Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us

Introduction | I | II | III | IV | Conclusion

Part III: A Plan for Ministry-Goals, Principles, Content, and Approaches for Adult Faith Formation

". . . keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith." (Heb 12:2)

The Church's catechetical mission aims to help the faithful of all ages to grow in both human and Christian maturity,(42) enriching the whole of life with the leaven of the Gospel. Consequently, appropriate goals and content will embrace all the faith dimensions of an adult life-for example, understanding and communicating the faith, skills needed for personal growth, the experience of family life, relationships, public service, and concern for the common good.

Our adult faith formation ministry must engage the particular needs and interests of the adults in each local community. To be faithful and effective it will offer, over time, a comprehensive and systematic presentation and exploration of the core elements of Catholic faith and practice-a complete initiation into a Catholic way of life. It will do so in a way that is accessible to adults and relates to their life experiences, helping them to form a Christian conscience and to live their lives in the world as faithful disciples of Jesus.

This integration of actual life experience, diverse adult learning needs, the study of Scripture, and the teaching of the Church's tradition will create a vibrant learning environment. It will also challenge the creativity of those who establish the direction, plan the content, and provide programs of adult faith formation. Meeting the challenge will be both demanding and rewarding. For guidance, we offer the following goals, principles, content, and approaches.

Three Major Goals

Adult Catechesis in the Christian Community, from the Holy See's International Council for Catechesis, stresses that all catechesis should strive to build adult Christian communities that are strong in faith, clearly proclaim the Gospel, celebrate vibrant and reverent liturgy, and give courageous witness in charity.(43) This document, then, specifies the following three goals to guide and direct efforts in adult faith formation.

1. Invite and Enable Ongoing Conversion to Jesus in Holiness of Life.

In response to God's call to holiness, our faith and life as adult disciples are grounded in developing a personal relationship with Jesus, "the Holy One of God" (Jn 6:69, Mk 1:24). Accordingly, "'at the heart of catechesis we find, in essence, a Person, the Person of Jesus of Nazareth . . . .' Catechesis aims at putting 'people . . . in communion . . . with Jesus Christ.'"(44)

As its first goal, faith formation helps adults "to acquire an attitude of conversion to the Lord."(45) This attitude fosters a baptismal spirituality for adults. It leads them to recognize and repent of sin in their hearts and lives, to seek reconciliation through the sacraments, and to embrace the invitation and challenge of an ever-deepening faith in Jesus. It means putting on the mind of Christ, trusting in the Father's love, obeying God's will, seeking holiness of life, and growing in love for others. Deepening personal prayer is a significant means toward growth in holiness in daily life.

2. Promote and Support Active Membership in the Christian Community.

As adult believers, we learn and live our faith as active members of the Church. Our response to God's call to community "cannot remain abstract and unincarnated," but rather, "reveals itself concretely by a visible entry into a community of believers . . . a community which itself is a sign of transformation, a sign of newness of life: it is the Church, the visible sacrament of salvation."(46) People find this community of faith in the parish and diocese, as well as in their families, small church communities, personal relationships, faith-based associations, and in the communion of saints of all times and places.

Accordingly, faith formation helps adults make "a conscious and firm decision to live the gift and choice of faith through membership in the Christian community," accepting "coresponsibility for the community's mission and internal life."(47) Adults not only receive the ministries of the Christian community, they also contribute to its life and mission through the generous stewardship of their gifts.

3. Call and Prepare Adults to Act as Disciples in Mission to the World.

The Church and its adult faithful have a mission in and to the world: to share the message of Christ, to renew and to transform the social and temporal order. This dual calling to evangelization and justice is integral to the identity of the lay faithful; all are called to it in baptism.

Accordingly, faith formation seeks to help each adult believer become "more willing and able to be a Christian disciple in the world."(48) As salt of the earth and light for the world (cf. Mt 5:13-16), adult disciples give witness to God's love and caring will so that, in the power of the Spirit, they renew the face of the earth.

Principles

To assist the implementation of these goals, we offer here some basic principles of adult faith formation.

1. General Principles for Adult Faith Formation

a. Plan adult faith formation to serve "the glory of God, the building of the Kingdom, and the good of the Church."(49)

Effective adult faith formation calls us to give God glory through our prayers of praise and the lives we lead. It equips us to be people of salt and light who build up God's kingdom of truth and life, holiness and grace, justice, love, and peace.(50) It leads us to promote the good of the Church, serving its internal life and its dual mission of evangelization and justice.

b. Orient adult Christian learning toward adult Christian living.

Effective adult faith formation efforts join faith and life. They help people in practical ways to live their daily lives by the light and power of the Gospel.

c. Strengthen the role and mission of the family in Church and society.

Adults are eager for resources, guidance, and support that will help them form a community of faith within their families, grow more deeply in love with their spouses, raise children committed to Jesus and the Church, participate as Catholic families in society, and share together in the life and mission of their parish and the wider Church.(51)

2. Principles for Planning Adult Faith Formation

a. Give adult faith formation the best of our pastoral resources and energies.

Within the whole scope of catechetical ministry, adult catechesis "must be regarded as a preferential option"(52) in planning and programming. When adult catechesis excels, it can then serve effectively as the point of reference and organizing principle for all catechesis.(53)

b. Make adult faith formation essential and integral to the pastoral plan of the parish.

Effective adult formation ministry connects with and strengthens all the many ministries and activities of the parish-formational, charitable, devotional, social, administrative. This integration of parish life and ministry helps to form the whole community on its lifelong journey of growth in Christian faith and mission.

c. Design adult faith formation opportunities to serve the needs and interests of the entire faith community.

