SALESIAN PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY Faculty of Theology Department of Youth Pastoral and Catechetics
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SALESIAN PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY Faculty of Theology Department of Youth Pastoral and Catechetics CATECHISTS’ UNION OF JESUS CRUCIFIED AND OF MARY IMMACULATE Towards a Renewal of Identity and Formation Program from the Perspective of Apostolate Doctoral Dissertation of Ruta HABTE ABRHA Moderator: Prof. Francis-Vincent ANTHONY Rome, 2010-2011 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to take this opportunity to express my immense gratitude to God who has sustained, inspired and strengthened me in the entire journey of this study. I have strongly felt his presence and providence. I also want to express my gratitude, appreciation and esteem for all those who have worked and collaborated with me in the realization of this study. My deepest gratitude goes to the first moderator of this study, Prof. Francis-Vincent Anthony, SDB, Director of the Institute of Pastoral Theology in UPS, for having orientated the entire work with great patience and seriousness offering competent suggestions and guidelines and broadening my general understanding. I want to thank him for his essential indications in delineating the methodology of the study, for having indicated and offered necessary sources, for his generosity and readiness in dedicating so much time. If this study has obtained any methodological structure or has any useful contribution the merit goes to him. I esteem him greatly and feel so much pride for having him as my principal guide. Again my most sincere gratitude goes to the second moderator of the study, Prof. Ubaldo Montisci, SDB, former Director of the Catechetical Institute in UPS, for his most acute and attentive observations that enlightened my mind and for having encouraged me to enrich the research by offering concrete suggestions. I cannot forget his joyful availability and very welcoming approach for it was motivating me and filling me with energy to go ahead. I am also very grateful to the third moderator, Prof. Gianfranco Coffele, SDB, vice- Rector of the University, who despite his busy schedule has managed to read the entire work thoroughly providing me with suggestions for improvement. My deepest gratitude goes also to Fr. Tedros Abraha, OFM, former Director of the Theological Institute of Asmara and actual professor in Antonianum, Urbaniana and Oriental Institute in Rome. He has followed this study from the beginning to the end encouraging me untiringly with great concern and enthusiasm and making himself available in every possible way. In the same way, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Madre Maria Carla Frison, vice-Superior of the Acknowledgements community of the Canossian Sisters, who inspired me and my superiors to undertake this study. She was always ready to do anything she could for the success of my study. In fact, her loving care and dedication has sustained me and made me arrive to the end. Together with them, I would like to thank in a very particular way Fr. Awte Weldu for having corrected my English with great patience offering his precious time. I am most grateful to Madre Stella Cisterna, General Councillor of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of Divine Providence, who without any hesitation welcomed me to their house and continuously provided me with everything that I needed. I owe her a lot for the completion of this work particularly in the last moments, in the face of several difficulties, has shown me the loving care of God which will remain with me for ever. Again my sincere word of gratitude to the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools who have provided me with financial support for my study through the collaboration of Br. Alberto Gomez, General Councillor of the Institute of the Brothers and Accessory General of the Catechists’ Union, and Br. Pedro Arrambide, Coordinator of Solidarity and Development Program of the Institute of the Brothers. Both of them welcomed me to their Institute with such gentleness and attention and were ready to do their best for the success of my study. In addition, I want to thank Br. Alberto for having helped me in getting access to the general archive of their Institute and also for having assisted me in translating certain documents. I owe a big debt of gratitude to the Most Rev. Bishop of Asmara, Abune Menghesteab Tesfamariam, for his paternal care and support and for having shown great interest in my research. I am very grateful to the former General Presidents of the Catechists’ Union Dr. Domenico Conti, Sig. Leonardo Rollino and Sig. Leandro Pierbattisti for their continuous encouragement, for the most valuable suggestions they offered and also for their availability for an interview. In a particular way, I want to thank Sig. Leandro for having collaborated with me in sending the materials necessary for my research and for having assisted me in using the general archive of the Catechists’ Union. Deep sentiments of gratitude to my mother Maria who sustained me by her love and prayers, to the first consecrated member of the Catechists’ Union in Eritrea Izghilewa Ghebrehawariat, to my sisters and brothers, to Sr. Caterina Kiflemariam, to my friends Prof. Giovanna Riboli and Fr. Flavian Kassala who have given me great moral support throughout the study. Ruth Habtesllassie 3 SUMMARY List of Abbreviations ……………………………………………………………………………... .... 