1. Catechetical Agenda
for the Third Millennium
in the Path of the
New Evangelization

2. A Dream House called
Catechesis in the
Philippines

3. Some Fundamental
Guiding Principles
ground and background of
the catechetical agenda

4. Good Catechesis
is essential
to the New
Evangelization.

5. renewed catechesis
in the Philippines:
- Christo-centric and
a priori rooted
in the Word of God
- authentically Filipino
(inculturated) and
- systematic

6. GDC 237
In formation,
account must also be taken of
the concept of
catechesis, proposed by the
Church today.

7. It is a question of
forming catechists so
as to be able to transmit
not only a teaching
but also an integral
Christian formation,
by developing
"tasks of initiation,
of education, and
of teaching".

8. Catechists must
be able to
be, at one and
the same
time, teachers,
educators and
witnesses of
the faith.

9. Good catechesis:
- initiating the
catechized
(young and old)
in faith,
- educating them
to faith and
- teaching them
the truths of faith.

10. New Evangelization and
New Catechesis:
essentially spiritual

11. New Evangelization
New Catechesis
both New Evangelization
and New Catechesis:
essentially spiritual.

12. the foundation
of evangelization
and the
New Evangelization
is the personal
encounter with
Jesus Christ
in the Church.
Synod Fathers:

13. The work of the New
Evangelization consists in
presenting once more the
beauty and perennial
newness of the encounter
with Christ to the often
distracted and confused
heart and mind of the men
and women of our
time, above all to ourselves.
Message to the People of God

14. PCP II:
to know, to love,
to follow Christ
in the Church
which he founded.
This is why we need
to contemplate the face --- and the heart
of Christ. We have to retell his story to
ourselves, that we may, more credibly,
more authoritatively, tell it to others.
This is our belief.

15. NEW: WE
- make this personal encounter with
Jesus in today’s perplexed society
our primary focus
- explicitly prepare the evangelized for
this encounter
-
- consciously foster it during the
process of evangelization

16. Pope Francis:
“When the
Church works
without referring
to Christ,
she becomes
a social worker.”

17. The Holy Spirit:
the primary
agent of
evangelization.

18. The new NCDP &
the old NCDP:
“All catechesis
ultimately
depends on the
work of the
Holy Spirit.”

19. NE requires
pastoral
conversion

20. Proposition 22:
The New Evangelization requires
personal and communal
conversion, new methods of
evangelization and renewal of the
pastoral structures,
to be able to move from a pastoral
strategy of maintenance to a
pastoral position that is truly
missionary.

21. PCP II:
“At the beginning of all renewed
evangelization is conversion.
Unless a person turns away from
sin and turns to God, undergoes a
change of mind and heart, and
decides to follow Christ, no
evangelization will bear fruit.”

22. “Conversion then requires the
renewal of people’s relationships
and their social structures.
By reason of our pilgrimage to the
Kingdom of God, we need to
change our own hearts and the
social, economic, political and
cultural systems that have
promoted massive poverty and
inequity.”

23. Authentic pastoral conversion
that “moves us to attitudes and
initiatives”:
to evaluate and let go pastoral
structures that no longer respond
to the evangelical demands of the
current time

24. Authentic pastoral conversion
that “moves us to attitudes and
initiatives”:
2) to adopt those that will make
us our catechetical work
effective in today’s context;

25. Authentic pastoral conversion
that “moves us to attitudes and
initiatives”:
3) to move from a pastoral
strategy of maintenance to
a pastoral position that
is truly missionary.

26. IMPLICATIONS: the need to look into the
existing pastoral structures that define our
catechetical work
1) be humble to admit their limitations due to
the changing circumstance;
2) be creative to think out of the box in
renewing the pastoral structures;
3) be courageous to bolt out of the
maintenance mode

27. In doing catechesis today
we are
missionary catechists
- looking toward a vision,
- afire with passion
- and a sense of
mission.

28. 12 point Agenda
for the Catechetical Ministry
in the Church
in the Philippines

29. Foundation:
Personal encounter with Jesus

30. 1. The Primacy of the Scriptural
Word of God in the New
Catechesis

31. Petroc Willey and his co-authors:
“Scripture leads the presentation of doctrine.
It is not a mere add-on or afterthought….
Scripture is itself the “driving force” of
doctrine, its inspired source…. Scripture
provides the soul, or “form”, in and through
which the doctrine of the Faith is proclaimed
and unfolded for our attention; it provides
the starting point for the presentation of
doctrine, and it provides its heart….
(O)ur own catechetical practice should be
driven by Scripture and immersed in Scripture.

