Catechesis/Faith formation
In today’s fast-paced world, we often lose our sense of history. For example, when it comes to technology, something that was an innovation five years ago is now archaic, and a computer or cell phone that was cutting edge even a year ago is fast becoming obsolete. For the Catholic Church, rooted in history and tradition, keeping up with a rapidly changing culture poses many challenges. We are heralds of a timeless message, which has its origins in the eternal life of the Blessed Trinity. In Jesus Christ, the eternal God entered into human history in a unique way.
Today, as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are called to continue His mission of bringing the presence of God into the concrete situations of human life. The Church, the Body of Christ, contains all the resources we need to carry out this mission in the Word of God, the Sacraments, and the authentic Teaching of Christ. Our task as members of Christ’s Body, is to appropriate the riches of the Faith for ourselves and to share them with others. Formation in the Faith enables us to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, to enter fully into the eternal life He gives us, and to bring others into a share in His life.
At ICC we use the word “Formation” to capture all the elements of growth in the Christian Life. Many of us grew up
going to C.C.D. classes, Sunday School, or religious education. These are all various names for programs of catechesis, which remain at the heart of Formation. Pope John the XXIII described the Church’s ministry of catechesis as, “… breaking the bread of truth for the Christian people in a simple and understandable form which can be retained in the memory and meditated upon, and which can be handed on in the families as their precious heritage.” The Greek word catechesis, which literally means “to echo down” or “to resound,” is often translated in English as “teaching.” For example, Luke introduces the purpose of his Gospel as “that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.” (Luke 1:4). Formation, then, involves teaching and being taught, so that the disciple (the person being taught) may have certainty about the truths of the Faith.
Teaching or instruction, however, is not an isolated experience in the Catholic life. In his Apostolic Letter “On Catechesis in Our Time,” Pope John Paul II states, “Catechesis is intrinsically linked with the whole of liturgical and sacramental activity, for it is in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist, that Christ Jesus works in fullness for the transformation of human beings.” Formation also involves preparation for and worthy celebration of the Sacraments of the Church. Liturgy and catechesis are mutually dependent. Without a serious knowledge of the meaning of the sacraments, they risk becoming empty rituals. On the other hand, without the life-giving grace of the sacraments, our knowledge of the Faith can become purely intellectual and void of transforming power.
The transformation we experience through knowing God and participating in His life calls us to live in light of His truth. Formation, therefore, is also a process of changing our lives to live according to the life of Christ. In the gospel, Jesus tells us, “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” (John 15:10). The love of God and neighbor taught and exemplified by Jesus Christ forms the basis of our common life as Christians, a life of communion with the Blessed Trinity. Seeking to live the commandments, the beatitudes, and the human and Christian virtues in our daily lives – in the ordinary circumstances of family life, work, friendship, service and recreation – is a third dimension of Formation.
The goal of Formation is not mere knowledge about the Faith, but relationship with the Person of Jesus Christ, who
leads us to the love of God the Father in the Holy Spirit. This is knowledge in the Biblical and Christian sense, and it can only be aquired and nurtured by a life of prayer. ICC Formation incorporates prayer that is personal and corporate, centered in the liturgy of the Church, but also incorporating the rich tradition of devotional prayer in the Communion of Saints.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), proclaims the timeless Christian message in all its richness. The Catechism, with its four pillars – The Profession of Faith, the Celebration of the Christian Mystery, Life in Christ, and Christian Prayer – shapes the vision of Formation at Immaculate Conception. In 2005, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops published the National Directory for Catechesis (NDC), which gives concrete guidance for the development of Catholic Formation in light of the CCC. With these two documents as the primary guiding force, ICC is building a comprehensive Formation program for our parishioners of all ages. Below are some of the specific components by age group.
Adult Formation
The NDC, drawing especially on the teaching of Pope John Paul II, highlights adult formation as the principal form of catechesis, because adult Christians have the greatest responsibility and capacity to live the Christian message in its fullness. This emphasis on Adult Formation is a paradigm shift for many contemporary Catholics. Western culture has a long tradition of formal education for children and adolescents, datingback to the establishment of schools and universities by the Church in the Middle Ages. Until recently, however, formal education for adults has been available only to a privileged few. Just as secular educators have recognized the need for life-long learning, the Church in recent years has placed an increasing emphasis on Adult Formation. ICC strives to be a parish where adults are invited and encouraged to participate in ongoing formation with the renewed fervor called for by Vatican II.
Programs for Adult Formation at ICC
Within the broad span of adulthood, the Church recognizes many stages of faith development, and Adult Formation needs to be tailored to fit the various needs. Adult Catholics who are practicing their faith but need to deepen their interior life, being constantly nourished by God’s Word and the Sacraments. Many adult Catholics have not received a systematic and comprehensive presentation of the Catholic Faith and therefore lack the ability to integrate the Faith into daily life.
Numerous adult Catholics in the United States no longer practice the Faith and need a welcoming place where they can experience a vibrant re-evangelization. Still other adults are not yet baptized and wish to become incorporated into the Christian life through the Sacraments of Initiation in the RCIA.
Regardless of the situation of the adults, their formation has three principle goals: conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ, a firm commitment to live their faith through membership in the Church, and the willingness and ability to be a disciple in the world.
Why Catholic? Journey through the Catechism is an adult faith formation process solidly based on Sacred Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It offers a concrete approach to help adults deepen their Catholic faith and connect its teachings to their everyday lives through exploration of Catholic teaching, with direct Catechism quotes, scriptural references, and reflection questions.
