The National Initiative on Adolescent Catechesis
White Paper Regarding
Models and Methodologies Initiatives
Statement of the Issue:
The work group spent considerable time attempting to grasp the numerous forces, trends and obstacles
inherent in the present reality of adolescent catechesis. While not an exhaustive list, several of the
issues which are impacting the current system of adolescent catechesis include:
Prevailing instructional priorities and systems were built on and presume a Catholic subculture
and its implicit “catechetical delivery system” of parents, family, extended family and close
involvement in the neighborhood parish which is no longer the norm in most localities in the
21st century.
The Catholic subculture has largely disintegrated and been assimilated by larger cultural forces
and trends, leaving behind the edifice of instructional institutions, which, without their moorings
in that subculture, are variously struggling with questions of identity and even survival.
Mainstream Catholics have been shaped by the assumptions of American consumerism, so that
religious education and instruction have become part of a system of exchange, coordinated by
trained leaders and delivered by catechists in structures that do not normally involve, support
or engage the parents in any substantive, and continuous catechetical role.
There is a disconnect between many parishes and secondary schools who often exist as
independent institutions, separated from the life of the parish faith communities that originally
spawned them.
While there was unanimous agreement that the current systems, models and methods are not
effectively bringing about the desired result of developing well-formed adolescents who seek to follow
Jesus Christ, there was much discussion about some key observations and critical questions that need to
be further researched and reviewed as changes to the system are contemplated:.
Parents must have essential roles in all faith formation efforts. Faith formation programs must
begin to live the reality that current research and our Church documents speak. As the National
Directory for Catechesis rightly says, “parents are the most influential agents of catechesis for
their children.” (NDC: 727). The Catechism of the Catholic Church is even more direct, saying
“the role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an
adequate substitute.” (CCC 2221). How can the Church support and encourage parents as the
primary formators of their teen’s faith? What intentional support is needed, and what systemic
change is required for the Church to move from rhetoric to reality?
The system needs a full and complete examination. The default position to adolescent
catechesis often involves an instructional model that may wrongly assume additional formation
takes place elsewhere, either at the parish, school or home settings. There is little within the
system that allows for adequate adaptation to remedy this imbalance if it needs to be changed.
Evangelization is the touchstone. What must be done or re-done to place catechetical efforts in
the larger schema of evangelization so young people are empowered to be competent agents of
evangelization?
One size will never fit all. What are the best and most effective practices for forming the faith of
teens in different settings and approaches (home, parish, school, family programs) and in light
of different cultural realities (Hispanic, African American, urban, rural, multi-parish/clustered,
mega-parish)?
1|M o d e l s
© 2 0 0 9
N a t i o n a l
I n i t i a t i v e o n A d o l e s c e n t C a t e c h e s i s
( w w w . a d o l e s c e n t c a t e c h e s i s . o r g )
Ownership and empowerment occurs at the local and most domestic levels. How can we
create a national process that fully engages parishes, schools, parents and teens at the local
levels?
Comprehensive methodologies that engage the head, heart and hands are needed. Does the
current system perpetuate one directional approaches that seek to fill often passive students
with content? What new training and formation is required for catechetical leaders and
parish/school programs to collectively move toward approaches that actively engage and
involve parents and teens in the faith formation process?
Leadership is critical to transformation. How can the Partnership for Adolescent Catechesis
effectively engage bishops, pastors and other catechetical leaders in this national conversation?
What is necessary for leaders to support a collaborative prescription for change to the current
system?
Proposed Strategies:
The Models and Methods work group agreed that any next steps required a "both-and" approach that
includes broad-based consciousness-raising and consensus-building regarding the challenges we face,
combined with a focus on research, experimentation, learning and publication.
The first steps involves a critical analysis of the current system of faith formation used by parishes and
schools throughout the country and the development of a guiding vision of faith formation that will lead
the National Initiative forward. Using this vision as a touchstone, research of existing models and
methods should be conducted to see what is effective and why, with careful attention to the cultural
issues inherent within our diverse communities.
The second direction requires that we re-examine the effectiveness of current methods and practices of
faith delivery in parishes and schools today and glean the “best practices” that can be used in current
and future systems. These models and practices would then become the cornerstone for future NIAC
training programs.
The proposed process for moving this process forward would unfold as follows:
1. Build a National Consensus Around the Challenges We Face and the Vision We Seek.
Develop and promote (through Advocacy work group) the vision for adolescent
catechesis and formation through a broad based alliance between national
organizations, USCCB and dioceses, schools, universities, seminaries and lay ecclesial
ministry formation programs
The vision would be grounded in the National Directory for Catechesis’ comprehensive
faith formation vision of appropriate initiation into the Catholic way of life through the
means of the Six Tasks of Catechesis (knowledge of faith, Liturgy and sacraments, moral
formation, prayer, community/service and justice, and missionary spirit)
Such a vision would place parents as the central point in this formation process with
parishes and schools serving to resource and support family faith growth as well as
providing additional aspects of the necessary initiation process
2. Be Adaptive to Cultural Realities
Work with the Cultural Considerations work group in developing standards and
outcomes for effective adolescent catechesis that are culturally sensitive and adaptive,
yet maintain the vision and direction outlined above
2|M o d e l s
© 2 0 0 9
N a t i o n a l
I n i t i a t i v e o n A d o l e s c e n t C a t e c h e s i s
( w w w . a d o l e s c e n t c a t e c h e s i s . o r g )
Be attentive to the potential impact of new technologies and media on learning,
connecting and communication with the current and future generations on whom this
National Initiative will be focused
3. Study What’s Effective
Work with the Research work group to examine what works and what does not with
various methodologies, technologies and program structures, including within unique
cultural and family settings
Systematically study the underlying assumptions of current formational approaches and
compare these to the actual outcomes they are attempting to bring about
Examine the elements which both help and hinder the parental role in forming the faith
of the family unit
Include insights from the examination of previously conducted research, models and
practices that are occurring in all Christian denominations
Publish the findings in a Source Book on Adolescent Catechesis (volume 3) and post all
relevant data on the National Initiative website in order to highlight and promote the
key findings
Based on what emerges from these first three steps, a careful and intentional strategic direction would
be created in the form of a training and assessment program that would be offered nationally and which
would involve an intentional partnership with diocesan and school leaders to implement the new
strategies and systems that will be most effective in each locale. Elements of this training program,
which would also be created in Spanish for the Hispanic communities, would likely include the following:
An assessment and discernment process for parishes and schools.
