Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 5.djvu/111

 DOCTRINE

85

DOCTRINE

should be attached to each. In order to secure regular attendance, registers should be carefully kept, and rewards (pictures, medals, etc.) should be given to those who have not missed a catechism. Treats and feasts should also be given. The spirit of emulation should be encouraged both for attendance and good answering and analyses. Various minor offices should be conferred upon the best children. Punishment should very seldom be resorted to.

Though the Sulpician method insists upon a thor- ough knowledge of the letter of the catechism, it is clear that the teacher is of prime importance rather than the book. Indeed, the success or failure of the catechism may be said to depend entirely upon him. It is he who has to do the questioning and give the instruction and the homily on the Gospel. Unless he can keep the attention of the children fixed upon him, he is bound to fail. Hence, the greatest care should be taken in selecting and training the catechists. These are sometimes seminarists or nuns, but lay persons must often be taken. By far the larger portion of "The Method of Saint Sulpice" is devoted to the in- struction of the catechists (cap. iv, "Of the instruction of the children"; cap. v, "Of the sanctification of the children"; cap. vi, "Of the necessity of making the catechism pleasant to the children, and some means for attaining this object"; cap. vii, "How to turn the catechism into exercises of emulation"; cap. viii, "How to maintain good order and ensure the success of the catechisms").

So far the "Method" has dealt with the catechisms generally. Next comes the division of the catechisms. These are four in number: the Little Catechism, the First-Communion Catechism, the Weekday Cate- chism, and the Catechism of Perseverance. The Week- day Catechism is the only one which requires any ex- planation here. A certain time before the period of first Communion a list is made out of such children as are to be admitted to the Holy Table, and these are prepared by more frequent exercises, held on week- days as well as on Sundays. As a rule, only children who have attended for twelve months are admitted to the weekday catechisms, and the usual age is twelve years. The weekday catechism is held on two days of the week and for about three months. The order is much the same as that of the Sunday catechism, ex- cept that the Gospel and the homily are omitted. The children are examined twice during the weekday cate- chisms: the first time about the middle of the course; the second, a week before the retreat. Those who have often been absent without cause or who have an- swered badly, or whose conduct has been unsatisfac- tory, are rejected.

A complete account of the method will be found in "The Method of Saint Sulpice" (Tr.), and also in "The Ministry of Catechising" (Tr.) by Mgr. Dupan- loup.

(b) The Munich Method— In 1898 Dr. A. Weber, editor of the " Katechetische Blatter" of Munich, urged the adaptation of the Herbart-Ziller system in teaching Christian doctrine. This system requires, "first, a division of the catechetical matter into strict methodical units, so that those questions are co-ordi- nated which are essentially one. Secondly, it insists on a methodical following of the three essential steps, viz.. Presentation, E.xplanation, and Application — with a short Preparation before Presentation, then Combination after Explanation, as more or less non- essential points. It therefore never begins with the cate- chetical questions, hut always with an objective Presenta- tion — in the form of a story from life or the Bible, a catechetical, Biblical or historical picture, a point of liturgy, church historj', or the lives of the saints, or some such objective lesson. Out of this objective les- son only will the catechetical concepts be evolved and abstracted, then combined into the catechism answer and formally applied to life. These catechists aim at

capturing the child's interest from the start and pre- serving his good- will and attention throughout" (.■Vmer. Eccl. Rev., March, 190S, p. 342). " Freparor- tion turns the attention of the pupil in a definite direc- tion. The pupil hears the lesson-aim in a few well- chosen words. At this stage of the process the pupil's ideas are also corrected and made clearer. Presentation gives an object-lesson. If at all possible, use one such object only. There are sound psychological reasons for this, although it becomes occasionally useful to employ several. Explanation might also be called con- cept-formation. Out of the objective lesson are here construed, or evolved, the catechetical concepts. From the concrete objective presentation we here pass to the general concept. Combination gathers all the ideas derived from the lesson into the te.xt of the cate- chism. Application finally strengthens and deepens the truths we have gathered and variously widens them for purposes of life. We can here insert further examples, give additional motives, apply the lessons to the actual life of the child, train the child in judging his own moral conduct, and end with some particular resolution, or an appropriate prayer, song, hymn, or quotation" (.\mer. Eccl. Rev., Apr., 1908, p. 465). In the same number of the Review (p. 460) will be found an excellent lesson on "Sin", drawn up on the lines of the ilunich Method. Further information will be found in Weber's "Die Miinchener katechetische Methode", and Cottier's "Der Miinchener kateche- tische Kurs, 1905".

Instruction of Converts. — The careful instruction of those who apply for admission into the Church, or who wish information about her doctrines and practices, is a sacred duty incim:ibent at times on almost every priest. No one may prudently embrace the Christian religion unless he sees clearly that it is credible. Hence the motives of credibility, the sure arguments that convince the understanding and move the will to com- mand the assent of faith, must be clearly set forth. The higher the social or intellectual po.«ition of in- quirers, the more thorough and diligent should be the instruction. Each one is to be guided not merely to understand the Church's dogmas, as far as he can, but to practise the exercises of Christian perfection. Be- fore the usual profession of faith, converts ought to be examined on their knowledge of all matters that must be known in order to be saved. This should be done with great care, for at this time they are docile. After their admission to the sacraments some may easily fancy themselves fully instructed, and for want of further study remain ignorant until death, unable to train properly their children or dependents. In the case of uneducated persons who are drawn to the Church, the prudent director will avoid such contro- versy as might lead his pupil to defend errors hitherto unknown. Better educated inquirers are to be fully satisfied on all points that they have held against Catholic doctrine and must be provided with the means of resisting both internal and external tempta- tions. The length of time and the character of the instruction will varj' with each individual.

It follows from what has been said that the times and places will vary according to the different sorts of persons to be instructed and the habits of the different countries. Speaking generally, however, at least some instruction should be given on Sundays and in the church, so as to bring out the religious character of catechizing.

III. Modern Catechisms. — When speaking of the history of catecheties we saw that, though the method was originally and properly oral, the custom soon arose of composing catechisms — i. e. short manuals of elementary religious instruction, usually by means of questions and answers.

A catechism is of the greatest use both to the teacher and the scholar. To the teacher it is a guide as to the subjects to be taught, the order of dealing with them.