‘Come, Follow Me’
Faith & Fun Club

CATECHESIS … what is that?

Through the centuries a great number of women and men have devoted time to reflecting on how best to share our Catholic faith with our children.  One legacy arising from their engagement are certain key words, often linked with Faith and Fun clubs.  These include:  (i) Catechesis, (ii) Catechetics, (iii) Catechetical, and (iv) Catechist.

‘Catechesis’ is the word used by the Church to describe the practice of handing on our Faith.  Its origins are in a Greek word meaning ‘oral instruction’ and it includes the everyday ways, often conversation-based, by which we echo the teachings of the Church to one another.  To engage in ‘catechesis’ does not require any special training or expertise. It’s simply allowing our faith and understanding to permeate our everyday communication with family, friends, children etc.

That stated, which of us has not benefitted for the sharings of a good teacher, priest or other person who has taken time to prepare a lesson, homily or some other form of instruction?  This bring us to our second word, ‘Catechetics’.  ‘Catechetics’ refers to the craft, art and science of handing on our Faith, especially when done in a conscious  and deliberate way.

‘Catechetical’ is  simply ‘of catechesis’.  For example, a parent who teaches their child to bless themselves in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, or who reads  a bible story to them in a prayerful way is engaging in a ‘catechetical’ activity.   The word ‘catechetical’ may also describe a conversation through which a priest seeks to enrich children’s understanding of God or the Church.

In recent times many catechetical programmes have been written to support children’s catechesis through Faith and Fun clubs.

We refer to the women and men who facilitate such programmes as ‘catechists’, and going forward every parish is likely to have a number of ‘volunteer catechists’.

Our ‘Come, Follow Me’  Faith & Fun Club

We are proposing to include the above words spoken by Jesus in the title of our Faith and Fun Club.   Why? Because we believe Jesus continues to say these words to all of us.   Another is that we would like our club to embrace a children’s catechetical programme called ‘Come, Follow Me’.  We favour it because we know it has been very successful in France and the UK, and is gaining a foothold in Ireland.

We are proposing this programme for the following reasons:

• It is very child-friendly and both children and parents have been known to enjoy it
• Children learn alot by participating in it
• It complements the ‘Grow in Love’ Religious Education programme approved for use in all Catholic Schools in Ireland
• It is adaptable, and all sessions can be run in an hour or less
• It can be used very effectively as the basis of Faith and Fun clubs for children

• It can also serve as the basis of Sunday School style provision
• lt can be taken up and offered by adults who don’t have any formal training in children’s catechetics
• It can be adapted for use in the family home
• It is highly participatory and leads to fun
• It can be used with very small groups of children, and with full classes

• It seeks to foster a personal relationship between each participating child / adult and God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, Our Lady, the Saints and the Church.
• It uses visual aids and child-friendly activities to support children’s engagement.

Like all great programmes, one of its strengths is that it does not try to do everything.  For example, it does not seek to prepare children to receive any sacrament. In terms of our parish, the preparation of children for the sacraments will remain the work of  parents and teachers in our Catholic schools.