6 General Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………... .. .. 9 Part One HISTORICAL EVOLUTION AND NATURE OF SECULAR INSTITUTES Chapter I: Historical Evolution of Secular Institutes …………………………………………... …. .. 18 Chapter II: Identity, Apostolate and Formation Program of Secular Institutes ………………... …. .. 61 Part Two HISTORICAL EVOLUTION AND NATURE OF THE “CATECHISTS’ UNION” Chapter III: Historical Origin and Develop ment of the “Catechists’ Union” …………………... ….. 119 Chapter IV: Identity, Apostolate and Formation Program of the “Catechists’ Union” …………... ... 187 Part Three HISTORICAL EVOLUTION AND NATURE OF CATECHETICAL ACTION IN THE CHURCH Chapter V: Overvi ew of the Historical Evolution of Catechetical Action in the Church …………. .. 231 Chapter VI: Nature of Catechesis in the Church …………………………………………………... .. 267 Chapter VII: Identity, Apostolate and Formation of Catechists in the Church ……………………... 298 Summary Part Four TOWARDS A RENEWAL OF THE “CATECHISTS’ UNION” Chapter VIII: Renewal of the “Catechists’ Union” with a Focus on the Catechetical and Social Apostolate …………………………………………………………………... ……... ... 347 General Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………... ...... 419 Bibliography ………………………………………………………………………………………… 425 General Index ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 463 5 ∗ LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 1. Ecclesial Documents AA Apostolicam Actuositatem, Decree of Second Vatican Council on the Apostolate of Lay People AG Ad Gentes, Decree of Second Vatican Council on the Church’s Missionary Activity CCC Catechism of the Catholic Church CD Christus Dominus, Decree of Second Vatican Council on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church ChL Christifideles Laici, Apostolic Exhortation of John Paul II on the Lay Members of Christ’s Faithful People CIC Codex Iuris Canonici, Code of Canon Law, 1983 CSan Cum Sanctissimus, An Instruction of the Sacred Congregation for the Religious Concerning Secular Institutes CT Catechesi Tradendae, Apostolic Exhortation of John Paul II on Catechesis in Our Time DV Dei Verbum, Dogmatic Constitution of Second Vatican Council on Divine Revelation EN Evangelii Nuntiandi, Apostolic Exhortation of Paul VI on Evangelization in the Modern World FC Familiaris Consortio, Apostolic Exhortation of John Paul II on the Christian Family in the Modern World ∗ All abbreviations for biblical sources as well as biblical quotations used in this study are as in the: New Jerusalem Bible. Study Edition, London-Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd, 1994. List of Abbreviations FdC Formazione dei Catechisti nella Comunità Cristiana, Document of Italian Episcopal Conference, Series N° 25, 1982 GCD General Catechetical Directory GDC General Directory for Catechesis GS Gaudium et Spes, Pastoral Constitution of Second Vatican Council on the Church in the Modern World LG Lumen Gentium, Dogmatic Constitution of Second Vatican Council on the Church MM Mater et Magistra, Encyclical Letter of John XXIII on Christianity and Social Progress OIFC Orientamenti e Itinerari di Formazione dei Catechisti, Document of Italian Episcopal Conference, Series N° 59, 1991 PC Perfectae Caritatis, Decree of Second Vatican Council on the Up-to-date Renewal of Religious Life PF Primo Feliciter, Motu Proprio of Pius XII Concerning Secular Institutes PME Provida Mater Ecclesia, Apostolic Constitution of Pius XII Concerning Secular Institutes PO Presbyterorum Ordinis, Decree of Second Vatican Council on the Ministry and Life of Priests PP Populorum Progressio, Encyclical Letter of Paul VI on the Development of Peoples PT Pacem in Terris, Encyclical Letter of John XXIII on Peace on Earth RCIA Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults RdC Rinnovamento della Catechesi, Document of Italian Episcopal Conference on the Renewal of Catechesis RM Redemptoris Missio, Encyclical Letter of John Paul II on the Mission of the Redeemer RN Rerum Novarum, Encyclical Letter of Leon XIII on the Condition of Labor SC Sacrosanctum Concilium, Constitution of Second Vatican Council on the Sacred Liturgy VC Vita consacrata, Apostolic Exhortation of John Paul II on Consecrated Life 7 List of Abbreviations 2. Institutions and Conferences AMI Associazione di Maria Immacolata CCAM Casa di Carità Arti e Mestieri CEC Centro Evangelizzazione e Catechesi CEI Conferenza Episcopale Italiana