Verbum Vitae

Philosophical Significance of the Way, Experience, and Silence in the Context of Camino de Santiago

Inga Mizdrak — 2024-03-27

The problem addressed in the article refers to an attempt to present the phenomenon of the way, experience, and silence in the context of pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in modern times. The objective is to present what is popularly referred to as Camino as a dynamic and evolving perspective on human spirituality in relation to the challenges of modern times. The main thesis of the proposed study is that this type of pilgrimage offers an alternative to the phenomenon of increasing secularization. The key concepts related to the Camino were discussed and interpreted using the methods of analysis and synthesis in order to present the anthropological vision of the human being developed by Karol Wojtyła and Józef Tischner. An outline of their ideas reveals the deeper meaning of the way and experience. The main conclusion following from the analysis of the issue is that, by embarking on the Camino route, an individual is enabled to take a more in-depth look at his or her own condition, his or her perspective on relationships with others, contemplation, and new opportunities to organize and develop his or her own spirituality.

Navigating the Postmodern Landscape: Embracing Interdisciplinary Openness in Pastoral Theology

Damijan Ganc — 2024-03-27

In the face of rising secularization and the waning influence of the Church, contemporary pastoral theology encounters both a formidable challenge and an enticing opportunity in the postmodern era. This article explores how enhanced interdisciplinary engagement of pastoral theology can foster a renewed approach to evangelization aligned with contemporary sensibilities. Through a comprehensive literature review, we shed light on the experiences of the postmodern individual. By applying the analogy method and anchoring the concepts of “Logos Spermaticos” and “Influence and Vulnerability” in pastoral theology, we reveal its potential contribution to the interdisciplinary evolution of the concept of universal fraternity. The analysis shows that interdisciplinary collaboration in pastoral theology unfolds developmental prospects on two levels – learning from and learning with other disciplines. The “Logos Spermaticos” concept underscores the importance of acquiring new skills, empowering pastoral workers to communicate Christian doctrine more effectively. Simultaneously, the “Influence and Vulnerability” concept fosters a dialogical approach, positioning pastoral theology as a respected interlocutor in contemporary interdisciplinary dialogues. Collaborative efforts with other disciplines empower pastoral theology to foster dialogue and deepen the idea of universal fraternity, both in academic discourse and practical application. The interdisciplinary and global development of fraternal humanism represents the necessary “loosening of the soil” for the seed of the Word of God to sprout in the future. Therefore, it becomes imperative for pastoral theology to transcend its conventional role, actively engaging in interdisciplinary dialogue, thereby charting a course toward an elevated societal role and innovative avenues for proclaiming the Gospel.

Catholic Pastoral and Prophetic Responses to a Secularizing Landscape

John Sullivan — 2024-03-27

The purpose of this article is to offer a retrieval of some major themes in the writings of Romano Guardini and Ivan Illich, two twentieth century Catholic priests who responded to secularization in ways that could be described as both pastoral and prophetic. Guardini tended towards a more pastoral emphasis, while Illich’s stance was more prophetic. Guardini exemplified a Catholic way to bridge the gap often experienced between faith, life and culture. Illich demonstrated how a Catholic can address their culture in a way that is both challenging and fertile and does so in penetrating observations about contemporary secular professions and preoccupations. The article has three parts. In part one, I sketch a range of responses to Christianity that have emerged in an increasingly secular culture, as well as the types of response that Christians have made to such a culture. In parts two and three a representative sample of the writings of Guardini and Illich is drawn on and analysed, together with a range of secondary literature on Guardini and Illich, in order to explain the nature and the role of four key themes (in each case) within their overall outlook. For Guardini, in part two, these are Catholic worldview, liturgy, providence and cultural critique. For Illich, in part three, I examine his notion of the mission of the Church, his treatment of schooling, his understanding that modernity is a perversion of Christianity, and his advocacy of friendship as a healing and liberating mode of engaging the world

Why More “Exodus” Is Needed in Church and Pastoral Care. Reflections on an Attitude-Forming Paradigm Shift

Salvatore Loiero — 2024-03-27

The relationship between secularity and religion/religiosity is a main topic of practical theology and ecclesiastical pastoral care. However, several research papers on religious studies show that the thesis that with disappearing institutionalized religiosity, plural and differentiated forms of religiosity increase is not convincing. In fact, the development shows that where people do not experience religion, it becomes irrelevant to them. This fact is an urgent question for the Church: With and from which basic attitude can and will she be able to encounter religious and secular people in such ways that the Christian gospel of human emancipation and redemption can become a reality in their lives? The Church can realize such a fundamental attitude in reference to the biblical Exodus and by generating a pastoral exodus.