32. Points to Ponder
- How can our catechetical practice be ‘driven by
Scripture and immersed in Scripture’ such that
there is an explicit moment for the personal
encounter with Christ to take place?
- How can we train our catechists toward a
catechetical pedagogy that is scriptural and
liturgical?
- How can we initiate and educate the catechists
and the catechized to give importance to the
Scripture and give witness to the Scripture in
their daily life?

33. 2. Re-launching the
Catechisms - CCC/CFC –
in the New Catechesis

34. Points to Ponder
- To what extent does the CFC comply with the
criteria set by GDC on local catechisms?
- How can the catechists use and present the CCC
and CFC creatively and meaningfully to the “new
youth”?
- Taking the YouCat as a model, is it timely to
produce local catechisms according to age
level, regional contexts
(Tagalog, Bisayan, Mindanao and the Muslim
context, forms of catechesis

35. Flooring: Catechumenal Process
New Evangelization is not a question of inventing
new strategies “as if the Gospel were a product
to be placed in the market of religions”; rather it
is rediscovering “the ways in which Jesus
approached persons and called them, in order to
put these approaches into practice in today’s
circumstances.”

36. GDC
the baptismal
catechumenate:
a model in the
Church for
catechesis in its
various stages and
should inspire
contemporary catechesis.

37. 3. Making the
Post-baptismal
Catechumenate the
Framework for All
Catechetical Processes

38. CCC 1231affirms: …
“By its very nature infant
Baptism requires a
post-baptismal
catechumenate

39. Pope emeritus Benedict XVI
in his conversation with
Peter Seewald said:
“…. we are heading
increasingly toward a
form of Christianity based on personal
decision. And it will decide in turn to the extent to
which the general Christian character remains at
work.
I would say that the task today, is … to
consolidate, enliven, and enlarge this Christianity of
personal decision, so that more people can
consciously live and profess their faith again.

40. Points to Ponder
- How can we have the political will to take
seriously the post-baptismal catechumenate as
the model for our catechesis today?
- How can the post-baptismal catechumenate be
introduced in the formation of
catechists, particularly in catechetical
methodology?
- How can post-baptismal catechumenate be
applied in the catechesis of children and young
in the parishes and in the schools, in the catholic

41. Walls (Forms/Levels of Catechesis)

42. 4. Adult Catechesis through BECs
Synod Fathers in Proposition 28:
ADULT CATECHESIS
“One cannot speak of the New
Evangelization if the catechesis of
adults is non-
existent, fragmented, weak or
neglected. When these defects are
present, pastoral ministry faces a very

43. Synergy of Adult catechesis with
the Basic Ecclesial Communities
of the parish: an instance of
pastoral conversion

44. Points to Ponder
-How can adult catechesis be organized in the
parishes and in the BECs?
-To what extent do the catechetical centers
form catechists to be catechists for adults?
- How can adult catechesis be organized as a
post-baptismal catechumenate for adults?

45. 5. Family
Catechesis or
Catechesis at
Home and
BEC

46. Synod Fathers:
A new evangelization is
unthinkable without
acknowledging a specific
responsibility to proclaim the
Gospel to families and to
sustain them in their task of
education.

47. Points to Ponder
-How can family catechesis be promoted in the
parishes, in the BECs, and in the catholic schools?
-How will the catechists be trained to be involved
in doing family catechesis?
- How will parents, grandparents, and other
adult members at home be trained to do family
catechesis?

48. Inside the
House
(Content of
Catechesis)

49. 6. Liturgy and
Liturgical
Catechesis

50. The Synod Fathers
in Proposition 35
the liturgy, a very important aspect
of the New Evangelization
is, therefore, the primary and most
powerful expression of the
New Evangelization.

51. Points to Ponder
-What can be the road map for highlighting the
intrinsic connection between liturgy and
catechesis in the catechetical ministry?
-How should liturgy be taught to the catechists
so that they can apply in actual catechesis the
axiom: lex credendi, lex orandi?
- How can the catechized be helped to
appreciate the liturgy of the Church and
participate in it worthily, with dignity and
actively?

