Thomas F. SuUivan
The General Caiechetical Directory In Focus
Contemporary catechists, as well as their opponents, are appealing to the General Catechetical directOr'IJ. Priests will not be able to escape the cont?¡oversy.
For all engaged in the catechetical apostolate, the publication of the Geneml Catechetical Directory by the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy was an event of major proportions. The GCD was published in Latin on Easter Sunday of 1971, but the English translation was not released until nearly the end of that year. At this writing approximately 100,000 copies of the English version have been distributed. The American Bishops recent document, Basic Teachings fm¡ Catholic ReligiOJtS Education, is not only based largely on the doctrinal section of the Directory, but the bishops insist that their document "be read in the light of the General Catechetical Directory, by which its admittedly limited scope can readily be understood." There are already abundant signs that both those favoring contemporary practice in religious education as well as those 3