Catechesis as Pastoral Praxis For Developing Mature Faith In Karuri-Banana Hill Parish Of Nairobi Arch Diocese
Date
1997-02
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tangaza University College
Abstract
Modem man is experiencing a crisis in faith today. This crisis may not be felt
with the same intensity everywhere, but it is there nonetheless. The crisis may evoke
two reactions; one negative of an impending disaster. According to this view Christian
faith is doomed to oblivion gradually. The other positive, one would see the crisis as
an opportunity to rethink, re-plan, rebuild and reinterpret. According to this view, I
realize that Christian faith is not irrelevant to the modem world, but its relevance must
be brought out anew and presented in an idiom that a simple Christian will understand
and appreciate. I believe that this is the vital role of catechesis today and my essay I
hope will contribute positively.
The first chapter in my long essay is an introduction, which give a general
view or outlook of the essay. The second comprises the insertion of the pastoral agent
in the life and pastoral activity of the people in question. Dialogue, questionnaire and
close observation were my main tools to enter into their reality. The materials
gathered in second chapter are backed-up and judged in the third chapter according to
Christian principles and values involved in that society.
Within the fourth chapter, I paid special attention to some pastoral cares and
ministries that the pastoral situation is crying for. Fifth and the last chapter is a plan of
action for that parish. The theoretical reflections proposed in the preceding second and
third chapter are complimented with some practical suggestions. The procedure of
objectives and targets is taken from the booklet of James O'Halloran, Pastoral
Planning with Tears.' The aim of this long essay is also to encourage the use of social and religious
analysis as a necessary tool to discover the needs of the people in the pastoral field.
This requires the insertion of the pastoral agent in the social reality and his/her
conversion to the human dignity and option for the poor and to the use of Christian
and cultural values.
The method of the "Pastoral Circle" is completed by the "Hermeneutic
Mediation" and "Dialectic of Theory and Praxis" presented by Clodovis Boff in his
book "Theology and Praxis". This combination of methods facilitates the process of
working upon that reality to understand it and find its sense and meaning in the light
of the History of salvation in that particular situation.2
The method of "Pastoral Circle" proceeds in this way: Insertion in the social
reality, description of that situation, analysis of the same situation, theological
reflection in the light of the gospel, social doctrine of the Church and cultural
background of the people, planning for action to transform that situation and
evaluation followed by starting again the process. This help to see the reality clearly
and confront it with the will of God.
Fundamentally if God's Word is revelation, humanity's response is faith. If the
initiative belongs to God, the response belong to humanity. Therefore I consider
revelation of God as a call for faith. Faith is a personal and vital encounter with the
living God, a total acceptance of the revealing and giving person by a loving surrender
of one's whole being and an unreserved commitment to live for him and to order
one's life according to his Word. In my pastoral experience for some four years in Karuri or Banana Hill Parish
in Nairobi Archdiocese I realized that developing a mature faith is desperately needed
and the means to achieve it is through catechesis as pastoral praxis. It is this special
interest in Banana parish and likewise in many other places that led me to reflect
deeply on the issues of catechesis for developing a mature faith as a pastoral
commitment for Karuri Parish. For sure the theme is very general, no specific age,
area or group of people. I intend therefore to limit myself within Karuri parish, just for
the purpose of taking up a specific sample and reality.
Description
Keywords
Content of Catechesis, Trinitarian Christo-Centric Catechesis, Sources of Catechesis, Social Cultural Values - Authentic Need Of inculturation, Ecumenical Dimension of Catechesis, Imparting Catechesis, Ministries of Special Pastoral Care