Master in Pastoral Ministry

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Browsing Master in Pastoral Ministry by Subject "Catechesis"

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    Enhancing Youth Catechesis In The Church’s Pastoral Activity :A Study on the Content and Methods for a Better Catechesis with Special Reference to Guadalupe Parish Nairobi - Kenya
    (Tangaza University College, 2015) Chomba Mubanga, John
    Catechesis is the teaching (including the process and the method) of the content of faith within the Church (cf. GDC, 149). In other words, it is the process of Christian formation and instruction that is based on the proclamation of the word of God in view of the education of people to faith. 1 This teaching is designed to nurture and strengthen the life of the Christian, particularly the youth in the Church. Since it concerns faith, the Church has given it much importance for her growth, the society, and above all for the glory of God. Catechesis helps the youth to deepen their faith in Jesus Christ as really the Son of God and by whom they are lead to the love of the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit; it also makes them and the Church at large share the life of the Holy Trinity (cf. CT, 5). Therefore, those appointed to teach catechism in the Church have to take it seriously, because catechesis is part and parcel of the dynamic process of pastoral activity in the Church. In this dissertation, the researcher is interested to write about how youth catechesis can be enhanced in the Church's pastoral activity. The researcher will evaluate the content and methods that can be used in teaching the faith to the young people, who want to belong to the Church no matter what they like or do This dissertation comprises of three chapters that will draw attention to some of the ways that can help enhance youth catechesis in the Church's pastoral activity. The first chapter deals with the insertion experience. It will present the researcher's experience while he was working with the youth, observing how catechesis was taught and what was taught. His experience is also drawn from his participation in teaching catechism at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish and its outstation St. Benedict, Olympic in Kibera. As well, the information gathered during the researcher's pastoral experience is included. The second chapter presents the literature review with regards to youth catechesis in the Church's pastoral activity. In this chapter, the researcher will also present the pastoral agents responsible for providing catechesis for the youth in the Church. Besides, the content and methods of teaching catechism to the youth will be studied. The third chapter presents the theological reflection on the content and method that is currently being used at Guadalupe parish in the light of what the Church suggests and recommends. It will also give some practical recommendations and a pastoral plan for action that can be of some help for all the people that are involved in teaching catechism to the youth in order to enhance youth catechesis in the Church's pastoral activity will be suggested.
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    Small Christian Community as a Platform for Continuous Catechesis in Africa --Opportunities and Challenges: Case Study of Our Lady Queen of Peace, South B
    (Tangaza University College/Duquesne University, 2016) Chimenge, Sylvester Mimbululu
    From the teaching of the Catholic Church we learn that God created us in love so that we may know Him, love Him and come to live with Him eternally (cf. CCC 1). This means that our first vocation as human beings is the search for the living God. It is this search which leads us to the knowledge and love of God and points us to our final destiny, which is the Heavenly Kingdom. St Augustine stated it very well when he said that our hearts are restless until they rest in God. Meaning that, in the hearts of human beings there is a continuous searching for God, continuous longing for God’s love and continuous yearning for being with God eternally. The Church is the mother that helps her children to come to the full knowledge of God, to develop a true love for God and directs her children on the way back to God. Faith formation begins at birth and ends at death, thus, catechesis is a continuous process as long as one lives. The purpose of catechesis is to bring life to faith and bring faith to life so that the human being may echo in his or her life the words of St Paul which says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith” (Gal. 2:20-21). Meaning that, Jesus Christ the son of the living God is the centre and focus of catechesis. Faith formation is the main mission of the Church, as Pope Paul VI puts it, “the Church exists in order to evangelize, that is to say in order to preach and teach, to be the channel of the gifts of grace, to reconcile sinners with God, and perpetuate Christ’s sacrifice in the mass, which is the memorial of his death and glorious resurrection” (EN, 11). For this reason, the Church strives to bring people to faith in the love of God and to faith in Jesus Christ as their personal savior. The Church also strives to accompany people in their journey of faith so that their faith may grow to maturity and that people may come to the full awareness of the purpose of their life according to the will of God. Therefore, whenever the Church finds that one method of evangelizing is not as effective as expected, she finds another method to complement the old one. This thesis endeavors to analyze Small Christian Communities as a platform for continuous catechesis in Eastern Africa. The AMECEA region consists of nine member countries namely: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. According to Healey, the region has about 180, 000 Small Christian Communities. 1 The thesis looks at some essential elements that are found in Small Christian Communities (SCCs) which can foster the ongoing formation of faith. It also looks at some challenges found in SCCs that can be hindrances to continuous formation of faith. In the first chapter, the researcher presents the background of the study and the problem statement. He also presents the research objectives, research questions and the significant of the study. In the collection of data and the writing of this thesis, the researcher used the pastoral cycle methodology which involves four steps namely; insertion, social analysis, theological reflection and action.