Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2009 / Adult faith formation: More than just the facts
Adult faith formation: More than just the facts
by Sr. Janet Schaeffler special to The Michigan Catholic
Published October 9, 2009
There's a church in our area (not Catholic, but of another denomination) that has a one-way driveway for entry and exit to its property. The posted signs for entry and exit points of this driveway say: "Enter to Worship" and "Exit to Serve."
In succinct words, they have captured our baptismal call. Our deepened understanding of catechesis for all ages, through The General Directory for Catechesis and The National Directory for Catechesis, reminds us that formation in the faith is not just about learning the facts, but of living it, in every aspect of life. One of the results of our increased concentration on adult faith formation is, hopefully, the deepening of people's awareness, desire, abilities and skills to be missioned for their role in the world.
The 1999 document from the U.S. bishops, "Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States," reminds us of this so well in its third of its major goals for adult faith formation: Call and prepare adults to act as disciples in mission to the world. The Church and its adult faithful have a mission in and to the world: To share the message of Christ to renew and to transform the social and temporal order. This dual calling to evangelization and justice is integral to the identity of the lay faithful; all are called to it in baptism.
Accordingly, faith formation seeks to help each adult believer become more willing and able to be a Christian disciple in the world. As salt of the Earth and light for the world (cf. Matthew 5:13-16), adult disciples give witness to God's love and caring will so that, in the power of the Spirit, they renew the face of the Earth" (No. 72-73).
In our archdiocese we've been doing ongoing research on best practices in adult faith formation in our parishes. One of the questions asked on the original survey (fall 2006) was: "Describe the effects of this initiative (the initiative they identified as their best practice). How were the participants or the parish changed by this event or process?"
In analyzing the responses, the Best Practices Committee found that this was not the easiest question for the respondents (adult faith formation coordinators, directors of religious education, pastors, pastoral ministers) to answer.
Perhaps the committee asked it the wrong way. Perhaps it was too broad; not clear; not measurable. One person from one of the parishes asked: "How does one really evaluate this?"
The majority, from our parishes, answered with responses such as: more involvement in the parish/new leadership has emerged; enhanced their personal prayer life; adults are excited about lifelong formation; parishioners are more aware of Scripture at Mass; acknowledge the value of the "group" as a place to share faith with others and to be enriched by the sharing of others; a new sense of openness; men were surprised they were able to share so much; there's a hunger for more; a sense of belonging has been heightened among the participants as well as within the parish; it has helped them connect their faith with everyday situations and decision making in their lives; it has broadened the understanding of their faith.
These are all excellent results. Many of them, of course, would be dependent upon the type of program/process that was offered. What was the purpose/goal of the program/process? Was that achieved?
One of the things that struck the committee was that of the responses from the 105 parishes to this question, there were three that said:
- there was a greater consciousness with regard to social justice issues; discussion about things they can do to make a difference, to be disciples;
- parishioners have drawn closer together in unity of mission; there has been increased outreach to those in need within and beyond parish boundaries; there is a more global vision; and
- many people are looking for concrete ways to encounter the poor.
There were no other responses, from the 105 parishes, such as:
- getting involved in/making a difference in the community;
- empowering people to become involved with others to seek solutions to poverty, racism, violence, environmental pollution in the community.
It is very possible that many of these things happened, and the survey responders weren't aware of it.
- "The laity, by their vocation, seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs, and by ordering them according to the plan of God" ("Lumen Gentium," No. 31).
- As stated earlier: The third of the major goals for adult faith formation is to "call and prepare adults to act as disciples in mission to world" ("Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us," No. 72).
- We know today, from all our Church documents, that catechesis is about information, formation and transformation. Today's theories of transformative learning remind us that the heart of adult faith formation is about personal transformation as well as our call to transform society.
- Adult faith formation calls us to live what we celebrate. We need to call each other to community and mission, to being the Body of Christ. When we celebrate Eucharist each week, it is not just the bread and wine that are changed. We are changed into the Body of Christ, to leave our Eucharistic assembly in order to be Christ's Body throughout the week.
Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP, is the archdiocesan associate director for adult faith formation for the Office for Faith Formation/Catechetics.
All Faith Formation Articles | All Michigan Catholic Articles
|