52. 7. Popular Piety &
Marian Devotion

53. The Synod Fathers
“… (A) true place to encounter
Christ and an expression of the
faith of the Christian people in the
Blessed Virgin Mary and the
Saints, the New Evangelization
recognizes the value of these faith
experiences and encourages them
as ways to grow in Christian virtue.”

54. The Synod Fathers
“Pilgrimages to shrines and
sanctuaries are an important aspect
of the New Evangelization. Not only
because of the millions of people
who continue to make these
pilgrimages but because this form of
popular piety at this time is an
especially promising opportunity for
conversion and the growth of faith.

55. GDC
Popular devotions have to be guided
by a catechesis that is
biblical, doctrinal, liturgical, ecumenic
al and anthropological to avoid the
possible errors
(fanaticism, superstition, syncretism,
religious ignorance) that may result
when these practices lack the
catechetical support.

56. Paul VI
In Evangelii
Nuntiandi
popular piety
“can make a
Constantly increasing
contribution towards bringing the
masses of our people into contact
with God in Jesus Christ.”

57. Points to Ponder
-What steps should be taken so that our
Marian devotions and other forms of popular
piety can become effective means for New
Evangelization and New Catechesis?
-How will the catechists be trained to be adept
in using popular devotions as means and
occasions for catechesis?
- How can the young be helped to continue to
value popular piety as a means of deepening
their faith?

58. 8. Social Teachings
(Justice, Peace, Integrity/
Stewardship of Creation) &
Education to Love

59. The Synod Fathers in their
Proposition 24
on “THE SOCIAL TEACHING
OF THE CHURCH
an irreplaceable means
of education in the faith

60. ongoing catechesis
as well continuing
formation of the
clergy, seminarians and
religious in the New
Evangelization should be
permeated with the
Church social teaching
and its Compendium be
used
as an invaluable

61. The Synod Fathers in Proposition 56:
“STEWARDSHIP OF CREATION.”
serves as a witness to our faith in the goodness
of God’s creation demonstrates a sense of
solidarity with all those who
depend for their life and sustenance
on the goods of creation shows
inter-generational solidarity
with those who come after us,
and is a clear witness to the
responsible and equitable use
of the goods of the earth, our common home.

62. Education to love
a very urgent need
to be addressed
not only because
of the sex education
mandated in the
RH bill that will be taught in the
elementary schools but the culture that
prevails and imposes on children and
youth erroneous ideas and hedonistic
practices regarding God’s gift of sexuality

63. Points to Ponder
-How can ECCCE and ACCRE synergize to study the
existing catechetical modules on these urgent issues
and come out with a systematic and
integrated, contextualized and developmental
catechesis on justice, peace, integrity of creation and
education to love?
-How are the catechists formed to discuss these issues
effectively with children and the youth?
- Are there Catholic youth who can serve as role
models to their peers on living out the teachings of the
Church on these issues of justice, peace, integrity of
creation and sexuality?

64. 9. Vocation & Mission
The Synod Fathers
“Through exemplary
Christian adults, the
saints, especially the
young saints, and
through committed
youth ministers,
the Church is visible
and credible for the
youth.”

65. A synthesis of the pastoral care
for the young:
“Wherever they are, at home, in
school, or in the Christian
community, it is necessary that
evangelizers meet the young and
spend time with them; propose to
them and accompany them in
following Jesus, guide them to
discover their vocation in life and in

66. The crown of youth
ministry and youth
catechesis:
vocational
discernment
that leads to the
development of
true missionary
spirit

67. GDC: often forgotten or taken for granted
Catechesis is also open to the missionary
dimension (CT 24b). This seeks to equip the
disciples of Jesus to be present as Christians in
society through their professional, cultural and
social lives. It also prepares them to lend their
cooperation to the different ecclesial
services, according to their proper vocation….
It is also important that every means should be
used to encourage vocations to the
Priesthood, and to the different forms of
consecration to God in religious and apostolic
life and to awaken special missionary vocations.

68. GDC in the section on youth
catechesis: “Emphasis should also
be placed on vocational
discernment, Christian
involvement in society and on
missionary responsibility in the
world.

69. Points to Ponder
-To what extent is the vocational orientation
included in the catechetical program for the
young?
-How can the catechists help in the vocation
promotion of their parish or religion teachers
in their school?
- How are children and the young be gradually
introduced to the concept of life is a vocation
that is lived in a specific response to a call to
work, love and mission?

