Catechesis in Europe during the 20th century

Abstract

During the 20th century, the teaching of the Catechism, and all the other forms of religious education were undergoing very serious changes and transformations. As a result of these transformations, we get the gradual introduction of the Bible as one of the main sources of the pastoral activity of the Church, especially catechesis. The Bible emerged from a period of hibernation into which it had entered for several centuries. In this work, the catechetical endeavours of Germany, of France and of Malta are highlighted. In this respect, we find the Munich method and to a much larger extent the Kerygmatic method, in Germany. In France, the use of the Bible is more linked to individual persons who, each in his or her own way tried to give a more central place to the Bible, thus opening the way to a more biblical catechesis. In Malta, we get Fr Ġorġ PRECA, who through his writings of a catechetical and educational nature gave the Word of God to the Maltese people in the vernacular.