Ministry
of Faith Formation
(Board
of Education)
(In
collaboration with the other five Ministry Areas: Church Life, Family Life,
Finance
and Administration, Liturgy and Social Action)
“The
parish is, without doubt, the most important locus in which the Chris tian community
is
formed and expressed... [It is] the prime mover and pre-eminent place for
catechesis.
General Directory for Catechesis
Congregation
for the Clergy, 1997
During the last twenty years parish
religious education has broadened and deepened into a more comprehensive
ministry, which encompasses the ongoing process of faith formation. This change
in terms reflects the growing understanding that following Christ, being a
disciple, is a lifelong challenge, an ongoing process of conversion, not only
involving the mind, but the whole person.
The ultimate objective of faith
formation is discipleship. The parish facilitates the work of the Spirit by
helping the individual hear and respond to God’s loving call to a personal
relationship, lived out in a faith community that witnesses to all in words and
actions the Good News that is Jesus Christ.
Faith formation describes the
process of discovering, unwrapping, examining, and appreciating God’s gift.
While the process is described as sequential, we must also remember it is
overlapping, ongoing, and life long. Appreciating faith leads to deeper
discovery, which leads to more unwrapping, more examination, and so on.
Evangelization means creating an
atmosphere of trust and welcome where people feel comfortable enough to unwrap
themselves, recognize their own goodness, and come to know others who are
living the Christian life. It means building relationships. Evangelization is
also sharing faith and witnessing within those relationships. It is proclaiming,
not explaining, the Good News. Finally, evangelization leads to a more formal
catechesis, teaching the faith including Scripture and Catholic Doctrine. It is
important to remember, however, that if evangelization has not taken place then
this religious education can become simply academic.
If we hope to offer effective
catechesis, we must begin by making sure we are a welcoming community that
provides space and opportunities for people, young and old, to come together to
discover, unwrap, explore and appreciate the great gift of faith God has
provided. The General Directory for
Catechesis (GDC) tells us that faith formation is a gradual activity, and suggests the catechumenate process as our primary model of catechesis.
(GDC #88-91)
Catechesis places a strong emphasis
on basic Catholic literacy. It is rooted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, (CCC) an important resource for parish leaders. Its
“four-part structure develops the essential aspects of the faith” (GDC #122):
belief in a Triune God and the plan of salvation; sanctification in the
sacramental life; loving God with all one’s heart and one’s neighbor as
oneself; prayer while waiting for the coming of the kingdom and meeting God
face to face.
Ultimately, we are each responsible
for our own life of faith. God invites us into a personal relationship of love,
but it is up to us to respond. When we say, “Yes” we begin a journey of faith
that lasts a lifetime. We are not, however, alone on the journey. We discover
the path and walk the road in communion with others. The
Church, which continues the mission of Jesus, lights the way. Through
its ministry of catechesis, the parish helps people’s faith to become “living,
conscious and active” (NCD #32). The parish itself serves as catechist, offering
a living witness of the Good News through its liturgy, its communal life, and
its service to others.
RESPONSIBILITIES
• To
analyze the needs of the parish community and to identify areas in need of
development in this ministry area.
• To
set goals and objectives for the development of a strategic plan congruent with
total parish planning.
• To
develop, plan and evaluate parish programs, staff and administrators that will
enable the entire parish to grow in its faith life.
• To
develop, formulate and promulgate appropriate policies.
• To
incorporate the diversity of peoples into the faith life of the parish (e.g.
ethnic groups, age groups, the homebound, people with disabilities, the
marginalized)
• To
ensure adult education as the axis of faith formation.
• To
ensure good communications between and among all groups in the parish, deanery
and diocese and provide effective publicity for events.
• To
prepare a budget for total Catholic formation and education to meet the needs
of the parish in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance and Administration.
• To
encourage ever increasing level of participation in the life of the parish,
deanery and diocese.
• To
recommend appropriate changes to the educational space and grounds in order to
facilitate the safety, upkeep, and enhance the learning environment.
“Catechesis
is nothing other than the process of transmitting the Gospel, as the Christian
community has received it,
understands it, celebrates it, lives it and communicates it in many ways.”
GDC#
105
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
• Comprehensive
adult catechetical opportunities which meet the real need of adults.
• A
coherent, well integrated catechetical plan for children and youth, which
provides opportunities for them to grow in faith and to build the
• Youth
Ministry initiatives are in accord with the “Renewing the Vision of Youth
Ministry”.
• Acquire
adequate finds, resources, staff and space to implement the catechetical plan.
• Guidance
and formation opportunities provided to parents in understanding their role in
the ongoing formation of Christian values with their children.
• Catechesis
is provided for persons with disabilities and those with special needs.
• Provide
opportunities so that all catechists are skilled in effective methodologies and
knowledgeable in the foundational aspects of Vatican II theology, scripture and
liturgy.
• If
there is a school, that the academic program is strong and there is continuous
improvement displayed.
• Ensure cooperative planning between school administration and parish staff for ongoing development of sacramental preparation.
• Children,
youth and adults are made aware of the various options for professional Church
ministry especially in priesthood and religious life.
• Recruitment
and training of new members.
SUPPORT FOR THE MINISTRY
• Diocesan
Board of Education, the Director of Faith Formation and Edncation
and the Office of Pastoral Services
Contact:
• Director of Faith Formation and Education,
Mary Wieser, 563-324-1912, ext. 263,
wieser@davenportdiocese.org
• Curriculum and Media Coordinator, Dr. Bob Pilcher, 563-324-1911,
pilcher@davenportdiocese.org
• Adult and Family Formation/Lay Ministry
Coordinator, IlaMae Hanisch,
563-324-1912 ext. 271, hanisch@davenportdiocese.org
• Youth Ministry Coordinator, Joe Dvorak,
563-324-1912 ext. 266, dvorak@davenportdiocese.org
• NCCL
(National Conference for Catechetical Leadership)
Contact: 202-636-3826,
Fax: 202-832-2712, 3021 Fourth StreetNE,
• NCEA
(National Catholic Edncational Association
Contact: 202-337-6232,
Fax: 202-333-6706, 1077 30ul~ Street, NW,
• USCCB
Contact: 800-235-8722
• National
Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry Contact: 202-636-3825,
Through
its ministry of catechesis, the parish helps people ‘sfaith
to become
“living, conscious and active “. The parish itself serves as a catechist,
offering a living witness of the Good News through its liturgy,
its
communal liJč, and its service to others.
NCD #32