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Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us:
A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation In the United States
For years, the world-wide Church has proclaimed the centrality of adult faith formation.
In 1997, the General Directory of Catechesis' issued a clarion call to re-think our perspective on religious education. It declared adult formation the chief form of catechesis, with all other forms oriented to it in some way. (#59)
Flowing from this, the bishops of the United States, in 1999, issued their landmark document:
Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us:
A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States
 This document provides a detailed road map for ensuring that adult faith formation is central in each parish's catechetical efforts. Taking this goal to heart means dedicating time, personnel and resources to adult faith formation.
The plan provides an excellent description of adult faith formation principles, content, and approaches. One of its greatest strengths is Part IV, where it focuses extensively on how a parish might organize itself for adult formation.
Not only is it written in easily-understood language, but the plan is accompanied by a Leader's Guide. Parish staff members or Council or Education Commission chairs can lead parish leadership through an in-depth study of the document as they plan for the unique needs of their parish.
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