The aim of catechesis is conversion, that is, to turn away from sin and to turn towards Jesus so to follow Him and learn more and more within the Church to think like Him, to judge like Him, to act in conformity with His commandments, and to hope as He invites us to. Jesus desires not only to be in touch with us, but to be intimate with us. (cf. CT 20, 5) What does conversion or growth in faith look like in children?

These will not all necessarily appear in one child, any one of them can be a sign.

• Referring actions to Christ (seeing connections between scripture and life, WWJD)

• Praying on their own

• Charity for others (especially for those who are not their friends)

• Selfless acts (doing things without benefit to themselves)

• Questions about God

• Expressing doubts

• Spontaneous joy at learning about God

• The desire to know more

AT DIFFERENT AGES

The needs, obstacles, and abilities at each age level are different. Parents and catechists should learn to understand these in order to more fully assist their child in their Christian life.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Willing to believe on parent’s or teacher’s authority

• Need for security met concretely

SIGNS OF CONVERSION:

• Referring actions to Christ

• Modeling actions after Scripture, Saints, witnesses

• Selfless acts

• Spontaneous joy at learning about God

• Praying for concrete intentions

AGE OF REASON to BEGINNING OF ADOLESCENCE/ABSTRACT REASONING (approx. age 7 -10)

CHARACTERISTICS:

• Begins to make the transfer from concrete to more abstract principles

• Become more aware of spiritual side of life

SIGNS OF CONVERSION:

• Questions begin: Want to know more reasons why, more depth, more "meat"

• Prayer begins to expand beyond themselves

• Sense their need for Christ, their problem with sin

• Referring actions to Christ: (in a different way)

• Eucharist can make a big difference

BEGINNING OF ADOLESCENCE/ABSTRACT REASONING (approx. age 10-11) to

LATE ADOLESCENCE (approx. age 14):

CHARACTERISTICS:

• Changes in body/emotions cause confusion, lack of stability.

• Can live with polar opposites in brain

• Need for security no longer fulfilled by parent/teacher---must come from inside

• Have realized that people can’t always be relied upon

• Can change very easily at this age: can experience God deeply one week, big sin the

next---seem to have little repentance (they are testing their limits, not thinking– your reaction is crucial)

• NOTE: The catechist must address need for security issue/changes in body-emotions; be

prepared for these things, have response ready; acknowledging their capacity to be tempted and fall

SIGNS OF CONVERSION:

• Questions (challenges): want you to prove it to them, reason to believe

• Want more depth

• Relying on God as their security:

• Prayer can be more in-depth: more open for/have greater need for spiritual experience