The Fundamental Importance of Catechesis

by Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos

I was very pleased to accept an invitation to come to your congress and reflect with you on some of the challenges facing our evangelizing and catechetical activity today. With much intuition, it has been said that the next millennium is going to be either a Christian millennium or it will not be a Christian millennium.

I wish to thank you first for the great contribution you make in your local churches by your service to the word. I am aware of your solicitude and pastoral zeal. I know that you employ the best personnel, means and resources to promote evangelization and catechesis in every area and for all age groups: children, adolescents, young people and adults.

May God reward you for this work and grant you a share in the reward promised to those who work for the Gospel.

The Congregation for the Clergy is close to you; it follows you with affection; admires your enthusiasm and encourages the important work you have been doing for some time now.

Permit me to begin my contribution with some considerations which are intended as a indispensable background for the picture I am preparing to paint.

Today, the terms evangelization and catechesis are often understood in an immediate way as "things to be done," "activities to be organized" or "programs to be drawn up and realized." In itself this is laudable since proclaiming the Gospel cannot be separated from competent use of the methods and means necessary for its proclamation. However, the question of evangelization and catechesis is more complex than this and cannot be reduced to mere technology.

In addressing you today on some aspects of evangelization and catechesis, I begin by situating myself along the profound horizon of truth in which both of these ecclesial actions are rooted.

This does not mean anchoring them artificially in some abstract or nebulous theory. Rather, it means first that these are realities which are proper to the church and to each particular church which is sent to proclaim Christ, the truth that saves.

Evangelizing and catechizing, more than being activities or programs, vehicles or technologies, are actions of the ecclesial body requiring subjects—persons who act in relation to other subjects and whose primary reference point is the unique person of the Incarnate Word.

I cannot overemphasize this point, which has been clearly highlighted in the new catechetical directory when it clarifies the dynamic of the evangelizing process (General Directory for Catechesis [hereafter GDC], 47-49); stresses the importance of initiatory catechesis (GDC, 63-69); and especially when, in significant distinction from the previous directory, it situates catechesis in the particular church.

In this profound rationale, the responsibility of our episcopal ministry emerges clearly and decisively. Our episcopal office cannot be devalued or reduced to that of mere bureaucrats. By virtue of the fullness of the sacrament of orders, we have received the certain charism of truth and we have been invested with primary responsibility for preaching the Gospel (GDC, 222).

The comments of the Holy Father on the occasion of the presentation the Latin editio typica of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Osservatore Romano, Sept. 8-9, 1997, p. 5) last year are most enlightening:

"I now entrust this definitive and normative text to the entire church, especially to the pastors of the various dioceses throughout the world who are those for whom it is principally destined. In these circumstances the Pauline text in a certain sense could justly be applied; I have received from the Lord that which in turn I have handed on to you' (1 Cor. 11:23)."

On that occasion the Holy Father clearly identified the pastors of the various dioceses throughout the world as those to whom this text is principally directed. What the Holy Father said in relation to the Catechism of the Catholic Church can be applied validly to the entire catechetical service. From the Lord we have received the precious gift of the Gospel which, in turn, by our commitment and daily efforts, we must transmit to those entrusted to our care.

In concluding my introduction, I must express special gratitude for the praiseworthy efforts of you, my brother bishops, shown in production of the national catechetical directory for the Catholics of the United States, Sharing the Faith (1977).

With prudent patience, courage and resolve, you must now begin the important work of revision and renewal of catechesis in your country in the light of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and of the General Directory for Catechesis.

Without further delay, let us reflect on the various themes that you have asked me to comment on: evangelization as the foundation and context of catechesis; the ministry of priests in catechesis; formation of catechists; inculturating the Gospel message; ecumenism and catechesis.

The Term "Evangelization"

The first point of my paper touches on the relationship between evangelization and catechesis. To understand this relationship it is necessary to clarify these terms. Let us begin with the first, evangelization.

The conciliar documents employ this term in a threefold sense: as missionary preaching or primary proclamation or kerygma (Ad Gentes, 6, 26); as ministry of the word which includes missionary preaching, catechesis, homiletics, theological research, etc. (Lumen Gentium, 35, 18; Christus Dominus, 6, 10; Gaudium et Spes, 44, 13; Apostolicam Actuositatem, 2, 20; etc.); and in reference to the entire missionary activity of the church among peoples who do not yet know the Gospel (Ad Gentes, 23, 6; 27, 15).

The postconciliar period saw an explosion of uses of the term evangelization as well as an evolution and expansion of its meaning. In the 1974 Synod of Bishops, which was devoted to the theme of evangelization in the contemporary world, and in the subsequent apostolic exhortation of Pope Paul VI Evangelii Nuntiandi (Dec. 8, 1975), evangelization, which had long been regarded as a frontier activity in missionary territories, was recognized as the essential mission of the entire church (cf. No. 14).

Here I should like to introduce two marginal points which when taken together are of some relevance for us today. In the 1980s and 1990s the term new evangelization began to be widely used to describe the situation of countries in which Christianity has been present since ancient times. It is sometimes employed in relation to younger churches "where entire groups of the baptized have lost a living sense of the faith or who no longer regard themselves as members of the church and whose existence is far from Christ and his Gospel" (Redemptoris Missio, 33). I also wish to point out that in recent years reference is rightly made to the primacy of evangelization in the church's mission and often the terms evangelizing catechesis or missionary catechesis are used to describe what was previously referred to simply as catechesis.

Let us return, however, to our specific topic.

A notable effort was made to clarify the meaning of the term evangelization in Evangelii Nuntiandi. At the outset of the 1974 Synod of Bishops, theological and pastoral reflection had not yet arrived at a consensus on the technical meaning of the term evangelization.

The Synod moved away from restricting the meaning of the term evangelization to missionary proclamation to understanding it in terms of the church's entire activity as exercised in whatever form it might take.

Evangelii Nuntiandi not only confirmed the wider meaning of the term, but was also very careful in making explicit the complexity and richness of its dimensions.

Article 17, for example, underlines the richness of this term:

"Any partial and fragmentary definition which attempts to render the reality of evangelization in all its richness, complexity and dynamism does so only at the risk of impoverishing it and even of distorting it. It is impossible to grasp the concept of evangelization unless one tries to keep in view all its essential elements."

