Cultural Considerations

Statement of the Issue:

The United States has been and will continue to be a country of multiple cultures. New immigrants bring with them the celebrations, spirituality, and community dynamics of their home countries. Second, third and even fourth generations wrestle with the diverse entity called “American culture,” what Rev. J. Glenn Murray refers to as the overculture, that may stand in contrast, and at times, in direct opposition to the values of their heritage. Outside of the obvious ethnic cultural diversity in the United States, there is a plurality of sub-cultures that drive and shape the hearts of today’s young people. Our country has within it cultures that are influenced by region, race, economics, age, and social identity. Those who desire to effectively catechize the modern adolescent must be able to negotiate the cultural² landscape that young people inhabit.

Given this, the Cultural Considerations Work Group has identified the following as key issues:

  • How can we foster through catechesis a Catholic culture that is both unifying and diverse?
  • How can we develop a deeper understanding of the cultural realities in which young people inhabit?
  • How can we increase the number of culturally competent catechists* and catechetical leaders?
  • How can we increase the understanding of what the Church teaches about inculturation among catechists?

As the work of NIAC continues, the Cultural Considerations Initiatives work group will be gathering research, resources, and developing new tools so that parishes, schools, dioceses, families, and individuals can better view adolescent catechesis through the lens of the culture in which young people live.

To read the entire Cultural Considerations Initiatives White Paper with proposed strategies for PAC, click here.

² For the rest of the document, the term “culture” will be used to describe not only ethnic culture, but culture in the broadest sense: ethnic, United States, adolescent, socio-economic, regional, etc.

* For the rest of the document, the term “catechist” will be used to describe parents, Catholic school teachers, parish catechists, campus ministers, youth ministry leaders, and catechetical leaders.