The role of catechetical instruction in evangelization of the youth in Ssaza Parish in light of Catechesi tradendae

Abstract

The Catholic Church has continued her existence for the past 2000 years through evangelization and catechesis. With these two, she has managed to proclaim Christ who is the Good News to all people. The Church has taught them about the person of Jesus Christ and the doctrine of the Church. Those who come to know about Christ are made to mature in faith towards Jesus through catechetical instruction. With this, we see that, evangelization begins conversion and catechesis deepens it. Among the youths, the proclamation given to them makes them know Christ, but the fuller understanding of who Christ is, his message and life is the work of catechetical instruction (helping the youth systematically to mature in faith, and develop relationship with Jesus). As the General Catechetical Directory indicates that evangelization effects ‘‘the arousing of the beginning of faith,’’ catechesis follows afterwards in order to help the initial faith to become a ‘‘living, conscious and active through the light of instruction (General Catechetical Directory, 1971, n. 17).’’ Because of its necessity, instruction is not aiming at delivering notions to the youths, but rather bringing about relationship with Jesus. Once this is achieved, the results are; faith based on conviction than persuasion, reception of sacraments, and participation in Church activities, forms the person enough. Thus, when the youths are given the instruction through proper means, they come to conceptualize and internalize the identity, essence and purpose of what they know. Due to lack of initiatory and continuing catechesis among the youths, they receive the message, but remain passive, not well-informed, not witnesses and make unintelligible profession of faith. It is through instruction that they are guided on how to conform their lives to Christ through their on-going conversion. However, keen attention must be paid not to equate evangelization to catechetical instruction. These are closely related yet distinct from each other. Evangelization itself can be carried out irrespective of catechesis. Knowing Christ does not necessarily mean understanding him. To exceed this level of mere knowing, one is driven through catechesis to understand Jesus, comprehend his life, words and actions and how to live a true and authentic Christian life. Therefore, due to lack of that instruction, most youths lack roots in the message they embraced, and because of that, they remain lukewarm, inactive in sacramental life and always at the risk of being persuaded into other religious groups. Once the youths of Ssaza Parish are given catechesis, involved directly in the life of the Church without rejection, loved, respected (UEC, 2017, p.21), they will live their catholic faith with conviction. In this work, I used the words ‘‘agent’’ and ‘‘minister’’ synonymously to mean all those people involved in the work of proclaiming Christ and teaching of Catholic doctrine and her way of life.