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Catechetical Leadership and Youth Ministry Formation
Anthony C. Marchica, Director
Office of Catechetical Leadership and Youth Ministry Formation
Diocese of Palm Beach
9995 North Military Trail
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
(561) 775-9549 phone
(561) 775-9545 fax
amarchica@diocesepb.org
Marie M. Driver, Administrative Assistant/Media Coordinator
Voice: (561) 775-9549
Fax: (561) 775-9545
E-mail:
mdriver@diocesepb.org
Providing Religious Education for children and adults based on
Hebrew Scripture, the New Testament, Tradition, Doctrine and on
the History of Catholicism with a view to creating an active and
worshiping membership in our multi-cultural Church here in the
Diocese of Palm Beach.
Catechist Formation
Formation seeks to enable catechists to transmit the Gospel to
those who desire to entrust themselves to Jesus Christ. The
purpose of formation, therefore is to make the catechist capable
of communicating.
(Cfr.
GDC #235)
The formation of catechists is made up of different dimensions.
The deepest dimension refers to the very being of the catechist,
to the human and Christian dimension. Formation, above all
else, must help the catechist to mature as a person, a believer
and as an apostle. This is what the catechist must know so as
to be able to fulfill his responsibilities well.
(Cfr.
GDC #238)
Catechist Certification Program
Religious Education Certification is an official recognition by
the office of Catechesis and Leadership Development that a
person has participated in a minimum amount of approved
formational experiences intended to enhance one’s knowledge and
skills as a catechist.
It
is the responsibility of the Office of Catechesis and Leadership
Development to establish norms for the certification of
catechists and to approve programs and workshops through which
persons can achieve the necessary hours of experience to merit
one of the levels of certification. (Cfr. NCD #218) These
programs are available to all catechists involved in Parishes
and Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Palm Beach.
2009CertificationHandbook
Home School
Sacramental
Policies and Guidelines
For Those Who Home School
A document from the
Catholic Bishops of the Florida.
The preparation for a sacrament is
a very special time in the life of the Church. In the Bull of Indiction of
the Great Jubilee Year 2000, our Holy Father states that "Revelation also
teaches that the Christian is not alone on the path of conversion. In Christ
and through Christ, his life is linked by a mysterious bond to the lives of
all other Christians in the supernatural union of the Mystical Body. This
establishes among the faithful a marvelous exchange of spiritual gifts, in
virtue of which the holiness of one benefits others..." Thus the time of
sacramental catechesis provides the entire parish community with the
opportunity to deepen their spirituality in the sacramental life of the
Church while at the same time lead others to receive a sacramental life of
the Church while at the same time lead others to receive a sacrament for the
first time. As such, sacramental catechesis [the immediate preparation for a
sacrament] is an activity distinct from religious education.
The interaction between the parish
community and those preparing for a sacrament gives credibility to the
belief that catechesis is the "responsibility of the entire Christian
community" [GDC, #220] and therefore "is not an action which can be realized
in the community on a private basis or by purely personal initiative." [GDC,
219.b]. For this reason the Code of Canon Law requires the diocesan bishop
and pastor to ensure that appropriate catechesis is provided to all those
preparing to receive a sacrament.
Canon 777 Attentive to the
norms established by the diocesan bishop, a pastor is to take care in a
special way:
-
That
suitable catechesis is imparted for the celebration of the sacraments;
-
That
through catechetical instruction imparted for an appropriate period of
time children are prepared properly for the first reception of the
sacraments of penance and the Most Holy Eucharist and for the sacrament of
confirmation;
-
That
having received first communion, these children are enriched more fully
and deeply through catechetical formation;
-
That
catechetical instruction is given also to those who are physically or
mentally impeded, insofar as their condition permits;
- That the faith of youth and
adults is strengthened, enlightened, and developed through various means
and endeavors.
There are situations where some
families choose to "home school" their children/youth. In this setting they
choose to provide secular and/or religious education in the home. These
policies and guidelines provide direction for sacramental catechesis for
those who home school their children/youth.
Policies and
Guidelines
-
The proper context for the
celebration of the sacraments is the parish community. "Liturgical
services are not private functions, but are celebrations belonging to the
Church, which is the "sacrament of unity" [CSL, #26]
Children/youth who are home
schooled are to celebrate the sacraments in the parish and at the time
determined by the pastor for all those in the parish-based program.
-
Sacramental catechesis
"is an
essentially ecclesial act" [GDC, #78] and therefore "not an action which
can be realized in the community on a private basis or by purely personal
initiative" [GDC, #219.b]. Sacramental catechesis, therefore, takes place
in a parish based program.
Those who home school their
children are required to contact the pastor, or the one delegated by him
to be in charge of the parish sacramental program for approval, prior to
beginning any sacramental preparation program.
Those who choose to home school
their children are to fully participate in the parish based program for
sacramental catechesis;
Parents/guardians who home
school, together with their children, ar to participate in all dimensions
of the parish program for sacramental catechesis: catechetical, ritual,
service, spiritual [retreats, etc.] and any other requirements for
sacramental preparation as determined by the parish;
Parents/guardians who home school, together with their children, will use
the catechetical text and supplementary catechetical resources established
by the parish program;
-
Liturgical celebrations have an integral role in sacramental catechesis
since "catechesis is intrinsically bound to every liturgical and
sacramental action [GDC, 30]. Thus, the liturgy "is therefore the
privileged place for catechizing the People of God" [CCC, #1074]. Through
the prayers, symbols, gestures, music and actions of the liturgical
prayer, the faithful receive formation intimately connected to the
catechesis which follows.
-
Parents/ guardians and their
children/youth are to fully participate in all of the liturgical prayers
scheduled in the parish based program for sacramental preparation.
As parishioners of the parish,
families who home school are expected to participate weekly in the Sunday
celebration of the Eucharist in the parish.
-
All parish based programs for
sacramental catechesis include formation of adults in the parish,
especially those whose children/youth are preparing to receive a
sacrament. The catechesis of children/youth and the catechesis of adults
"should not be separate watertight compartments" [GDC, #72]. This
structure promotes unity of vision within the parish and fosters harmony
among the people of God.
Parents/guardians and sponsors [where applicable] of home schoolers will
fully participate in all adults catechetical formation programs related to
sacramental preparation of children/youth in the parish based program.
Parents/guardians and sponsors [where applicable] are expected to
participate in all other activities as required in the program i.e.,
interviews, etc.
-
Children not baptized as
infants and who have attained the use of reason and are of catechetical
age are to be prepared for the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and
eucharist according to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults [RICA,
#252].
Parents/guardians
who home school children who are not baptized and are of catechetical age
and have attained the use of reason, are to enroll their children in the
parish catecumenate program.
These
children/youth are to receive baptism, confirmation, and eucharist in that
order in one single ceremony preferably at the Easter Vigil together with
the older catechumens [RCIA, National Statutes, 18].
-
The diocesan bishop has the
responsibility "to issue norms concerning catechetics" [CL, #775.1] and to
ensure that all who exercise this ministry are in communion with him.
The policies, guidelines and
directives developed by the diocese for sacramental catechesis are
applicable to all those who home school their children/youth.
These policies and guidelines are
meant to promote the evangelizing potential of sacramental catechesis in the
life of the Church. We pray that our Catholic people will be set ablaze with
a desire to live their sacramental life fully and share it freely with
others. May their eagerness to live the sacramental life bring
transformation to the whole world.
Approved by the Bishops of
Florida
March 6, 2000
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