CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS
|
Chairman |
Arch Bishop George Njaralakatt |
|
Member |
Bishop Lawrence Mukkuzhy |
|
Member |
Bishop Joseph Arumachadath MCBS |
|
Secretary |
Fr. Thomas Melvettath |
THE STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION OF SYRO-MALABAR CATECHESIS
The catechetical system of the Syro-Malabar Church is organized in four
levels: Synodal, Eparchial, Forane / regional, and Parochial.
Synodal Commission for Catechesis
Bishop Chairman 1
Bishop Members 2
Priest Secretary
Office Secretary |
Syro-Malabar Catechetical Committee (SMCC)
Eparchial catechetical director and two representatives of the catechists, one religious sister and one lay catechist, catechetical experts nominated by the Synodal Commission |
Syro-Malabar Catechetical centre
at Mount St. Thomas, Kakkanad |
Eparchial Catechetical Department
Director |
Catechetical Council
Forane Catechetical Directors, Forane President/Secretaries, Representative of the promoters and headmasters Five nominees of the Bishop |
Catechetical Centre
at diocesan Pastoral Centre |
Regional Catechetical Department
Director
Secretary and Promoters |
Regional Catechetical Council
Forane Vicar, Director,President/Secretary, 2 representatives
of the Parish Priests, Catechism Promoters and Headmasters of the Sunday schools in the Forane |
Parish Catechetical Department
Director (Parish Priest)
Headmaster
Teachers |
Parish Catechetical Council
Parish catechism director, assistant parish priests
(if any), headmaster/headmistress, secretary, parish kaikarans (trustees), superiors of the religious houses, at least two representatives each of the catechism teachers, and of the parents |
1. AT THE SYNODAL LEVEL
1 |
The Synodal Commission for Catechesis
The commission consists of three bishops appointed by the Major
Archbishop for a period of five years. One of them serves as the
chairman of the commission as designated by the Major Archbishop
himself. The main function of this commission is to coordinate, animate,
and foster the catechetical ministry of the Syro-Malabar Church. This
commission shall have a secretary appointed by the chairman in order to
assist the commission in its functioning. |
2 |
The Syro-Malabar Catechetical Committee (SMCC)
In order to assist the commission there shall be a committee consisting
of representatives from each eparchy. This committee is known as Syro-Malabar
Catechetical Committee (SMCC).The committee shall include from each
eparchy the eparchial catechetical director and two representatives of
the catechists, one religious sister and one lay catechist, together
with the catechetical experts nominated by the Synodal Commission. This
committee has to meet at least once in a year, in order to evaluate the
catechetical activities of the Church, to find out solutions for the
problems in the catechetical ministry of the Church, and to plan the
catechetical programs for the future |
3 |
Syro-Malabar Catechetical Centre
Besides the Syro-Malabar catechetical Committee, both the Synodal
Commission and the SMCC shall have an office at the Major Archbishop's
Curia Kakkanad. And this office shall be known as the Syro-Malabar
Catechetical Centre. The secretary of the Synodal Commission for the
Catechesis shall be responsible for the management of this centre. Its
address shall be Syro-Malabar Catechetical Centre, Mount St.Thomas
P.B.No.7, Kakkanad, Kochi 682021, Kerala, INDIA. |
II. AT THE EPARCHIAL LEVEL
Apart from the Synodal level, catechetical ministry of
the Church is also organized at the eparchial level. It is actually at the
eparchial level that the catechetical ministry is in its real action. At the
eparchial level also it is organized under a department headed by a director
and a council which assists the director to co-ordinate the catechetical
activities of the eparchy
1 |
Eparchial Catechetical Department
Each eparchy should have a catechetical department in order to
co-ordinate animate and foster the catechetical ministry in the eparchy.