Article 24 illustrates the wealth of elements embraced by this concept: "Evangelization ... is a complex process made up of varied elements: the renewal of humanity, witness, explicit proclamation, inner adherence, entry into the community, acceptance of signs, apostolic initiatives."

Evangelii Nuntiandi's insistence on clarifying the concept of evangelization was not born from merely theoretical concerns. Incomplete concepts of evangelization were clearly having an incomplete and inadequate impact on ecclesial activity in various pastoral situations.

Evangelii Nuntiandi opts for a global concept of evangelization and shows how its diverse aspects must be understood in unity with a single apostolic dynamism and how its intrinsic bipolarity must be integrated into a single whole: witness and proclamation (No. 22), word and sacrament (No. 47), interior change and social transformation (No. 18), personal response and community life (No. 23). In reality, Evangelii Nuntiandi equates evangelization with the whole of the church's mission in such a way that nothing remains external to it. The church proclaims and gives witness to the Gospel in everything that she says, does and is (cf. Conclusions of the Third General Conference of Latin American Bishops [Puebla], 272).

The General Directory for Catechesis synthesizes the contents of the conciliar and postconciliar magisterium relating to the concept of evangelization, especially Ad Gentes, Evangelii Nuntiandi, Catechesi Tradendae and Redemptoris Missio. The general directory presents evangelization as a process through which the church:

—Urged by charity, imbues and transforms the entire temporal order by taking up and renewing cultures.

—Bears witness among nations to a new way of being and living that characterizes Christians.

—Explicitly preaches the Gospel by primary proclamation and calls to conversion.

—Introduces to the faith and to Christian life those who have converted to Jesus Christ or those who have returned to following him, by catechesis and by the sacraments of initiation."

—Constantly nourishes the gift of communion among the faithful by continuing education in the faith (homilies and other forms of the ministry of the word), the sacraments and the practice of charity.

—Constantly promotes mission by sending out all the disciples of Christ to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed to the whole world (GDC, 48), for the salvation of souls.

We can say that the General Directory for Catechesis presents evangelization as a great frame enclosing all of the church's pastoral action and in which all of her evangelizing actions are present and highlighted.

The Term "Catechesis"

In order to illustrate the manner in which evangelization can be considered foundation and context of catechesis, it is also necessary to state what we mean by the term catechesis. This I shall outline in brief. There are many definitions of catechesis. Some that are contained in the official documents of the magisterium are often cited and widely used. For example, the object of the conciliar expression catechetical instruction is to "reactivate the faith among men and render it conscious and fruitful by means of opportune instruction" (Christus Dominus, 14). The apostolic exhortation of Pope John Paul II Catechesi Tradendae, which gathers the legacy of Pope Paul VI under the concept of evangelization, describes catechesis as one of the steps or moments in the total process of evangelization (cf. No. 18), which is prepared by evangelizing actions and followed by evangelizing actions (cf. 18). It outlines the specific difference that distinguishes catechesis from other moments of evangelization in the following way: "All in all, it can be taken that catechesis is an education of children, young people and adults in the faith, which includes especially the teaching of Christian doctrine imparted, generally speaking, in an organic and systematic way, with a view to initiating hearers into the fullness of Christian life" (No. 18).

The clarifying contribution of Catechesi Tradendae has been substantially taken up by the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Nos. 4-7 and 426-427 on Christological catechesis).

It can be said that the particular concept of catechesis outlined in the exhortation inspires the catechetical vision underlying the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Article 63 of the General Directory for Catechesis, in the wake of Ad Gentes, Evangelii Nuntiandi and Catechesis Tradendae, also describes catechesis as a "moment" in the process of evangelization and defines it as:

"The 'moment' of catechesis is that which corresponds to the period in which conversion to Jesus Christ is formalized and provides a basis for first adhering to him. Converts, by means of a 'period of formation, an apprenticeship in the whole Christian life,' are initiated into the mystery of salvation and an evangelical style of life. This means 'initiating the hearers into the fullness of Christian life.'"

The Holy Father in his ad limina discourse of May 30, 1998, to bishops of the United States indicated that catechesis "plays a fundamental role in transmitting the faith.... The Gospel message is the definitive response to the deepest longings of the human heart. Young Catholics have a right to hear the full content of that message in order to come to know Christ, the one who has overcome death and opened the way to salvation. Efforts to renew catechesis must be based on the premise that Christ's teaching, as transmitted in the church and as authentically interpreted by the magisterium, has to be presented in all its richness and the methodologies used have to respond to the nature of the faith as truth received (cf. I Cor. 15:1)."

This concludes my analysis of the term catechesis.

With regard to both of the terms of our discussion — evangelization and catechesis — we now have sufficient material to be able to clarify and distinguish both terms so as to link and compare them.

Linking the Terms

If we take evangelization in the full sense of Evangelii Nuntiandi, as does Catechesi Tradendae and the General Catechetical Directory, and if we take evangelization in the sense of "ministry of the word," embracing within itself the various forms of missionary preaching, catechesis, liturgical preaching, theological activity etc., then evangelization and the ministry of the word do not appear as foundations for catechesis, understood specifically (bringing initial faith to maturity in the fullness of Christian life). Rather it appears as a frame or context for them.

Evangelization is that rich, complex and dynamic reality of which catechesis is an indispensable element, a most important stage, an essential moment (cf. Catechesi Tradendae, 18).

Ministry of the word is a genus containing, together with various species, that of catechesis.

If, however, we understand evangelization as kerygma, or primary proclamation of the Gospel to nonbelievers which stirs up faith, and if catechesis is understood in its specific sense as a maturing of faith and incorporation into the Christian community, then evangelization is rightly regarded as the founding principle and general presupposition of catechesis. Only a faith aroused by primary proclamation of the Gospel can be brought to maturity. Only someone who has already converted and who, having accepted the kerygma, has given total acceptance to the Gospel of Christ can be incorporated into his church.

Primary Proclamation and Catechesis

Precision requires that we make some further comments on the relationship of kerygma and catechesis.

Kerygma, as we have seen, is the primary proclamation of the Gospel to nonbelievers with a view toward their conversion. This is the missionary moment which precedes catechesis, in the strict sense of the word, and is addressed to converts who have already heard and accepted the kerygma.

