Tuesday, May 19, 2009

FDLC Resources on Liturgical Catechesis/ "Our Hearts Were Burning"



If you are not familiar with the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions (FDLC) Liturgical Cathechesis project site http://www.fdlc.org/Liturgy_Catechesis.htm - you will find it is a rich mine of resources on many topics - from children in the liturgy, to liturgy and social justice. The site, in development since 2003, is an effort to provide links to great articles and basic documents about many areas of the liturgy.

Interestingly, the documents list on the site includes a link to "Our Hearts Were Burning" - the document on Adult Faith Formation for the United States. What does OHWB say about liturgical catechesis? It gives what is basically a scope and sequence of expected competencies, using Bloom's Taxonomy type verbs:

§ 92 § 2) Liturgical Life(See the Catechism, nos. 1066-1690; General Directory for Catechesis, nos. 84-85, 87.)
Understand, live, and bear witness to the paschal mystery, celebrated and communicated through the sacramental life of the Church.
Learn and embrace in one's life church doctrine on the Eucharist and the other sacraments.
Acquire the spirituality, skills, and habits of full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy, especially the eucharistic liturgy.
Value the dignity of the baptismal priesthood and of the ordained priesthood and their respective roles in liturgical celebration and Christian mission.
Appreciate and appropriately participate in the Church's daily prayer, the Liturgy of the Hours, and learn to pray the psalms, "an essential and permanent element of the prayer of the Church."

How well have we helped adults in our parishes reach these levels of competency about the liturgy? I would say minimally - and as to number 4 - the Liturgy of the Hours, downright poorly. Obviously, there is much work to do. As a church, we certainly need good strategies for reaching adults with catechesis on the liturgy.

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