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INTRODUCTION |
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As Jesus was about to
ascend into heaven, He taught His disciples, “Go out to all the world
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and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
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and of the Holy
Spirit” (Mt 28:19). This command developed into the Kerygma (Greek:
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‘preaching’ or
‘proclamation’) of the early Christian Church when the fire of the Holy
Spirit |
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came upon the Apostles
at Pentecost. |
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The Church’s preaching
soon gave form to her catechesis or ordered teaching. This Greek
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word, found both in
Acts and the Letters of St. Paul, means “to make resound like an echo”.
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When the Church
proclaims the Gospel of Salvation, she echoes the voice of Christ. At the
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same time, because
catechesis is a work of grace, indeed a work of the Holy Spirit, it
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produces an echo or
response in the heart and mind of its listeners. It is directed to every
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person, in a way that
is faithful to the radical call of Christ and yet mindful of people’s own
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sensitivities, needs
and culture. The Catechism of the Catholic Church expresses this
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mission beautifully
when it says: |
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The whole concern of
doctrine and its teaching must be directed to the love that never
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ends. Whether
something is proposed for belief, for hope, or for action, the love of
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Our Lord must always
be made accessible, so that anyone can see that all the works |
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of perfect Christian
virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive
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at love.1 |
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Centuries of
experience have brought the Church to understand catechesis as having four
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great principles or
pillars: 1) Creed (belief), 2) Sacraments (worship), 3) Commandments
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(conduct), and 4) the
Our Father (the basics of prayer). These are the foundations that
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develop faith and
understanding of the mystery of Christ in a way that transforms and gives
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life and joy.
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From the beginning,
the Church’s preaching has been marked by a spirit of communion,
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expressing the unity
and authenticity of its message. The sign of this union and faithfulness
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to the Lord in
preaching and in practice was the Apostle Peter to whom Christ has given a
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unique primacy. As the
Catechism says, “The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named |
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Peter, the ‘rock’ of
His Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock (cf. Mt 16:18- |
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19; Jn 21:15-17).2
Peter’s mission continues in his successors, the Popes, ensuring the unity
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of the Church and its
faithfulness to the mission of teaching, governing, and sanctifying all
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who hear Christ’s
voice. |
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The Church’s mission
of evangelization is not only for the sake of those who have never
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heard the Good News of
Salvation; it is also directed to baptized and practicing Catholics, as
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well as those who have
left the practice of the Faith or are troubled by misunderstanding.
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The Church has always
taught that “faith seeks understanding”. This means that our faith
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needs to be both
formed and informed, through education and grace. We must continually
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develop the gift we
have been given and learn how to apply the teachings of our faith to the
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needs and experiences
of modern men and women. The encyclicals, letters, and addresses of
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our Holy Father, as
well as those from his collaborators in the various offices of the Holy
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See, and the pastoral
letters and statements of the bishops provide us with the richness of the
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Church’s wisdom in
meeting the challenges of the modern world as we read the ‘signs of our
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times’. |
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The Church’s teaching
mission is not simply an intellectual or academic work, however. It
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requires of all a
spirit of contemplation and prayer. In the prayerful reading of the
Scriptures |
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(lectio divina), the
Church realizes that her evangelization, at every level and in every
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circumstance, must be
Trinitarian, Christological and Ecclesial. It must bring us to the
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Trinity, to God who
reveals Himself to us, the source of all life and truth, the final goal of
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our existence. It must
be Christological, as it proclaims and worships Christ Jesus, the Way,
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the Truth and the
Life. And finally, it must be Ecclesial, establishing that communion of
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heart and mind among
the faithful that makes us members of Christ’s Body as individuals as
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well as communities of
local or particular churches and of the universal Church. |
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The proclamation of
the faith is not simply its teaching; it calls from us a response of consent
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and commitment, which
establishes covenant.3 This response is most perfectly offered in the
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liturgical worship of
the Church. The celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, the New
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Covenant in Christ’s
blood, as well as the other Sacraments, are privileged moments as the
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praying Church
responds with one mind, one heart, and one voice in praise and thanksgiving.
