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December 29, 2003
In case you were wondering
(It's a pdf file, btw)
Speaking of such matters, allow me to bleg for a moment - high school religion teachers, drop me a line, if you would. Tell me what texts you're using and how you feel about them, okay?
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I noticed that "Growing in Love," the program that traddies get all bent out of shape over, is on the list of approved textbooks.
I guess the fur is going to fly now!
Posted by: Patrick Rothwell at Dec 30, 2003 9:58:50 AM
Although we will be introducing the Didache Series text "Our Moral Life in Christ" in Fall 2004 for our Junior Morality course, two texts on the 'conformity' list which we have used prior to the Didache: "Your Life in Christ" and "Catholic Social Teaching" - are both excellent texts. We are dropping these texts in favor of the Didache so as to maintain continuity of texts throughout the curriculum and because we want our students to be introduced to bioethical issues (which the Didache text does address to some extent).
Posted by: Fr. Ronald M. Vierling at Dec 30, 2003 1:35:39 PM
Oh come on. Which "committee charged with such things?" This anonymity has gotten us in the mess we're in. If this is endorsed by the NCEA, bathroom tissue is a better read. So which one? We need to be forthright about such things.....
Posted by: michigancatholic at Dec 30, 2003 7:30:50 PM
Um, michigancatholic, I just assumed that those interested would click on the link and see that the committee is the USCCB's Ad Hoc Committee on Conformity to the Catechism that has been examining texts for a couple of years. Several bishops, including Wuerl, Hughes of New Orleans, etc. It's an interesting situation, especially considering that the vast majority of high school textbooks currently in print didn't make the conformity cut. It's ultimately, I think, still up to a bishop whether or not to allow a text to be allowed in his diocese, and publishers are perfectly free to downplay the committee's declaration (or amend the texts), but at least the information is out there.
Posted by: amy at Dec 30, 2003 8:42:16 PM
In former days, and perhaps even continuing - the policy of most dioceses was to allow a textbook so as long as it had an imprimatur. However, how many times has the Vatican had to intervene and order a bishop to withdraw an imprimatur? (The notorious Dutch Catechism and Wilhelm's Christ Among Us spring immediately to mind).
We need more bishops like St. John Fisher who probably would be condemned today for violating collegiality.
Posted by: Fr. Vierling at Dec 30, 2003 9:33:03 PM
Does anyone know what it means if a text is not on the list? We have a text by Harcourt titled "Living our Faith" which is not on the list. Since other titles by the publisher were reviewed and approved, does its absence mean it is was reviewed and found not acceptable? Judging by its content, I bet it wouldn't make the cut, but I want to make sure before I bring it up in our Rel Ed committee.
Posted by: Marc at Dec 31, 2003 9:44:00 PM
Notice the catechetical series promoted by CUF and published by Ignatius Press (I believe anyway) "Faith and Life" was found ot be in conformity since 1984 (um, just 10 years before the CCC was published). The rest? The vast majority are late 90's and early 2000's. Yet, do you believe for a minute that even, say, 10% of the diocese's in this country would dare have this series used in their schools or CCD programs?
They would rather bring back the Baltimore Catechism series before many of these diocese's would use F&L, yet, they were ALWAYS in conformity with the Church. Sad.
Posted by: kevin lents at Jan 1, 2004 10:48:01 AM
Marc:
In a conversation with one of the staff people associated with the committee, she indicated to me that a text's absence from the list could mean one of two things: either it was not submitted by the publisher or it was found not to be in conformity. Generally, the USCCB would not give any more information than that, and would refer any more inquiries to the publisher. So, the answer is to that question, to call the publisher directly and ask was the text submitted and then take it from there.
Posted by: amy at Jan 1, 2004 1:19:59 PM
"Nearly two-thirds of high school catechetical materials used throughout the United States are not in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church." Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans.
See the article.....cut and paste
http://tcrnews2.com/genzenit1.html
Posted by: michigancatholic at Jan 1, 2004 1:34:13 PM
Kevin, The "Faith and Life" series showed me just how much I didn't know about the faith I try to live -- I cannot imagine most CCD teachers (or the DRE's for that matter) using it cold... you'd be teaching yourself as well as the kids. I think that'd be great, but I don't know if many would agree with me.
My parish uses an old Silver Burdett series - it's awful and I pulled my kids out of parish CCD once I actually read the texts. The Eucharist is taught as a community gathering/meal and no where is it mentioned that the consecrated Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. And yes, the series has an Imprimatur by Bishop Rodimer. I politely told the nun DRE my misgivings with the series but she didn't seem too concerned and the parish still uses them. She has never heard of the Ignatius "Faith and Life" series and didn't seem too interested in seeing one of the volumes.
My daughter's Catholic HS uses the St. Mary Press HS series... it's OK, I think a little bit tentative but maybe I am spoiled by the offerings from Ignatius Press. They also make them buy $40 dollar "youth bibles" that are interspersed with quips, secular writings and pictures - someone must think it's "current" or cool or relevent or something but I bet it isn't one of the teenagers who has to use it!
Posted by: Colleen at Jan 1, 2004 2:21:35 PM
Explaining how some parishes can still have unapproved texts: All of the major publishers have conforming texts. However, some publishers have stock that they still sell of non-conforming texts and many parishes appeared to have order a decade's worth of non-conforming texts in the anticipation that the newer texts would have more CCC-approved content and less of the watered-down stuff they like. I have even heard of some of the 80's texts are photocopied now that they are no longer in print because of hostility of some teachers to texts based on the CCC.
Patrick Rothwell should read up on the controversy over "Growing in Love". While the children's texts have been approved, the secondary materials in the form of teachers guides, parent guides, etc. were found to be objectionable by bishops -- not merely the "traddies" to use Patrick's offensive label.
Posted by: Patrick Sweeney at Jan 2, 2004 4:31:34 PM
