The third of the annual encounters of the Saint Vincent Pallotti Institute occurred on October 13th 2011 as suggested to reflect on the theme of faith in the light of the guiding theme for this year 'to revive faith.' Fr Jerome Vallabaraj SDB professor of Catechesis and youth Ministry at the Pontifical Salesian University was invited to discuss the question of the formation of the young in the faith. The speaker began his presentation with an overview of the most urgent things in the catechesis of the young and he developed the thought of 'Empowering' the young towards the faith that transforms life.
The speaker underlined that Saint Vincent Pallotti had the courage and the zeal to begin many changes of the model: the major changes that Pallotti made were the discovery that in the lay world there is a great capacity for good and the education of the young in the faith.
The principle new pedagogical approaches in the formation process: According to Saint Vincent Pallotti, you need to stimulate a change in the paradigm in three key areas of youth catechesis that become also the principal objectives: Christian socialisation in the evangelical style of the disciples' lives; enabling from dependence to the process of Empowerment, and from teaching to catechetical learning. The indications contained in these areas are guidelines for those who are engaged in the catechetical learning of the young. The prospect of catechetical learning invites those who are involved in the catechesis of the young to move from a mentality of conquering to an approach of exploration. They do not treat of earning the young, of conquering them or leading them back into the church, but of exploring with them according to their age and culture, the wisdom that makes them live and the signs of God that from the beginning of time He loves to walk with humanity.