Though many catechisms are available for the disciples of First Communion in this country, our Chaldean Diocese felt it imperative to provide its own textbook for that purpose, where the doctrine of Catholic faith is presented through Chaldean lenses, providentially sensitized to see, in a comprehensive manner, the course of history exposing human sin as well as the roadmap of divine salvation, then, to connect the dots between the outlines of the Lord's teachings and his chartered institutions, on the one hand, and their ecclesial fulfillment on the other. This particular perception of the fundamental ecclesiastic teaching has been implemented in this manual as follows:
Firstly, the structure of this Catechism book is twofold. Each individual chapter is organized by placing Scripture first. The next section, titled "Understanding Scripture," teaches the faith of the Church concerning dogma and doctrine. This is followed by a "Remembering Scripture" section, which allows the students to memorize specific sentences drawn out from the passage itself. In hopes to teach the children to apply what they learn to their own lives, a section titled "Applying Scripture" has been added to the second edition. Finally, each chapter is concluded by a Prayer selected from the Chaldean liturgy. Beginning from Scripture and ending with prayer: this is at the heart of Chaldean spirituality.
Secondly, the organizational structure of the content follows the most ancient expression of Chaldean theology and spirituality, the Anaphora of Addai and Mari, and, within this structure, the Chaldean Liturgical Calendar. The three sections of the Anaphora are: 1) Glorification of God in his own Essence; 2) Thanksgiving to God for Creation and Redemption (in which the life of Christ and the liturgical calendar is the structural rationale); 3) Memorial, asking God to remember us, and we in turn commemorating all he has done.
Contemporary Chaldeans, co-nationals of Abraham and the heirs of Apostolic heritage, carry, in continuity with their forefathers, a precious spiritual legacy to the extant generation of faithful, connecting the primordial perceptions of their ancestral land, the cradle of civilization, to our modern and somehow hyper society, reading the Scriptures - Old and New - with Mesopotamian eyes and Aramaic culture, and concomitantly expressing their way of worship with a liturgy that grows organically from the sanctuary of the lost paradise, emulating the Supper of the Upper Room and of Emmaus, elevating us to a heavenly liturgy, in celebration of the glorified Lamb, slain for our redemption.
This is where the new disciples of the Lord, our beloved young people preparing for First Communion, are called to stand and be part of, ending up as shining shrines in this tumultuous world, letting Jesus grow up to maturity in their individual personalities, and in the midst of our communities.
