Most Saturdays we will be attending the Intermediate Catechist Course which commenced on 09 October 2010 and will end on 19th February 2011.
Father Franco is the Spiritual Director for Catechists and will be taking most of the classes. He is a young, dynamic Salesian and an inspiration to us all. He has a good-natured, bonhomie style but can still manage to make us feel like 6 year olds when, as he puts it, we have been merely clever rather than intelligent. Clever is not what we should aspire to be, in case you were wondering, rather we must aim to be intelligent.
He does not make heavy weather of the material he has to teach but is still able to give us a wealth of information. Speaking of a wealth of information here is the recommended for serious catechists.
Father Franco is the Spiritual Director for Catechists and will be taking most of the classes. He is a young, dynamic Salesian and an inspiration to us all. He has a good-natured, bonhomie style but can still manage to make us feel like 6 year olds when, as he puts it, we have been merely clever rather than intelligent. Clever is not what we should aspire to be, in case you were wondering, rather we must aim to be intelligent.
He does not make heavy weather of the material he has to teach but is still able to give us a wealth of information. Speaking of a wealth of information here is the recommended for serious catechists.
The sheer amount of material that is available to the serious student can be overwhelming. However as we all know every journey begins with the taking the first step.
Just to give you an idea of what I am talking about here is some of the recommended reading all of which is available online. I am sure it will take several life times to read it all but we can make a start.
1) GENERAL DIRECTORY FOR CATECHESIS
2) GUIDE FOR CATECHISTS
3) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
4) CATECHESIS IN OUR TIME
5) Lumen Gentium - Chapter IV on the Laity
6) TO THE EPISCOPATE, TO THE CLERGY AND TO ALL THE FAITHFUL OF THE ENTIRE WORLD Evangelii Nuntiandi
7) REDEMPTORI MISSIO - On the permanent validity of the Church's missionary Mandate John Paul II
8) CODE OF CANON LAW
Synopsis of father's instruction so far.
Who are catechists?
Through Baptism all are catechists.
- Bishops are the heralds of the faith and are the primary catechists.
- Priests through Holy Orders are catechists and educators in the faith.
- Religious sisters : Christian education of the faithful is their primary duty.
- Laity:
a) Parents are the most important catechists.
b) Catechists fall under further categories:
a) Parents are the most important catechists.
b) Catechists fall under further categories:
i) Religion teachers - Those who work in Catholic
schools and teach religion.
ii) Sunday Catechists - They teach once a week on a
voluntary basis.
(Training is given once a year.)
&
Lay Catechists: Paid by the Church.
iii) Missionaries who go to mission lands.
Lay Catechists: Paid by the Church.
iii) Missionaries who go to mission lands.
Catechesis is the process of handing over the faith. We re-echo the faith. Faith is the Person of Jesus Christ, the Word of God is God Himself. It is a sharing of our own faith experience. We are called to be witnesses. We start with human experience - an illustration. Move to the Word of God and explain it and finally we explain how the Word can be applied to daily living.
The Catechist has six tasks:
1) Knowledge of the faith
2) Liturgical
3) Moral formation (Moral life)
4) Teaching to pray
5) Education for community life
6) Missionary Dimension
Things to remember. Catechesis is not a job and so the catechist must cultivate the following daily habits. Personal prayer, personal reflection on Scripture, Spiritual reading. A catechist must be like like Jesus - Jesus used His Heart (internal) and He used His head, hands and habits (external).
For the catechist the heart is the most important.
A catechist must have good Catholic habits.
A catechist must have good Catholic habits.
We must remember that we are Christ and the class is holy ground.
We must develop an intimacy with Christ.
A Catechist must also remember that he is always under the umbrella of the Church - Pope, Bishop and Priests.
A Catechist must be familiar with Church documents. Faithful to the Church's teachings, Sacraments and Mary.
We had an interesting work shop where we were divided into groups and had to make a list of requirements for catechetical ministry. Each group had to come up with four words only with regard to:
a) Material objects
We had an interesting work shop where we were divided into groups and had to make a list of requirements for catechetical ministry. Each group had to come up with four words only with regard to:
a) Material objects
b) Places
c) Moments
d) Activities
e) Persons
f) Institutions
h) Abstract terms.
We had to then check it out with the other groups and add to our list what was not mentioned in it.
We had to then check it out with the other groups and add to our list what was not mentioned in it.
Last but not least we had a break in between for refreshments. Snacks were served from Ceasar's along with tea or coffee.
For Home work we were given a sheet of paper titled, 'YOUR PLAN TO BRING OTHERS TO CHRIST'. It had points to remember and points to complete which are mentioned below:
1) BE HOLY - Constantly seek to think, judge, act and hope like Jesus in Your own life. (Excellent advice).
2) LOOK AROUND YOU - Who needs to know about Jesus? Is there anyone in your family? Anyone in your neighbourhood? Anyone who is your friend? Anyone at work? Write their names on the lines below.
3) PRAYING FOR PEOPLE - Pray for those you have listed. pray that the Holy Spirit will help you talk about Jesus. Pray that the Holy Spirit will help the people on the list. Write your prayer.
4) BE A FRIEND - Be a friend to the people on your list. Be nice to them.
5) INVITATION - When the time right time comes, ask the person if you can tell them about Jesus and how He forgives our sins so we can be children of God. Invite them to follow Jesus. invite them to pray with you. Invite them to go to Mass with you. Invite them to help someone else. Invite them to read the Bible or other books about God. invite them to your religion class. What other ways could you invite them to know more about Jesus?
6) KEEP BEING A FRIEND - Keep being a friend. Always pray for them.
For Home work we were given a sheet of paper titled, 'YOUR PLAN TO BRING OTHERS TO CHRIST'. It had points to remember and points to complete which are mentioned below:
1) BE HOLY - Constantly seek to think, judge, act and hope like Jesus in Your own life. (Excellent advice).
2) LOOK AROUND YOU - Who needs to know about Jesus? Is there anyone in your family? Anyone in your neighbourhood? Anyone who is your friend? Anyone at work? Write their names on the lines below.
3) PRAYING FOR PEOPLE - Pray for those you have listed. pray that the Holy Spirit will help you talk about Jesus. Pray that the Holy Spirit will help the people on the list. Write your prayer.
4) BE A FRIEND - Be a friend to the people on your list. Be nice to them.
5) INVITATION - When the time right time comes, ask the person if you can tell them about Jesus and how He forgives our sins so we can be children of God. Invite them to follow Jesus. invite them to pray with you. Invite them to go to Mass with you. Invite them to help someone else. Invite them to read the Bible or other books about God. invite them to your religion class. What other ways could you invite them to know more about Jesus?
6) KEEP BEING A FRIEND - Keep being a friend. Always pray for them.
The second class will be on 16th October 2010 and taken by father F. again and the lecture will be on the Gospel of Mark.
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