Educating Teachers and Catechists About Marriage and Family in the Catholic Tradition

Introduction

Within the Catholic tradition, the concept of “teacher” has a meaning somewhat broader than that of a professionally trained educator or an academic. In this context, additionally we would need to include those among the ordained clergy who exercise a teaching role, that is, bishops, priests, and deacons, as well as nonprofessional instructors in areas of marriage education, natural family planning, and faith education of the laity. Catechists, on the other hand, belong to a rather well-defined group as persons whose work, whether in paid or unpaid positions, is to instruct those who are preparing to enter the Catholic Church through the sacraments of baptism and/or confirmation and to a lesser extent those who are already members of the Church. The questions addressed here are: what form has the education of teachers and catechists in the field of marriage and family taken in the Catholic tradition? What are the distinctive elements of that education and the philosophy...