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.