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It is the Sunday
Liturgy that unites families and parishes in prayer and provides the most
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immediate and general
opportunity for the Church and the individual pastors/priests to teach
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and build up the Faith
in each of us. |
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Sharing in this work
is a great joy and privilege, as many Catholics already know. But, it is
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the work of the entire
Church, not only of the hierarchy or the ordained. We are ‘missioned’
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in virtue of our
Baptism and Confirmation. In his Apostolic Letter At the Beginning of The
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New Millennium, the
Pope reminds us that if we have come into contact with Christ, we
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cannot keep Him to
ourselves. This mission and spirituality of evangelization and catechesis
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has caused a
tremendous flourishing of many different works of ministry, witness and
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teaching among the
laity in the thirty-five years since the Second Vatican Council. It
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confirms what Pope St.
Gregory the Great wrote in the Sixth Century: “In the Holy Church,
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all are nourished by
each one and each one is nourished by all.”4 |
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It is from this grace
of Christ present among us that we draw understanding of and courage to
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proclaim even those
aspects of the Gospel’s message that may make the Church ‘unpopular’
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in the present world.
This is particularly true with regard to the Church’s commitment to
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respect for the life
of every human being, from conception until natural death. Challenges to
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the ethics and
principles of the Gospel of Christ require us to engage in a dialogue based
in |
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charity and wisdom
with the world at large, as well as our own multicultural society. |
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THE PRESENT SITUATION
IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF VANCOUVER |
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Blessings and
Challenges |
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The Gospel of Jesus
Christ was first proclaimed in our area over one hundred and fifty years
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ago. The zeal and
sacrifice that characterized the early missionaries - and we think
|
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especially of the
Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the Sisters of St. Ann and the Sisters of
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Providence - still
motivate those who proclaim the Word of God in the Archdiocese of
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Vancouver today. The
present situation of the teaching ministry in the Archdiocese of
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Vancouver is marked by
blessings and by challenges. |
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Our Catholic school
system is a particular source of justifiable pride for the local Church.
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Our thirty-nine
elementary schools, our six secondary schools (three of them founded in the
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last twenty years), as
well as the three private secondary schools, are living testimony to the
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faith, zeal and
sacrifice of many generations of parents, priests, religious sisters and
brothers, |
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and lay teachers. Our
Catholic schools are faith communities centered on Jesus in the Holy
|
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105 |
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Eucharist, communities
in which faith is integrated with all truly human culture, and in
|
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which the Faith is
integrated with life. Effort has been made to achieve academic, spiritual,
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and social excellence
in our schools. The efforts of the Catholic Independent Schools of the
|
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Vancouver Archdiocese
(C.I.S.V.A.) have begun to bear fruit in policies and programmes,
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including the annual
Catholic Educators’ Conference, and the ongoing involvement of school
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communities in the
life of the archdiocese. |
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|
Our Parish Religious
Education Programmes for those children not attending Catholic |
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|
schools also represent
the zeal and sacrifice of many generations of catechists and families.
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The leadership of the
Office of Religious Education with its annual congress, certification
|
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programme, workshops
and resources encourages and supports the dedication of parish |
|
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|
catechists. The
presence of high school programmes in a number of parishes is particularly
|
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|
commendable. The
provision for those with special needs, especially through the Vancouver |
|
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|
Special Catechetical
Program (VANSPEC), is noteworthy. |
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119 |
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The recent foundation
of two institutes of post-secondary education - Corpus Christi |
|
121 |
|
College and Redeemer
Pacific College - bodes well for the future of higher education in
|
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|
our Archdiocese. The
college and theological post-graduate work of the Seminary of Christ
|
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|
the King in Mission,
which has its own government charter, has enriched the local Church
|
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|
for over sixty years
especially in the training of future priests. St. Mark’s College has
|
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|
provided a Catholic
presence and advanced courses in theology at the University of British
|
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126 |
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Columbia. Other
chaplaincies at various institutions provide limited, although important,
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|
Catholic teaching at
the post-secondary level. |
|
128 |
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|
Recognizing that adult
education is the norm for catechesis, efforts are being made |
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|
throughout the
archdiocese to educate adults. The R.C.I.A. process of conversion, now
|
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|
instituted in the
majority of our parishes, provide a growing experience for both the
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|
neophytes and those
already baptized. The ‘Basics of the Faith’ courses help establish a
|
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|
basic level of
Catholic literacy among our Catholic schoolteachers and those involved in
the |
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134 |
|
R.C.I.A. programme.
