New catechetical directory strengthens faith formation in India

Bengaluru, Karnataka (Indian Catholic News) — The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India has issued a new catechetical directory that highlights the close link between catechesis, evangelisation, worship, communion and service.

The updated National Catechetical Directory, titled “Fostering of Faith of the Pilgrim People,” was released May 3 at St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences in Bangalore during the CCBI National Synodal Assembly.

“Prepared for the Indian context, Fostering of Faith of the Pilgrim People offers clear norms, principles, and guidelines for faith formation,” the bishops’ conference said in a press statement. “It highlights the close link between catechesis, evangelisation, worship, communion, and service.”

The directory was unveiled by Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão of Goa, president of the CCBI and the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, in the presence of senior Church leaders and members of the faith formation commission.

Originally approved by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation in April 2014, the revised edition “serves as a practical companion to the universal Directory for Catechesis,” the statement said. It has been updated “to reflect recent Church teachings and emerging social trends, while retaining its core structure and content.”

The document aims “to promote unity in proclaiming the Christian message while respecting cultural diversity in expressing the Catholic faith,” the bishops said.

Described as a “comprehensive guide,” the directory is intended for bishops, priests, religious, catechists and lay leaders involved in faith formation, including youth animators and members of basic ecclesial communities.