Catechetical / Youth Ministry

This document helps catechetical leaders effectively develop instructional materials.

St. Pope John Paul II reminds us in Catechesi Tradendae that catechesis is a moment—“a very remarkable one—in the whole process of evangelization.” In other words, catechesis is an essential part of evangelization, not something separate from it. Therefore, it is critically important that catechetical leaders recognize how to effectively catechize in a way that advances the Church’s primary mission to evangelize. To that end, this third volume of The Effective Catechetical Leader will explore a Catholic understanding of evangelization grounded in Scripture and Tradition, how the New Evangelization supports and enhances today’s catechesis, the inseparable nature of content and methodology in catechesis, the absolute importance of adult catechesis, and so much more. The Effective Catechetical Leader series, developed in conjunction with the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership and written by some of the top catechetical leaders in the country, is the only series to encompass all the various aspects of catechetical leadership. This series provides the practical skills, strategies, and approaches that ensure successful parish faith formation in an evangelizing manner, which leads directly to a vibrant Church. From best practices to new approaches for proclaiming God’s word in a rapidly changing world, this groundbreaking series will empower catechetical leaders to excel at everything from administrative duties to effectively catechizing people of all ages within our diverse Church.

Pope John XXIII prayed that the Second Vatican Council would prove to be a new Pentecost. The articles gathered here appeared originally in a series solicited by and published in Theological Studies (September 2012 to March 2014). The purpose of the series was and remains threefold: • To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council • To help readers more fully appreciate its significance not only for the Catholic Church itself but also for the entire world whom the Church encounters in proclamation and reception of ongoing revelation • In their present form, to help readers worldwide engage both the conciliar documents themselves and scholarly reflections on them, all with a view to appropriating the reform envisioned by Pope John XXIII. Contributors: Stephen B. Bevans, SVD; Mary C. Boys, SNJM; Maryanne Confoy, RSC; Massimo Faggioli; Anne Hunt; Natalia Imperatori-Lee; Edward Kessler; Gerald O’Collins, SJ; John W. O’Malley, SJ; Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, SJ; Ladislas Orsy, SJ; Peter C. Phan; Gilles Routhier; Ormond Rush; Stephen Schloesser, SJ; Francis A. Sullivan, SJ; O. Ernesto Valiente; Jared Wicks, SJ

Winner of a 2018 Association of Catholic Publishers Award: Resources for Ministry (First Place) and a Catholic Press Association Award: Pastoral Ministry (Second Place). Drawing on more than forty years of experience as a catechist, parish DRE, textbook publisher, and founding director of the Echo Program at the University of Notre Dame, Gerard F. Baumbach explores contemporary catechesis in light of its history. This landmark book is an essential resource for every catechetical leader and will spur a new appreciation of the opportunities and challenges of catechesis in the Church today. The Way of Catechesis offers a new and timely perspective on the vital ministry of catechesis at a pivotal moment in the work of New Evangelization. Baumbach shows how today’s catechists can follow the pedagogy of Jesus, “the way, the truth, and the life,” and he invites readers to an understanding that includes both the process and the content of handing on the faith and also a way of living in union with Christ the Teacher. Baumbach asks readers to consider how key issues and questions throughout the Church’s history shed light on today’s questions and concerns. Numerous reflection questions help the reader prayerfully reflect and personally integrate the lessons. For example: What is Jesus teaching you through the Beatitudes about the need for a new evangelization in your life as you seek to promote the Church’s mission to evangelize? What does our history teach us about inviting Catholics who are distant from the Church to find the way back to this community of faith? What is your earliest memory of hearing about the Second Vatican Council? What questions did you have? What questions about Vatican II do you have now? Drawing from his own experience, study, and implementation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, Baumbach highlights four characteristics—belonging, believing, discerning, and living—that help the reader connect the history of catechesis with their own faith and practice in the Church today. Each chapter also includes a broad look at highlights of some important dimensions of the catechetical climate, weaving together influences that affected the era. In addition, Baumbach explains the role of key thinkers in each period of the history of catechesis is explained, including Cyril of Jerusalem, Thomas Aquinas, Robert Bellarmine, and Joseph Jungmann. Those engaged in catechesis and evangelization at every level will find much to enrich their ministry and deepen their commitment to the Church in this extraordinary book.

Disciples of Christ come in all ages and colors, but they also come from different backgrounds and bring with them diverse gifts, needs, opportunities, and challenges. As a result, catechesis must never take the form of one-size-fits-all. While the Gospel message is eternal, our messaging (how we share that timeless message) needs to adapt to an ever-changing reality, or we risk being perceived as irrelevant. This sixth volume of The Effective Catechetical Leader takes a close look at the many groups of people to be catechized—from school-age children to young adults, from parents to the catechists themselves—and offers strategies and tips to effectively engage all of them in life-giving, Gospel-centered faith formation. The Effective Catechetical Leader series, developed in conjunction with the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership and written by some of the top catechetical leaders in the country, is the only series to encompass all the various aspects of catechetical leadership. This series provides the practical skills, strategies, and approaches that ensure successful parish faith formation in an evangelizing manner, which leads directly to a vibrant Church. From best practices to new approaches for proclaiming God’s word in a rapidly changing world, this groundbreaking series will empower catechetical leaders to excel at everything from administrative duties to effectively catechizing people of all ages within our diverse Church.

"Examines the theory of the motive behind Christ's incarnation developed by the Samanticenses (Discalced Carmelites of Salamanca) in the 17th century, showing how it perpetuates the tradition of Thomas Aquinas and refutes the more modern theories put forward by Karl Rahner and Hans Urs von Balthasar"--