Catechesis, while distinct from kerygma, is in continuity with it. On the one hand, catechesis is the development and deepening of kerygma. On the other, in a certain sense catechesis adds nothing to the kerygma, just as the plant adds nothing new to the seed from which it grows.

In its original meaning in Greek, kergyma, which comes from cherussein (to proclaim, announce), is the first evangelic message, the good news of God's saving interventions in history which are crowned by the paschal mystery of Christ (cf. Acts 2:14-39). The proclamation that the kingdom of God is realized in Jesus Christ, dead and resurrected, savior and Lord of history, is the essential content of the kerygma. It is also a call to conversion and an invitation to participate, through faith and the sacraments, in the life and mission of the church as a messianic people.

Indeed, the kerygmatic renewal has brought a series of important values to catechetical reflection — Christocentrism, biblical inspiration, a total and dynamic vision of the message, etc. — as well as other values which come together in the General Directory for Catechesis.

In actual pastoral practice it is not easy to trace a line of demarcation between kerygmatic action and catechetical action.

"Often those who are admitted to catechesis need, in fact, a true conversion. Thus the church desires that ordinarily an initial stage in the catechetical process be devoted to ensuring conversion" (cf. Catechesi Tradendae, 19; General Catechetical Directory [1971] 18).

In the missio ad gentes this task is carried out in the precatechumenate (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, 9-13). In situations which require "new evangelization," it is accomplished by means of kerygmatic catechesis, which is sometimes called pre-catechesis. Inspired by the precatechumenate, it proposes the good news so as to inspire a firm option of faith. Catechesis, properly speaking, carries out its specific task of education in the faith only from the point of conversion and by making allowance for the interior attitude of the one who believes (Mk. 16:16).

"The fact that catechesis, at least initially, assumes a missionary objective does not dispense a particular church from promoting an institutionalized program of primary proclamation to execute more directly Jesus' missionary command. Catechetical renewal should be based thus on prior missionary evangelization" (GDC, 62).

In certain new situations characterized by materialism, hedonism, ethical relativism, the culture of death, the invasion of sects and religions of various origins, an evangelization is urgently called for that is primary proclamation of the Gospel, as well as a catechesis that is kerygmatic. Under the action of the Holy Spirit, we must employ all available resources to ensure that the Gospel reaches everyone in an adequate, convincing and transforming way. New evangelization demands a pastoral conversion of the church. This conversion must accord with the spirit of the council and involve everything and everyone, especially bishops.

Role of Priests in Catechesis

This is the second point of my contribution.

This is an interesting topic and one which currently has a certain urgency. It pains me to have to say that a severe examination of conscience is required in its regard.

Let us begin with Lumen Gentium, 28: "Priests are ordained to preach the Gospel, feed the flock and celebrate divine worship."

This duty derives from the sacrament of orders which the priest has received. The General Directory for Catechesis emphasizes this aspect more forcefully than the Directory for the Ministry and Life of Priests:

"The function proper to the presbyterate in the catechumenal task arises from the sacrament of holy orders which they have received. 'Through that sacrament priests, by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are signed by a special character and so are configured to Christ the priest in such a way that they are able to act in the person of Christ the head.' In virtue of this ontological configuration to Christ, the ministry of the priest is a service which forms the Christian community and coordinates and strengthens other charisms and services. In catechesis the sacrament of holy orders constitutes priests as 'educators of the faith.' They work, therefore, to see that the faithful are properly formed to reach true Christian maturity" (GDC, 224).

In light of the above, the priest's first duty is to preach the Gospel. This he does in various ways (cf. Presbyterorum Ordinis, 4). His ministry is one of:

—Primary proclamation (cf. Evangelii Nuntiandi, 52), directed to nonbelievers and those who are far from the faith.

—Catechesis, which seeks to ground the faith in those who desire to follow Christ.

—The homily, which is continuing nourishment for community on its journey.

All three forms of transmitting the Gospel are necessary since each in due course accompanies the birth, growth and development of faith. While these are not the only forms of transmitting the Gospel, they are the most basic. The table of the word is provided with many different foods that provide apt nourishment for man in his different situations. In the community, the priest guarantees the unity of what the Gospel offers.

Some Tasks for the Priest

In outlining some of the tasks of the priest in catechesis the following must be mentioned:

7. The particular responsibility of the priest in a shared task: The priest is not the only one responsible for catechetical activity. He works in communion with the diocesan bishop and is assisted by a multiplicity of catechists, both religious and secular (Christifideles Laici, 34). His responsibility for catechesis is in no way minimized when he shares it with others. In his relations with catechists he should avoid taking vascillating or polarizing positions which could lead him to a monopoly of catechesis one minute or to delegating to others the next minute, thereby abandoning de facto his particular responsibilities. Promoting unity among catechists and those who assist in the pastoral ministry of the parish is the particular task of the priest.

From the new consciousness of the ecclesial communion of which the priest is promoter and for which he has responsibility, necessarily there follows good coordination of catechesis and of the various roles to be played in it. On the other hand, the development of the distinct actions in teaching the faith demands decisiveness on the part of the priest and the will to promote and activate them in the various contexts peculiar to each (parish, family, school, groups, basic eccelsial communities, etc.). In this way the role of the parish as the principal and privileged locus of catechesis is underlined (cf. Catechesi Tradendae, 67).

2. A priority task in the pastoral ministry of the priest: Catechetical activity is still regarded by many Christians as something belonging to childhood or as a prerequisite for reception of the sacraments. There are, moreover, some priests for whom catechetical activity belongs to what is "already known" and to "everyday routine." These are incapable of innovatory impetus.

For these reasons it is necessary to emphasize the primary value of catechetical action in the life and mission of the priest, since it is through education in the faith, especially through systematic catechesis, that the personality of the baptized and the very life of the church are constituted and the mission of the salus animarum is advanced.

Hence a new sensibility or current of opinion is urgently required which makes clearly evident the fundamental importance of catechesis in the Christian community. The priest should thus ensure that the community has been informed of the importance of catechesis at the various stages of life so as to help them to overcome the impoverished vision of catechesis prevalent among so many Christians.

The manner in which the priest responds to his catechetical responsibilities, the extent of his commitment, the enthusiasm of his personal dedication will always illustrate the importance that he attaches to this fundamental task. In turn, this depends greatly on the vision that he has of catechesis and of its role in pastoral ministry. An inadequate or poor understanding of catechesis will lead the priest to see his role as something merely organizational or as just another of the many things he has to do.