The sacramental preparation programmes for parents of children |
|
135 |
|
regarding Baptism,
Penance, Holy Eucharist and Confirmation, as well as the ‘Marriage
|
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136 |
|
Preparation Course’,
are all helping people prepare intellectually and spiritually to meet the
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137 |
|
Lord Jesus in His
Sacraments. Other parish education programmes, study and discussion
|
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138 |
|
groups,
archdiocesan-wide workshops and lectures, the priests’ annual study week and
|
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139 |
|
regular study days,
the pastoral letters of the Archbishop, the ‘B.C. Catholic’, parish
bulletins |
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140 |
|
and in some cases
parish magazines and newspapers, parish libraries and other resource
|
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141 |
|
centers, web sites,
etc., are helping to educate the adults of our local Church. |
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142 |
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|
But, we recognize the
need for growth. We are well aware of the challenges that face us.
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|
The Word of God,
“living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12),
|
|
145 |
|
remains as challenging
as ever. Each Catholic person is called to encounter the Lord Jesus in
|
|
146 |
|
His Holy Scripture. In
docility to the Holy Spirit, we must learn to listen to the murmuring
|
|
147 |
|
call: “Come to the
Father!” through the deep and prayerful reading of the Scripture (lectio
|
|
148 |
|
divina) in which each
of us meditates and is transformed spiritually by the Word of God.
|
|
149 |
|
The entire Christian
community, especially the parish, is also challenged by this Word of
|
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|
God. An increased
emphasis on the study of Scripture, the prayerful breaking open of the
|
|
151 |
|
Word, scripture
celebrations, the Liturgy of the Word for Children, etc., will give the Holy
|
|
152 |
|
Spirit an opportunity
to confront us with the ever-present challenge of God’s Word. A |
|
153 |
|
particular challenge
is the Sunday homily, the single most extensive teaching vehicle in most
|
|
154 |
|
parishes. More
retreats, parish missions, days of recollection, spiritual workshops and
|
|
155 |
|
lectures, will help us
to know and appreciate the transforming power of the Word of God. |
|
156 |
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|
157 |
|
As the primary and
principal educators of their children, parents are bound by a serious
|
|
158 |
|
obligation to provide
their offspring with a good education. In fulfilling this role, Catholic
|
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159 |
|
parents will need even
more encouragement and help from the larger Catholic community. |
|
160 |
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|
161 |
|
There is new hope in
the area of post-secondary education with the advent of Corpus Christi
|
|
162 |
|
College and Pacific
Redeemer College. Also, St. Mark’s College is currently seeking |
|
163 |
|
university status.
They will need our support if they are to live up to the wishes of the Holy
|
|
164 |
|
Father as expressed in
his Letter on university education Ex Corde Ecclesiae. Still, adult
|
|
165 |
|
education in many
areas continues to be a challenge. Of special need is a vehicle to train
|
|
166 |
|
Catholic educators for
our schools. Our response to the General Catechetical Directory’s
|
|
167 |
|
challenge to adult
education as the norm is also only beginning. Every Catholic needs at
|
|
168 |
|
least a basic
religious literacy to live a mature faith. Yet most Catholic adults in the
|
|
169 |
|
archdiocese have never
even seen the Catholic Catechism let alone read it; most do not know
|
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170 |
|
of the social teaching
of the Church. Many still think that religious education is for children.
|
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171 |
|
Others have been
misinformed by pop theology and the mass media. Some who already
|
|
172 |
|
know the basics are
looking for more - courses in theology and other religious studies - at
|
|
173 |
|
an adult level.
