Transcript LIFELONG FAITH FORMATION:

LIFELONG
FAITH
FORMATION
Everyone’s Journey Everyday
Table of Contents
1. What IS Lifelong Faith Formation?- a
definition and descriptions
2. How did this “new way” come about?
3. What happened to CCD?
4. Nine Principles of Lifelong Faith
Formation
5. Parish Resources: Areas and Contact
Info for LLF Ministries for Parish
6. Questions? Concerns? Challenges?
LIFELONG FAITH FORMATION is…
an integrated journey of the entire
Catholic-Christian community in response
to the baptismal call to holiness as
members of the Body of Christ, the
Church
“initiates in the parish a lifelong process of
turning to Jesus, of falling in love with
Christ, of putting on Christ like a garment
over and over again.” (Huebsch, A
Pastor’s Guide to Whole Community
Catechesis, p. 5)
LLF
No single “program” describes what Lifelong
Faith Formation is. It is:
Intergenerational/whole parish faith formation;
Age-specific faith learning;
Lectionary-based faith formation;
Justice-focused faith formation;
Whole community catechesis;
Home- & Family-centered catechesis;
and it provides resources for individual
learning in the context of daily life…
LFF is…
A MAJOR SHIFT in religious ed,
faith formation, CCD;
A PARADIGM SHIFT that causes
us to move from our faith
comfort zones to new,
transformative faith possibilities
“Eye has not seen, ear has not heard,
what God has ready for those who
love [and believe]…”
LLF: What SHIFTS?
Catechesis moves beyond the
schooling paradigm (while
maintaining its assets) to a
community-centered approach
& SUB-SHIFTS:
beyond instruction to conversation;

beyond information to formation;

beyond religious knowledge to spiritual wisdom;
beyond children to all people;
- beyond teachers and taught to communities
sharing faith together (Groome)