"The more the church, whether on the local or the universal level, gives catechesis priority over other works and undertakings the results of which would be more spectacular, the more she finds in catechesis a strengthening of her internal life as a community of believers and of her external activity as a missionary church" (Catechesi Tradendae, 15).

3. Catechesis for adults and young people: The responsibilities of priests for educating the faith of the baptized extends to activities other than promoting or ensuring an adequate systematic catechesis for each of the distinct stages of life. Other activities deserve to be mentioned, especially in relation to the family, training religion teachers for Catholic schools and Christian formation in educational and apostolic movements.

In all of these activities the proper function of the priest is to ensure and guarantee that such activities are in place and that they have attained an acceptable quality level. It is not his task, however, to concentrate the realization of these activities in his own person. Let us not forget the indispensable collaboration and coordination of all Christians in this mission, especially parents, catechists and other faith educators.

In the present circumstances of society and the church, on the other hand, it is necessary for priests, together with those who collaborate in the educational and catechetical mission of the community, to take on the task of promoting systematic catechesis for adults and young people.

This requires a Christian initiation or a reinitiation for those whose faith has not matured to that point which is the indispensable base for the missionary demands made by the present moment.

Restricting catechesis to childhood or adolescence would be tantamount to a refusal to multiply the effects of evangelization and to dedicate greater effort on the part of the church to spreading the Gospel. Young people and adults are a new challenge for the catechetical responsibility of the pastors of the church.

Priests must be conscious of and convinced of this. Hence the urgency attached to the catechetical formation of priests and seminarians.

It must be stated that in some places the catechetical formation of priests has not always been duly appreciated or seriously promoted. The catechetical formation of priests and those preparing for ordination, hence, is an urgent priority for renewal efforts in the church's pastoral care of catechesis which is required in order to meet the challenges posed by new evangelization.

All renewal and revitalization of catechesis must necessarily pass through the maturity of faith and the spiritual revitalization of priests.

At the present time, priestly formation must emphasize the need to be able to communicate the Christian message as good news that enlightens and transforms the whole of human life and leads to eternal life (1971 Directory, III).

This communications aspect implies acquiring the art of knowing how to communicate with others in an appropriate way, how to be a careful listener and how to dialogue. For this it is necessary to discover that growth in faith demands dialogue; that faith is learning that is constantly renewed; that such learning requires an attitude of communication that goes beyond simply teaching or giving good advice, since we are involved in an interpersonal encounter.

Together with the ability to dialogue with others, it is also necessary to know and be able to explain in a convincing way the content of the faith, in which are expressed the proclamation and the great events of Christian salvation, Formation must thus help to distinguish the fundamental elements of the Christian faith in relation to the life of men as well as capture and identify the original outlines of a living faith.

Consequently, such formation attaches particular importance to studying profoundly those texts in which the church expresses her faith in a complete and ordered manner: catechisms (in primis the Catechism of the Catholic Church and local catechisms). At the same time this also demands a cultural and theological renewal so as to assist priests in presenting the faith in an authentic and relevant manner in response to the more dramatic challenges of our time: the discrepancy between faith and culture.

The Formation of Catechists

I have also been asked to speak about the formation of catechists. The directory states:

"Catechesis is a shared but differentiated responsibility. Bishops, priests, deacons, religious and the lay faithful play their part, each according to their respective responsibilities and charisms" (GDC, 216).

There are four areas which best touch upon and complete the formation of catechists whose object is to facilitate the communication of the Christian message under the following headings: spiritual; doctrinal; anthropological; methodological.

This is what the General Directory for Catechesis defines as the catechist's being, knowing and savoir-faire.

When the church fulfills her mission of catechizing, she must be completely conscious that she is acting as a living instrument that is docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The attitude of the teaching church and of every catechist must be one of communion with him and of trying to discern his authentic inspiration, (cf. Catechesi Tradendae, 72). The catechist is therefore continually drawn by the experience of the Spirit, the giver of all charisms and ministries. Discovery of the Lord and his word of truth, life and peace is the basic presupposition that must be developed and that must be intensified in an intense spiritual journey. In carrying out their task catechists accomplish much more than simply teaching a doctrine. They are witnesses to and sharers in a mystery that they live and lovingly communicate to others. Nemo dat quod non habet (No one gives what he has not got).

"True formation, above all, nourishes the spirituality of the catechist, so that his activity springs in truth from his own witness of life" (GDC, 239).

Solid spirituality is nourished by personal and communal meditation on the word of God, an intense liturgical and sacramental life that frequently brings the catechist to the sacraments of the holy eucharist and penance, continued reflection on personal experience of the Christian life and by recourse to spiritual direction. More explicitly, the catechist: —Nourishes trust and confidence in the fatherhood of God. He dialogues with him and makes himself ready to fulfill his will in the concrete circumstances of everyday life.

—Appropriates the choices made by Jesus Christ, the master, and follows the image of Christ "the teacher [who] is at once majestic and familiar, impressive and reassuring" (Catechesi Tradendae, 8). "Only in deep communion with him will catechists find light and strength for an authentic and desirable renewal of catechesis" (ibid., 9).

—Bases his knowledge of God and his spirituality on sacred Scripture, which is the constant source of preaching and salvation. He also bases it on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is a perennial resource for a systematic updating and deepening of faith for everyone involved in the pastoral ministry and, indeed, for every Christian (cf. Osservatore Romano, Sept. 8, 1998, address of John Paul II, 2). Finally, be bases it on the liturgy, which is the culminating expression of tradition and life and an unfailing wellspring for catechesis.

—Develops a desire for prayer and adoration as well as for thanksgiving, penance, familiarity with those signs that indicate the presence of God and that communicate him in various ways.

—Constantly refers to Mary, who is "a living catechism and the mother and model of catechists" (Catechesi Tradendae. 73).

—Experiences church community. Appropriates the hopes and expectations, the joys and sorrows of the people of God and shares in the problems of the Christian community.

I should also like to draw your attention to another point: the formation of catechists as a journey which is continuing, systematic and whole.

Being called to the service of catechesis does not of itself imply an ability to exercise this service and neither does it involve an innate competence. Vocation is also a call to training which is continuing, systematic and whole. The 1971 catechetical directory notes that "continuing formation includes diverse methods and grade levels. It is necessary that this formation be continued over the entire time that the catechists remain committed to their functions. Thus, this pertains to directors of catechesis as well as to ordinary catechists" (No. 110).

