Five Things to Know About the Catholic Catechism

To honor the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church . . . .

Pope Benedict XVI has announced a Year of Faith.  It began on October 11, ends November 24, 2013, and is meant to strengthen the faith of Catholics and draw the world to faith by their example. The pope has encouraged Catholics to study the Catechism as part of the Year of Faith.

Alissa Thorell, catechism specialist for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis, offers

"Five Things Catholics Should Know About the Catechism."

Thorell explains:

1. It's universal in its scope. Promulgated in 1992, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the first book of its kind in 450 years, an effort by the world's bishops to convey the content of the Catholic faith to the whole Church. Following the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), the bishops recognized the importance of providing a more complete presentation of the Catholic faith and teachings to Catholics living in the modern world.

2. It's universal in its content. The Catechism compiles the living Tradition of the Catholic Church and divides it into four sections: what Catholics believe (the Creed), how the faith is transmitted (worship and sacraments), how Catholics are called to live (moral life) and prayer. The contents of these four parts are interwoven, providing an organic presentation of the faith.

3. It's a resource for education. The main goal of the Catechism is to help bishops, pastors, catechists, parents and all who teach the faith. It provides a foundation that encourages bishops' conferences to develop teaching materials from it.

4. It's an invitation prayer. The Catechism draws from the richness of the Catholic Church, including Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, the teaching documents of Church and the lives of the saints. This makes it not only useful for learning about the Catholic faith, but for growing in one's faith through meditation and prayer.

5. It's for Catholics of all ages. Learning and living the faith is an ongoing process throughout a person's life, and the Catechism can help Catholics come to know and love Christ. At almost 700 pages, the Catechism can be intimidating, but it contains short summaries at the end of every section for easy reference. Further, the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church offers an explanation of each section of the Catechismthat is accessible for all readers.

How Catholics can live the Year of Faith:

www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/year-of-faith/

Lake Barkley Conference Coming Soon! -- Webpage and Brochure

The Mid-South Catholic

Leadership Conference

November  4 - 7,  2012


Here are the webpage and brochure for the 2012 conference event!  Register now.

        http://www.rcdok.org/schools/midsouth_catholic_leadership_conference.php

Line dancing -- one of many activities
to enjoy with friends and colleagues!

Mr. Daniel Mulhall,  RCL Publishing -- One of our
main presenters and cantors at the 2012 conference

Registration is now open!

For many years, the Lake Barkley State Resort Park has provided the perfect meeting place. If you are new to the conference, or have been coming for many years, see the website to plan additional activities during your stay:

 

www.rcdok.org/midsouth

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U.S. Bishops Consider Challenges of Social Media

     A headline in a recent national catechetical news bulletin reads like this: 

               Bishops To Address Challenges, Opportunities In Digital Age


     The U.S. bishops will discuss a possible official Church statement on doctrine in the digital age at their November 12-15 (2012) meeting in Baltimore

     Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, chairman of the Doctrine Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), will present the statement "Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities for the Exercise of the Teaching Ministry of the Diocesan Bishop." Later, it will be voted on by the entire assembly of bishops.

      The draft document cites the "quantum leap" in the speed of mass communications since the invention of the internet. It demands that bishops "respond immediately when Church teaching is challenged or misrepresented." The bishops also face the challenge that amidst many voices in the digital world -- "a bishop's voice on the Internet can appear to be just another in the competition for attention" requiring bishops to explain to people the nature of their authority.

     Cardinal Wuerl's writing also notes that the new digital media "constitute a blade that can cut two ways"

     New social media "create new difficulties for bishops in the exercise of their teaching office" yet "they also offer powerful new tools for more effective ministry."

      A key benefit of most new media is "that they offer the bishop the possibility of communicating with people in a relatively unmediated fashion," the statement says.

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7 Key Things About the New Evangelization

Seven Things Catholics Should Know About the New Evangelization


by Peter Murphy, D.Min.
Executive Director -- Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

(Peter Murphy is the Executive Director -- Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He writes from Rome as an auditor of the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization)

"Seven Things to Know About the New Evangelization" are:

1. It's not new in content, but new in energy and approach.
The New Evangelization re-proposes the faith to a world longing for answers to life's most profound questions. It's a call to share Christ and bring the Gospel, with renewed energy and through ever-changing methods, to new and different audiences.

2. It begins with personal conversion.
The New Evangelization begins internally and spreads outward. We are called to deepen our own faith in order to better share it with others. Then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger described this in the Jubilee Year 2000 as daring to have faith with the humility of the mustard seed that leaves up to God how and when the tree will grow. Conversion to Christ is the first step.

3. It's for believers and non-believers alike. Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Cap., recently observed that the most difficult people to evangelize are the ones who think they've already been converted. So whether it's someone at Mass every Sunday, an inactive Catholic or someone for whom religion is not part of life, the New Evangelization invites all people to discover faith anew.

4. It's about a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Before a person can share Christ with others, they must first experience Christ in their own life. The New Evangelization is about promoting a personal encounter with Christ for all people, wherever they are in their lives. Whether that means finding faith for the first time or spreading the Good News, the most authentic and effective efforts are the ones closest to Christ.

5. It's not an isolated moment, but an ongoing practice. Personal conversion and the encounter with Christ is an ongoing experience that lasts a lifetime. Catholics are blessed to encounter their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in the Sacraments. Catholics are called to live in a way that reflects the love of Christ. God's love is shared with our neighbors through caring for the poor and welcoming those who feel distant from God.

6. It's meant to counter secular culture. G.K. Chesterton wrote that "each generation is converted by the saint who contradicts it most." The New Evangelization responds to Western society's ongoing move away from religion by urging Catholics to enthusiastically share Christ in word and through the credible witness of their lives. This is why Pope Benedict encourages Catholics to study the lives of the saints during the Year of Faith and learn from their example.

7. It's a priority for the Church. Blessed Pope John Paul II made it a major priority of his 26-year pontificate. Continuing this, Pope Benedict launched the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization in 2010 and made it the theme of the 2012 Synod of Bishops. The U.S. bishops issued a document in April, "Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization," focused on welcoming inactive Catholics back to the faith. The New Evangelization has an urgency about it, an urgency for all Catholics to embrace the grace of their baptismal call and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with their family, friends and neighbors.


New Evangelization is available online: www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/

Sacramental Catechesis: Best Practices

Best Practices for Catechesis on the Sacraments

A Handbook by the Wisconsin Directors

of Religious Education Federation

      Catechetical Leaders from across the state of Wisconsin contributed over 80 different catechetical lessons and activities designed to engage children, teens, and adults in learning about the sacraments. While some of these can be used in preparation for first reception of the sacraments, most are for ongoing catechesis.

     Samples of the Best Practices: Collage on the Sacraments, Baptism Certificate made by Children, Readiness Signs for First Communion, Inside the Mass, Candidate and Sponsor Meeting for Confirmation, Night of Reflection for First Reconciliation, Abundance that Makes a Marriage Last, Holy Orders Bingo. Complete plans are included for each lesson or activity, including how much time is needed, a list of materials, and the number of adult assistants needed.

     This book-on-CD contains Microsoft Word files to make it easy for leaders to make adaptations for their settings.

     Best Practices for Catechesis on the Sacraments is published by the Wisconsin Directors of Religious Education Federation. It can be purchased from the NCCL office (www.nccl.org) or the NCCL bookstore --  http://astore.amazon.com/natioconfefor-20  -- for $15.95.