Whole Community Catechesis
Building a Whole Community of Faith
by Steven Ellair

Having been one of only three or so Catholic families in the local public school system, my siblings and I regularly attended Sunday CCD. The memories I have are mostly positive, as I was introduced to catechists who were kind, prayerful, and very well-intentioned. Since classes started right after Mass, my parents had ample time to stock up on the week's groceries at the local market before picking us up. It was the '70s so I invariably brought home a whole array of arts and crafts that had been the center of instruction for the week—most involving some form of burlap!

Our vision and practice of catechesis continue to grow as new areas of focus emerge. One of those areas creating great excitement and renewal in parishes, schools, and dioceses across the country is called Whole Community Catechesis. Whole Community Catechesis is a vision of faith formation that is rooted in the documents of Vatican II, the General Directory for Catechesis, and other catechetical documents. It promotes faith formation as an ongoing and lifelong process and one that can be greatly supported by intergenerational learning and interaction. The basic principles of this vision are:

• Conversion precedes and is an integral part of catechesis.
• Faith sharing is at the heart of the catechetical process.
• Faith must be supported where it is being lived.
• How we gather is inherently catechetical.
• The whole community catechizes and is catechized by engaging in service.

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