Parents frequently express their willingness to teach their children the
‘Faith’ |
|
174 |
|
but recognize the need
to be prepared themselves. Young adults, and often teenagers, are
|
|
175 |
|
eager to be confronted
by the Word of God, but may feel short-changed by inadequate study
|
|
176 |
|
programmes.
Professional persons, especially medical personnel, are looking for
competent |
|
177 |
|
guidance in developing
a Christian response to the challenges of their work. Marriage |
|
178 |
|
Preparation and Family
Life Programmes need to be more global to include the entire |
|
179 |
|
Christian community
and not just those a few months away from their wedding-day. |
|
180 |
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181 |
|
Coming from
backgrounds as diverse as those the apostles met on the day of Pentecost,
our |
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182 |
|
local Church is also
challenged by the multiculturalism of our society. In our parishes, our
|
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183 |
|
schools, our religious
programmes, in the training of the clergy for the future, in the
|
|
184 |
|
resources we use,
etc., we must be mindful, when proclaiming the Gospel, of both the
|
|
185 |
|
differences and the
riches of the various cultures present in the Archdiocese. In this way we
|
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186 |
|
meet the challenge of
really living the universality of Catholicity, the whole truth being
|
|
187 |
|
proclaimed to all
peoples. Again, we remember Gregory the Great’s words: “In the Holy
|
|
188 |
|
Church, all are
nourished by each one, and each one is nourished by all”. |
|
189 |
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|
190 |
|
The growing number of
non-Christians in our neighborhoods challenges us more than ever to
|
|
191 |
|
heed the Lord’s
command: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
|
|
192 |
|
them…teaching them.”
(Matthew 28:19-20). Pre-evangelization programmes, the R.C.I.A.,
|
|
193 |
|
and other evangelical
outreach efforts must be intensified. There is room for improvement in
|
|
194 |
|
the quality and
consistency of these programmes; maintaining a right balance between
|
|
195 |
|
spiritual development
and intellectual growth as people meet the Word of God. Catholics
|
|
196 |
|
must be given the
apologetical tools to defend the Faith intelligently and effectively; they
|
|
197 |
|
must develop the zeal
and love for the Word of God that will lead them to want to share it
|
|
198 |
|
with their neighbours. |
|
199 |
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|
200 |
|
With the growing
secularization of our society, our Catholic schools face a constant pressure
|
|
201 |
|
to conform to the
secular ideologies now dominant in the surrounding culture. The challenge
|
|
202 |
|
our schools face in
remaining truly and deeply Catholic, and not becoming merely nominally
|
|
203 |
|
Catholic as has
happened in other Catholic school systems, is perhaps a greater challenge
|
|
204 |
|
today than ever
before. The adequate preparation of our Catholic educators to proclaim the
|
|
205 |
|
Word of God continues
to be a vital challenge in this work of preserving the effective
|
|
206 |
|
Catholicism of our
schools. In this effort, the spiritual preparation of teachers will need to
|
|
207 |
|
parallel their
intellectual development. |
|
208 |
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|
209 |
|
The use of sound
Catholic teaching resources will help our schools achieve an integration of
|
|
210 |
|
the Faith with all
truly human culture. Improvement in communication, mutual respect and
|
|
211 |
|
cooperation among all
members of the school community - parents, staff, priests, education
|
|
212 |
|
committees and
students - must continue to be fostered. Zeal, sacrifice, and eagerness to
be |
|
213 |
|
an agent for
integrating Catholic faith and culture must remain distinguishing
characteristics |
|
214 |
|
of our schools and
post secondary institutions. |
|
215 |
|
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|
216 |
|
The parishes, assisted
by the Office of Religious Education, face a continuing challenge to
|
|
217 |
|
provide meaningful and
adequate religious education for students attending public schools,
|
|
218 |
|
especially at the
secondary level. In this the formation of Christian community and the
|
|
219 |
|
development of a
spiritual life are as big a challenge as intellectual instruction. Our
|
|
220 |
|
programmes must also
respond to the expressed desire of parents to be prepared to teach
|
|
221 |
|
their children,
especially teenagers, the Faith. |
|
222 |
|
|
|
223 |
|
The growing
secularization of our society also challenges us to develop new approaches
to |
|
224 |
|
the means of social
communication. The secular media has enormous influence. For many
|
|
225 |
|
Catholics the media
has more influence than the Word of God. The multicultural nature of
|
|
226 |
|
our parishes, the fast
pace of most people’s lives, the existence of special interest groups (e.g.
