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Catechism Update
November, 1996
Joseph Cardinal Bernardin
on the CatechismIn 1992 Joseph Cardinal Bernardin was asked to contribute an essay to a book on the Catechism of the Catholic Church which was subsequently published in Italian by Edizioni Paoline. To our knowledge, this essay was never published in English. It expresses Cardinal Bernardin's hopes for the effective use of the Catechism within the Church's catechetical mission. We would like to provide the English language draft of that essay, "The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the United States of America," in gratitude for the Cardinal's leadership in the implementation of the Catechism.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
and the
United States of AmericaIn his Apostolic Exhortation, Catechesi Tradendae, our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II said: "The Church has always considered catechesis one of her primary tasks." As an important dimension of the ministry of the word, catechesis is an ecclesial activity which is multifaceted and complex. It involves different and complementary elements: the catechist, those to whom the catechesis is directed, the content of the catechesis, the methods, the socio-cultural-ecclesial contexts, etc. A catechism is one important element in the process of catechesis, albeit a privileged one.
A catechism is a text which contains the fundamental Christian truths formulated in a way that facilitates their understanding. As with any catechism, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is one of the means of catechesis. Although it is a privileged means, it is neither the only nor exclusive one.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church comes to the universal Church at the end of the second millennium of Christianity within a rich catechetical tradition. Catechisms hold a distinguished place within the history of the magisterial teachings of the Church. The first catechism, the Didache, dates from the end of the first century and represents the teachings of the apostles. St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas wrote catechisms in the fifth and thirteenth centuries, respectively. Catechisms often resulted from Church Councils as well, thus the Councils of Tortosa (1429) and Trent (1566) produced catechisms. Distinguished Church leaders such as Sts. Peter Canisius, Robert Bellarmine and Pius X also published catechisms.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church takes its place within the context of other Church documents which provide guidance and encouragement for the Church's catechetical mission. Pope Paul VI's apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Nuntiandi and Pope John Paul I's Catechesi Tradendae, the General Catechetical Directory and the Documents of Vatican II provide a proper setting for the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the universal level. Basic Teachings for Catholic Religious Education, To Teach As Jesus Did and Sharing the Light of Faith: The National Catechetical Directory for Catholics in the United States as well as the recent pastoral letters of the bishops of the United States provide an appropriate framework on the national level. The wealth of such a catechetical tradition notwithstanding, the Catechism of the Catholic Church also has a distinctive contribution to make to the Catholic Church in the United States.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church serves several functions which are of particular interest to Catholics in the United States. First, the Catechism conveys the essential and fundamental content of Catholic faith and morals in a complete and summary way to all Catholics. Second, it is a point of reference for the revision and development of catechetical materials for use in the dioceses and parishes of the United States. Third, it is a positive, objective and declarative exposition of Catholic doctrine. And fourth, it is intended to assist those who have the duty to catechize, primarily bishops and through them, authors and editors of catechetical materials, priests and catechists.
Let me take each of these functions and develop them in the particular context of the Church in the United States.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church presents what all Catholics throughout the world believe in common. However, the Catholic Chorch in the United States is quite diverse. From its beginuing the United States has been a refuge for those fleeing religious persecution. Recent waves of immigrants have brought many Catholics and non-Catholics to our shores. Since nearly every racial and ethnic group in the world is represented in the United States, theological pluralism is a fact of life. Encouraging the genuine enrichment of the doctrine of the faith and constant fidelity to it is a considerable challenge. A compendium of Church teachings on matters of faith and morals which articulates the fundamental beliefs of all Catholics no matter what their racial or ethnic background can only assist the Church as it seeks to share the one faith and hand it on to succeeding generations.
