by Brother John
Samaha, S.M.
As
we begin the observe the Year of Faith marking the 20th anniversary
of the publication if the Catechism of
the Catholic Church,
it is helpful to examine the various meanings
attached to the term “catechism” and “catechist” throughout past history.
Long
before the invention of the printing press in 1450, learning was passed on
primarily by word of mouth. Learning was
an oral and aural experience. “Catechism” comes from an ancient Greek verb that
means “to echo.” A teaching would be explained
or recited and the listener would be asked to “echo” it, or repeat it until it
was learned. This method of learning
reached back to ancient times. Even
before the establishment of the Church, Jewish teachers in the Old Testament
era had taught the Scriptures by asking the learner to repeat verses again and
again. This was a common method of teaching and learning.
With
the development of the printing press the speak-and-echo method of catechesis
was adapted to a question-and-answer approach that could be set in print. The Church adopted this system, and it was
successful. This is evident in the
influence of the catechisms authored by St. Peter Canisius (d. 1597) and St.
Robert Bellarmine (d. 1621).
On
a deeper and more personal level, both catechist and catechized were expected
to interiorize the truth being studied and
“echo” it in their personal lives by the faithful
living of the lesson. It is with this
intent that the late Cardinal John Wright chose as his episcopal motto Resonare Jesum. Echo Jesus!
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