It is so very common to hear folks say that, since Vatican II, religious formation classes “haven’t taught anything,” or to hear an exasperated adult say, “I was never taught that in religion class!” What is often an issue is that humans aren’t likely to remember the things that they don’t have reinforced through use and repetition. The other thing is, obviously, children don’t have the ability to learn at the same level as adults, so the material that is presented in a religious formation class is often only part of the picture. It is entirely possible that you weren’t taught some aspect of the faith as a child, because the expectation was that you’d learn it as an adult… or almost an adult. These gaps in knowledge of the faith were one of the main issues that motivated groups that now fall under the umbrella of the United States Council of Catholic Bishops to write a document in 1999 entitled, “Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States”. This document is near and dear to my heart because it had just been released as I was working on my Master’s project and thesis, which focused on the need for parents to be educated right along with their children. Almost twenty-five years later, I feel like this document is full of great wisdom that few people read, let alone acted upon. This week, I’d like to set the stage by painting the picture of religious formation today. In the next week, or so, I’ll continue by sharing some of the wisdom found in that document.
I’ll begin by asserting that classes, since Vatican II, have used books and other materials of high quality, and they only continue in getting better. Many programs and catechists (teachers) have done, and continue to do, a great job of conveying information about the faith. Where the formation can be lacking, however, is in the choice of catechists who aren’t always equipped to handle a classroom. Yet, in all of my years as a director of formation, I can only think of a few times where I was concerned that a catechist, while trying, wasn’t really up to the task. In all other instances, great things were happening in those classrooms. The real gap was that while we conveyed the information, or showed how to participate in sacraments, that learning wasn’t reinforced at home. We’d teach that the Eucharist is, truly, the Body and Blood of Christ, and parents would tell their child that it is just a symbol. A child would memorize a prayer prior to their First Eucharist, and then seldom recite it afterward, because they aren’t praying Grace before meals, or attending Mass in order to recite The Lord’s Prayer. The problem isn’t found in the formation, it is in the lack of reinforcement from a supportive community.
The other issue that I mentioned was the reality that some topics may not have been covered in the formation of your youth. This, too, has to do with community. Back in the day, the Church invested a great deal of effort and money in developing a Catholic school system that was to provide a quality education in all subjects, including Religion. The premise, in that situation, was that a student would obtain “complete” formation if they attended formation from First through Twelfth Grades. Having said that, there was also an assumption that adults would continue to learn through hearing insightful homilies and attending parish missions and other adult learning opportunities. This structure falls flat when people aren’t attending Mass, let alone other events. Currently, only 17% of adults in the United States report going to Mass weekly, or more often (Catholic News Agency, “Where is Mass attendance highest? One country is the clear leader,” Jonah McKeown, Jan 29, 2023). Participation in community is lacking. We can’t learn if we are absent.
I don’t want to end on a low point, because the news isn’t all bad! It is the honest truth to say that good things are going on in our parishes, but participation is the main issue. As such, I encourage you to step up and take a class that is offered in the parish, or attend Mass more often. Read a book from a good, Catholic source. Keep on doing it. I’m pretty sure that you’ll learn something new, and you’ll be happy that you did!