Many parents, educators, and priests feel lost among the bewildering array of catechism texts. They no longer know which method to choose, or which direction to take when teaching the fundamentals of faith to their children—whether in the home, the parish, or through a movement or association.
Doubt sets in. It's awkward to decide what suits a child or young person best. Father Bissonier's book arrives at just the right moment to clear away confusion and uncertainty.
This is a book about pedagogy, as the title declares. It operates at the level of method and practice.
Henri Bissonier, as many know, was a pioneer in catechetical research. On these pages, he lays out with clarity what catechetical work is, defining it in meticulous detail.
It reads easily and quickly. The author's experience, his love for Christ and for children, and yes, his setbacks and struggles too—all of this runs through these pages and brings life to what might otherwise seem a technical, even dry treatise.
Parents and catechists working with children facing difficulties, like all others, will find real value in this book. The questions and worries they carry are not forgotten here.
Certainly, anyone wrestling with questions about catechesis will find this slim volume a useful reference for their work. We especially recommend the final chapter, titled "So That None Be Left Behind." Its contents will be helpful and inspiring for parents seeking catechism instruction for their handicapped child. They would do well to share it with their parish priests.
M.B.