishops and theologians such as Saint Peter Canisius, Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo, and Saint Robert Bellarmine, it promoted the publication of numerous catechisms.

The life of man: to know and love God

 1. God, infinitely Perfect and Blessed in Himself, in a design of pure goodness has literally created man so that he may partake in His blessed life. Therefore, at all times and in all places, He is near to man.  He calls him and helps him to seek Him, to know Him, and to love Him with all his strength. He summons all men, whom sin has scattered, to the unity of His family, the Church.  He does this through His Son, whom He sent as Redeemer and Savior upon the fulfillment of time.  In Him and through Him, He calls men to be, in the Holy Spirit, His adopted children, and therefore heirs of his blessed life.

2. So that this call would resonate throughout the earth, Christ sent the apostles He had chosen, giving them the command to proclaim the Gospel: ¨Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirti, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And know that I am with you always, to the end of the age¨ (Mt 28: 19-20). Strengthened by this mission, the apostles went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it (Mk 16:20).

3. Those who, with the help of God, have chosen the call of Christ and have freely responded to it, are in turn compelled by the love of Christ to proclaim the Good News throughout the world. This treasure, receive from the apostles, has been faithfully preserved by their successors.  All the faithful of Christ are called to transmit if from generation to generation, by proclaiming the faith, living it in fraternal communion, and celebrating it in liturgy and prayer.

Prologue

Prologue

¨Father, this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Your messenger Jesus Christ (John 17: 3).  ¨Our God and Savior... desires all people to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4). ¨There is no other name under heaven given to humanity by which we must be saved¨ (Acts 4:12), except the name of Jesus.