Preferential Option for the Family A Response of the Church in Poland to the Progressive Process of Secularisation

Marek Fiałkowski — 2024-03-27

The article asks how the Church can respond to the challenge of secularisation and counter its effects. At the same time, it is assumed that secularisation is not an inevitable phenomenon that one must surrender to by adapting to the current situation. Still, it is possible to develop an appropriate response to this phenomenon. The most appropriate response is prioritising the pastoral care of marriage and family. To this end, an analysis of the Church’s teaching and theological studies was carried out to show their potential, expressed primarily in the sacrament of marriage and the phenomenon of domestic Church. The Church’s strategy in the face of secularisation processes should be focused on discovering the richness of the sacrament of marriage and supporting families in the complex process of becoming a domestic Church. Other pastoral activities of the Church should be adapted and focused on this strategy, because by strengthening the family as the domestic Church, they become more effective.

Discovering the Child? Individualization Processes of Catholic Religious Education in the Horizon of Secularization since 1900

Alexander Maier — 2024-03-27

At the beginning of the 20th century, early processes of secularization – especially in working-class families living in large cities – and inadequate teaching methods led to a crisis of Catholic religious education. Teachers and professors highlighted that it was becoming more and more difficult for religious education to reach students and to ensure that they become devoted members of the Church. In this situation, a catechetical movement was established, which was mainly situated in Munich and Vienna, where teachers, catechists, and academics discussed reforms of the commonly used teaching methods in religious education. Conferences and the foundation of journals followed. It is at least from this point that the process of modernization in the field of religious education in the German-speaking context begins. This modernization gained traction after the Second Vatican Council and was also promoted by the phenomenon of secularization and pluralization after the 1960s. Against this background, the essay will address the following questions: What led to the modernization of religious education that began around 1900? What role was played by the new openness of catechists and theologians for education science and the (religious) pluralization of society? To answer this question, the article will focus on developments between 1900 and the 1920s, during the 1970s, and the more or less topical discussion about the concept of ‘theology of children’ since the late 1990s. This study will also ask whether this development can be described as the discovery of the child in theology and religious education. Finally, this paper asks what consequences this development has for a denominational religious education in state schools today and in the future.

Aspects of Synodality in Recent Catechetical Documents: The Directory for Catechesis and Antiquum Ministerium

Carl-Mario Sultana — 2024-03-27

This article seeks to draw out the implications of synodality as journeying together in some aspects of the Directory for Catechesis (2020) and of Antiquum Ministerium (2021). These notions of synodality cannot be fished out of these documents in an immediate way. The method which will be adopted is a bibliographical one where several texts will be analysed. The first part will seek to give a working definition of synodality. For a balanced view, this will be supplemented by some difficulties in synodality today. This will be followed by a very brief outline of how catechesis changed as a result of the Second Vatican Council. The Directory for Catechesis and Antiquum Ministerium will then be presented in terms of contents within them which point at or call for synodality. Finally, specific aspects of the contents of these two documents will be studied in view of their practical implications to catechesis in the contemporary secularised world, namely synodality within the structures of the Church entrusted with catechesis; accompaniment; listening and speaking, and discernment.

Awaken the Awareness of Transcendence: New Strategies for Catholic Schools in the Netherlands to Deal with Secularization

Theo van der Zee — 2024-03-27

Secularization poses serious challenges for religiously affiliated schools. Catholic schools in the Netherlands find themselves embarrassed regarding their educational endeavor because they are unable or lack the inspiration to talk about this subject in religious terms. This article aims to explore new ways of overcoming this embarrassment. Firstly, an overview is presented of the current situation and of the embarrassment of Catholic schools, in terms of their problematic choice of actions. Based on a critical-dialogical convergence of theological and pedagogical considerations, a Catholic vision on the educational endeavor is subsequently developed that is understood in terms of interruption, the other, and transcendence. From this vision of the educational endeavor, new strategies are presented – at the community level of Catholic schools, and at the individual level of teachers, school leaders, and governors – to promote an openness to receiving new, unexpected insights and possibilities. The receipt of these insights and possibilities is closely related to an awareness of transcendence, in both a secular and a religious sense. The initial findings of recent empirical research on the impact of these strategies are presented.