The Holy Father also, during the aforementioned ad limina visit, highlighted this when he stated, "The bishop should encourage catechists to see their work as a vocation: as a privileged sharing in the mission of handing on the faith and accounting for the hope that is in us (cf. I Pt. 3:15)."

The need for continuous updating is self-evident. The reasons for it are to be found more in a general situation of continuous and epoch-making world evolution rather than in any particular problem facing the church. The church, in taking the message of Christ to mankind, encounters this situation which gives rise to objective difficulties that can only be overcome by effort and commitment. The permanent formation of catechists is a serious work of assimilation that is connected to basic formation and presupposes that continuity which starts with initial formation. Two considerations must always be present in this initiative: On the one hand, it must refer to the word of God and to theology, which comments on and develops it; on the other, it refers to present reality and the context in which men and women live as well as their needs. In the case of catechists, it is a dual fidelity of which permanent formation must always be conscious (cf. GDC, 145).

Along with being continuing, formation must also be systematic. While it is opportune that formation take place in an experience of the faith and of the ministry of the catechist, it is also true that formation cannot be episodic. Rather, precise goals should be set for the formation journey consisting of successive and complementary stages which continually develop and deepen an essential nucleus.

Formation must also be whole. This is true above all in the sense of harmonizing the diverse and different moments in the formation process. This integration is possible by reference to the concrete catechetical act in which all of these elements come together. Catechists become catechists by doing catechesis and by systematic reflection on it. The interchange of formative and operative moment, between action, interpretation and verification, creates true integration.

Agents and Loci of Formation

Who is responsible for formation? What is the locus for the formation of catechists?

"The bishops are 'beyond all others the ones primarily responsible for catechesis and are catechists par excellence.' In the church's history the preponderant role of the great and saintly bishops is evident. Their writings and initiatives mark the richest period of the catechumenate" (GDC, 222). They must therefore "ensure that 'catechists are adequately prepared for their task, being well instructed in the doctrine of the church and possessing both a practical and theoretical knowledge of the laws of psychology and educational method"' (GDC, 223).

From my experience as prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, I should like to emphasize two points that may facilitate your work. You, dear brothers in the episcopate, have responsibility for the supervision of catechesis in virtue of the charism of being authentic teachers of the faith and not simply because of some merely organizational or functional power. I would underline that the supervision of catechesis in every country is the responsibility of the local bishops, in close collaboration with the Apostolic See.

It would be very useful and pastorally fruitful were the U.S. conference to constitute a specific catechetical commission comprised of bishops.

Together with the bishops, it must be recalled that priests are the primary collaborators of the diocesan bishops in the work of evangelization and catechesis.

Priests must primarily promote the responsibility of all Christians to transmit the faith by adequate preaching, by close contact with them so as to invite them to play their proper part in the realization of the fundamental task of evangelization. Promoting the full and integrated pastoral care of catechists is one of the most characteristic and particular tasks of the priest in catechetical activity.

This should include the following activities:

—Promotion of vocations for this mission.

—Personal accompaniment of the Christian growth of catechists.

—Encouragement of a spiritual, doctrinal and pedagogical formation congruent with the needs of each catechist and the demands made by the task entrusted to them.

—Arrangement for an adequate distribution of catechists, especially in those areas where they are most needed: adults, young people, handicapped, etc., and in response to the more pressing needs.

—Coordination of catechists with others who assist pastoral ministry in the parish or in other nonparochial contexts such as the family, schools, educational and apostolic movements, basic ecclesial communities, etc..

The formation of catechists deserves to be given particular importance in the pastoral care of catechists. Normally the priest discharges his catechetical responsibilities by ensuring that he has a sufficient number of catechists competent to carry out this most fundamental task.

Hence, the parish priest, when calling people to become catechists, also assumes responsibility for their formation since this is a right which is intrinsic to this call. It can be said that Jesus devoted himself to the formation of the Twelve — he called them that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach. In the same way the priest should form catechists with a view to their growth in the Christian faith and to their preparation to fulfill the mission to which they have been called.

A number of means is available to the priest to assist him in this primordial responsibility:

—Communication to them of the richness of the elements that contribute to the dynamic of catechetical planning.

—The general lines of diocesan pastoral care and catechesis.

—An analysis of the situation of those to be catechized.

—The objectives, content, method and means, criteria of evaluation of every stage of catechesis, etc.

—Preparation and revision of concrete catechesis.

—The development of a basic and systematic formation in the faith through a pedagogy similar to that which the catechists will have to develop in their work.

Formation should not forget that catechists are adults who need a fuller development of faith and the spiritual life. Consequently, formation should always be in strict correlation to their human and Christian experience.

On the other hand, an adequate understanding of the content of the faith as presented in catechisms is impossible without the richness of an adequate biblical formation and a knowledge of the some of the syntheses of faith contained in the church's tradition (creeds such as the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed, the credo of Paul VI, syllabuses of the faith provided by the various episcopates, the principal elements of Christian proclamation as outlined in the 1971 General Catechetical Directory, Chapter 2, Part 3, etc.).

Formation thus requires a strong biblical emphasis, which is often absent in the formation of catechists, and the use of the technical or specific language which is typical of the faith or in the use of the doctrinal language of catechesis.

With regard to the loci of formation, I would like to stress the importance of the Christian community.

If the catechist in a certain sense is the word of the community, the most advanced point of the community to which he belongs, then he must have close links with that community. The authentic vitality of a Christian community finds expression in its capacity to train its own catechists, to sustain them by its esteem, its collaboration and its prayer. The Christian community is the matrix for its own catechists.

Hence "among the ways of forming catechists, those of their own Christian community are all-important. It is in this community that catechists test their own vocation and continually nourish their own apostolic awareness. The figure of the priest is fundamental in the task of assuring their progressive maturation as believers and witnesses" (GDC, 246).

There is a clear reason for drawing attention to the extraordinary importance of the parish in the formation of catechists.