|
|
227 |
|
youth groups, ethnic
groups, prisoners, seamen, etc.), and other factors all challenge us to
|
|
228 |
|
discover new and
varied approaches - in both the materials to be used and the methods of
|
|
229 |
|
delivery - to
effectively minister the Word of God to the people of Vancouver in the years
|
|
230 |
|
to come. |
|
231 |
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|
232 |
|
RECOMMENDATIONS |
|
233 |
|
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|
234 |
|
In ministering the
Word of God effectively, we continue to understand the teaching of the
|
|
235 |
|
Faith as having the
four great organizing principles: the Creed, Sacraments (liturgy),
|
|
236 |
|
Commandments (moral
conduct), and the Lord’s Prayer. With these four pillars of catechesis
|
|
237 |
|
in mind, we
respectfully submit the following recommendations. |
|
238 |
|
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|
239 |
|
1) Affirm the central
role of sacred liturgy in the teaching ministry of the Church. |
|
240 |
|
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|
241 |
|
No Christian community
is built up which does not grow from and hinge on the celebration
|
|
242 |
|
of the most Holy
Eucharist. From this all education for community spirit must begin.
|
|
243 |
|
(Vatican II, The
Ministry and Life of Priests, 6) |
|
244 |
|
|
|
245 |
|
The central role of
liturgy in the teaching ministry of the Church has long been recognized. A
|
|
246 |
|
clear understanding of
the content and high meaning of the Church’s liturgy is therefore a
|
|
247 |
|
fundamental goal of
all catechetical programmes. If, through our catechesis, we are |
|
248 |
|
successful in
engendering those dispositions of reverence, wonder, and contemplation
|
|
249 |
|
necessary to be most
edified and transformed in the light of liturgy, we will have opened the
|
|
250 |
|
vast storehouse of the
Church’s treasury to the souls of our Catholics in formation. |
|
251 |
|
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|
252 |
|
The Mass, being the
very core of Catholic liturgy, is the supreme expression of the Church’s
|
|
253 |
|
faith. While proper
liturgical expression and practice inevitably build up the faith, a concept
|
|
254 |
|
of the Mass that fails
to do justice to its essence will in due time harm the piety of believers,
|
|
255 |
|
undermine the faith of
communicants, and destroy the unity of the Church. |
|
256 |
|
|
|
257 |
|
To enter more fully
into the rich meaning of the liturgical life of the Church and thereby
|
|
258 |
|
maximize the teaching
role of the liturgy it is recommended that we: |
|
259 |
|
Action items:
|
|
260 |
|
|
|
261 |
|
►
Make liturgical formation a high priority in the archdiocese, educating our
entire
|
|
262 |
|
Christian community -
but most especially those responsible for liturgical practice |
|
263 |
|
and catechesis - in
the mysteries, meaning, and appropriate forms of Catholic |
|
264 |
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liturgy, in order that
the faithful might “…[enter] more deeply into the contemplative |
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265 |
|
dimension of worship,
which includes a sense of awe, reverence and adoration which |
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266 |
|
are fundamental
attitudes in our relationship with God.” (Pope John Paul II, ad limina
|
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267 |
|
discourse, Oct 9,
1998) |
|
268 |
|
►
Work to make the homily “truly an integral part of the liturgy…necessary for
the |
|
269 |
|
nurturing of the
Christian life,” taking “into account the mystery being celebrated and
|
|
270 |
|
the needs proper to
the listeners.” (General Introduction to the Roman Missal, 2000,
|
|
271 |
|
par 65). In this way,
the homily focuses the teaching role of the liturgy, making the |
|
272 |
|
word of God relevant
in the daily life of parishioners. |
|
273 |
|
►
Integrate authentic ethnic and cultural manifestations of popular piety and
devotions
|
|
274 |
|
consistent with
Catholic teaching into the liturgical celebrations of the local church.
