Age Group Catechesis Topic 1 - Analyzing Current Practice

Topic 1. Practices for Age Group Catechesis

What would it be like if you designed age group catechesis using the Directory for Catechesis and contemporary approaches to catechetical programing.

Reading

• Guide to Designing Age Group Catechesis 
• Chapter 2. "Shaping the Catechetical Practices of the Parish" in Guided by the Directory for Catechesis

1. Practices for Age Group Catechesis in the Directory

Read Chapter 2 in Guided by the Directory and the key practices in the Guide to Designing Age Group Catechesis on pages 1-3. 

 2. Age Group Catechesis in Your Parish

• Review: Use the “Profile of Parish Catechesis” (from Course #1) to examine how your parish's current catechetical programming with children, adolescents, and adults. 
• Analyze: Use the "7 Elements" on pages 6-7 in the Guide to Designing Age Group Catechesis to analyze your parish's current age group catechesis with children, adolescents, and adults. Use the following questions with each age group. 
  1. How does your catechetical program incorporate the 5 tasks of catechesis?
  2. How does your catechetical program respond to the diverse religious faith and practice of your age group?
  3. How can you utilize a catechumenal model of formation in sacramental preparation with you age group (if applicable)?
  4. How does your catechetical program include all of the cultures of people in your age group?
  5. How does your catechetical program include people with disabilities?
  6. How does your catechetical program utilize a variety of content, methods, formats, and schedules?
  7. How does your catechetical program provide menus of faith formation experiences for your age group?
• Summarize:
  1. How is your parish currently implementing the practices with children, adolescents, and adults? 
  2. What could you change in the future  to more fully implement the practices in each age group? Identify specific ideas.