Doctrnal Elements of a Currculum Framework for the Development of Catechetcal Materals for Young People of Hgh School Age
13. Pope St. Pius X 1903-1914
A. Motto “To restore All Things in Christ.” 1. Lowered age of First Communion to age of reason.
2. Popularized Gregorian chant—helped liturgical movement.
B. Opposed “modernism.”
14. The Church and the World Wars
A. Pope Benedict XV and World War I—seven-point peace plan.
B. Pope Pius XI. 1. Signed Lateran Treaty with Mussolini; broke with
Mussolini in 1931. 2. His break with Hitler—encyclical Mit Brennender
Sorge. C. Pope Pius XII.
1. Opposed Nazis; Christmas messages for peace. 2. Pius and the Jews—his efforts to protect them.
3. Spiritual signs of light in darkness of war and its aftermath—1954 proclaimed dogma of the
Assumption—encyclicals.
15. Vatican Council II: A Pastoral Approach to the World
A. Pope John XXIII—his pastoral vision for the Council see his opening speech at Council: Gaudet Mater
Ecclesia [Rejoice, O Mother Church], October 11, 1962. B. The Council documents—pastoral tone and language.
C. Pope Paul VI 1963. 1. Guided remaining sessions of Council.
2. Implemented Council teachings. 3. Controversy over Humanae Vitae.
4. Met with Athenagoras in Istanbul. 5. Visits to New York, Bombay, Manila, etc.
6. Promoted synods of bishops. 7. Succeeded by Pope John Paul I, who reigned thirty-
three days. D. Some developments after the Council.
1. Changes in liturgy, growth of Scripture study, new look in church architecture, growth of lay
involvement—parish councils, etc. 2. Liturgical movement, work by Catholic Action, and
work by Scripture scholars preceded Council and enabled its implementation.
3. Developments in catechesis; understanding the need for both content and formation.
4. Call to evangelization—Evangelii Nuntiandi. 5. renewal of the Eastern Churches.
16. Pope John Paul II: The Church Looks to the Twenty- First Century
A. First non-Italian pope in centuries—vigorous, dramatic, faced down Communism.
B. Evangelizer to the world: 104 papal trips overseas, his Dialogue of Salvation.
C. Teacher: numerous encyclicals, post-synodal documents, writings.
1. Fides et Ratio, Evangelium Vitae, Veritatis Splendor. 2. Wednesday talks on Genesis—theology of the body.
D. Pastor: Holy Thursday letters to priests—his World Youth Days.
E. Themes: be not afraid; Mary, Totus Tuus; human dignity, new evangelization.
F. Assassination attempt: example of courage, faith, and forgiveness.
G. The Catechism of the Catholic Church.
17. Pope Benedict XVI
A. First encyclical Deus Caritas Est followed by apostolic exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis.
B. Addresses clash of culture and civilization with faith. C. Ecumenism today: Church of the East, Oriental
Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant.
18. The Church in the United States
A. Colonial America. 1. French-speaking Catholics—Jesuit explorers,
missions, martyrs. 2. Spanish-speaking Catholics—Junipero Serra, etc.
3. English colonial Catholics—Archbishop John Carroll.
B. Immigrations—ethnic Catholics. 1. Second-class citizens; Church supports working
class. 2. Catholic school and hospital systems—religious
orders. 3. Parish as center of social life; patriotism gains
acceptance. C. Church’s role in development of social justice in the
United States. 1. Cardinal Gibbons and implementation of the
Church teaching on workers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
2. Church support of labor unions’ ight for rights of workers.
3. The Depression and its effects.
Doctrnal Elements of a Currculum Framework for the Development of Catechetcal Materals for Young People of Hgh School Age
D. Eastern Catholics. 1. Establishment of hierarchies.
2. Presence today. E. Catholic education.
1. rise of parochial schools and education of children and youth.
2. Efforts in higher education; signiicant percentage of the world’s Catholic colleges and universities are
found in the United States. 3. High percentage of university-educated followers
helped Catholics become members of middle and upper-middle class.
4. Contribution of Catholic schools in modern urban settings.
F. Late twentieth to start of twenty-irst century. 1. Areas for concern.
a. Birth control, legalization of abortion. b. Priest sex abuse crisis; conidence in Church
blurred. c. Church attendance and vocations to priesthood
and religious life decline. d. rapid secularization of society and breakdown
of the family. e. religious illiteracy.
2. reasons for hope. a. Impact of the papacy of Pope John Paul II—
leadership, evangelization. b. Pro-life movement—adult stem cell research
and beneits. c. regrowth of seminaries and new religious
communities. d. Inluence of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church. e. Multiple forms of lay leadership—less
polarization. f. rise of youth and young adult activities in the
Church: World Youth Days. g. American saints: Elizabeth Seton, Frances
Cabrini, John Neumann, Katharine Drexel, rose Philippine Duchesne, Theodora Guerin;
Blessed Junipero Serra, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.
III. Challenges