This department should have a director appointed by the Bishop, and
adequate staff for the running of the department. The eparchial
catechetical department shall be responsible for the animation of the
catechetical activities of the eparchy, especially in the parishes and
the Schools. It shall also be responsible for the formulation of
syllabus and curriculum for the year for conducting examinations and
issuing certificates at the eparchial level, and for the formation of
catechists in the eparchy. |
2 |
Eparchial Catechetical Council
The diocesan catechetical director shall be assisted by an eparchial
catechetical council consisting of Forane catechetical directors, Forane
secretaries, representative of the promoters and headmasters and five
nominees of the Bishop. This council shall meet at least once in a year
to evaluate, plan and organize the catechetical activities of the
eparchy. |
3 |
Eparchial Catechetical Centre
Each eparchy should have a center for the efficient conduct of the
catechetical department. This centre shall be known as the eparchial
catechetical centre. At this centre the catechetical department
functions under the directorship of a priest appointed by the Bishop and
with the help of the staff working at the centre. It functions as the
animation centre for the whole catechetical apostolate of the eparchy. |
III. FORANE / REGIONAL LEVEL
Within the eparchy, catechetical activities can be further organized
under the Forane or regional levels as per the need and size of the eparchy.
1 |
Forane / Regional Catechetical Department
(Director, Secretary and Promoters)
Each Forane or region should have a director appointed by the bishop
after getting the opinion of the priests from the Forane. In order to
assist him in the catechetical activities of the Forane there should be
a secretary, preferably, a religious sister. In order to help them
promoters may be appointed by the eparchial catechetical director after
getting the opinion of the Forane/ regional catechetical council. The
director, secretary, promoters, and the representatives of the
headmasters together with the Forane vicar shall be responsible for the
co-ordination and animation of the catechetical activities of the Forane
or the region. |
2 |
Forane / Regional Catechetical Council
In order to assist the catechetical activities of Forane or region there
shall be a Forane or regional catechetical council. The council consists
of Forane vicar, director, president/secretary two representatives of the parish
priests, catechism promoters from the Forane, and all the headmasters of
the Sunday schools. Other representatives may be co-opted if need
arises. They have to organize catechetical activities within the Forane/
region according to the directions given from the catechetical
department of the eparchy. This council has to meet at least once in six
months and have to evaluate plan and organize the catechetical
activities of the Forane.y. |
IV. AT THE PARISH LEVEL
At the parish level, catechetical activities are
organized under the directorship of parish priest. In order to assist the
parish priest in the co-ordination and animation of the catechetical
activities, every parish should have s team of zealous and competent
catechism teachers. In the same way, every parish should have also a
Headmaster or Headmistress in order to facilitate the catechetical
activities of the parish. The parish priest and all the catechism teachers
of the parish together form the staff council of the parish.
1 |
Director, Headmaster, and Teachers
The parish priest by his office is the director of catechism at the
parish level. He has to co-ordinate and animate the catechetical
activities of the parish in accordance with the directions of the
eparchial catechetical department. In order to help the director in the
catechetical activities of the parish, there shall be a team of
catechism teachers appointed by the director. In order to co- ordinate
and facilitate the catechetical activities of the parish as per the
eparchial customs a capable catechism teacher is to be selected and
appointed as the Headmaster or Headmistress of the Sunday School by the
parish priest after due consultation with the staff council. Besides,
another teacher is elected by the staff council as its secretary. He I
she will be in charge of the official correspondence and keeping the
minutes of the council meetings. |
2 |
Forane / Regional Catechetical Council
In order to assist the catechetical activities of Forane or region there
shall be a Forane or regional catechetical council. The council consists
of Forane vicar, director, president/secretary two representatives of the parish
priests, catechism promoters from the Forane, and all the headmasters of
the Sunday schools. Other representatives may be co-opted if need
arises. They have to organize catechetical activities within the Forane/
region according to the directions given from the catechetical
department of the eparchy. This council has to meet at least once in six
months and have to evaluate plan and organize the catechetical
activities of the Forane.y. |
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