|
|
275 |
|
(eg. Spanish and
Filipino wedding customs, Posadas, Easter blessings of food etc.) |
|
276 |
|
► Re-emphasize, and in
some cases restore in our schools, the time-honoured traditional
|
|
277 |
|
liturgical
celebrations such as: weekly school Mass, Benediction, Adoration, Marian
|
|
278 |
|
devotions, and a
general recognition and celebration of the feasts and seasons of the
|
|
279 |
|
liturgical year. Such
celebrations should be simple - though never trivial - |
|
280 |
|
beautiful, inspiring,
and consistent with the traditions of the Church. |
|
281 |
|
►
Liturgy committees should be set up at each school, especially secondary
schools, |
|
282 |
|
composed of priests,
parents, students, and staff to learn the principles of Catholic
|
|
283 |
|
liturgy and to help
prepare liturgical celebrations that put these principles into practice
|
|
284 |
|
in the schools. |
|
285 |
|
|
|
286 |
|
2a/ Promote the Beauty
of Holiness and the Holiness of Beauty. |
|
287 |
|
|
|
288 |
|
The fine arts, but
above all sacred art, of their nature are directed toward expressing in
|
|
289 |
|
some way the infinite
beauty of God in works made by human hands. Their dedication to the
|
|
290 |
|
increase of God’s
praise and of his glory is more complete, the more exclusively they are
|
|
291 |
|
devoted to turning
men’s minds devoutly towards God (Catechism of the Catholic Church,
|
|
292 |
|
2513). |
|
293 |
|
|
|
294 |
|
Beauty should mark all
our educational programmes, especially through the promotion of the
|
|
295 |
|
fine arts. The four
transcendentals, the four great paths by which we ascend to God, are
|
|
296 |
|
unity, truth, beauty,
and goodness. The shattering of Christian culture has frequently resulted
|
|
297 |
|
in their opposites,
fragmentation, lies, ugliness, and evil - all hallmarks of the secularism of
|
|
298 |
|
the present age. The
restoration of Christendom will thus require not only Truth proclaimed,
|
|
299 |
|
but also virtue lived
and beauty celebrated. Jesus Christ, Beauty Incarnate Himself, the all- |
|
300 |
|
good Truth who is our
life and our way, leads us through the visible - by creation and the
|
|
301 |
|
sacred liturgy - to
the invisible, to the beauty of holiness, indeed to Beauty Himself, the all- |
|
302 |
|
Holy One. |
|
303 |
|
This spiritual beauty
of God is reflected in the most holy Virgin Mother of God, the angels
|
|
304 |
|
and saints. Genuine
sacred art draws man to adoration, to prayer and to the love of God,
|
|
305 |
|
Creator and Saviour,
the Holy One and Sanctifier. For this reason, bishops (personally or
|
|
306 |
|
through delegates),
should see to the promotion of sacred art, old and new, in all its forms
|
|
307 |
|
and, with the same
religious care, remove from the liturgy and from places of worship
|
|
308 |
|
everything which is
not in conformity with the truth of faith and the authentic beauty of
|
|
309 |
|
sacred art. (Catechism
of the Catholic Church, 2502-3). |
|
310 |
|
|
|
311 |
|
It is recommended
therefore that we: |
|
312 |
|
Action items: |
|
313 |
|
►
Emphasize and excel in teaching an appreciation of culture, fine arts, and
music (both |
|
314 |
|
secular and sacred,
but especially liturgical) in our Catholic schools. |
|
315 |
|
►
Ensure that art work used in our parish and educational environments is
authentically |
|
316 |
|
beautiful and thereby
serves the teaching of truth. |
|
317 |
|
|
|
318 |
|
2b/ Promote authentic
expressions of sacred music in liturgy. |
|
319 |
|
|
|
320 |
|
The musical tradition
of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even
|
|
321 |
|
than that of any other
art. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1156) |
|
322 |
|
|
|
323 |
|
Song and music fulfill
their function as signs in a manner all the more significant when they
