ASK FR BITAJU | KAIROS GLOBAL | JANUARY 2021

Author: Fr Bitaju

Q. The Church grades students for their knowledge in catechism. So, is a student with more knowledge in catechism blessed than one who is faithful without catechism? 

Jerin Vakayil, Bangalore, India

I suppose your question seeks clarity on the real purpose of teaching catechism. In other words, whether grades in exams are more important than good character in the learner?  

The Latin roots of the word ‘education’ means ‘to bring up’ or ‘to lead out’ or ‘to draw out’.  The purpose of education, therefore, is to draw out the wealth of qualities and intelligence inherent in a child. The word ‘catechism’ derived from Greek katecheo literally means ‘sounding down towards’. Therefore, the sole purpose of education in catechism is to sound the truth of our Lord to echo in the hearts of our children and thus draw out the inborn qualities and intelligence within them. At the heart of this process is the development of a good character, which turns them into little Christs. Actually, catechism is a continuation of the process of our transformation in Christ initiated in our baptism. According to British educator Sir Anthony Seldon, ‘what is not “led out” of young people, what is not nurtured by the age of 16 or 18, may remain dormant in those individuals for the rest of their lives.’    

Catechism, in fact, unfolds the biblical truths, the gospel values. Therefore, learning them is meant to bring about a gradual transformation in the life of the learner.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church makes it very clear when it says, ‘The whole concern of doctrine and its teaching must be directed to the love that never ends.  Whether something is proposed for belief, for hope, or for action, the love of our Lord must always be made accessible, so that anyone can see that all the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love’ (CCC 25). St. Paul beautifully summarises it when he says, ‘I am in travail until Christ is formed in you’ (Gal. 4: 19). 

Often catechism is misunderstood and is treated as a mere necessity to receive the sacraments. Whereas, it is meant for a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith and a prop to grow in a deeper relationship with God. Moreover, catechism teachers also concentrate on other areas of formation, like, human values, good manners, self-discipline, wellbeing, moral science, etc.

Exams and grading in the education of catechism is important only to the extent that they are a means to motivate and encourage young children to be thorough with what they have learned.  Effective and fruitful education in catechism is not an effort to maximise the exam performance of our children but rather a process to maximise the chances of our children leading joyful, faithful, successful and healthy lives.  Sir Anthony Seldon underlines that ‘over emphasis on exams and grading can easily lead to closed minds and leave the heart cold, whereas a focus on character seeks to open up hearts and minds. The development of good character is a priority than exam success because good character strengths are a greater predictor of success in the school of life than mere exam passes.’ Therefore, a student well versed with mere knowledge in catechism without a corresponding witnessing life can only be an anomaly. 

YOUCAT 291 

How can a person tell whether his action is good or bad?

A person is capable of distinguishing good actions from bad ones because he possesses reason and a conscience, which enable him to make clear judgments. [CCC 1749-1754, 1757-1758]

The following guidelines make it easier to distinguish good actions from bad ones: (1) What I do must be good; a good intention alone is not enough. Bank robbery is always bad, even if I commit that crime with the good intention of giving the money to poor people. (2) Even when what I do is truly good, if I perform the good action with a bad intention, it makes the whole action bad. If I walk an elderly woman home and help her around the house, that is good. But if I do it while planning a later break-in, that makes the whole action something bad. (3) The circumstances in which someone acts can diminish his responsibility, but they cannot change at all the good or bad character of an action. Hitting one’s mother is always bad, even if the mother has previously shown little love to the child.