National Faith Development Objectives
NATIONAL FAITH DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES
National Objective 1:
The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference will give priority to the faith development of both adults and young people.
Some Indicators of Achievement
- Catechesis and other forms of faith development will, with the publication of this Directory, have been defined by the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference as an area for priority attention over the coming ten years.
- The Bishops’ Conference will attach primary importance to developing personnel and financial resources for catechetical and other faith development initiatives at national, diocesan and local levels.
- The position and mission of the Catholic Church in education in Ireland will be confirmed and developed.
- A review will establish the most appropriate way of dividing responsibilities among various Episcopal Commissions/Councils concerned with faith development, including initiation and catechesis, Catholic education and missionary evangelisation, always acknowledging also those with special needs.
- The Catholic Bishops will have a policy outlining support for ongoing research initiatives to ascertain and review priorities in catechesis and in all the areas of faith development.
National Objective 2:
The Bishops’ Conference will have a National Faith Development Team which will have responsibility for supporting national co-operation across the various types of faith development for all ages and needs.
Some Indicators of Achievement
- The executive secretaries to the relevant Episcopal Commissions/Councils together will be established as the National Faith Development Team. One of their number will oversee the Team.
- The National Faith Development Team, supporting the National Catechetical Office, will encourage a nationally agreed approach to initial proclamation, Christian initiation, catechesis, religious education, new evangelisation and theological reflection in dioceses throughout Ireland, listening, supporting and encouraging all those who collaborate in these forms of ministry. The focus of the Team will be communication, facilitation and resourcing. This will be achieved under a number of headings:
- Overseeing evangelisation needs nationally across dioceses.
- Coordinating a sustained dialogue nationwide between faith and culture, providing for a continuing sociocultural analysis, and encouraging an ongoing evangelisation of culture.
- Facilitating familiarity with the needs and requirements set out in this National Directory for Catechesis in Ireland.
- Initiating and supporting a research strategy to identify national and local faith development needs and suggest appropriate interventions.
- Supporting dioceses in the formulation of faith development elements of their Diocesan Plan.
- Helping dioceses establish good practice within their Faith Development Services.
- Supporting dioceses in the management of their schools through the resourcing of their Education Office.
- Drawing attention to local adult faith development needs and supporting dioceses in providing for those needs nationwide.
- Briefing the various national associations of Diocesan Advisers for Religious Education.
- Maintaining a centre for information on all faith development matters.
- Initiating new projects nationwide and expanding existing ventures in the various areas of faith development.
- Providing ongoing access to initiatives and resources through its website.
- Advising writers working on catechetical and religious education syllabuses and programmes.
- Producing an annual report, detailing national faith development initiatives.
- Reviewing the national policy for faith development at regular intervals.
- The National Faith Development Team will work closely with the Catholic Communications Office and other national offices of the Catholic Church to ensure a common understanding and continuity of approach to faith development throughout the Catholic Church in Ireland.
These objectives are taken from Share the Good News: National Directory for Catechesis in Ireland §143-144.