Catechumenate

The catechumenate is the time suggested in the Catholic church with those which wish to become Christian while preparing to receive the “sacraments of Christian initiation”: the Baptism, the Confirmation and the Eucharistie.

History

In the Church of the first centuries, the catechumenate was the central place of the catechesis (announces faith, teaching Christian) and was marked out many rites of initiation. This time, from two to three years, premettait at the local Christian community to test and make grow the faith of the convert by existential and dogmatic catecheses centered on the listening of the word, the catechesis of the two ways and the major comprehension of the dogmas. Initially post-baptismal, the catechumenate was as of III^ème systematically pre-baptismal century and was then followed generally other post-baptismal catecheses (mystagogic catecheses).

When the practice of the Baptême of the children was generalized and massifiée, between VI^ème and V^ème centuries, the catechumenate fell in disuse and périclita. In 1972, following the Concile Vatican II, the practice of the catechumenate (christianae adultorum) was restored in the Latin Church Catholique.

Topicality of the catechumenate

The Catholic church specifies the central importance of the catechesis in the maturation of the spiritual life. She recommends the establishment of a post-baptismal catechumenate ( Cathéchisme of the Catholic church §1231), generally concretized in the catechism of the children and the movements intended for youth.

The Catechumenate of the adults tends to being confused with the Way néo-catéchuménal. Pape Benoît XVI however proceeded, in December 2005, with a development near the persons in charge of the Way néo-catéchuménal. He asked the communities neocatechuménales to attend the Sunday mass once a month. Very widespread in South America, in Italy, in Spain, in Poland and in the many ones of other countries, the Way néocatéchuménal profited from many supports by sovereign pontiffs. Everywhere in the world, of many bishops reserves screw-with screw of this marginal movement emitted. Created in Spain in the Years 1960, this preserving mobility of catholics eager to preserve the integrity of their faith wants to be " a new way of conversion".

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