The Bishops of Ivory Coast addressed strategic changes in catechetical teaching. A pastoral letter encourages growth and quality education in the country.
Newsroom (04/02/2022 10:35 AM Gaudium Press) A week ago, between January 25 to 30, the Ivorian Catholic Bishops’ Conference met for the 120th time. The bishops addressed the issue of catechism instruction in the country.
Five years ago, a pastoral letter lamented the low level of catechetical instruction and urged catechists to rethink new teaching proposals.
Changes in the teaching of catechesis
Since then, the national secretariat for catechesis has met regularly with catechists to gather data about the students’ real needs and update the manuals of Catholic instruction.
Last week the Bishops met to finalize the project of updating the catechism. Before the assembly, the secretary-general of the Bishops’ Conference, Father Emmanuel Wohi Nin, spoke about the importance of the project: “Catechesis is the backbone of the life of a parish,” he remarked.
The secretary also recalled the role of quality learning in Faith matters, supporting the baptized.
The Bishops addressed the topic in a new pastoral letter, “Education in Ivory Coast: at the service of integral human development,” presently being drafted.
National education
On the same token, the Bishops commended the national efforts to improve education, providing schools with a calm and learning-friendly environment encouraging citizens to engage in educational projects as a factor of national development.
The Bishops urged parents to avoid leaving their children’s education solely and exclusively in the hands of the teachers.
The 120th Assembly of Bishops also covered various other topics such as seminaries, vocation ministry and the adoption of a new French translation of the Missal. (FM)
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
