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By Patricia Zapor
Catholic News Service
BALTIMORE (CNS) — A detailed framework for catechetical
instruction for high school students will be given to publishing companies
after being approved by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops during
their meeting in November.
In a unanimous 220-0 vote, the bishops accepted the 80-page framework
that outlines a core curriculum and electives for a four-year, eight-semester
course of instruction.
The introduction to the document spells out that it is “a framework
and not a tool for direct instruction.” As such, doctrines and topics
listed are not necessarily defined or thoroughly developed, it said.
Publishing houses are expected to submit their materials before publication
for review of their conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
explained Washington Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl, chairman of the bishops’
Committee on Catechesis, as he presented the text for approval.
In a brief period of discussion of the framework, Bishop Ricardo Ramirez
of Las Cruces, N.M., questioned whether its design for use by Catholic
schools was overlooking the many teens who receive their religious education
through parish-based or youth ministry programs.
He said it would be a struggle to cover the material during the 20 hours
of a typical parish religious education program per semester, in comparison
to the 64 hours of religion classes students would have at a Catholic
school in the same semester.
Archbishop Wuerl acknowledged it would be a challenge for publishers to
write texts for religious education programs that cover the material thoroughly.
“But most publishers said they are prepared to take it on,”
he said.
Cardinal-designate Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston said some publishers
“have become restive about even publishing any text for youth ministry.”
The framework divides a core curriculum into six sections and electives
into five sections. Each section cites references in the catechism and
other texts to be used as reference.
It says core curriculum courses should address:
• The revelation of Jesus Christ in Scripture, including how one
comes to know God and the history and study of Scripture.
• Learning about who Jesus is, through divine revelation, the incarnation
and personal experience, and the challenges of belief.
• The mission of Jesus as messiah and instrument of redemption and
the moral implications for believers.
• The continuing mission of Jesus in the Church, touching on Church
history and structure, ecumenism and its involvement in the world.
• The sacraments, including definitions and in-depth study of each
sacrament.
• Life in Jesus, or the discernment of how to live out one’s
faith.
Electives include sacred Scripture, Church history, discipleship in contemporary
society, responding to the call of Jesus, and ecumenical and interreligious
issues.
Some sections of the framework are quite detailed about what should be
included. For instance, the outline for the elective on Church history
lists specifically which topics to cover in each era.
Renaissance studies should include Erasmus and Thomas More, the revival
of the studies of classical culture and languages, Christian humanism
and a new translation of the Bible, it says. The course should also touch
on specific artists, such as Fra Angelico, Giotto, Raphael, Michelangelo,
Bramante and Bernini as well as the construction of St. Peter’s
Basilica and the Sistine Chapel in Rome and the Duomo in Florence, Italy.
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