Scripture Study
ICC collaborates with St. Mark parish to provide two opportunities for in-depth study of Scripture. On an academic level, the Catholic Biblical School is a four-year program of intensive study covering the entire Bible. The Biblical
School is an extension program of the University of Dallas School of Ministry. ICC and St. Mark also offer Catholic Scripture Study (CSS), a series of five one-year studies facilitated by lay leaders and incorporating daily reflection, study questions, and group discussion.
Coming Home Series is a series of weekly discussions during Advent and Lent of each year, dedicated toward welcoming inactive Catholics back to the practice of the Faith.
RCIA
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process for adults to become Catholic through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. The high point of the RCIA process is the celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation) at the Easter Vigil, the most joyous and solemn Feast of the Church Liturgical Year.
Prayer and Retreats form an integral part of Adult Formation at ICC. Prayer is as essential to our participation in the Divine Life as breathing is to sustaining our natural life. Each year, members of the parish are asked to make a pledge of time spent in prayer as part of our commitment to stewardship. ICC provides opportunities for prayer through Eucharistic Adoration, the Rosary, and other devotions throughout the year, as well as a variety of prayer groups and retreats.
Adolescent and Pre-Adolescent Formation
Formation for adolescents and pre-adolescents takes place through ICC’s comprehensive Youth Ministry program. In 1997, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued the document Renewing the Vision: A Framework for
Catholic Youth Ministry. The bishops urged Catholic youth ministry to focus on discipleship, responsible participation in the Catholic community, and the total personal and spiritual growth of youth. This vision goes beyond the days of C.C.D. or religious education for teens as a separate experience from social and spiritual activities. ICC incorporates the goals of Renewing the Vision through a year-round Youth Ministry including Sunday evening gatherings during the school year, Diocesan conferences and events, international events such as World Youth Day, and retreats, social and service activities through the summer months.
Middle School Youth Ministry for early adolescents in grades 6-8 is designed to meet the catechetical, educational, spiritual, emotional and social needs of young adolescents. It meets each Sunday evening during the school year after the Lifeteen Mass (5:00 PM). M. S. youth ministry is introducing a new curriculum this year, Catholic Connections, from St. Mary’s Press. Students learn about all the central aspects of the Catholic faith: the creed, liturgy and sacraments, Christian morality and justice, and prayer.
Life Teen forms the core of our High School Youth Ministry. Life Teen uses relationally based evangelization and ongoing, systematic catechesis to reach teenagers and families, both those who are already active in their parishes and those disconnected from their faith. Life Teen also meets each Sunday evening during the school year after the Life Teen Mass (5:00 PM). By connecting Youth Ministry with Sunday Mass, teens and families are encouraged to make the Sunday Eucharist a priority. ICC’s Life Teen choir brings vitality to the Mass and has been invited to play for numerous Diocesan events. Life Nights, the evangelical and catechetical component of Life Teen, is structured around the USCCB’s recommended curriculum for adolescent formation. Beginning this school year, Life Nights will be supplemented for 11th and 12th grade students to allow them to study Scripture, Catholic Morality, Church History, and Ecumenism in more depth.
Life Support Team is a group of parents and other adults in the parish that helps the Life Teen Core Team to prepare for Life Night and provides supper for the Life Teen and Edge students after Mass. This offers a great way for parents to stay involved in the Faith Formation of their teens by helping out just one Sunday a month or a couple of times a year.
Retreats, Service Projects, and Just Plain Fun! As a comprehensive youth ministry program, our Sunday night programs are enriched by a variety of activities throughout the year for teens to deepen their Faith, be of service to others, and have times of healthy recreation. These events support the learning environment with community building and the formation of Catholic identity. For specific times and activities, check the Middle School and High School youth ministry calendar.
Elementary & Young Child Formation
The family is the primary place for formation of children. Parents have shared natural life with their children; and, through the Sacrament of Baptism, have given them the gift of sharing in God’s life. The Rite of Infant Baptism makes five different references to the duties of parents, assisted by godparents, in bringing up their children in the Faith in which the children are being baptized. Through the love and example of their parents, children come to know the love of God and develop the capacity to trust in His goodness. Pope John Paul II called the family “a school of Christian virtues.” Formation in the Faith takes place in the family through family prayer, reading Sacred Scripture, stories of the lives of the saints, and the practice of the virtues.
As children reach pre-school and school ages, they become more active participants in the wider community of faith, and at this time, their formation in the family needs support and celebration in the parish community. Parish formation programs for children do not replace their formation at home, but supplement it and celebrate it through involvement in the parish. In formal religious formation, the children encounter the example of other loving adults (catechists) who reinforce the truths of the Faith. They also form, with other children in the Faith community, a peer group with whom they learn and celebrate their developing faith.
ICC parish elementary formation begins at age four. Pre-K and Kindergarten students receive catechesis focused on God as the loving creator and our dignity as created in His image and likeness. First through 5th graders receive systematic catechesis that unfolds all the teachings of the Catholic Faith in an organized way. Through this more formal instruction, they come to know the Person of Jesus and to experience Him within the Church, the community of Faith. This year, ICC Elementary Formation will introduce the program Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts, published by Loyola Press. This program incorporates the spirituality of St. Ignatius, guiding and mentoring children into a life of prayer and a lifelong relationship with God. Rooted in Sacred Scripture and Catholic Tradition, with a variety of prayer experiences, the program offers a balanced approach to doctrine, Catholic Social Teachings, and prayer to encourage children to use what they are learning in Church and in life.