durand_bigI read an article by Petroc Willey, editor of the Sower Magazine. In the article entitled: Renewing Catechist Formation at the Sources, he speaks of the sources used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as vital to forming catechists. The Sacred Scriptures should be the foundation of all catechesis. The Councils of the Church and the teachings of the Popes are also very important when forming catechists and offering catechist and adult formation in the parish. Other important sources to use when training catechists is the writings of the saints, especially the doctors of the Church. The last source that needs to be mention, but certainly not the least is the Divine Liturgy which is the source and the summit of the life of a Catholic Christian.

I believe this is very important to use the sources that the Church uses. Secondary sources like helpful handbooks or creative teaching ideas is good, but good only in reference to the primary sources that are ecclesial. I have been teaching the Echoes of Faith for a parish near mine these last two months and I find that their sources are more secondary than they are primary. I have found myself reformating the lessons to be supported more fully by primary sources.

To close this reflection I would like to site Petroc Willey’s last paragraph of his article:

Those leading catechetical formation are not themselves the sources. They know that they are instruments, guiding others to the living sources of the faith. Above all, they know that they are disciples – literally, learners – whose value lies in exemplifying the joy of learning and drinking from the wellspring of the sources. Their role is to grow less in order that those being formed can ‘grow in all things towards him, who is the Head, Christ’ (Eph 4:15). Catechetical growth which is renewed at the sources is always ecclesial, rather than narrowly personality-led; it is a matter of initiating others into the great Tradition of the Church where they can receive the deposit of grace and the deposit of faith.”