Catechetical programs, ministries designed to lead people to Christ

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
Sept. 13, 2007

Ministries in the Catholic Church are operated through various departments and programs but they all have a common mission - to lead people to Christ.

"The church only compartmentalizes to serve, not for the sake of compartmentalizing for its own sake," said Mark Thomason, the diocesan director of catechesis, evangelization and RCIA.

He said the church only separates departments to make sure it hits the target audience.

With that in mind, while not all departments are labeled as catechesis, many are catechetical in nature.

"Catechesis should be information that is formative," he said. "Catechesis is about the intimacy of the life of Christ."

He referred to the General Directory of Catechesis, #80, which states that the aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch with but also in communion with an intimacy with Jesus Christ. All evangelizing activities are understood as promoting communion with Jesus Christ.

Thomason stressed the fact catechesis should always have the same goal. There should be no two-track Christianity. For instance, the Catholic schools versus parish religious education programs.

Programs should have same goal

"They should both have the same fundamental goals. One can have a depth because of time - but the other shouldn't be lacking because of it. Home-schooling may even have more depth than Catholic schools," said Thomason, who added the same is true with one- or two-year RCIA programs.

Thomason offered an overview of some of the ministries that are catechetical.

Parish religious education, which is one of the more obvious catechetical programs, consists of the church supplementing in formal education what parents teach in the home.

"There are a lot of great volunteers - catechists and DREs - working to set up programs and different approaches to the faith that reach students," he said. "There are certain things that every year they want to accomplish as well as wanting to accomplish the same thing every year - the deeper, growing in intimacy with Christ in his church."

Since the church has limited contact with the students, usually one hour a week during the school year, Thomason said there is a great need for increased parental involvement in nurturing the faith.

He encouraged parish-based programs to look for ways to tap into parish offerings, such as having the students take part in a parish mission or retreat.

What is great about Catholic schools, he said, is that "every moment can be a catechetical moment." Whether it's math or art class, he said faith can be integrated into the curriculum.

"The difference between parish based religious education and Catholic school religious education is the depth," said Thomason. "We are proud of being Roman Catholic schools, not simply being private schools with just a religion class."

Youth ministry, he said, is a very important form of catechesis and is essential to the progress of the church. While it breaks from the classroom model and socialization is part of the ministry, true youth ministry is strong on catechesis and evangelization.

Keeping the fire alive

"Youth ministry can be a place where they can keep the fire alive," said Thomason, who added that it not only helps them build community but also empowers them.

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the formal catechetical instruction for people who plan to convert to the Catholic faith.

"This is a restored rite (at Vatican II)," explained Thomason. For a while the church got away from the rite and brought people into the church very simply but "the church in her wisdom said, 'No let's restore the rite as a formal catechetical process.'"

The focus of the RCIA instruction is the church's creed - what the Catholic Church means, believes and teaches.

"Converts are a gift to the church because they witness that moment of choice that cradle Catholics take for granted," he said.

Because those in RCIA are adults, they have a chance to really focus on formation at an age when they have matured intellectually. Thomason said RCIA has re-ignited the understanding of the need for adult catechesis.

"Adults need to start getting together to learn their faith in a formal way that they can either set up through their parish or start a group on their own," he said.

Another catechetical ministry is marriage prep because it offers formation in preparation for a sacrament.

"Marriage prep isn't simply compatibility or picking out flowers, which are important, but there should be a point when people look at what is marriage," said Thomason. "For Christians, especially as Catholics, marriage is the way Christ images himself to the church - 'I am the bridegroom and she is my bride.' So every Catholic marriage should be an icon of Christ's love for his church."

Baptismal prep, he noted, is another great opportunity for adult catechesis and a refresher course as to the need for baptism and what it means to be Catholic.

"Adult faith formation is essential and it needs to take off a lot more," he said. "Adults need to start taking ownership of their own faith formation. There are plenty of resources for them to form small Christian communities. We can't always go to the church to do everything for us. The church can sustain us - but we have to be a partner."

Thomason said if people want to start a group, they can contact the office and he can meet with the group or steer them in the direction of some resources.