As a point of reference for the development of catechetical materials, the Catechism of the Catholic Church will prove invaluable. In recent history, the United States has not developed a national catechism as has been done in some parts of the world. The bishops in the United States work closely with authors and publishers of catechetical materials to express the common beliefs of the faith in a language and style of presentation that is sensitive to the socio-economic and cultural contexts and to the unique characteristics of the persons to whom the catechesis is being directed. Together we produce materials which are suited to the developmental levels and abilities of adults, young people and children. These materials present the content of the faith through a variety of methodologies in order to foster the development of living, conscious and active Christians. These materials are continuously being revised and updated. The Catechism of the Catholic Church will surely become an important guide in that process.
The Church's doctrines express its fundamental beliefs, values and official teachings. It is important in every age for the Church to relate the lived experience of people to its doctrinal statements. The Catechism of the Catholic Church proudly presents the Church's essential teachings as positive aids to foster humanity's response in faith to God's self-revelation and his gift of grace. The Church does not apologize for its doctrinal teachings, but rather offers them alongside Scripture and Tradition as part of the message of salvation. The stability of the Church's doctrinal tradition, as well as the reexpression of that tradition in the language of every age, invite confidence in the Church's ability to relate its doctrine to the ordinary life experiences of people. The Holy Spirit is continually active in the Church and inspires the creativity needed to formulate doctrine in ways that make sense to the contemporary world. The effective articulation within the context of the contemporary world is a daunting challenge, but one which the Catechism of the Catholic Church accepts and advances.
Bishops, as teachers of the faith and pastors of the Church, form the primary audience for the Catechism. For bishops in the United States, this takes on special significance. In our National Catechetical Directory, we have stated that "the bishop, chief catechist in the diocese, is responsible for seeing to it that sound catechesis is provided for all its people." We have taken this responsibility very seriously. On the first level in our dioceses, we have welcomed the opportunity to proclaim the gospel boldly in our preaching and teaching as well as in our parish visits and diocesan pastoral letters. Our national episcopal conference, too, has advocated for the priority of catechesis within the pastoral mission of the Church through the publication and implementation of a distinguished series of catechetical documents and national pastoral letters. One concrete example of the seriousness with which the bishops of the United States take the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church has been the designation of a committee of bishops to plan for its implementation within the United States. We view the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a confirmation of our efforts, an opportunity to review the content of the catechetical materials used in our dioceses and a challenge to renew our enthusiasm and commitment to the catechetical ministry.
Bishops, however, do not exercise the ministry of catechesis alone. We work with our diocesan staffs, authors, editors and publishers, pastors, parish catechetical leaders, catechists and parents in this vital enterprise. The Catechism of the Catholic Church will provide a framework in which all of our collaborators can share the content of the faith with those who are entrusted to their care in the ministry of catechesis. While the Catechism makes no attempt to suggest the means or methods which would be most suitable for the transmission of its content, nevertheless it encourages catechetical and theological experts throughout the world to employ their skills to mediate its content in ways that acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of all races, cultures and ethnic traditions.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is addressed to the whole Church as it is experienced in different places throughout the world. Therefore it cannot embody all the distinctive and specific aspects of the multiform local churches. It cannot express the unique characteristics of the different cultures around the world or the particular characteristics proper to every person's developmental level. It does not include pedagogical or methodological considerations. Moreover methodology varies according to the developmental levels of those to whom the catechesis is directed and according to the cultural contexts in which catechesis is given. Hence, it requires the indispensable mediation of catechetical materials that are methodologically appropriate and doctrinally sound.
In anticipation of the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the bishops of the United States issued a brief statement in 1990, "Guidelines for Doctrinally Sound Catechetical Materials." That statement described doctrinal soundness in the context of catechesis as a complete and correct presentation of church teaching with proper attention to its organic unity as well as a presentation of Church teaching that is clear and readily understandable. The bishops of the United States have consistently demonstrated their solicitude for preserving the deposit of faith and ensuring that it is passed on faithfully. Therefore, we welcome the Holy Father's promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and look forward to integrating it into the catechetical renewal which is so crucial in our ongoing efforts toward the "new evangelization."
November 4, 1992
General Info Ad Hoc Committee