Work with the Formation/Training work group to develop an assessment tool to
measure the effectiveness of current formation processes, which should examine the
entire Catholic population, including adults and parents
Include a formation component designed to prepare and train a local
implementation/core team to lead the community through the rest of the process
A summary of proven and effective methods and processes to help guide parishes and
schools.
Invite parishes and schools to restructure their delivery system for adolescent
catechesis based on the research done in step three and in light of the deepest
understanding of the next generation of adolescents and their families (those having
children after 2000)
Provide direction for the application of methods and processes that allow for the unique
cultural and structural realities of local areas as they proceed with the development of a
faith formation plan
Ensure that all strategies measure up to the guiding vision named in the initial step and
that it is supportive to, and empowering of, parents as the primary formators of faith
A formation and training program aimed at the local level.
The program would help prepare the community for systemic change, empower parents
with the knowledge, skills and abilities to be the primary formator of faith for their
children and retrain leaders and catechists in the use of models, methods and
approaches that will support and affirm parental efforts
3|M o d e l s
© 2 0 0 9
N a t i o n a l
I n i t i a t i v e o n A d o l e s c e n t C a t e c h e s i s
( w w w . a d o l e s c e n t c a t e c h e s i s . o r g )
Evaluation models
Develop local evaluation and assessment review processes that are completed at sixmonth and one year intervals in addition to a long-term evaluation (three years) in order
to empower local parishes and schools toward making ongoing adaptations as needed
Priority Directions:
The strategies discussed here create an ambitious but necessary process designed to reform our current
system of adolescent catechesis, and potentially the entire system of catechesis as we know it. This will
be neither a simple or short-term objective, rather; it will take many years before the first fruits of the
harvest are seen. It is understood that this models and methodology plan will lead to observable
changes in the generation that follows the implementation of this National Initiative on Adolescent
Catechesis. Therefore, a renewed faith formation plan that is begun in the 2011-12 school year, will not
yield its true measure of systemic impact until twelve years hence, with the Class of 2024.
In order to accomplish this goal, the priority steps include the development and refinement of the
renewed vision for adolescent catechesis and the immediate support of research efforts on best
practices and effective models with attention to the cultural context when measuring effectiveness. It is
proposed that the Partnership for Adolescent Catechesis develop and affirm a Statement of Vision for
Adolescent Catechesis by May, 2009 so that all subsequent efforts can be measured and developed in
accordance with this direction in mind. Work on effective practices and models as well as
comprehensive assessment instruments should also begin as soon as possible so appropriate
assessment, training and formation programs can be developed with this research in mind.
Final Considerations and Insights:
It may be tempting to see a renewed vision for adolescent catechesis that places parents as primary as
one that stands against the traditional catechetical programming or in support of “home-schooled”
options. In fact, this is a “both/and” approach where the Church is being asked to re-think it’s
catechetical structure and service delivery systems from the standpoint of what is in the best interest of
empowering parents to share and form the faith of their children and teens.
This might mean that parishes create a unique faith formation plan for each family that joins the parish,
mentoring each through a menu of gathered programs, individual study and family faith sharing that
parents/families commit to for the year with an assessment and evaluation of their progress twice a
year. It might mean that parishes implement policies that require parents to be enrolled in a
simultaneous faith formation program if they wish their children and teens to benefit from any
gathered parish programs. It might cause a parish to look at a whole community approach to catechesis
or broaden the use of technology in reaching out to all families in the parish.
It has been said more than once that what is being proposed through the National Initiative, if done
well, would lead to the renewal of the entire life of the parish community. Put in a more somber tone,
it’s also been proposed that this Initiative will never succeed until we experience a radical change in the
ways and means of parish life as we know it. Perhaps this is true, but what is our choice? Do we wait for
renewal to happen or do we proceed within our circle of influence of forming young disciples and do
what we can with as many as we can for as long as we can? Those involved in the National Initiative
would vote for the latter approach. In the end, no matter the direction that a particular community
selects, a change to the catechetical system of parishes and schools will mean that we move away from
“business as usual” and move towards a new paradigm of formation that returns us to the roots of our
faith, a model that holds adults accountable, and the community supportive, for passing on the faith to
the next generation of disciples.
4|M o d e l s
© 2 0 0 9
N a t i o n a l
I n i t i a t i v e o n A d o l e s c e n t C a t e c h e s i s
( w w w . a d o l e s c e n t c a t e c h e s i s . o r g )