A recent area of interest is that of the Liturgical Year and how to incorporate it within the realm of catechesis. Interestingly, the process should happen the other way around!
The Liturgical Year, or Church Year, should be taught as foundational to everything else. As humans we operate within the context of the natural world’s seasons, and as Christians, we live within the framework of the Church Year. So, as catechists, it is essential to highlight seasons, spirituality, saints and feast days as they happen.
So, when thinking of bringing the Church Year into the catechetical classroom here are some things to consider…
The Liturgical Year is the “economy of salvation…at work within the framework of time” (CCC 1168). During the liturgical year, “the various aspects of the one Paschal mystery unfold” (CCC 1171). “The Latin Church lives and celebrates the mystery of Christ in the span of a calendar year that re-presents the mystery of the incarnation and redemption” (NDC, 146). Essentially, the liturgical year is a sacred time that is the very matrix of Catholic life.
“Catechesis is an education in the faith of children, young people, and adult which includes especially the teaching of Christian doctrine imparted, generally speaking, in an organic and systematic way, with a view to initiating the hearers into the fullness of Christian life” (CT, #18).
Our goal, then, is to learn specific techniques for incorporating the liturgical year within catechetical classes for a deeper understanding and connection to everyday life. What ideas might we be able to share for effectively implementing the Church Year into catechesis?
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