Deepening Our Faith

Catechesis – Greek meaning to echo the teaching of Christ. In our context Catechesis is accompaniment, education, and formation in the faith and for the faith.  It is enabling people to grow in the depth of their understanding of God, Jesus and the Church.

Catechesis is set upon the foundation of Evangelisation (see Sharing our faith section) and works to develop Christian maturity by entering into the reality of people’s lives and accompanying them to have a thorough and systematic understanding of Christ and Catholic teaching.

There are many ways that Catechesis can take place, through the Mass, through the witness of other Catholics, through informal faith sharing. To really go deeper and experience a more ‘systematic understanding’ there are diocesan courses designed for different stages of your faith journey. See the formation pathway for a guide to what might be right for you right now.

‘Formation’ involves helping people develop into the people God intended them to be. Helping them to grow deeper in their relationship with Christ in order that they can respond to God’s baptismal calling which is unique to them.

The Church has many pathways for this:

• Through the Sacraments, especially through Mass and Reconciliation
• Through our prayer lives
• Through our understanding of scripture and reflecting on its relationship to our own experiences
• Through the witness of others including the Saints

The diocese offers courses that can help people go deeper in faith. These are intended to support and strengthen the local parish offers of faith formation.

Our formation pathway is designed to give a menu of choices that indicate whether this is for someone ‘just starting’ on their journey who may opt for a ‘starter’ course or someone who is more experienced who want something more substantial. The intention with all of the courses on offer is that people don’t just take a nibble but feast and keep feasting on the wisdom and teaching available.

So have a look at what is on offer and come to the table, in fact bring a friend.

Lay Training Fund

The Lay Training Fund (LTF) is for all areas of adult formation and education which are not normally provided as part of parish life. The suitability of an application will be assessed by the Lay Training Fund Committee which is made of the Episcopal Vicar for Faith & Mission, lay coordinator for Faith & Mission, a clergy expert in formation, a member of the Finance team and a lay representative, normally the chair of the lay Pastoral council.

Whether we work in the Diocese or in the wider world, whether we are involved in parish life in catechesis, liturgy or other ministries, we need to understand our Faith and we need to know what the Church teaches, and be able to discern our calling, so that we can live out our vocation and mission and thus witness to the faith we have, in response to the changing needs of the Church within society. The Lay Training Fund is available to support this vision.

For further information, please email adminfaith.mission@diocesehn.org.uk.

The bible continues to be the world’s best-selling book, with an estimated over 5 billion copies sold to date. For Catholics the bible is a source for daily reflection, an opportunity to learn the way in which God’s nature and will for his children is revealed.  In the words of Pope Francis, it offers Catholics the opportunity to ‘experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world.’ (Aperuit illis) Over the last few years there has been a renewed commitment to encouraging Catholics to connect more with their bibles. The Catholic Church in England and Wales, in partnership with Bible Society, invites the faithful to celebrate, live and share the Bible throughout 2020 and beyond through their initiative, ‘The God Who Speaks’.