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PREFACE
1. The Second Vatican Council
prescribed that a "Directory for the catechetical instruction of the
Christian people"(1) be drawn up. The Congregation for the Clergy,
in execution of this conciliar mandate, availed itself of a special commission
of experts, and consulted the various Episcopal Conferences, throughout the
world, which made numerous suggestions and observations on the subject. The
text prepared was revised by an ad hoc theological Commission and by the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The General Catechetical
Directory was definitively approved by Pope Paul VI on 18 March 1971 and
promulgated on 11 April 1971.
2. The thirty-year period
between the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council and the threshold of the
third millennium is without doubt most providential for the orientation and
promotion of catechesis. It has been a time in which the evangelizing vigour of
the original ecclesial community has in some ways re-emerged. It has also seen
a renewal of interest in the teaching of the Fathers and has made possible a
return to the catechumenate. Since 1971, the General Catechetical Directory has
oriented the particular Churches in their renewal of catechesis and has acted
as a point of reference for content and pedagogy, as well as for methodology.
The course of catechesis during this same
period has been characterized everywhere by generous dedication, worthy
initiatives and by positive results for the education and growth in the faith
of children, young people and adults. At the same time, however, there have
been crises, doctrinal inadequacies, influences from the evolution of global
culture and ecclesial questions derived from outside the field of catechesis
which have often impoverished its quality.
3. The Magisterium of the
Church, throughout these years, has never ceased to exercise its pastoral solicitude
for catechesis. Numerous Bishops and Episcopal Conferences in all parts of the
world have devoted considerable attention to catechesis by means of catechisms
and pastoral guidelines, by promoting the formation of their priests and by
encouraging catechetical research. Efforts such as these have proved fruitful
and have contributed much to catechetical praxis in the particular Churches. The
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, published by the Congregation for
Divine Worship on 6 January 1972, has proved especially useful for catechetical
renewal.
Mention must also be made in a particular
way of the ministry of Pope Paul VI, who shepherded the Church in the immediate
post-conciliar period. In his regard, Pope John Paul II has said: "...
through his gestures, his preaching, his authoritative interpretation of the
Second Vatican Council — considered by him to have been the great catechism of
modern times — and through the whole of his life, my venerable predecessor Paul
VI served the Church's catechesis in a particularly exemplary
fashion".(2)
4. The reflections of the
General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of October 1974 on the theme of
Evangelization in the Contemporary World constitute a decisive milestone for
catechesis. The propositions subsequently drawn up by the Synod were presented
to Pope Paul VI, who promulgated the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii
Nuntiandi of 8 December 1975. This document enunciates, amongst other
things, a particularly important principle, namely, that of catechesis as a
work of evangelization in the context of the mission of the Church. Henceforth
catechesis would be considered as one of the enduring concerns of the Church's
missionary mandate for our times.
The final General Assembly of the Synod of
Bishops, convoked by Pope Paul VI in October 1977, proposed catechesis to its
participants as the theme for analysis and reflection. This Synod saw "in
catechetical renewal a precious gift of the Holy Spirit to the contemporary Church".(3)
5. Taking up this
catechetical heritage in 1978, Pope John Paul II set out his first orientations
for catechesis in the Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae of 16
October 1979. This Exhortation forms a cohesive unity with Evangelii
Nuntiandi and fully locates catechesis within the context of
evangelization.
Throughout his entire pontificate, Pope John
Paul II has continually proposed a constant magisterium of the highest
catechetical value. From amongst his discourses, his letters, his written
teaching, particular emphasis must be given to the twelve Encyclicals, from Redemptor
Hominis to Ut Unum Sint. These Encyclicals constitute in themselves
a synthetic corpus of coherent doctrine with regard to the renewal of ecclesial
life desired by the Second Vatican Council.
Of particular catechetical value, amongst
these documents of the Petrine ministry of Pope John Paul II, the following are
of special importance: Redemptor Hominis (4 March 1979), Dives in
Misericordia (30 November 1980), Dominum et Vivificantem (18 May
1986) and Redemptoris Missio (7 December 1990), in which last, the
permanent validity of the Church's missionary mandate is re-affirmed.
6. On the other hand the
General Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops, both ordinary and extraordinary,
have been particularly important for catechesis. In this respect mention must
be made of the Synods of 1980 and 1987 which dealt with the mission of the
family and the vocation of the laity. Following the work of these Synods, Pope
John Paul II promulgated the respective Apostolic Exhortations Familiaris
Consortio (22 November 1981) and Christifideles Laici (30 December
1987). The Extraordinary Synod of Bishops of 1985 was also of decisive
importance for the catechesis of our times and for the future. On that
occasion, following a review of the previous twenty years of the application of
the Second Vatican Council the Synodal Fathers proposed to the Holy Father a
universal catechism for the Catholic Church. The proposal was most favourably
received and made his own by Pope John Paul II. After a long and complex
process of elaboration the Catechism of the Catholic Church was
presented to the bishops and the Particular Churches by the Apostolic
Constitution Fidei Depositum of the 11 October 1992.
7. The publication of the
Catechism together with the aforementioned interventions of the Magisterium
necessitated a revision of the General Catechetical Directory so as to
adapt this valuable theologico-pastoral instrument to new situations and needs.
It is in service of the entire Church that the Holy See now seeks to collate
this heritage and to organize it systematically in order to make it available
for catechetical purposes.
