Dear Friend in Christ,
May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you! I am writing to share with you what I believe the Spirit of God has called me to actualize for the building up of His Kingdom.
The General Directory for Catechesis states that in order for a parish to succeed in the mission of evangelization, adult catechesis must be given priority. In its document entitled, In Support of Catechetical Ministry, the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) teaches, “the primacy of adult catechetical efforts must be kept in the forefront, acknowledging that there are many adults who need to be reconnected with the substance of Catholic teaching.” It further states that a strong Christian community cannot exist unless the systematic catechesis of adults is seen as “the central task of the catechetical enterprise.” Pope John Paul II, in his apostolic exhortation, Catechesi Tredendae, writes, “Adult catechesis is the chief form of catechesis…Because of its importance and because all other forms of catechesis are oriented in some way to it, the catechesis of adults must have high priority at all levels of the Church.”
In light of the Church’s magisterial teaching on adult catechesis, I invite you to reflect further.
- Is adult catechesis given priority in your parish?
- Are the efforts of adult catechesis at the forefront of your parish’s catechetical program?
- Are the Catholics in your parish connected to the substance of Catholic teaching?
- Is adult catechesis the central task of the catechetical enterprise in your parish?
A high percentage of Catholic parishes would answer no to these questions. The failure to achieve the magisterial desire, for priority of adult catechesis, is a growing problem in the Catholic Church. The major obstacles are a lack of personnel to direct an adult catechism program and a lack of funding for appropriate materials.
The Divine Child Institute, Inc. (DCI) has been established for the purpose of answering the call of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, that is, to connect adults with the substance of Catholic teaching by offering educational lectures on a variety of Catholic Faith topics. Under the patronage of the Divine Child, who taught the elders in the Temple, the DCI provides adults with systematic theological and biblical formation necessary to nurture their own relationship with God. It empowers adult Catholics with the tools needed to effectively evangelize and heed the command of St. Peter: “Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is within you” (1Peter 3:15).
In order to help pastors prioritize adult catechesis, by offering educational lectures on the Catholic faith, we need you to prayerfully consider how you can assist us financially. With your one time monetary gift or monthly pledge that is tax deductible, the DCI will provide theological and biblical seminars to parishes and communities, so necessary, to affect our dire need for adult catechesis renewal.
Your financial support would further enable us to produce Catholic audio cds, DVDs and books, as well as continuing to provide resources on the website. These materials will equip Catholics with the intellectual and spiritual power needed to become effective evangelizers in the new evangelization.
If you are interested in supporting the cause of adult catechetical renewal, I invite you to either complete the donation form by clicking on the “donate” button in the upper righthand of your screen or mailing your tax deductible donation to the address below. Your support is greatly appreciated, whether it is sacrifice and prayer for the success of the DCI, or your monetary donation.
May the Divine Child Jesus richly bless you and Our Lady keep you under her mantle of love.
To Jesus through Mary,
Karlo Broussard
Founder and President of The Divine Child Institute for Catechetical Renewal, Inc.
1522 Westwood Ave.
Wenatchee, WA 98801
e-mail: contact@divinechildinstitute.com
The Divine Child Institute, Inc. would like to thank you for your generosity in supporting this apostolic endeavor. The Institute is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit institution registered as The Divine Child Institute. The Institute’s federal tax ID number is 45-0634300. All gifts to The Divine Child Institute are deductible for income tax purposes.