USCCB - Catechesis in the Catholic Church

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Catechism Update
Spring 2002

Committee Membership Change
During the General Assembly in November of 2001, Francis Cardinal George, a long time member of the Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism, was selected as chair-elect of the Bishops' Committee on Liturgy. Shortly thereafter, citing the degree of commitment that chairing the Bishops' Committee on Liturgy entails, Cardinal George informed Archbishop Buechlein that he decided it was necessary to resign from the Catechism Committee. It was a request that Archbishop Buechlein acceded to with reluctance. Cardinal George was first appointed a member of the Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism in early 1995. Since then, he has been very involved in helping the Committee respond to the responsibilities given by the bishops. In accepting Cardinal George's resignation, Archbishop Buechlein noted with gratitude the many contributions Cardinal George made to the work of the Catechism Committee. The Archbishop also noted that the knowledge and expertise Cardinal George brought to the Committee's work was an invaluable contribution.

Following consultation with other Committee members and with Bishop Wilton Gregory as the President of the Conference, Bishop Daniel DiNardo of Sioux City was invited to serve on the Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism. Bishop DiNardo accepted Bishop Gregory's invitation and became a member of the Catechism Committee in January. Committee members extend a sincere welcome to Bishop DiNardo and look forward to working with him.

Consultation on the National Adult Catechism Set to Begin
Following the consultation in the Spring of 2001 on a proposed outline for the national adult catechism, writing of a first draft commenced the following June. The development of the draft text, while still currently underway, is expected to be complete by the end of March. The members of the Editorial Oversight Board - Bishop Donald Wuerl (Chair), Archbishop Daniel Buechlein, Archbishop William Levada, Bishop William Lori, Bishop Richard Malone and Bishop Gabino Zavala - are scheduled to meet early in April to finalize the draft text that will be circulated for consultation.

At present, the consultation is scheduled to commence at the beginning of May. The process for this consultation will follow the same pattern as the one established for the consultation on the outline for the national adult catechism. Each bishop in the United States will be sent a copy of the draft and invited to participate in the consultation in whatever way he deems appropriate. During the first consultation, some bishops chose to take direct responsibility for responding to the request for consultation. Other bishops chose to delegate the consultation to diocesan personnel or other qualified individuals. Whatever pattern a bishop chooses to follow for the consultation on the draft text, the Editorial Oversight Board expects to receive a single response from each bishop or diocese.

After the bishops of the United States have received their copy of the draft national adult catechism, other national organizations or groups who wish to be involved in the consultation are welcome to participate. Interested organizations should contact the Editorial Oversight Board through the Office for the Catechism in order to receive consultation materials. Organizations or groups which receive consultation materials will also be expected to submit a single response.