Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee Meets with Publishers

Just received this from NCEA's Department Of Religious Education Executive Director Diana Dudoit Raiche

Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism - Meeting with Publishers of Catechetical Materials:

Approximately 20 publishers and invited representatives from national organizations met with the Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism on September 9, 2005. Bishop Leonard P. Blaire of Toledo, OH chaired the meeting for Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes of New Orleans, who was unable to attend. Of the topics discussed, the following seven items may be of interest to diocesan and parish catechetical leaders.

1. The Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church is not intended to supplant the Catechism, but it is expected to be an ancillary text suitable for Catholic high school and possibly some junior high school students. Following the four-pillar structure of the Catechism, the Compendium, a new composition, includes prayers in the vernacular as well as in Latin, and includes formulas of Catholic doctrine. Memorization of common formulas of the faith and prayers in Latin is encouraged.

2. United States Catholic Catechism for Adults awaits the recognitio from Rome. Based on the 15 months that it took to receive the recognitio for the National Directory for Catechesis, approval of the adult catechism could possibly arrive in early 2006.

3. Catechetical Treatment of the Trinity: Retaining the mystery of the Holy Trinity is a matter of concern. As the central mystery of our faith, it is necessary to present and explain the divinely revealed names of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is acceptable to use the title God, as is commonly done for the First Person alone, provided that it is made clear that each Divine Person individually can properly be called God.

4. Justice and Charity: It is important not to confuse these two concepts and to offer a parallel treatment of them. Justice refers to what is due human beings as human beings. Rather than an act of duty, charity is giving that is motivated out of love.

5. Doctrinal Guidelines for High School Materials: Consultation from the field regarding these Guidelines is completed. It is expected the Guidelines will go before the Bishops for vote in June 2006. Each bishop will implement the Guidelines as he sees fit.

6. Guiding Principles for Education in Human Sexuality focuses on morality, virtues, the moral virtue of chastity, doctrinal elements, as well as the rights and responsibilities of parents, the Church's role and the role of directors for education. Still in process, this document is expected to go before the Bishops at the 2006 November meeting.

7. Whole Community Catechesis should be used in conjunction with ordinary, systematic catechesis.
Department of Religious Education newsletters available here.