The Crisis of Adults and Its Implications for the Youth. A Theological-Pastoral Study within the Context of Croatia and the Roman Catholic Church Teaching

Ružica Razum — 2024-03-27

This article aims to show the connection between the current crisis of adults and the changes that can be observed in the level of religiosity/spirituality of today’s youth. The Roman Catholic Synod on Young People held in Rome highlighted the need to understand young people and their religiosity. Understanding and interpreting the religiosity, ecclesiasticism, and spirituality of today’s youth is necessary if we wish to answer their religious and spiritual questions properly. Nonetheless, this paper considers only one specific aspect of youth religiosity, that is, the connection between the world of adults, especially the crisis that has affected many of them, and the development of young people—especially of their spirituality/religiosity. The first part provides a basic outline of young people’s religiosity and their relationship to the Roman Catholic Church based on the research. The second part reflects on the crisis of intergenerational transmission of faith, critically evaluating the existing channels used for this purpose. The third part is a critical evaluation of some aspects of the life of adults, especially in light of the crisis that has affected adulthood. The last part, containing results and conclusion, emphasizes the necessity and importance of the formation of adults in the Roman Catholic Church. The research is based on a literature review, analysis of data obtained from research—carried out especially in the Republic of Croatia—as well as directions that come to us from the Roman Catholic Church documents.

The Culture of Temporariness in Pope Francis’ Teaching on Marriage and Family

Michał Borda — 2024-03-27

What Pope Francis describes as “the culture of temporariness” are all the changes taking place in communities and the broad anthropological and cultural context of the Western world. According to the pope, they include new ways of creating and maintaining relations, zapping, consumerism, individualism, the culture of rejection, unemployment, and NEET generation. In search for the Church’s response to secularization, the authors decided to explore Pope Francis’ instructions addressed to young people concerning marital and family life in the era of the current culture of temporariness. This is the major research objective of the article. To achieve it, using the method of literature review covering the topic, the authors first present the manifestations of the culture of temporariness among young people. Next, the consequences of the culture of temporariness in catechesis for marriages and families are indicated. In the last part of the paper, Pope Francis’s instructions for young people regarding the threats of the culture of temporariness in their lives and activities of marriages and families are elaborated on.

Catechesis in Postmodernity – the Scope for Dialogue

Kamilla Frejusz — 2024-03-27

Catechesis is always context-and-time-specific. It cannot be detached from reality, nor can it ignore the problems experienced by those being catechised. In this sense, postmodernity and its characteristic secularism place catechesis in a situation that requires recognition, and then discernment, of how in this new reality it is possible to proclaim catechesis and to reach the contemporary person with the Gospel. This article undertakes a reflection on the possibilities of catechetical dialogue with individuals living in postmodernity characterised by secularisation. The analysis addresses two principal issues. First, the context is described in which contemporary dialogue is conducted within the broadly understood catechesis. Then, specific points of convergence are identified that may open up a meeting space necessary for the emergence of dialogue with the postmodern person. The article concludes with a critical summary.

Katechetyczne i psychologiczne aspekty przynależności do wspólnoty Kościoła w okresie wczesnej adolescencji

Tomasz Kopiczko — 2024-03-27

From the point of view of both catechetics and psychology the period of early adolescence raises many difficulties and at the same time poses a challenge for scientific reflection and educational practice. The aim of this article is to undertake an interdisciplinary reflection on belonging to the community of the Church of people in early adolescence. The results of the undertaken scientific research have made the aim possible to be fulfilled in three important aspects. Firstly, it is the characterisation of the period of early adolescence with regard to the need for belonging. Secondly, the social and cultural challenges that constitute the context of adolescence have been shown. The third element is the identification of concrete proposals for solutions aimed at the practice of faith education. Through the use of an analytical and synthetic method, a number of theological and psychological texts but also empirical studies have been examined. It allows us to develop conclusions and to point out the need for concern for proper personal relationships, sensitive support of young people, correct transference of experiences and care for a sense of community.

