So, Dr. Caroline mainly teaches catechism here.
If you don't already have a catechism,
you really need to get one. I was talking to Caroline this morning, and she said it's fine
if I mention this: beautifully bound, leather-bound, not for sale—a catechism to cherish.
Dr. Caroline had this bound herself in England at great expense because of its value.
Just to let you know, if you don't have one, it must be the upstate version. That's
important.
I'll be giving nine out of the twelve classes this term. I'll be away next week for a
procedure, and again the following week. Can I check how many of you haven't had my
classes before? I think it's the majority. One, two, three, four… ten of you. So four of
you have had my classes already. The ten who haven't are at a bit of a disadvantage,
and the four of you who have, I'll ask you to remember what we covered so we can
ensure everyone grasps the foundational principles upon which the Church's catechesis
is built. You need to understand these principles and how the catechism embodies
them. We'll work around that.
Here's how I run the class: I provide a set of my notes for you to look at. In three weeks,
I hope to have all the notes compiled into a booklet. Bring that booklet to every class. I
often refer back to it—for example, the four dimensions of the Christian life. You should
be able to check back and recall these, because they are absolutely necessary for your
whole life.
Before we begin, I should say I have a passion for this subject. It's highlighted in Fides
et Ratio—a document by John Paul II. Caravagrasia also influenced it significantly at the
time. The document emphasizes that philosophy and theology share a single purpose:
evangelization. That's the point of all your studies. Your role is to spread the Gospel.
These classes are designed for that. Often, seminaries overlook this ultimate goal, but
here, I place it at the very top. Everything you study ultimately prepares you to
evangelize, to speak and think rightly, to please God, and to guide others to the beauty
of the Catholic faith and salvation.
If by the end of these twelve classes you are not convinced that your role is to help
others as ministers of the faith, then you are in the wrong place. From very early on,
the Church has worked with what's called the “Pedagogy of God.” Four people here
know this phrase and its significance. Over the next nine weeks, we will explore it
thoroughly.
“Pedagogy” comes from the Greek paideia, meaning the guidance of children. The
Pedagogy of God is, essentially, how God guided people in the Old Testament, through
Christ, and through the Spirit within His Church. It's about God's ways of communicating
divine love and revelation so His children can unite with Him in eternal life. You
probably won't hear this phrase anywhere else. Even priests unfamiliar with my
teachings don't usually know it. Yet it's been central to the Church for 2,000 years,
dating back to Clement of Alexandria in the 4th century. While the concept persisted in
Italy, Spain, and France, it was largely lost in the English-speaking world until recently.
All other catechetical methods exist, but our focus is the Pedagogy of God. You, as
ministers of God, will be conformed to Christ. You must learn His ways of
communicating love, truth, and grace to those He wants to unite with Him.
Pedagogy of God provides the context for everything we do. First principle:
evangelization. I prefer a dialogical approach, so you can ask questions anytime. While I
lecture at times, the key is practice. It's like learning piano—you can't learn to play
without actually practicing. Similarly, you will practice teaching and evangelizing to
pass on what you learn. This class is about training you to pass it on effectively.
Now, about the four dimensions of the Christian life: these are grounded in Acts 2:42.
They involve committing oneself to learning from the Lord, to proper behavior, and to
living the faith sacramentally. You need to know how to profess the faith, not just
intellectually, but confidently and actively. That's the first dimension. The second
involves supporting the Christian life, the sacramental life, and living according to
Scripture. The first goal is to understand the truth; the second is to live it. This is central
to a Christian life, and it's what we will be practicing.
Another principle is Christocentrism—centering everything on Christ. When you teach or
use examples, they should connect to Jesus Christ and the Kingdom. This is often
overlooked: catechists often mention saints or angels but omit Christ. This is a crucial
test: every catechetical example should point to Him.
Lastly, remember that good catechetical resources must be more than colorful or
attractive. While aesthetics help, the substance—theological accuracy and evangelizing
effectiveness—is what matters. Catechists must know the truth and pass it on
effectively. Many have never been taught this, and that's what we will correct here.