Let Us Speak About Catechumenal Ministry

Census from the year 2001 shows that up to 73 % of the population list Catholic as their religious denomination. The same statistics also shows that 60 % of these are either "casual" practitioners, people with naïve beliefs, those with superstitious religious beliefs, or syncretists (new age thinkers), and only up to 38 % can be considered as the "core faithful". The sociologists explain the growth of overall trust in the church here with a social conformity to religious traditions. It seems that there is a meeting of our religious and national heritage, history, and traditions with the need to preserve and propagate the living faith and true values. It is expected that the deep worldwide social and cultural changes will also affect the Christian life style here. The church, following the 2nd Vatican Council, responded to new situations by renewing the catechumenal ministry. The liturgical-pastoral book Ordo initiationis christianae adultorum became an exceptional instrument of this ministry. Its translation into Slovak was welcomed by all the Slovak bishops, who immediately prepared Statute of catechumenate. The conditions were thus established to begin the development of catechumenal ministry here.

Keywords: initiation; catechumens; ministry; Ordo initiationis christianae adultorum