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Specific
suggestions for using Growing
Faith
with with parish councils,
other leaders and ministry folks...
The
US Bishops’ pastoral letter on adult faith formation, “Our
Hearts Were Burning Within Us,” suggests that every
time a parish meeting is held, an opportunity exists for
catechesis.
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Invite those who come forward as leaders in your
parish to spend a little extra time at each of their meetings
learning more about their faith.
This would include, but not be limited to, the
pastoral council, all committees and sub-committees, ministry
training and preparation events, the sodalities and fraternal
groups of the parish such as the Knights of Columbus and the
Catholic Daughters, and any other group that meets regularly.
The Rationale
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Parish
leaders and ministry team members, more than anyone else in the
parish, must be well versed in their faith. But most adults in the
church today, are working from an elementary level catechesis.
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So
spending twenty extra minutes with each meeting, learning about
Catholic teaching, is the way to improve their role as baptized
members of the church, sharing in the priestly, prophetic, and royal
work of Christ. Which is to say, in making the community holy, in
teaching others, and in governing the church.
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Studying
the faith, sharing faith, and growing in faith also draw the group
members closer to one another creating real community.
The
Gathering
Break
Open the Word
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People
who volunteer to serve on leadership groups in the parish: pastoral
council, education committee, finance committee, and other groups,
are giving precious time to the parish community. They tend to want
to show up for the meeting, get the work done, and get home. And who
can blame them? Most lay volunteers also hold full time jobs inside
or outside the home.
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And
yet, unless we break open the Word together, we risk losing our
central purpose that is to know Christ and to help others know
Christ, too. So don’t be tempted to skip this step in the interest
of saving time.
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Instead,
let it be known from the outset that being part of parish leadership
and ministry also involves sharing faith and studying our teachings.
It involves deepening our relationship with Christ.
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For
more on how to Break Open the Word in such groups, see Whole
Community Catechesis in Plain English or Handbook
for Success in Whole Community Catechesis.
The
Process
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The
notes in the session plans presented in Part Three of the Facilitator’s
Guide are written to work in settings such as these.
The three-part process allows everyone to take part: (1) read and
reflect for a moment, (2) share faith with others, (3) find ways to
take it home or apply it in their meeting.
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For
these groups, it might be best to plan for a smaller configuration
of booklets than the entire series, making sure that over a two or
three year period you provide a systematic and comprehensive
presentation of the faith to all.
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Use
the handy Growing Faith Adult
Formation Planner, or follow one of the ten
suggested courses each year.
Afterward
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Make
sure that folks receive their own copies of the Growing
Faith booklet and make them their own. Urge them to write
notes in them, to write down questions as they arise, and to note
what others share.
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