The purpose of this article is to draw out the implications of Pope John Paul II's assertion in Tertio Millennio Adveniente that "a detailed study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church will prove of great benefit" during the preparation for the Third Millennium.1 In order to accomplish this, it is first necessary to specify the relationship between evangelization and catechesis, then to clarify the underlying theological themes which are to be developed in each year of preparation for the Third Millennium and finally to demonstrate ways in which the Catechism can be an effective instrument for fostering a more integral understanding of these themes.
I. The Relationship Between Evangelization and Catechesis
The "new evangelization" launched by Paul VI and John Paul II affirms the symbiotic relationship between evangelization and catechesis. Pope John Paul II has termed catechesis," a very remarkable moment in the whole process of evangelization."2 Catechesis is evangelization's "teaching and maturation stage."3 It is not, however, confined to a particular age, time or situation. Within the process of evangelization, catechesis is a continual process of initiation into the life of the Christian community, acceptance of the mystery of Jesus' redeeming life and ministry, appropriation of his teachings and those of the Church and giving Christian witness in the world. Catechesis and evangelization are inextricably bound to each other and form an indispensable constituent of the Church's identity and a vital component of its mission. Thus, the "new evangelization" entails the unfolding of one process within another.
In preparing for the Third Millennium and celebrating the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, John Paul II employs the ministries of evangelization and catechesis as the Church's two receptive arms extending outward into the world: "Everything ought to focus on the primary objective of the Jubilee: the strengthening of the faith and the witness of Christians."4 To energize this outreach, John Paul II offers the Catechism of the Catholic Church, one of the most important achievements of his pontificate. The Catechism is "an organic synthesis of the essential and fundamental content of Catholic doctrine, as regards both faith and morals, in light of the Second Vatican Council and the whole of the Church's tradition."5 As such, it is a compelling and commanding agent for both evangelization and catechesis.
II. Theological Themes for the Third Millennium
Tertio Millennio Adveniente suggests two underlying theological themes that should guide the preparation for the Third Millennium in general, and the specific use of the Catechism in particular. They are the mystery of the redemptive Incarnation and the Church's mission of reconciliation.
The foundational theological theme of the document is the mystery of the redemptive Incarnation. We mark this jubilee because God became man in the person of Jesus who is at once fully divine and fully human. Through the Incarnation, God's intervention in human history has transformed the understanding of the "fullness of time" and, in fact, has inaugurated a new temporal order. The person of Jesus Christ is now the horizon of human existence. Time itself is now time in Christ. This transformation is experienced again and again through the Spirit, sent by Christ, active in both ecclesial structures and individual lives.
Christ mediates reconciliation with God and wins redemption by his self-sacrificial love, and the Spirit continually moves the Church to believe and celebrate this redemption won by the Word dwelling among us. The Incarnation and Redemption encompass all of humanity. The Word made flesh inaugurates a new condition for all humanity, for the Incarnation implies the divinization of humanity that is to come about when the Kingdom is at hand.
We mark 2000 years of Christianity in the world and anticipate a future full of hope because Christ has changed the course of human history. We now mark time itself in light of Christ's redemptive Incarnation.
The second fundamental theological theme underlying Tertio Millennio Adveniente is the Church's reconciling mission. This mission, although prompted and guided by the Spirit, is human. The Church needs to become more aware of the sinfulness of its members. The Church should recall those times when it failed to reflect the spirit of Christ, when it misinterpreted gospel message, when it acted unjustly in pursuit of the truth and gave scandal instead of authentic Christian witness. The spirit of reconciliation should encourage the people of God to ask forgiveness for offenses in the past as well as those contemporary evils in which they cooperate.
In the light of the Church's mission of reconciliation, Christians must rededicate themselves to vigilant prayer. In addition, Christians must recommit themselves to their own continual formation, education and conversion if they are to appropriate the authentic apostolic faith and be genuine witnesses to that faith in the world. Such formation, education and conversion based upon the experience of reconciliation should engender in all Christians a unique joy that is characteristic of the Great Jubilee, a joy that arises when the poor receive the good news, captives are set free and the Lord's year of favor is proclaimed.
