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TOPIC: CATECHETICAL TRAINING – To explore the best procedures for training catechists, I thought I should first examine the components of CATECHESIS (religious instruction). My focus here is on youth catechesis.
 
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Unit in Contrast Catechesis is a form of teaching, teaching young people about their faith and how to practice it. However, what differentiates it from other kinds of teaching is that its ultimate goal is not just to learn certain content or a certain skill set. Its ultimate goal is to prepare young people to live the principles of Christian teaching on earth in preparation for life after death. Catechesis has evolved since its beginnings. Originally, one could say Jesus Christ was the first catechist. His approach was one of using metaphors to instruct his followers on the complicated topics in the faith. For instance, he used the metaphor of seed planted on different kinds of ground as related to people who hear his teachings (e.g. those who hear and act are like seed falling on rich soil, those who hear and respond, but eventually lose their enthusiasm are like seed falling in thorns, etc.) During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, catechesis evolved further with the Baltimore Catechism, where students were instructed in their faith by memorizing basic questions and answers. In the early 1980's, the method of catechesis evolved into what is known as the shared praxis, a model for teaching more similar to Christ's methods of instruction, emphasizing making meaningful connections to the students' lives over simple memorization.
Unit as a System Currently, using the shared praxis, catechesis is organized into a very methodical system. The stages include five movements: (1) experiencing life, which involves the students' sharing personal experiences and and feelings about a given topic, (2) reflecting together, in which the teacher and students discuss the theme or topic, (3) discovering the faith story, in which the teacher shares the “facts” from the bible or the Church related to the topic, (4) owning the faith, in which students are asked to connect the experiences they shared earlier with the faith story, and (5) responding in faith, in which students brainstorm a real-world response to this faith lesson—something they could DO to live the message of this faith story. While shared praxis is one of the most accepted and widely used methods of catechesis in PSR and CCD courses, there are a number of arguments against it (primarily because the inspiration for it was gather from the teachings of a Marxist). More importantly, however, is the current movement toward using the RCIA process (the Rite of Christian Intimation of Adults) as the model for catechesis. In fact, the General Directory for Catechesis in 1997 put forth that all catechesis should imitate this process that converts to Catholicism use when being instated into the faith. While Groome, the originator of the shared praxis model, takes some issue with this, the popularity of this idea is increasing.
Unit in a System Catechesis is only one part of Catholic education. This education also includes evangelization of non-Catholics, the education of the catechumenate, ongoing education through Sunday masses, and personal education through spiritual reading, etc., and most importantly for this project, the training and education that goes into the development of a catechist and the subsequent independent learning about their faith that results. Successful catechesis, whether through shared praxis or the newly-evolving system modeled after the catechumenate, will culminate in a stronger Church. Young Catholics who are more knowledgeable about their faith are more likely to make choices in line with the moral and social justice teachings of the church. Additionally, with effective catechesis, young Catholics might better internalize their faith, resulting in a stronger Church. Ideally, in the context of this project, better educated young Catholics might be more willing to share their faith with others as adults.