The St. John Neumann Pastoral Center was abuzz with activity on Feb. 29, when thirty parish catechetical leaders attended a presentation by Dr. Joseph White, associate publisher for Catechetical Resources at Our Sunday Visitor Publishing. Dr. White, a clinical psychologist, prolific author, and former catechetical leader, focused upon three key themes of the 2020 Directory for Catechesis: kerygma, Christian anthropology, and missionary discipleship.
In terms of the kerygma, or the initial proclamation of the Gospel, Dr. White emphasized that religious education has tended to “put the ‘what’ before the ‘why’.” In other words, the truths of the Catholic faith have been presented without first presenting the reason why these truths matter in our lives. The ‘why’ is found in the kerygma, which is such a major theme of the 2020 Directory for Catechesis that it is repeated 39 times within the document.
Quoting the kerygma as expressed in the 2019 post-synodal apostolic exhortation of Pope Francis, Christus Vivit, “God loves you: Christ is your savior: he is alive,” Dr. White emphasized the need for catechists to return to the proclamation of the kerygma over and over.
The example of Peter, James and John and the change that came over them after witnessing the Transfiguration of Jesus: “They saw no one else but Jesus alone” (Matthew 17:8) and the revelation that they later “lost focus” was used to illustrate that the powerful effect of hearing the kerygma can wane over time if it is not kept alive in our hearts. The Directory for Catechesis emphasizes the ongoing need for the proclamation of the kerygma to keep in mind the ‘why’ as the reason for the ‘what’.
The Directory for Catechesis discusses that the transcendental properties of being: truth, beauty, and goodness, are from God and can lead people back to God. Dr. White remarked that “sometimes truth may not be the way into the kerygma in today’s culture.” He then shared his own experience of being an evangelical Protestant that was “overwhelmed with God’s presence” on a visit to the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond, Virginia as a graduate student.
The beauty of both the cathedral and the liturgy led him to an encounter with God. As a young man who had been raised “steeped in the intellectual tradition” it came to him as a surprise that his conversion of heart was first prompted by beauty and not by truth, which came later on when he entered the RCIA.
Dr. White continued the presentation with a discussion of Christian anthropology, relating that the Directory for Catechesis emphasizes the “necessity for those who teach the faith to be faithful to God and faithful to humanity.”
Human beings are a unity of mind, body, and spirit, created in the image and likeness of God. Developing an understanding of these truths beginning in the elementary years of childhood serves to provide a strong foundation for the presentation of more difficult topics in the mid and late teen years. In addition, the Directory for Catechesis emphasizes the need for the catechesis and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities. Persons with Disabilities are “called to the fullness of sacramental life” and the Directory for Catechesis urges that Persons with Disabilities should be considered “active subjects in the community” and “to recognize the presence of Jesus who in a special way manifests himself in them.”
Dr. White concluded his presentation with a discussion of missionary discipleship. All of the baptized are called to be missionary disciples and catechists can support students with this calling by helping students “articulate their faith to others” and “live the message they have received”. Also, catechists can help parents by giving them practical advice on how to talk with their children about the faith and how families can live the faith in their daily lives. Dr. White then provided a number of concrete ways to do this in and out of the catechetical classroom.
The overall response to Dr. Whites’ rich presentation was summed up by one catechetical leader: “Dr. Joseph White’s presentation was great. I really enjoyed it and know I will use the information in my program.”
Jill Kerekes serves as diocesan director, Office of Discipleship Formation for Children.