Media Release

Benaulim, Oct 5: Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão, the president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and the metropolitan archbishop of Goa and Daman, urged the church in India to promote the new directory for Catechesis, which was promulgated recently by the Pontifical Council for promoting the new evangelization. Archbishop Filipe spoke on the occasion of the release of the new directory for Catechesis in India, which was held on Thursday October 1 at Shanti Sadan, CCBI Secretariat Extension, here.

“The publication of this updated directory for Catechesis will be of real assistance and support to the renewal of catechesis according to the exigencies of the present time. The new directory is highly relevant for our catechetical and new evangelization ministries at the parish, diocesan and religious congregation levels,” said the archbishop. He also appealed to popularize the use of the new directory so as to make the faith formation ministry more relevant and effective.

The new directory for Catechesis is the revised version of the General Catechetical Directory of 1971 (GCD) and the General Directory for Catechesis of 1997 (GDC). In 2015 the CCBI had prepared a comprehensive National Catechetical Directory ('Fostering the Faith of a Pilgrim People'). The new directory for Catechesis contains norms, principles, directives and guidelines for effective and orderly catechesis in schools, parishes and dioceses. It is a useful resource material for priests, religious, catechists and all those involved in the catechetical ministry of the church.

The Directory for Catechesis is published in India by the CCBI. For copies kindly contact the CCBI General Secretariat or call +91-9886730224.