Forming Intentional Disciples Introduction & Chapter 1 ...
Transcript of Forming Intentional Disciples Introduction & Chapter 1 ...
Forming Intentional Disciples
Introduction & Chapter 1
Summary Points
“We learned that our first need at the parish level isn’t catechetical. Rather, our fundamental
problem is that most of our people are not yet disciples.” (Intro pg 11)
We often say that those who leave the church will return when they get married or have
children.“...National studies have revealed that those who leave the Church do not, by and
large, return.”(16) “One huge problem with this paradigm is that Catholic marriage rates are,
in fact, plummeting.”(36) “If younger Catholics are not going to Mass or getting married in the
Church, why would they bother to raise their children in the faith?” (39)
In this post-modern world the spiritual winds can blow in and out of the Church. This spiritual
climate and times can provide a threat but more importantly a real opportunity to adjust our
evangelizing, catechetical and pastoral practices to the current needs and realities. (18)
“Since the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, the Catholic retention strategy has
been (a) childhood catechesis and (b) sacramental initiation.” “But the evidence suggests that
what worked in the seventeenth century does not work in the twenty-first.” (34)
“It is the adult spiritual journey - building upon his or her experience as a child and teenager -
that is most likely to translate into lifelong faith and consistent religious practice.” (35)
“In the 21st century we have to foster intentional Catholicism rather than cultural
Catholicism.” (39)
“...only 48 percent of Catholics were absolutely certain that the God they believed in was a God
with whom they could have a personal relationship.” (44)
“...for younger Catholics, the level of attendance at worship services is directly correlated with
the certainty that it is possible to have a personal relationship with God. This correlation is not
true for older Catholics, those sixty-nine years of age and above.” (44)
“Certainly, one of the most fundamental challenges facing our Church is this: The majority of adult Catholics are not even certain that a personal relationship with God is possible.” (46)
“The majority of Catholics in the United States are sacramentalized but not evangelized.” (46)
“So we live in a time of immense challenge and immense opportunity,” (46)