III. The Role of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
In light of these theological themes and the relationship of evangelization and catechesis, John Paul II proposes a trinitarian structure for the preparation for the Third Millennium that replicates the trinitarian structure of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Catechism asserts: "The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the ‘hierarchy of the truths of faith.'"6 With this trinitarian structure in mind, John Paul II introduces the three theological virtues as leitmotifs which will illuminate each year of the three years of preparation: confirming faith in Jesus Christ in 1997, sustaining hope guided by the Spirit in 1998 and rekindling charity in light of the Father's archetypal love in 1999. This phase, reminiscent of a personal retreat, invites the introspection and self-examination to which John Paul II has consistently summoned the Church throughout his papacy. For John Paul II, "preparing for the year 2000 has become the hermeneutical key of my pontificate."7
This second phase of preparation focuses sharply on the mystery of the Trinity while retaining its fundamentally christocentric character. Each year develops theological themes relative to one person of the Trinity, and articulates specific objectives in preparation for the Jubilee. The Holy Father offers the Catechism of the Catholic Church as an instrument uniquely suited to support this second phase of preparation.8
Year One focuses on Jesus Christ. It encourages the rediscovery of Jesus as savior and proclaimer of the Gospel. It stresses a penetrating study of the mystery of the Incarnation and the necessity of faith for salvation. A renewed interest in Scripture, an appreciation of the sacrament of baptism as the basis of Christian living and a recommitment to ecumenism should characterize this first year. In addition, the need to foster a deeper understanding of the mystery of Christ and "to enlighten the consciences of the faithful concerning errors regarding the person of Christ, clarifying objections against him and against the Church" are also presented together with prayer and service.9 Thus a "detailed study of the Catechism" will support this year "of renewed appreciation of catechesis" about the person of Jesus and mystery of salvation.10 Such catechesis engenders "a true longing for holiness, a deep desire for conversion and personal renewal in a context of evermore intense prayer and of solidarity with one's neighbor, especially the most needy."11
This explicit reference to the Catechism connects it to the achievement of the primary objective of the Jubilee: strengthening of faith and witness of Christians. The Catechism, then, becomes the normative instrument for the "new evangelization" which extends throughout the years of preparation for the Third Millennium and beyond.
Year Two focuses on the Holy Spirit. It emphasizes a "renewed appreciation of the presence and activity of the Spirit" in relation to the Incarnation and in the building of the Kingdom over the past 2000 years.12 Based on the Catechism, preparation should raise the consciousness of the Spirit as the principle agent of the "new evangelization." It should acknowledge the Spirit-motivated hope for the definitive coming of the Kingdom, and the preparation for this coming on personal, communal, and global levels. How do we prepare for the Kingdom? Under the guidance of the Spirit, worship, preaching, catechesis, witness, prayer and service inaugurate the Kingdom. Pope John Paul II offers the Catechism to "all the faithful who wish to deepen their knowledge of the unfathomable riches of salvation."13
Year Three focuses on the Father. It should concentrate on Jesus' fundamental filial relationship with the Father. Using the Catechism as the touchstone, particular attention should be given to the experience and interpretation of our lives as a "journey to the Father."14 In promoting authentic conversion, charity should be emphasized as well as the Church's preferential option for the poor and the outcast. Another initiative during this year, in more direct correlation with catechesis, is the call to respond to secularism and to dialogue with other religions. The dynamic between faith and culture requires a sound understanding of Church teaching and practice, as well as a thorough familiarity with the principle of inculturation.
As John Paul II stated in the Apostolic Constitution promulgating the Catechism: "It [the Catechism] is meant to support ecumenical efforts that are moved by the holy desire for unity of all Christians, showing carefully the content and wondrous harmony of the catholic faith."15 By its nature the Catechism reveals the richness and diversity of the Church's tradition, and while its use as a tool for clarification is appropriate, it is neither apologetic nor confrontational. If dialog is to occur, it must be in the climate of respect and mutual consideration. In effective catechesis, therefore, we do not merely disclose information but develop and foster a people that can appropriately engage others in consideration of the beliefs and teachings of our Church.
The purpose of this essay was to uncover the major theological motifs which John Paul II urges for special emphasis during the preparation for the Third Millennium, to place that preparation in the context of the "new evangelization," and to suggest how the Catechism might be a helpful instrument during the preparation for the Third Millennium. However, one of the unintended results of this investigation has been a clearer insight to the Catechism's capacity to inspire a distinctively Catholic spirituality and to develop a deep, personal faith even as it clearly communicates the doctrines of faith. Since the preparation for the Third Millennium has been offered as a period of renewal, a retreat in anticipation of a more hopeful and peaceful future, the Catechism can be trusted as an encouraging guide and enlightening companion on the journey. John Paul II refers to this potential effect of the Catechism when he says, "May it serve the renewal to which the Holy Spirit calls the Church of God, the Body of Christ, on her pilgrimage to the undiminished light of the Kingdom!"16
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