ITS ORIGIN?
Vatican Council II (1962-1965):
general agreement that inadequate catechesis was
being done in the Church, one that was mainly childcentered, with facts being memorized verbatim w/o
understanding, reflection or continuing formation
Council members called for “general directories” to
be drawn up to address the care of souls, pastoral
care of special groups, “and a directory for the
catechetical instruction of the Christian people (not
just children)…” (Decree on the Pastoral Office of
Bishops in the Church)
AFTER VATICAN II
1971
1972
1975
Pope Paul VI published the General
Catechetical Directory – provided a
framework for catechetical renewal worldwide
U.S. Catholic Bishops issued a pastoral
message, “To Teach As Jesus Did,” gave
more impetus for more growth in catechesis
“On Evangelization in the Modern World,”
an apostolic exhortation of Pope Paul VI was
published; contained key formational
questions of faith:
DO WE HAVE CONVICTION?
IS THERE FREEDOM OF SPIRIT?
ARE WE EFFECTIVE?
1977
1988
1992
1997
1999
Pope John Paul II wrote “On
Catechesis in Our Time” –
emphasized that catechesis is
for everyone
the Rite of Christian Initiation of
Adults
the Catechism of the Catholic
Church
the General Directory for Catechesis
Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us
(USCCB)
USCCB
“We (Bishops) call the Church in
our country to a renewed
commitment to adult faith
formation, positioning it at the
heart of our catechetical vision
and practice…without weakening
our commitment to other
essential educational
ministries…” (OHWB, #6)
What ever happened to CCD?
= Confraternity of
Christian Doctrine
a model started “in Rome in 1562 for the purpose of giving
religious instruction…on Sundays and festivals…to both
children and adults in Christian doctrine…in schools, in the
streets and lanes, and even in private houses…” --eventually established in almost every parish in European
countries and the USA
emphasis moved from adults AND children to children ONLY
strong on memorization and “knowing the faith by heart”
lifelong faith formation not considered in most CCD or even
Religious Ed programs…until very recently
Msgr. Skip Barth, Diocese of Camden, (d. 2010) re-defined
CCD as COMMUNION, CONFIRMATION, DONE!
NINE (9) PRINCIPLES
OF
LIFELONG FAITH
FORMATION
LIFELONG FAITH
FORMATION
1. is a growing awareness of God’s
self revelation and our response
which often begins within a
supportive environment of
family and parish and which
draws one more deeply into
relationship with Jesus Christ
and his Church;
LFF
2. seeks to understand and live
the Story and Mission of Jesus
placing the truths and tradition
of the Catholic faith at the
service of the common good;
LFF
3.
honors and engages the entire
life experience of the person,
including familial, cultural,
occupational and social
dimensions;
LFF
4.
flows from the celebration of
Sunday liturgy that inspires
faithful living through
proclamation of the Scriptures
and nourishment in Eucharist,
always asking the question:
“Where does the Breaking of
Bread point us?”
LFF
5.
embraces the mission of Jesus
through a moral life of
conversion, transformation,
& discipleship in, with and
through Jesus Christ
LFF
6.
deepens the relationship with
Jesus through personal and
communal prayer, leading one
to embrace life with the mind
and heart of Jesus Christ;
LFF
7.
expresses itself in a life of
caring for others, especially
the most vulnerable, and
working for justice for and in
solidarity with the oppressed
and marginalized;
LFF
8.
promotes a missionary spirit
which inspires the faithful to
evangelize inactive Catholics,
alienated Catholics, and those
without a faith community;
LFF
9.
promotes authentic dialogue
between religions and cultures
seeking mutual understanding
and fruitful cooperation for the
advancement of peace, the
dignity of the human person
and the common good.
FOLLOWS AN INTERGENERATIONAL
APPROACH
CHILDREN…
ADOLESCENTS/YOUTH…
YOUNG ADULTS…
FAMILIES…
MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS…
MATURE ADULTS/SENIORS
= INVOLVEMENT OF ALL AGES IN FAITH
FORMATION TOGETHER
FOLLOWS A THEMATIC
APPROACH
Provides God’s people with lectionary-based resources
that empower all ages to be transformed in Christ as
they:
Explore meaning & mystery in the Bible
Celebrate in worship, sacraments, education, and
service
Engage in ministries of charity, justice and witness
Thrive in inclusive communities of faith, shaped & led
by the Holy Spirit
Continue the Mission of Jesus and the Church by
using their unique talents, gifts and resources
PARISH RESOURCES
1. STAFF OF LIFELONG FAITH
FORMATION (See handout of
names, phone #s, email
addresses.)
2. ON-LINE MINISTRY SUPPORT
SERVICES & PUBLICATIONS
HOW TO ORGANIZE, PLAN,
IMPLEMENT, CELEBRATE,
EVALUATE…
= CONTACT DIOCESAN
RESOURCES & ONLINE
RESOURCES (handout)
A CHALLENGE…
“If our value comes from what we
accomplish or how useful we might be,
look out. But when we recapture a
sense of who we are, our identity,
gratefully, humbly, joyfully aware that
our value is within, that it comes from
who we are, … WE CAN WALK ON
WATER.” (Archbishop Timothy Dolan,
New York, May 27, 2010, emphasis
mine)
Works Cited
Groome, Thomas. “Total Community Catechesis for Lifelong Faith
Formation” in Lifelong Faith: the theory and
practice of lifelong faith formation, Vol. 2.1,
Spring 2008.
Huebsch, Bill. Dreams and Visions: Pastoral Planning for Lifelong
Faith Formation, 23rd Publications, New
London, CT, 2007.
--- A Pastor’s Guide to Whole Community Catechesis,
IBID., 2004.
--- “The Emerging Vision of Lifelong Faith Formation in the
Catholic Church” in Lifelong Faith: the theory
and practice of lifelong faith formation, Vol.
2.1, Spring 2008.
USCCB
“Called & Gifted for the Third Millennium” –
Reflections of the U.S. Catholic Bishops on the
Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, 1995.
USCCB
“Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us” – A Pastoral
Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United
States, 1999.