|
|
324 |
|
are “more closely
connected…with the liturgical action,” according to three principal
|
|
325 |
|
criteria: beauty
expressive of prayer, the unanimous participation of the assembly at the
|
|
326 |
|
designated moments,
and the solemn character of the celebration. In this way they |
|
327 |
|
participate in the
purpose of the liturgical words and actions: glory of God and the
|
|
328 |
|
sanctification of the
faithful. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1157) |
|
329 |
|
|
|
330 |
|
Music echoes the
praise of Christ and is a most powerful element in catechesis. An integral
|
|
331 |
|
part of liturgy, music
is more than something which “assists” worship - it is worship. More
|
|
332 |
|
than a help to prayer
- it is prayer. As St. Pius X often said, “People should not sing at
|
|
333 |
|
Mass, they should sing
the Mass.” The music chosen for sacred liturgy, therefore, must |
|
334 |
|
embody those
characteristics proper to its sacred function; its end must be that of
raising the |
|
335 |
|
mind and heart to God.
Unfortunately popular culture seems to have invaded the liturgy in
|
|
336 |
|
recent years, leading
some to lament the triumph of bad taste in Catholic culture. |
|
337 |
|
|
|
338 |
|
It is recommended
therefore that: |
|
339 |
|
Action items:
|
|
340 |
|
|
|
341 |
|
►
Music used in Catholic institutions of the Archdiocese should be of the
highest
|
|
342 |
|
quality, distinguished
by its recognizable sacred character. |
|
343 |
|
3/ Provide a school of
virtues. |
|
344 |
|
|
|
345 |
|
Human virtues are firm
attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and
|
|
346 |
|
will that govern our
actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct according to reason
|
|
347 |
|
and faith. They make
possible ease, self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life. The
|
|
348 |
|
virtuous man is he who
freely practices the good. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1804).
|
|
349 |
|
|
|
350 |
|
In the centuries
leading up to the twentieth, it was widely understood and generally accepted
|
|
351 |
|
that the cultivation
of personal “virtue” - such as justice, prudence, temperance, fortitude
|
|
352 |
|
- was the necessary
foundation for living a responsible, productive, and happy life. The
|
|
353 |
|
replacement of this
rich “virtues” understanding and language with the ambiguous idea of
|
|
354 |
|
“values” has
contributed significantly to the moral illiteracy and moral confusion that
is |
|
355 |
|
today so much in
evidence in Canadian society. |
|
356 |
|
|
|
357 |
|
An understanding of
and respect for the categories of virtue is a solid base upon which an
|
|
358 |
|
investigation of the
larger claims of meaning and purpose put forward by the Catholic
|
|
359 |
|
Church can be
undertaken. |
|
360 |
|
|
|
361 |
|
The task before us
then is one of re-introducing, using contemporary language and modern
|
|
362 |
|
methodologies, the
classical understanding of the virtues as embodied in the Catholic
|
|
363 |
|
tradition. The family
- which is the first school of the virtues - needs to be deeply |
|
364 |
|
informed by this
understanding. Resources used in our Catholic elementary, secondary, and
|
|
365 |
|
post-secondary
schools, as well as those used in our catechetical programs must also be
|
|
366 |
|
consistent with and
supportive of this foundational Catholic understanding. |
|
367 |
|
|
|
368 |
|
It is recommended
therefore that we: |
|
369 |
|
Action items: |
|
370 |
|
►
Assist parents in their role as the primary educators of their children by
obtaining and
|
|
371 |
|
promoting the use of
parenting guidelines and parenting programs that are consistent |
|
372 |
|
with the Church’s
virtue-based understanding. Principles of sound character |
