The Catechetical Review - Communicating Christ for a New Evangelization

A New Approach to Children’s Catechesis: Come, follow me

Authored by Sr. Hyacinthe DeFos Du Rau in Issue #1.1 of Catechetical Review

At the 2015 St. John Bosco Conference for Catechesis and Evangelization this summer, Sr. Hyacinthe will offer training for this new catechetical program, written by members of the Notre Dame de Vie institute in France, an institute with whom Franciscan University’s Office of Catechetics has enjoyed a close institutional relationship. This article provides an overview of this children’s catechetical program and demonstrates its continuity with the Holy Father’s vision for catechesis. Catechesis is a proclamation of the word and is always centred on that word, yet it also demands a suitable environment and an attractive presentation, the use of eloquent symbols, insertion into a broader growth process and the integration of every dimension of the person within a communal journey of hearing and response.[1] This short but rich paragraph from Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation encapsulates the essential principles upon which Come follow me catechesis is founded. Come follow me is a catechetical program for children aged 7 to 11 developed in France by Notre Dame de Vie Institute in the last 30 years, and published recently in French and partially in English (Years 1-2). We are now going to take the main aspects of Pope Francis’ description, and, in a brief overview, see how they are applied in Come follow me.

The rest of this online article is available for current subscribers.

Start your subscription today!


This article is from The Catechetical Review (Online Edition ISSN 2379-6324) and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of The Catechetical Review by contacting [email protected]

Articles from the Most Recent Issue

Inspired Through Art: Our Preferential Option for the Poor
By Jem Sullivan
“The option or love of preference for the poor . . . is an option, or a special form of primacy in the exercise of Christian charity, to which the whole tradition of the Church bears witness. It affects the life of each Christian inasmuch as he or she seeks to imitate the life of Christ, but it applies equally to our social responsibilities and... Read more
From the Shepherds: Serving the Poor: Taking Five Steps with Two Feet
By Bishop William Wack, CSC
Free When I served as director of André House, a ministry of hospitality to the poor and homeless in downtown Phoenix, we often spoke about “the two feet of service”: direct service to those in need and working for justice and a long-term solution. Both are important, and each one informs and strengthens the other. Inspired by Dorothy Day and under the... Read more
Radically Available
By Lani Bogart
Free In prayer after receiving Holy Communion, I recognized in my heart the voice of God the Father. “I want you to be radically available.” As Director of Religious Education in a large parish, I had an idea of what it meant to be radically available while working full time. It meant being available to God by showing up for daily Mass and prayer. It... Read more

Pages

Watch Tutorial Videos

We've put together several quick and easy tutorial videos to show you how to use this website.

Watch Now