IT is refreshing to hear that Pope Benedict XVI has proclaimed a Year of Faith (CL 4/3/12), designed to overcome “religious illiteracy”, which His Holiness has described as a lack of knowledge about what the Church taught and why.
His Holiness has said in his extempore address, that the lost illiteracy must be recovered, not as a package of dogmas and commandments, but as a unique reality that reveals itself through its depth and beauty.
The Pope said also that it was important for Catholics to know the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
It seems evident to me that the unique reality of the lost literacy referred to by His Holiness cannot manifest itself, unless all of the contents of the Catholic Catechism are taught comprehensively as being the revealed Word of God.
The depth and beauty of those truths will then follow.
The challenge will be on the clergy as how to best implement Pope Benedict’s wishes.
The surest way would appear to be the preaching of the contents of the Catechism from the pulpit over the period of the Year of Faith, which will run from October 2012 to November 2013.
A series of weekly handout sheets could be prepared, to ensure that nothing is missed, or alternatively copies of the Catechism could be provided in the pews.
TERENCE LEE
Willoughby, NSW