70. Roof skylight: Paradigm Shift in
the formation of the catechists

71. 10. Paradigm Shift in the
Formation of the Catechists:
Ecclesial and
Integral Formation

72. The Synod Fathers insist that they
“need to be well prepared ….” and
(w)ithin the possibilities of the local
situation they are to be provided
“with strong ecclesial formation,”
consisting of Spirituality, Scriptures,
Doctrine, and Pedagogy.

73. Ecclesial Integral
formation also
includes the
cognitive, affective
and behavioral
aspects of the
formation of the
ministers of the
Church.

74. Integral ecclesial formation:
Formators help catechists
become pastoral
ministers, evangelizers, educat
ors in the faith

75. Integral ecclesial formation:
catechetical centers and colleges
offering religious education shift
paradigm in the formation program
and pedagogy of the catechists and
religion teachers

76. Integral ecclesial formation: the
academic curriculum is balanced
with evangelizing spirit and pastoral
approaches so that they are also
comfortable in other ecclesial
settings, such as the family, basic
ecclesial communities, the parish
community, etc.

77. Integral
Formation with
emphasis on the
affective
dimension of
faith

78. There are many who
have been catechized
and have Jesus in
their heads but not in
the heart. One reason
is that our catechesis
has been confined to
the activity of the
mind and often has
not been integrated
with the “heart.”

79. Points to Ponder
-What are needed to make the formation
program of the catechists shift paradigm?
- Are the formators of the catechists and the
catechetical leaders ready to shift the
paradigm of the catechetical formation
program?
- How will the catechists be trained to give
due importance to the affective dimension of
faith?

80. Catechetical Environment:
structures outside and
within the ministry of
catechesis

81. 11. Social Communication &
New Media

82. Catechesis
as Communication Process

83. Points to Ponder
-How can Catechetics be programmed in an
interdisciplinary approach with Communication
Studies so that catechesis will be considered as a
communication process?
-How can catechists become communicative
evangelizers for the New Catechesis?
- How will the catechists be trained in doing
catechesis as a communication process?

84. 12. Synergy in Structures

85. Synod Fathers Proposition 42:
INTEGRATED PASTORAL ACTIVITY
to “animate and lead a renewed
pastoral activity able to integrate
the variety of
charisms, ministries, states of life
and resources.”

86. Synergy means
that the various
agencies and
structures on which
catechesis is founded
(ECCCE, Catechetical
Centers, Dioceses, Parishes, BECs, Schools, etc
.) “must be coordinated within an organic
missionary project, capable of communicating
the fullness of Christian life to
everyone, especially to those who feel
themselves far from the Church’s care.”

87. 1. a restructuring of ECCCE or a
pastoral conversion that will
make this commission not an
administrator of catechesis but
a model facilitator of catechesis
for the regional and diocesan
catechetical offices. In turn the
regional and diocesan offices
will point for the
parishes, BECs, families, schools
, etc how to be facilitators
rather than inspectors of
catechesis.

88. 2. an upgrading of the catechetical centers and
colleges offering Religious Education
(the institutions making up ACCCRE) through
the process of accreditation or assessment so
that the paradigm shift of the formation
program of the catechists and religious
educators and Christian Living teachers may
take place.

89. 3. a collaborative research program between
ECCCE (and its regional or diocesan
counterparts) and among colleges offering
Religious Education and other research groups
to gather data and come out with scientific
studies on the many concerns and issues
related to catechesis.

90. Points to Ponder
-How can the Synod Fathers’ proposition
regarding Integrated Pastoral Activity be
worked out in catechesis?
-How can ACCRE synergize with ECCCE in view
of the New Evangelization and New
Catechesis?
- To what extent do the stakeholders in the
catechetical ministry ready for synergy?

91. Conclusion: Mary, the Star of NE
Today Mary is the “Missionary” who will aid us in
the difficulties of our time and with her nearness
open the hearts of men and women to the faith.
We fix our gaze on Mary. She will help us to
proclaim the message of salvation to all men and
women, especially to the young, so that they too
may become agents of Evangelization….

92. Acknowledged as
the Star of the New Evangelization,
Mary guides us on our way.
Our journey,
as Pope Benedict XVI told us,
can seem like a path
across the desert.
As stars shine more brightly
at night in the desert,
so the light of Mary,
the Star of the new
evangelization, brightly shines in
heaven
on our way.
To her we confidently entrust
ourselves.
Amen.

94. PCP II:
“A renewed catechesis:
the first element of a
renewed evangelization