The parish is the living cell of catechesis. It offers an enlightening example of a community apostolate in which are gathered together all of the human differences which are to be found in it so as to insert them into the universality of the church. The Christian community must know how to accept the gifts offered by aspirant catechists, not so much as phenomena but as a gift of God to his church. On the part of the ecclesial community, this requires that it receive catechists as those charged with the service of the word, engaged in creating a language of faith and with finding a way of mediating that responds to its needs. Again, I repeat what Catechesi Tradendae has to say: "The parish remains the pre-eminent place for catechesis" (No. 67).

Inculturating the Gospel Message

A further element in our reflection concerns inculturating the Gospel message in the area of evangelization and catechesis.

In approaching this vital and delicate question I wish to refer immediately to the General Directory for Catechesis:

"The Word of God became man, a concrete man, in space and time and rooted in a specific culture: 'Christ by his incarnation committed himself to the particular social and cultural circumstances of the men among whom he lived.' This is the original 'inculturation' of the word of God and is the model of all evangelization by the church, 'called to bring the power of the Gospel into the very heart of culture and cultures'" (GDC, 109).

Ever since Pentecost, when many people with different languages heard the same saving word (cf. Acts 2:1-13), the church carries on the mission of preaching the Gospel to the whole world. In this sense, the history of the church, which is that of evangelization and catechesis, can be described as the history of the inculturation of the Gospel (cf. Redemptoris Missio, 52). It would be easy and indeed instructive to point to the many men and women of God who, in the mission to the pagans and in proclaiming the Gospel to believers, have succeeded in evangelizing cultures to such a profound extent that the spiritual genius and ethical and religious richness of many diverse nations find expression in the unity of the same faith.

Truly, "the synthesis of faith and culture is not only a demand of culture, but also of faith. Faith that has not become a culture is faith that has not been fully accepted, completely thought through and faithfully lived" (Pope John Paul II, May 20, 1982, letter to the Vatican Secretary of State).

We may ask ourselves: What do we mean by culture? What do we mean by inculturating the faith?

These are questions which must be asked so as to arrive at a common understanding about them. Concerning the first question — What is culture? — I would like to refer to Gaudium et Spes, 53:

"The word culture in the general sense refers to all those things which go to the refining and development of man's diverse mental and physical endowments. He strives to subdue the earth by his knowledge and his labor; he humanizes social life both in the family and in the whole civic society through the improvement of customs and institutions; he expresses through his works the great spiritual experiences and aspirations of men throughout the ages; he communicates and preserves them to be an inspiration for the progress of many, even of all mankind."

This passage indicates that the term culture embraces all of man's life: his values and relationships; language and customs, as well as the institutions and support structures he has created. With culture man can become producer, popularizer and user. Because culture is human it evolves, merges, transforms, vanishes and asserts itself as the life of man and nations. Rather than culture, we must necessarily speak of cultures: Cultures are many, and often within a culture various subcultures and other identifiable groups can exist.

The religious component is universally present in the life of all cultures.

We can speak of Christian culture when the common understanding of life current among a people has been completely imbued by the faith so that the "Gospel message forms the basis of thought, of fundamental life principles, of criteria for judgment, for the norms governing activity and from this position is projected onto the ethos of an people as well as their institutions and structures" (John Paul II, July 5, 1986, address to Medellin, Colombia, university teachers, 2).

Turning to the term inculturation, I would like to refer to Redemptoris Missio, 52, which states that inculturation is "the intimate transformation of authentic cultural values through their integration with Christianity and Christianity's being rooted in various cultures."

The General Directory for Catechesis, in a good synthesis of recent teaching of the magisterium, describes inculturation:

"Inculturation of the faith, whereby in a wonderful exchange are comprised 'all the riches of the nations which have been given to Christ as an inheritance,' is a profound and global process and a slow journey. It is not simply an external adaptation designed to make the Christian message more attractive or superficially decorative. On the contrary, it means the penetration of the deepest strata of persons and peoples by the Gospel which touches them deeply, going to 'the very center and roof of their cultures" (cf. GDC, 109).

Furthermore, it states: "In this work of inculturation, however, the Christian community must discern, on the one hand, which riches to 'take' up as compatible with faith; on the other, it must seek to 'purify' and 'transform' those criteria, modes of thought and lifestyles which are contrary to the kingdom of God. Such discernment is governed by two basic principles: 'compatibility with the Gospel and communion with the universal church"' (GDC, 109).

The Catechetical Process

At this point I would like to reflect pastorally for a brief moment on what it means to operate a catechesis of inculturation.

Inculturating the faith means not only expressing it in the language and symbols of a given culture, but also accepting and living the Gospel with the deepest values, vital aspirations, anthropological roots and symbols of a given culture. Promoting a catechesis of inculturation implies giving catechesis an innovative form with respect to extrinsic concepts of teaching so as to save it from superficiality or degenerating to the level of a tactical instrument. In reality this implies making room for the mystery of God, who encounters cultures so as to save them as well as to reveal himself to man.

"Catechesis will seek to know these cultures and their essential components; it will learn their most significant expressions; it will respect their particular values and riches. In this manner it will be able to offer to these the knowledge of the hidden mystery and help them to bring forth from their own living tradition original expressions of Christian life, celebration and thought" (Catechesi Tradendae, 53).

For catechesis (both catechist and those being catechized), this gives rise to a whole range of responsibilities which can be summarized as follows:

—Adequate knowledge of the contents of the Catholic faith, whose faithful transmission is the cardinal criterion for genuine inculturation.

"The person who becomes a disciple of Christ has the right to receive 'the word of faith' not in mutilated, falsified or diminished form, but whole and entire in all its rigor and vigor. Unfaithfulness on some point to the integrity of the message means a dangerous weakening of catechesis and puts at risk the results that Christ and the ecclesial community have a right to expect from it" (Catechesi Tradendae, 30).

Today pastoral workers have available to them an indispensable point of reference in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is the touchstone for every process of inculturation.

—Profound knowledge of cultures through reciprocal interaction. Catechesis indeed "is inevitably involved in a certain cultural dialogue" (Catechesi Tradendae, 53). We are aware that culture does not exist in isolation in one human area. Rather it exists as a cultural "metissagge" of reciprocal influences of which some are dominant or homogenous (ideological systems etc.) which globalize culture, coexist with and influence local cultures without, however, displacing them. Catechesis fulfills a primary function by promoting harmonious intercultural encounter, especially between universal and local culture. This avoids the temptation for cultures either to become isolated from each other or to become homogenous by one dominating the others. By integrating each one a genuine creativity is fostered from within the intercultural encounter.