Preparing Catholic Educators for Flourishing in a Secularized Society: A Case Study

Amy Roberts — 2024-03-27

As culture experiences secularization, and the importance of religion and prevalence of people holding religious worldviews diminishes, the work of forming Catholics who can live out their professional and Christian vocations as teachers in different types of schools becomes simultaneously more crucial and more complex. This article explores the importance of preparing Catholic teachers for employment in contemporary educational settings in the United States to respond to accelerating secularization. It argues that the Catholic Church’s vision for education can be implemented within the limitations of US education policy, especially through the careful preparation of Catholic teachers in Catholic Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs). First, it presents the unique context of US education, illustrating the setting in which such programs function and the associated challenges. Next, it shares the Church’s vision for well-prepared Catholic educators, identifying three key anthropological conflicts linked to secularization and explaining how the Church’s teaching on Catholic education as presented by Archbishop Michael Miller’s “Five Essential Marks of Catholic Schools” provides needed guidance for EPPs located in Catholic universities. Next, it offers a case study presenting one EPP’s efforts to respond to secularization through its program redesign according to a framework that integrates Miller’s Five Marks. Finally, it explains the difficulties facing Catholic EPPs as they integrate their mission with the demands of professional preparation.

(Re)vision of Religious Education of Children and Youth in Secularized Polish Society

Anna Zellma — 2024-03-27

Rapidly progressing multifaceted secularization processes in Polish society strongly influence the shape of religious education of children and adolescents in the school environment. They determine a number of dimensions of the social and mental activity of young people. Their effects are visible, especially in the attitudes of children and youth to God, the Church, religious lessons, moral norms, and religious practices. This situation raises new challenges for the religious education of the young. Reading this as a “sign of the times,” this article revises religious education in Polish schools. The need to reorganize the model of religious education lessons and to introduce changes in the curricular assumptions of religious education teaching, in student textbooks and methodological guides is pointed out. Pre-evangelization and educational activities, resignation from the mere transfer of religious knowledge, and the development of preconceived skills and attitudes are considered important. The author emphasizes the value of providing opportunities for the construction of knowledge and for the student’s own engagement during religious education lessons. In this context, much attention is paid to the role of the religious education teacher, who is to be first and foremost a companion on a journey, an educator and a witness of faith, open to new challenges, able to communicate effectively with students, creative, and tolerant. The right personality traits of the religious education teacher and their multiple competencies (including communicative and interpersonal ones) play a key role in religious education. They guarantee the effectiveness of communication within a group of religious lesson participants. They foster authentic interpersonal relationships and community-building, thus meeting the natural needs of young people. In practice, they require a paradigm shift in the formation of religious education teachers.

Optimising Religious Education in Poland in the Age of Secularisation

Paweł Mąkosa — 2024-03-27

The dynamic secularisation of Polish young people and the fact that many of them are opting out of religious classes prompts a critical analysis of the current model of Religious Education and the development of proposals that respond to contemporary socio-cultural challenges. In others words this article will seek to outline potential directions for modifying the current Religious Education model intended for secondary school students in Poland. This paper attempts to provide a synthetic answer to the following questions: Why is Religious Education in secondary schools today not leading to the expected results? What elements of it are inadequate for contemporary conditions? What should the model of Religious Education for young people look like in the context of a decline in religiousness? Where and how should catechesis be provided? This paper contributes to the discussion on the shape of Religious Education for young people in a changing society.

Transformations of Religiosity in Polish Society

Paweł Mąkosa — 2024-03-27

This article focuses on the transformations of religiosity within Polish society concerning self-declared affiliations, religious practices and moral principles, all framed within the context of Church activities. The study presents empirical analyses based on data obtained from research institutions and individual projects, highlighting differences between the general population and the youth demographic. The research findings confirm that dynamic secularisation predominantly affects the youth. The article also reflects on the possibility of the Church formulating an appropriate response to the identified challenges, although this issue remains open for further discussion.