EVANGELISATION & CATECHESIS
When the General Directory for Catechesis was promulgated in 1997, it formed a cohesive unity with "On Evangelisation in the Modern World" (Evangelii Nuntiandi), the apostolic exhortation on evangelisation issued by Pope Paul VI in 1975 and "On Catechesis in Our Time" (Catechesi Tradendae), the apostolic exhortation on catechesis issued by Pope John Paul II in 1979.
The General Directory, a document for the entire Church, fully situates catechesis within the context of evangelisation and notes that catechesis is an “essential moment” in evangelisation. The Directory states that catechesis “receives from evangelisation a missionary dynamic which deeply enriches it and defines its own identity. The ministry of catechesis appears...as a fundamental ecclesial service for the realisation of the missionary mandate of Jesus" (GDC, 59).
The General Directory for Catechesis begins with the “Parable of the Sower” (Mark 4.3-8), which it calls the “inspiration” for evangelisation. The Sower, casting seeds with broad strokes, sows the seed allowing it to fall where it will. All of the seeds do not yield results, but some of them produce abundant results. The seeds of faith today need to be sown no less broadly. The General Directory states three specific situations in which the seeds of the Gospel need to be planted:
Therefore, the Splendour Project captures the spirit of the Church's evangelisation and catechetical activity by mirroring that which is stipulated in the above documents. Catechetical and evangelisation activity takes place through faith formation events as well as through various social communication initiatives.
The General Directory, a document for the entire Church, fully situates catechesis within the context of evangelisation and notes that catechesis is an “essential moment” in evangelisation. The Directory states that catechesis “receives from evangelisation a missionary dynamic which deeply enriches it and defines its own identity. The ministry of catechesis appears...as a fundamental ecclesial service for the realisation of the missionary mandate of Jesus" (GDC, 59).
The General Directory for Catechesis begins with the “Parable of the Sower” (Mark 4.3-8), which it calls the “inspiration” for evangelisation. The Sower, casting seeds with broad strokes, sows the seed allowing it to fall where it will. All of the seeds do not yield results, but some of them produce abundant results. The seeds of faith today need to be sown no less broadly. The General Directory states three specific situations in which the seeds of the Gospel need to be planted:
- those persons and situations in which Christ and his Gospel are not known. These persons need to be invited to initial conversion.
- those persons who have heard the word and want to grow and mature in faith. This refers to the ongoing catechesis with children, youth and adults which leads them to mature faith and makes evangelisers of those who have been evangelised.
- those who have lost a living sense of the faith. They may have been baptised but no longer consider themselves members of the Church and live a life removed from Christ and his Gospel. These persons are in need of a “new evangelisation.” (See GDC, 58.)
Therefore, the Splendour Project captures the spirit of the Church's evangelisation and catechetical activity by mirroring that which is stipulated in the above documents. Catechetical and evangelisation activity takes place through faith formation events as well as through various social communication initiatives.