—Recognition of the cultural dimension of the Gospel. Catechesi Tradendae, No. 53, states, "The Gospel message cannot be purely and simply isolated from the culture in which it was first inserted (the biblical world or, more concretely, the cultural milieu in which Jesus of Nazareth lived) or, without serious loss, from the cultures in which it has already been expressed down the centuries."

—Proclamation of the transformation that the Gospel works in culture. By its proclamation of the Gospel, catechesis, of necessity, clearly intends to bring other cultures into contact with the culture of the faith:

"The power of the Gospel everywhere transforms and regenerates. When that power enters into a culture it is no surprise that it rectifies many elements. There would be no catechesis if it were the Gospel that had to change when it came into contact with cultures" (Catechesi Tradendae, 53).

—Witness to transcendence and the fact that the Gospel is never encompassed by culture.

"Genuine catechists ... refuse to accept an impoverishment of catechesis through a renunciation or obscuring of its message by adaptations, even in language, that would endanger the precious deposit of the faith or by concessions in matters of faith or morals" (Catechesi Tradendae, 53).

—Promotion of a new expression of the Gospel congruent with the evangelized culture, which becomes a language of faith belonging to the common patrimony of that culture and an instrument of integration and communion.

Catechists "are convinced that true catechesis eventually enriches these cultures by helping them go beyond the defective or even inhuman features in them and by communicating to their legitimate values the fullness of Christ" (Catechesi Tradendae, 53).

It is already well known that Christian originality produces languages which are culturally typical in the local churches: doctrinal formulations, liturgical symbolism, canonical directives, ways to sanctity.

Catechesis has diverse tasks in inculturating the faith. Among them the General Directory for Catechesis mentions the following:

—The ecclesial community must be considered the principal agent of inculturation. Catechists are both expressions and effective instruments of this. Together with possessing a profound religious sense, they should also have a deep social sensibility and be well rooted in their own culture.

—Local catechisms, in their response to the demands of different cultures, present the Gospel in relation to the aspirations, questions and problems which are found in these same cultures.

In this respect it should be noted that the preparation of a national catechism, the revision of the national catechetical directory as well as the provision of catechetical norms and guidelines must be carried out only under the direct supervision of the bishops of this country.

—Activate an opportune inculturation in the catechumenate and catechetical institutes by a discerning incorporation of language, symbols, the values of particular cultures in which the catechumens and those being catechized live.

—Present the Christian message in such a way as to enable those who proclaim the Gospel to give reasons for their hope (1 Pt. 3:15). Good apologetics designed to further dialogue between faith and culture is currently indispensable.

Catechesis, therefore, is obliged to be open to modern cultures and to assist them in avoiding introversion. It should create spiritual expectations as well as seeking out and finding anchorage points for the Gospel in contemporary mentalities.

The fruits of an inculturated catechesis are clearly visible when the word of God appears for everyone as "an opening for their problems, a widening of their own values and as a satisfaction for the own aspirations" (Cardinal Amleto Cicognani, letter to French catechetical congress, April 1-3,1964).

During the ad limina address of May 30 of this year, the Holy Father stated: "The greatest contribution that authentically Catholic education can make to American culture is to restore to that culture the conviction that human beings can grasp the truth of things, and in grasping that truth can know their duties to God, to themselves and their neighbors ... and to grow into genuine freedom through their acceptance of that truth."

Ecumenical Formation

With the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church, listening to the Spirit of Christ, committed herself irrevocably to the search for ecumenism. The re-establishment of full visible communion between Christians is willed by Christ and is essential for the life of the Catholic Church (cf. Ut Unum Sint, 3).

"In the hour of his passion, Jesus prayed that all 'might be one' (Jn. 17:21). The unity given to the church by the Lord and with which he wills to embrace all is not a mere accessory, but is central to his work. Neither is it a secondary attribute in the community of his disciples. God wills the church because he wills unity, and in this unity the depths of agape and eternal life are expressed" (Ut Unum Sint, 9).

The source of Christian unity is the Trinitarian unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The faithful are one because, in the Spirit, they are in communion with the Son, and in him they share in his communion with the Father (Ut Unum Sint, 8-9).

This is the foundation on which rests the search for Christian unity and interreligious dialogue in their more profound dimensions which is that of revealed truth. Hence it is not possible to imagine an ecumenical formation in catechesis that is detached from revelation, the deposit of which is conserved in the Catholic Church.

The Directory for the Application of the Principles and Norms of Ecumenism contains several provisions, based on Catechesi Tradendae, Nos. 32-33, which shed light on the question of catechesis as a means of ecumenical formation.

First, catechesis must expound with clarity, due firmness and charity all of the doctrine of the Catholic Church. It must respect the hierarchy of truths and avoid any expressions or modes of exposition which might hamper dialogue (cf. Unitatis Redintegratio, II).

When speaking of other churches and ecclesial communities, it is important to present their teaching accurately and faithfully. Many elements, often of great value, on which the church is built and vivified are to be found outside of the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church (cf. Unitatis Redintegratio, 3-8). The Spirit of Christ does not refuse to use these communities as instruments of salvation. Doing this emphasizes the truths of faith shared by different Christian communities.

"This presentation will help Catholics to have both a deeper understanding of their own faith and a better acquaintance with and esteem for their other Christian brethren, thus facilitating the shared search for the way toward full unity in the whole truth" (Catechesi Tradendae, 32).

Catechesis also has an ecumenical dimension if it arouses and nourishes a true desire for unity. This is also true if it inspires sincere efforts, including humility to purify, so as to overcome the obstacles along the path to unity, not by facile omissions or concessions on the level of doctrine, but by pursuit of that perfect unity the Lord wills and by those means indicated by him (cf. Catechesi Tradendae, 32).

Catechesis is ecumenical when it seeks to prepare children, young people and adults to maintain contact with other Christians by forming them as Catholics with respect for the faith of others (cf. Catechesi Tradendae, 32).

This can be done by discerning the possibilities offered by the distinction between the truths of the faith and their expressions (Unitatis Redintegratio, 6 and Gaudium et Spes, 62); by a reciprocal effort to know and esteem the values to be found in the respective theological traditions; by showing clearly that dialogue has created new relationships which, if properly understood, can lead to collaboration and peace (Directory for Ecumenism, 60e).

