Cervical Secretions Day 19

Catechesis: What answer to modern man? The role of the catechist.

of Gaetano Capillo

Catechesis communicate the Word of God to man in that particular situation. To ensure that the Catechism is significant, for this man, and that's saying the right word, you must know the situation of man himself. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the situation in which man lives, at the universal level, national, regional and diocesan level, so that the discovery of the human problems of today, what are your expectations, fears, its concerns and, Catechesis in do, we can say the right word , which is significant to man. We must study the environment in which we live, and the cultural, pastoral, social and economic, so you really know what to say to the man.

catechesis must give answers to man must say something to his problems, which need not resolve (eg. Unemployment or poverty), but must give a message of hope to address problems, to read in the Christian sense. In the Gospel we find the parable of the sower in Mark, 4: "He went out to sow ..." , Jesus Christ today, present in the Church through the Holy Spirit, continues to spread the Word of the Father in the world. This seed meets various land here is the man of today in different contexts, pastoral, cultural and social.

The Church looks with deep sorrow a multitude of men, women and children, adults and elderly who are suffering under the weight of misery, she by catechesis want to arouse in the hearts of Christians , respect for justice, the preferential option for the poor, so that its presence is really light that enlightens and transforms salt.

When there is more respect for the person and human rights are violated, Catechesis must respond. New poverty are not only material but also cultural and religious and community care. The denial of human rights weakens the person and work of the Church, in this context, it has an essential task: to discover the dignity of every human person. In this context Catechesis gives this answer: rediscovering the value of human dignity.

task of catechesis is to awaken the faith to non-practicing Christians ; to justify the faith the people simple to educated people, with childlike faith, you need to reset your faith. The baptized who hide their identity and are ashamed must testify with courage. Catechesis, in addition to courage, to give positive input to the alienation and the weakening of the sense of belonging to the Church of Christ.

A problem that must be answered Catechesis is religious indifference. Atheism is among the most serious problems of our time. It comes in different shades in the form of secularism (the man can do alone, has no need of God). It looks today as fundamentalism , be identified with the religious fanaticism (to prevail in an exaggerated way the basic things) and that also leads to religious wars.

Another problem is ethical relativism, that is, you lose the reference point for everyone, so it is good for some, for others it is bad, without a reliable and objective value for all, threatening cohabitation itself, is like saying Situation Ethics: now a thing they say, is good for me, tomorrow is bad.

Catechesis is communication of the Word of God . The original source is the Holy Scripture, the Word of God The Word of God has two major sections: Sacred Scripture and Tradition . There are other secondary sources of God's Word, for example. Creation is a source for doing catechesis, liturgy is another source. Anything that can provide materials to communicate the Word of God is the source to make Catechesis.

We are all responsible for Catechesis , we are all preachers of the Word of God, but there are responsibilities in order of the Pope (primarily responsible for catechesis), the Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Religious and all the lay faithful baptized. The catechist, in its peculiar physiognomy.

Recipients of Catechesis are all part of the community we all need to be catechized. There is a person who knows so well the mystery of God, it does not need to walk. Even the priests make their meetings for regular updates. We all need to continually be catechized. Recipients because we are all, if Catechesis as Christ leads us to suggest, this does not even reach the end of our lives.

What about the catechist? is the communicator of the Word, has a vocation, an identity, training, a spirituality. The Catechist teacher who must be announced, must be an educator because Catechesis is an education, to give witness to what he teaches: that to which educates must bear witness with his life.

conclude by quoting St. Augustine in "De catechizandis rudibus "Imagine that a deacon's writing for himself to give advice on how to do Catechesis. He had the feeling of become tedious, not to be heard of not be able to communicate with words, what was in her heart or mind. Augustine answers this question and wrote a booklet to give advice to the Deacon Deogratias. At the end of S. Augustine tells him to remember, when it's Catechesis, which "Who listens, listening, believes, believing, hoping, hoping, love . Catechesis must, therefore, education in faith, hope and charity.