Kochi, India, 10 February 2014: The Indian Catechetical Association (ICA) concluded
its national gathering on Friday stressing the urgent need for inter-ritual catechism
and catechetical aids for celebrating mass with youth and adults.
The meeting
at the Pastoral Orientation Centre in Kochi in the Southern India’s Kerala State,
discussed theme "Liturgy and Catechesis" with some 70 participants, including priests,
religious and lay people from across the country.
There were a dozen research
papers presented on the theme. The related themes included liturgy and catechesis,
youth liturgy and catechesis and catechesis in the context of new missal.
Liturgical
catechesis in the Syro Malabar church, hymns as catechesis, homily in catechesis,
retreat centers and faith formation were other related subjects discussed.
Salesian
Father Gilbert Choondal spoke on "Catechesis in the Context of the New Roman Missal"
stressing the need to have liturgical aids to help meaningful celebration of the liturgy.
Fr.
Jerome Vallabaraj presented a paper on "Youth Liturgy and Catechesis" said noted that
until now Indian Church has no unified liturgical guidelines for youth liturgy.
Fr.
Varghese Kapplikunnel presented results and reflections from an empirical study done
on the "significance of liturgy in Charismatic retreats for the faith formation of
adults."
The 18th general body meeting also elected two Salesians, Fr. Gilbert
Choondal of Bangalore Province, and Fr. Cletus D`Souza, of Mumbai Province, to serve
the association during the next triennium as two of its top office holders.
The
meet unanimously re-elected Father Choondal, SDB as the President of the association
for a second term ending in 2017. Similarly Salesian Fr. Cletus was elected unanimously
as secretary of the association for the same period.
Among the participants
were two Salesians from outside the country; one from Fujairah, U.A.E., and the other
from Nairobi, Kenya. Source: UCAN