Ecumenical Collaboration

In addition to the ordinary catechesis which all Catholics must receive, the Catholic Church recognizes that in circumstances of religious pluralism collaboration in catechesis can be enriching for the Catholic Church and for other ecclesial communities. Such collaboration, to the extent that its possible, also affords an opportunity of giving common witness before the world to the truth of the Gospel.

The basis for such collaboration, the conditions governing it and its limits are clearly stated in Catechesi Tradendae, 33:

"Such experiences have a theological foundation in the elements shared by all Christians. But the communion of faith between Catholics and other Christians is not complete and perfect; in certain cases there are even profound divergences. Consequently, this ecumenical collaboration is, by its very nature, limited; It must never mean a 'reduction' to a common minimum. Furthermore, catechesis does not consist merely in the teaching of doctrine: It also means initiation into the whole of Christian life, bringing full participation in the sacraments of the church. Therefore, where there is an experience of ecumenical collaboration in the field of catechesis, care must be taken that the education of Catholics in the Catholic Church should be well ensured in matters of doctrine and of Christian living."

Careful attention must always be given to the loci of ecumenical formation. According to the directory, these are the family, the parish, schools, diverse groups, associations and ecclesial movements.

Here we shall only touch on the schools and on the teaching of religion in schools. We shall also refer to higher institutes for catechesis.

Schools

Every kind of school, at whatever stage, should include an ecumenical aspect in their religious instruction. In accordance with its own specific ethos, the school should tend to educating the heart and the intelligence. It should form human and religious values, support dialogue, peace and interpersonal relations (Gravissimum Educationis, 6-7),

The spirit of charity, respect and dialogue demands that we banish prejudice and those terms which give a false impression about other Christians. This is especially true of Catholic schools, where young people must grow in faith, prayer and those human and religious attitudes that facilitate the search for Christian unity (cf. Directory for Ecumenism, 68).

"When possible, efforts should be made with others to present various material such as the history of art, for example, so as to highlight ecumenical questions in a spirit of dialogue and unity. For this, it is important for teachers to have an adequate and accurate knowledge of the origins, history and doctrines of other churches and ecclesial communities, especially of those present in their region" (ibid., 68a).

Higher Catechetical Institutes

Concerning ecumenical formation in academic institutes, I shall only mention a few general considerations. These are drawn from the document the "The Ecumenical Dimension in the Formation of Pastoral Workers" (Origins 27:39, March 19, 1998, pp. 653-661), published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

During the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, held Feb. 1, 1991, Pope John Paul II described ecumenical activity as:

"Ecumenical relations are a complex and delicate reality implying, at one and the same time, study and theological dialogue, contact and fraternal relations, prayer and practical collaboration. We are called to work in all of these areas. By limiting ourselves to one of these areas at the expense of the others, nothing will be accomplished."

Ecumenical formation, especially at the academic level, should not only transmit ideas but also activate and motivate ecumenical dialogue and commitment. It should equally reinforce the spirit of faith by recognizing that ecumenism "overcomes human strength and capacity" (Unitatis Redintegratio, 24).

The ecumenical formation of aspiring catechists should employ a pedagogy which is adapted to the concrete situation of people's lives and also of groups. It should therefore employ all methods, both inductive and deductive.

While it is true that doctrinal formation must have a central role in ecumenical formation, spiritual, pastoral and emerging ethical questions cannot be overlooked.

All doctrinal formation on ecumenism must also take into account its own proper context. Hence special attention must be given to the ecumenical context and to the pastoral needs of a given country or of a determined region.

The models, structures and the extent of ecumenical formation in theological programs which are used for training aspirant catechists vary considerably from country to country. It would not, therefore, be realistic or desirable to provide a single formation program with universal validity.

Promotion of Christian unity is one of the duties entrusted to bishops by Canon 755. The bishop is obliged to support activities and initiatives intended to promote Christian unity because the church is bound by the will of Christ. This is part of episcopal ministry and is an obligation which comes directly from Christ, who is pastor of the church.

All the faithful, however, are invited by the Spirit of God to do their utmost to restore the bonds of unity between Christians and grow in collaboration with the disciples of Christ. The task of restoring Christian unity involves everybody in the church in accordance with their capacities.

The entire church, pastors and faithful, is bound to ask the Spirit of God incessantly for the grace to strengthen her own unity and increase communion with other Christians.

This will be obtained: in witness to holiness and in the continuous prayer made by Jesus that "they may be one" (Jn. 17:21); by giving thanks for what has already been achieved; in the sure hope that nothing is impossible to God and that his Spirit will banish the specters of the past and painful memories of separation from us, as all Christians are urged toward the restoration of full visible unity (cf. Ut Unum Sint, 102).

Conclusion

It is always difficult to conclude. One thing remains to be said and I say it mindful of all catechists throughout the world, with respect and friendship for them, and I say it with love and appreciation.

It is a word of encouragement that recalls the true font of all ecclesial mission, and I would hope that catechists would take it to heart:

"Evangelization will never be possible without the action of the Holy Spirit.... The Holy Spirit is the soul of the church. It is he who explains to the faithful the deep meaning of the teaching of Jesus and of his mystery. It is the Holy Spirit who today, just as at the beginning of the church, acts in every evangelizer who allows himself to be possessed and led by him. The Holy Spirit places on his lips the words which he could not find by himself, and at the same time the Holy Spirit predisposes the soul of the hearer to be open and receptive to the good news and to the kingdom being proclaimed. "Techniques of evangelization are good, but even the most advanced ones could not replace the gentle action of the Holy Spirit. The most perfect preparation of the evangelizer has no effect without the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, the most convincing dialect has no power over the heart of man. Without him the most highly developed schemas resting on a sociological or psychological basis are quickly seen to be quite valueless" (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 75).

Again, let us help each other to preserve "the fervor of the Spirit. Let us preserve the delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing, even when it is in tears that we must sow.... May it be for us the great joy of our lives. May the world of our time, which is searching — sometimes in anguish, sometimes with hope — be enabled to receive the good news not from evangelizers who are dejected, discouraged, impatient or anxious, but from ministers of the Gospel whose lives glow with fervor, who have first received the joy of Christ and who are willing to risk their lives so that the kingdom may be proclaimed and the church established in the midst of the world" (ibid., 80).

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