The work of revising the General
Catechetical Directory undertaken by the Congregation for the Clergy, was
conducted by a group of Bishops and experts in theology and catechesis. In the
revision of the General Directory, its original inspiration and content were
respected. Episcopal Conferences and several experts were consulted as were the
principal catechetical institutes and centres.
In its present form the General Directory
for Catechesis seeks to arrive at a balance between two principal
requirements:
– on the one hand the contextualization of
catechesis in evangelization as envisaged by Evangelii Nuntiandi;
– on the other the appropriation of the
content of the faith as presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
8. The General Directory
for Catechesis, while retaining the basic structure of that of 1971, is
divided as follows:
– The Introduction takes its starting
point from faith and trust in the power of the Gospel seed, and proposes
guidelines for interpreting and understanding human and ecclesial conditions.
These are intended to assist mission.
– Part One(4) has three
chapters and roots catechesis above all in the conciliar Constitution Dei
Verbum, placing it in the context of evangelization as seen in Evangelii
Nuntiandi and Catechesi Tradendae, and proposes, moreover, to
clarify the nature of catechesis;
– Part Two(5) contains two
chapters, the first of which, under the title Norms and Criteria for
presenting the Gospel message in Catechesis, puts forward afresh the entire
content of the corresponding chapter of the previous text from a new and
enriched perspective; the second chapter, which is completely new, serves to
present the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a reference point for
the transmission of the faith in catechesis and for the preparation of
catechisms at local level; this chapter also outlines those fundamental
principles to be employed in the redaction of catechisms in particular and
local Churches;
– Part Three(6) has also been
revised to formulate the main elements of a pedagogy of the faith inspired by
divine pedagogy; while this question is primarily a theological one, it also
involves the human sciences;
– Part Four(7) is entitled Those
to be catechized; in five short chapters attention is given to the diverse
situations and contexts of those to whom catechesis is directed, to matters
arising from socio-religious situations, and in particular, to the question of
inculturation;
– Part Five(8) focuses on the
centrality of the particular Church and on its primordial duty to promote,
organize, oversee and co-ordinate all catechetical activities; of particular
significance is the description of the roles proper to the various agents
involved in catechesis (who, of course, are always dependent on the Pastors of
the particular Churches) and of the requirements necessary for their respective
formation;
– The Conclusion advocates an
intensification of catechetical activity in our times, and concludes with an
appeal to faith in the action of the Holy Spirit and in the efficacy of the
word of God sown in love.
9. The object of this Directory is clearly the same
as that pursued by the 1971 Directory. It attempts to provide those fundamental
theologico-pastoral principles drawn from the Church's Magisterium,
particularly those inspired by the Second Vatican Council, which are capable of
better orienting and coordinating the pastoral activity of the ministry of the
word and, concretely, catechesis.(9) The basic intention of the
Directory was (and remains) that of offering reflections and principles, rather
than immediate applications or practical directives. This method has been
adopted principally for the reason that defects and errors in catechetical material
can be avoided only if the nature and end of catechesis, as well as the truths
and values which must be transmitted, are correctly understood from the
outset.(10)
The concrete application of these principles
and pronouncements by means of guidelines, national, regional or diocesan
directories, catechisms and other ways deemed suitable for the effective
promotion of catechesis is something which pertains to the specific competence
of the various Episcopates.
10. It is evident that not
all parts of the Directory have the same importance. Those dealing with Divine
Revelation, the nature of catechesis, the criteria governing the proclamation
of the Gospel message are universally valid. Those, however, referring to
present circumstances, to methodology and to the manner of adapting catechesis
to diverse age groups and cultural contexts are to be understood rather as
indications or guidelines.(11)
11. The Directory is
addressed principally to the Bishops, Episcopal Conferences and, in a general
way, in accordance with their competence, to those who have responsibility for
catechesis. Clearly it will be of use in forming those preparing for ordination
to the Priesthood, in the continuing formation of priests and in the formation
of catechists.
The immediate end of the Directory is to
assist in the composition of catechetical directories and catechisms. Numerous
notes and references have been included in this Directory, at the suggestion of
many Bishops, which may be useful in drawing up such catechetical aids.
12. Since the Directory is
intended for the use of particular Churches, whose pastoral needs vary greatly,
it is obvious that only common or intermediate concerns could be taken into
account. This is true also of the sections dealing with the organization of
catechesis at different levels. Due note should be made of this observation
while using the Directory. As has been already noted in the 1971 Directory,
what may appear insufficient in areas where catechesis and catechetical
resources have reached a high standard, may perhaps seem excessive in areas
where catechesis has not yet undergone such development.
13. It is hoped that the
publication of this document, testimony of the Apostolic See's solicitude for
catechetical ministry, will be received and carefully studied in the context of
the pastoral needs of each particular Church. It is to be hoped that it will
promote future study and deepen research so as to respond to the needs of
catechesis and the norms and directives of the Church's Magisterium.
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the
word of the Lord may speed on, and triumph as it did among you (2 Thess 3:1).
From the Vatican, 15 August 1997
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed
Virgin Mary
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Darío Castrillón Hoyos
Archbishop Emeritus of Bucamaramga
Pro-Prefect
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Crescenzio Sepe
Titular Archbishop of Grado
Secretary
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