“The catechesis of … adults aims at teaching them to meditate on the word of God in personal prayer, practicing it in liturgical prayer and internalizing it at all times in order to bear fruit in a new life.” ~ Catechism of the Catholic Church #2688
At its heart, adult faith formation should lead to lifelong conversion of the whole person to the Father’s call to holiness and eternal life. Adult faith formation leads to the celebration of the sacraments, in particular the Eucharist, and a life of prayer. Adult faith formation in the diocese can include Scripture studies, discussion and fellowship groups, Pathways and fraternal organizations.
According to the National Directory for Catechesis, there are three goals for adult faith formation:
- To invite and enable adults “to acquire an attitude of conversion to the Lord.”
- To help adults make a “conscious and firm decision to live the gift and choice of faith through membership in the Christian community.”
- To help adults to become “more willing and able to be a Christian disciple in the world.”
The major tasks of adult faith formation include:
- An understanding of the sacraments
- A development of dedication to prayer
- A commitment to works of charity and justice
- An involvement in spiritual activities
- An understanding that evangelization means proclaiming the Gospel through word, deed and action
- An education toward an informed moral conscience