|
373 |
|
formation will need to
be understood and utilized in the home if our children are to |
|
374 |
|
develop those habitual
strengths of character that will enable them to mature into |
|
375 |
|
responsible men and
women who live by Christian principles. |
|
376 |
|
►
Establish guidelines to help teachers and parents choose reading material
which |
|
377 |
|
nourishes virtue in
the hearts and minds of their children and that a list of |
|
378 |
|
recommended books and
films etc. be made generally available through our parishes |
|
379 |
|
and schools. Our
efforts to educate our children in virtue will be compromised and we |
|
380 |
|
will find ourselves at
cross-purposes if we employ books which, while stimulating a |
|
381 |
|
superficial interest
in reading, end up undermining our primary goal of |
|
382 |
|
communicating high
ideals, virtue, and a faith-based perspective to our children. |
|
383 |
|
Literature, which
serves well the goals of Christian education, should impart |
|
384 |
|
praiseworthy ideas,
but even more importantly it should convey the great adventure, |
|
385 |
|
the majesty and
mystery of the moral cosmos. |
|
386 |
|
► Ensure that programmes offered in our schools which touch on the moral life and
|
|
387 |
|
development of the
child are all deeply rooted in the Church’s understanding of the
|
|
388 |
|
human person and the
moral virtues. Programmes founded on a shallow |
|
389 |
|
understanding of
personal autonomy, self-esteem, or a moral relativism model - as
|
|
390 |
|
well as all those
paying only superficial lip service to the virtues - must be carefully
|
|
391 |
|
avoided. All our
educators - parents, teachers, and others - should be encouraged
|
|
392 |
|
and affirmed in this
virtue-based perspective. They should, through guidance and |
|
393 |
|
guidelines, be
assisted to adopt sound Catholic principles of moral education that
|
|
394 |
|
support the virtuous
upbringing and Christian formation of our children. |
|
395 |
|
►
In advancing a comprehensive virtue-based understanding of the moral life in
our |
|
396 |
|
schools and parishes,
we should familiarize ourselves with the varied expressions of |
|
397 |
|
the virtues as found
in the many different cultures present in our communities. |
|
398 |
|
Drawing upon the
existing understandings within these various cultural groups will |
|
399 |
|
help us make a natural
bridge to the fullness of Church teaching. |
|
400 |
|
►
Implement some means for assessing the success we have in communicating the
life |
|
401 |
|
of faith through our
moral and religious education programs. |
|
402 |
|
4/ Utilize in our
schools, textbooks and other resources that represent Catholic history
|
|
403 |
|
and Catholic culture.
|
|
404 |
|
The Catholic school
strives to relate all human culture eventually to the news of salvation, so |
|
405 |
|
that the life of faith
will illumine the knowledge which students gradually gain of the world,
|
|
406 |
|
of life, and of
humankind. (Vatican II, Declaration on Christian Education, par. 8)
|
|
407 |
|
|
|
408 |
|
It is a
well-established principle of modern, multi-cultural education that
individuals |
|
409 |
|
belonging to different
racial and ethnic groups are strengthened in their own identity and in
|
|
410 |
|
their sense of
self-worth when they receive an education in the unique traditions,
distinctive |
|
411 |
|
understandings, and
positive accomplishments of their own group. Catholics similarly will be
|
|
412 |
|
strengthened in their
Catholic identity if they are educated in the rich traditions of the Church
|
|
413 |
|
and in the remarkable
moral, cultural, and intellectual contributions it has made to the
|
|
414 |
|
betterment of mankind.
Lacking specifically Catholic resources - for example in the areas
|
|
