Evangelization and Catechesis

OVERVIEW

Facility in the use of Vatican II and post-conciliar church teaching to promote evangelization, catechesis, and life-long formation and education as integral to the Gospel message and to church life; skill at integrating evangelization and catechesis into one’s life and ministry; and skill at encouraging others to do so as well.

OBJECTIVES

Catholic Doctrine

1. Understanding of the essential elements and richness of Catholic belief and tradition as it has developed historically and is currently expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and contemporary theological reflection since Vatican II. CCC 888-892

2. Ability to promote the Catholic identity of young people through all aspects of ministry and programming drawing upon the Catechism of the Catholic Church and contemporary theological reflection.

Word (Evangelization and Catechesis)

1. Understanding of the theological and scriptural foundations of evangelization and catechesis.

2. Understanding of the aims, processes, and principles of youth evangelization.

3. Understanding of effective methods of evangelization such as outreach, relationship building, witnessing, and story-telling.

4. Understanding of the aims, processes, and principles of adolescent catechesis.

5. Understanding of effective catechetical methods.

6. Ability to infuse evangelization and catechesis into all aspects of youth ministry.

7. Ability to design and implement effective strategies for youth outreach and evangelization.

8. Ability to design and coordinate an effective adolescent catechetical program or curriculum as an integral component of total youth ministry.

9.Ability to design and facilitate learning experiences for youth.

420 THEOLOGICAL COMPETENCIES

Knowledge

Demonstrated Skills

420.54 Familiarity with the role, process and importance of liturgical and sacramental preparation

- Ability to assist the community in creating quality

sacramental preparation.

- Ability to enable the community to create

formational and educational programs which call

the school to grow in its life of prayer and wisdom.

430 PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

Knowledge

Demonstrated Skills

430.621 Understanding of the theology of evangelization and the need for all to share their faith with others.

Ability to foster an experience of conversion and renewal in the school; an appreciation of the presence of Christ in the world; a witness to Jesus’ call to discipleship.

 

430.622 Familiarity with the strategies for outreach with people of diverse backgrounds.

- Ability to assist the school in becoming a

welcoming community, especially to the inactive

and unchurched.

- Ability to witness to the message of salvation as an

invitation to join the Church community.

- Ability to deepen the ecumenical and interfaith

commitment of the school.

430.623 Familiarity with ways to foster Gospel values so that contemporary culture may be transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ.

Ability to encourage Catholic witness in the arts, the intellectual community, in areas of public policy and in the economy.

430.632 Appreciation for the essential role of lifelong formation and education.

Ability to provide family-sensitive learning opportunities for the school.

430.633 Sensitivity in discerning the catechetical needs and preferences of the school.

Ability to guide the school catechetical formation through collaboration with school leaders and dialogue with people’s needs.

430.634 Appreciation of the need for catechetics to be integrated with other aspects of school life.

Ability to promote dialogue and integration between catechetics, pastoral care, liturgical planning and celebrating, and stewardship.

430.635 Familiarity with relevant catechetical documents as well ad diocesan standards and policies.

Ability to evaluate catechetical processes, programs and personnel in light of these documents and policies.

430.636 Understanding of the nature and purpose of small Christian communities.

Ability to organize and support the development of small Christian communities.

430.639 Appreciation for the nature and evolution of ministry throughout history.

Ability to recruit, form and support persons to more effectively live out their baptismal call to evangelize and minister.

430.641 Understanding of the administrative strategies for supporting the school, its programs and its development while keeping it integrated with the total school education and formation.

Ability to collaborate with the school principal and other parish leaders to support the school and to integrate it into the total parish outreach; to minister to the school community; to assume mutual collaboration between all school and parish personnel in the areas of worship, adult education, youth ministry, religious education, social outreach, etc.

430.661 Understanding of social justice s rooted in Scripture and in the teaching tradition of the Church.

Ability to provide education methods which will assist the school to understand social justice as constitutive of the Gospel and to act upon those convictions; to foster a preferential option for the poor; to create an environment that is hospitable toward al persons, especially the stranger and the marginalized.

520 THEOLOGICAL STANDARDS

Understanding of

Ability to

520.03 Catholic doctrine and belief as presented in the documents of Vatican Council II, The Catechism of the Catholic Church and other relevant Church documents.

Teach persons the foundation of Catholic faith and doctrine, as well as the current teachings of the Church.

520.20 The elements of theological reflection.

Guide catechetical leaders, believers, catechists and committee members through the steps of theological reflection.

 

531 CATECHETICAL STANDARDS – MEANING OF CATECHESIS

Understanding of

Ability to

531.01 The meaning of catechesis as nurturing growth in a living, explicit and productive faith through formation in doctrine and the experience of Christian living. (Canon 773)

Explain the meaning of the process, the sources, and the basic elements of catechesis to catechists, parents, and adult learners.

531.02 The historical development and content of the major catechetical documents of the Church.

Integrate the documents into catechist formation, program development and workshops.

532 CATECHETICAL STANDARDS – MEANING OF CATECHESIS

Understanding of

Ability to

532.101 The major themes and content of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures.

Explain the major teachings founding in Hebrew and Christian Scripture to catechists, parents, and adult learners.

532.102 The historical development and content of current Church teachings as found in the catechetical documents of the universal, national and local Church.

Identify and summarize current Church teachings for catechists, parents and adult learners.

532.205 The importance of consultation, feedback, and formal evaluation in developing catechetical programs.

Regularly seek feedback, suggestions and formal evaluation from catechists, parents, and adult participants in developing programs and learning sessions.

532.306 The meaning, structure and implementation of principles of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, and the adaptation of the rite for children.

Collaborate with parish staff and other ministers and serve as the catechetical resource for the initiation of all persons of catechetical age into the Church.

532.401 The major themes relating to peace, justice and Christian living in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, documents of Vatican Council II, Catholic social teachings in encyclicals and statements of the U.S. Bishops.

Incorporate Catholic teaching on justice, peace and Christian living into catechist formation sessions, parent sessions and adult religious education.

534 CATECHETICAL STANDARDS – PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT

Understanding of Ability to

 

534.01 The role of the catechist in the life and mission of the school and the esteemed tradition catechists hold in our Church.

Enable catechists to understand their responsibility to proclaim the message, build community, prepare for prayer and worship, and motivate to serve (NCD #213).

534.03 The canonical responsibility to promote catechist formation (Code of Canon Law, #780).

Provide and facilitate initial and continuing catechist formation opportunities.

534.04 The roles and responsibilities of committees and formation teams established for particular needs within the overall catechetical program.

Recruit, train, evaluate, dismiss and advocate for needs of committee members and formation teams in their areas of responsibilities (adult catechesis, adolescent catechesis, children’s catechesis, etc.)

535 CATECHETICAL STANDARDS – PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

Understanding of

Ability to

535.01 The place of comprehensive catechesis in the overall life of the school.

Articulate a vision for comprehensive school catechesis based on the major catechetical documents of the Church.

 

539 MINISTERIAL RELATIONSHIPS STANDARDS

Understanding of

Ability to

539.05 The role of the Education Committee or other appropriate bodies within the overall mission of the Parish Council.

Cooperate and collaborate with the Education Committee in developing a comprehensive catechetical plan for the school.