Original scientific paper
The Formation of Parish Catechist in the School for Pastoral Associates in the Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek. The Analysis and Critical Review
Stanislav Šota
orcid.org/0000-0002-6979-4406
; Archdiocese of Đakovo - Osijek, Đakovo, Croatia
Abstract
The School for pastoral associates in the Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek was opened in 2004. It lasts for two years. The aim of the School is to provide initial and fundamental theological-pastoral-catechetical and spiritual formation for lay people, the volunteer pastoral associates, who are encouraged and sent by their parish communities to receive better formation.
Of the 207 participants who finished the School, 60 % is actively involved in pastoral catechetical activities in the parish. The 40% that are not engaged in the activities show the need for a better and more systematic permanent pedagogical-catechetical and ecclesial-spiritual care before and after finishing the School. Part of the students are not engaged in those areas for which they have been preparing during school.
Motives for attending the School are intrinsic. The understanding and experiencing of the School as a form of adult catechesis suggests that the Church in Đakovo-Osijek has recognized the desire of many adult believers for deepening their faith.
52.4% of the representatives have excellent cooperation with their parish priest, as the primary catechist in the parish community. 18.5% of them have excellent cooperation with religious instructors. They rated the quality of the School as very high, M=4.83, and the teachers received M=4.76. The satisfaction with the School shows that it builds in the students a distinctive Christian physiognomy. It is not a meer adoption of religious content, but it creates a new mentality and a permanent style of living the faith, the ability to live the life of faith, the theological and existential clarity and the desire to share with others the experience of faith.
For 70.4% of the representatives the insufficient preparedness causes great difficulty for catechesis, and the lack of personal time is the cause for poor preparation for 60.8% of them. 58.9% feel that the lack of pastoral associates in parishes presents a difficulty; and 43% of them have difficulties with the lack of understanding from their communities and families.
According to the research, the identity of parish catechist consists of: spiritual and religious credibility (moral dimension), cooperation, communication and public testimony in society (testimonial dimension), theological-catechetical formation and competence (theological-pedagogical dimension), regular and systematic involvement in the parish (ecclesial-pastoral-catechetical dimension).
Keywords
School for pastoral associates; associate/animator of parish catechesis; parish catechesis; cooperation; difficulties; identity of parish catechists
Hrčak ID:
111475
URI
Publication date:
27.11.2013.
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