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The Jewis and catechisms in France
E.P. - Rome

In the work of catechetical renewal being carried out in France, mention must be made of the very first work of text revision, undertaken by Paul DEM1NN and his collaborators, "to correct many conventional and even caricatural views of other Christians, Judaism and non-revealed religions". The results of this work appeared in a special number of the Cahiers Sioniens (1952) "La Catechese Chretienne et le People de la Bible", and in a brochure also produced in 1952: "Les Juifs dans la Catechese Chretienne", from which the above quotation, whose tone is so completely post-conciliar, has been taken. Mgr. de Provenchere thanked the author for this work in the letter which forms the preface to the book. This letter sums up the attitude of truth and charity which should distinguish catechetics whenever mention is made of "The Jewish people among whom Christ took flesh".

Catechetical texts since then have been revised frequently and steadily improved. But perfection is not achieved rapidly, and is more or less complete according to the various "schools" of thought. The books of Mlle DERKENNE. for example, which are among the first which aimed at a catechetical method adapted to small children, still contain traces of old prejudices.

A team of priests and religious of Lyons have done fine work on catechetics, under their director, Fr. VIMORT who, at the Ecole des Catechistes of the rue Adolphe Max, is training catechists who will be both doctrinally and pedagogically competent. All that this team produces -books for different age-groups, teachers' brochure: "Parents chretiens" is stamped with profound Christian values. No prejudice is to be found in them.

Other catechetical centres are eclually active, especially the Centre National de l'Enseignement Religieux of the rue de Varenne, Paris. The I.S.P.C. tinstitut Sup4rieur de Pastorale Catechetique), is concentrating on the training of priests, and directors of religious teaching.

A new catechism will appear in Paris. From a reliable source we have been informed that the compilers are aiming particularly at a theology in conformity with Vatican II. For the moment, we have no other information about this work.

Unfortunately, all these efforts will not wipe out immediately the prejudices which have already appeared in books, for example in the six volumes of R. TAMISIER, "Histoire Sainte pour garcons et filles", Christ's words quoted without comment: "You have heard it said: you must hate your enemy", will continue to wound our Jewish brothers. This makes us hope that the work in progress for the new national catechism will not be limited to dropping prejudice-impregnated remarks, nor to simply correcting a triumphalist Christian theology, but that it will courageously present in all truth the qualities of the Jews at the time of Jesus, and today, without which the very message of Christ cannot be understood. This is the aim of the small review "Verit4", of which an appreciation is given in another section. The brochures "V4rite et Vie" of Strasbourg are excellent working material. Many other bulletins could be quoted, but they are too numerous to be mentioned. We will, however, be pleased to send the list of titles to anyone who may wish to have them.

From the foregoing it is obvious that good work has been done in France for catechetical renewal, but as can be seen from the remarks of Roland SADOUN in the"Nouvel Adam" (see No. 20 ) there is still much to be done before all anti-semitic tendencies are finally eliminated.