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Primary or first proclamation and
catechesis
61. Primary proclamation is
addressed to non-believers and those living in religious indifference. Its
functions are to proclaim the Gospel and to call to conversion. Catechesis,
"distinct from the primary proclamation of the Gospel", (182)
promotes and matures initial conversion, educates the convert in the faith and
incorporates him into the Christian community. The relationship between these
two forms of the ministry of the word is, therefore, a relationship of
complementary distinction. Primary proclamation, which every Christian is
called to perform, is part of that "Go" (183) which
Jesus imposes on his disciples: it implies, therefore, a going-out, a haste, a
message. Catechesis, however, starts with the condition indicated by Jesus
himself: "whosoever believes", (184) whosoever converts,
whosoever decides. Both activities are essential and mutually complementary: go
and welcome, proclaim and educate, call and incorporate.
62. Nevertheless in pastoral
practice it is not always easy to define the boundaries of these activities.
Frequently, many who present themselves for catechesis truly require genuine
conversion. Because of this the Church usually desires that the first stage in
the catechetical process be dedicated to ensuring conversion. (185) In
the "missio ad gentes", this task is normally accomplished
during the 'pre-catechumenate'. (186) In the context of "new
evangelization" it is effected by means of a "kerygmatic
catechesis", sometimes called "pre-catechesis", (187)
because it is based on the precatechumenate and is proposed by the Gospel and
directed towards a solid option of faith. Only by starting with conversion, and
therefore by making allowance for the interior disposition of "whoever
believes", can catechesis, strictly speaking, fulfil its proper task of
education in the faith. (188)
The fact that catechesis, at least
initially, assumes a missionary objective, does not dispense a particular
Church from promoting an institutionalized programme of primary proclamation to
execute more directly Jesus's missionary command. Catechetical renewal should
be based thus on prior missionary evangelization.
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