On this weeks programme the SS102fm interviews one of our own with a friendly discussion with Lorraine Buckley about her new role in as Faith Development Coordinator in the diocese of Limerick and the opportunity for people to learn more about their faith with a particular focus on the Irish Catholic Catechism for Adults

The Irish Catholic Catechism for Adults and Limerick Diocese Faith Development Programme

John interviews Lorraine Buckley about the role of Faith Development Coordinator in the diocese of Limerick and the need and importance of adult faith formation particularly in the Irish church at this time.

The Faith Development Coordinator works at the direction of the Bishop, chief catechist of the diocese, in the promotion of and co-ordination of faith development initiatives in the diocese. Such initiatives range from preparation programmes for the sacraments of initiation to adult faith development. Why is faith development so important? Sherry Weddell wrote in Forming Intentional Disciples:

“The majority of Catholics in the United States are sacramentalized but not evangelized. They do not know that an explicit, personal attachment to Christ – personal discipleship – is normative Catholicism as taught by the apostles and reiterated time and time again by the pope, councils, and saints of the Church.”

In an Irish context, the two questions Lorraine put to listeners:

How can we renew and deepen our own faith so that we may share that faith with others? 
What can we do to facilitate that encounter with Christ in our Parishes and in our Pastoral Area? 

The first question is really important – a lot of people say ‘we must do more to get the young people back into Church’, but what are we inviting them back to? Are we convinced by what we believe? Do we live as if we believe in Jesus? Do we worship and celebrate liturgy as if we believe in Jesus? If we have gone lax in our own relationship with God, how can we speak of that relationship with others? This is why Pope Francis encourages us to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus. We know from our experience of human relationships that relationships take work! They don’t just happen. It is the same with our relationship with God. He will fill our hearts with love – He will do most of the work for us – but we have to be open to Him.

There are many different ways in which we can deepen our faith – through prayer, through Scripture and Lectio Divina, through different retreats, courses, prayer groups, spiritual reading, different ecclesial movements etc.

There is a wealth of resources out there too. One of the tools or resources for helping to build our relationship with God is the new Irish Catholic Catechism for Adults, which was launched last year. Now before everyone turns off the radio, it is not about rote learning or question and answer style formats like the Penny Catechism. 

The Irish Catholic Catechism for Adults presents adults with a renewed opportunity to study, reflect on and live by the faith we profess in the Creed, celebrate in the Sacraments, live in the Christian moral life and deepen through prayer. Each chapter begins with a short account of a saint or holy person who tried to follow the Christian path in their own time and circumstance. This is followed by a section explaining God’s revelation through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit that relates to that story. It places this teaching alongside questions and doubts that arise from our daily life and our country’s culture and tries to resolve them.

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