THE SPECIAL FUNCTIONS 0F CATECHESIS FOR ADULTS

97 So that it will always be able to respond to the more urgent demands of our time, a catechesis for adults should:

a) Teach them to evaluate correctly, in the light of faith, the sociological and cultural changes in contemporary society. The Christian people are becoming more and more aware of the necessity of examining where the contemporary development of society may be leading and of distinguishing between true blessings and the dangers of our present human civilisation. They

desire help in evaluating the changes which are constantly taking place, and they want to be enlightened about the styles of behavior which they can and should make their own.

b) Explain contemporary questions in religious and moral matters. Catechesis must make its own the new questions which men of this age are asking themselves. For example, today great importance is attached to questions that deal with social relations. Man wishes to imprint a new form on the society in which he lives. Such attempts at renewal, in which the responsibilities and also the limits of man are clearly evident (cf. Encyci. Populorum progressio, AAS, 1967, pp. 257-299), simply cannot escape the interest of catechesis.

c) Shed light on the relations between temporal action and ecclesial action. Catechesis should educate Christians to perceive the mutual relations between temporal duties and ecciesial duties. Catechesis should make it clear that the performance of temporal duties can have a useful influence on the ecclesial community itself, when it makes it more aware of its transcendent goal and of its mission in the world, and that the performance of ecclesial duties serves in turn to benefit human society (cf. GS, 40-45).

d) Develop the rational foundations of the faith. The Church has always guarded the rational foundations of the faith against fideism. Catechesis must develop more and more a correct understanding of the faith, and thereby show that the act of faith and the truths which are to be believed are in conformity with the demands of human reason. Catechesis must show that the Gospel is always contemporary and always relevant. For this reason pastoral action must be promoted in the area of Christian doctrine and Christian culture.