"The Church therefore must maintain an active, listening presence in relation to the world-a kind of presence which both nurtures community and supports people in seeking acceptable solutions to personal and social problems."(54) Start by listening to adults and let the stories of their lives and the hungers of their hearts inspire pastoral care and inform catechetical programming. Reach out to those whom society often neglects.(55)

3. Principles for Conducting Adult Faith Formation

a. Use the catechumenate as an inspiring model for all catechesis.(56)

The baptismal catechumenate provides for an apprenticeship in Christian living and believing. It "seems the most appropriate model" for adult faith formation and, though it cannot be considered the exclusive model, should be encouraged everywhere.(57) Whatever model is used, adult faith formation should always actively challenge participants to get involved with their own faith journey-passive listening is never enough; the goal is always conversion.

b. Respect the different learning styles and needs of participants, treating adults like adults, respecting their experience, and actively involving them in the learning process.

Effective adult faith formation "must begin by accepting adults where they are"(58) in their faith, their life situations, their experiences, and their preferred learning styles. Our programs and ministries must be in touch with people's real circumstances and concerns. Just as Jesus did with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we must journey with people, listen to them, share our faith, help them to find in the Good News the answer to their hearts' deepest questions, and prepare them to live as Jesus' disciples.

c. Engage adults actively in the actual life and ministry of the Christian community.

"Adults do not grow in faith primarily by learning concepts, but by sharing the life of the Christian community."(59) Not that concepts are irrelevant; they are foundational. But for most people the truths of faith really come alive and bear fruit when tested and put into practice-in soup kitchens, neighborhoods, small groups, workplaces, community organizations, and family homes. Adult catechesis practitioners need to learn to tap the learning potential of these diverse settings of Christian ministry and daily life.

4. Principles for Inculturating Adult Faith Formation

a. "Bring the power of the Gospel into the very heart of cultures."(60)

Sometimes this means discerning with participants which aspects of their culture are compatible with the Gospel and then building adult faith formation efforts on those aspects, incorporating the culture's symbols, traditions, and language. At other times it means discerning cultural elements incompatible with the Gospel and working together to purify and transform them. Both are important; neither should be neglected.

b. Let the gifts of culture enrich the life of the Church.

Inculturation is a process of mutual enrichment between the Gospel and culture.(61) While the power of the Gospel transforms and renews each culture that embraces it, the living tradition of each culture gives rise to "original expressions of Christian life, celebration, and thought"(62) that become gifts for the whole Church. Find ways to emphasize the gifts of ethnic and cultural diversity. We all want and deserve to be respected for who we are, with our personal qualities and cultural characteristics recognized as part of God's creative presence in the world.

c. Involve the whole people of God in inculturating the faith.

"Inculturation must involve the whole people of God, and not just a few experts, since the people reflect the authentic 'sensus fidei' which must never be lost sight of."(63) Work directly with people of each racial or ethnic group to find ways to affirm or renew the values expressed in their family traditions, social customs, and popular devotions. Special attention must be paid to those groups that are most easily forgotten, particularly those who are elderly, those who are living with handicapping conditions, those who are alienated from society.

d. Let adult faith formation programs be centers of service and inculturation.

Be conscious of those whose racial, linguistic, or ethnic identity may cause them to feel alienated from the local culture or faith community, to experience overt or subtle discrimination, or to be economically disadvantaged. Make every effort to reach out and welcome them, tactfully offering any needed assistance, and incorporating them in the life and activities of the Church community as full and valued members.

Six Dimensions for Adult Faith Formation Content

Scripture and tradition form the core content of all adult catechesis, for the Church has always considered them the "supreme rule of faith." Through them we receive "the very word of God," and in them resounds "the voice of the Holy Spirit."(64) Sacred Scripture provides the starting point for reflecting on the faith, while the Catechism of the Catholic Church serves as the "reference for the authentic presentation of the content of the faith."(65) Use of Scripture and the Catechism-including the sources from which it draws, those to which it refers, and other catechetical resources based on and consonant with it-will help adults grasp the content of the faith and its practical application in Christian living.

The Catholic faith is like a symphony in which the unity of faith finds expression in richly diverse formulations and manifestations.(66) As the General Directory for Catechesis states: "The maturation of the Christian life requires that it be cultivated in all its dimensions: knowledge of the faith, liturgical life, moral formation, prayer, belonging to community, missionary spirit. When catechesis omits one of these elements, the Christian faith does not attain full development."(67)

The ongoing development of a living, explicit, and fruitful Christian faith in adulthood requires growth in all six dimensions. Each of them is a fundamental aspect of Christian life and a foundational content area for adult faith formation. The exploration of the six dimensions that follow are presented as content summaries to indicate what adult faith formation programs and opportunities seek to accomplish.

1. Knowledge of the Faith

(See the Catechism, nos. 26-1065; General Directory for Catechesis, nos. 84-85, 87.)

Recognize communion with Jesus Christ as the definitive aim of all catechesis.
Explore the Scriptures so that adults may be hearers and doers of the Word.
Become familiar with the great teachings of Christianity (its creeds and doctrines) and their place in the hierarchy of truths-for example, "the mystery of God and the Trinity, Christ, the Church, the sacraments, human life and ethical principles, eschatological realities, and other contemporary themes in religion and morality."(68)
Study the Church's teaching on the dignity of the human person in its social doctrine, including its respect-life teaching.
Learn the richness of the Church's tradition, explore the theological and cultural heritage in which faith is expressed, and gain perspective on contemporary events and trends through an understanding of church history.
Develop the philosophical and theological foundations of the faith and appreciate expressions of Christian thought and culture.
Learn the meaning and practical relevance of current church teachings as presented by the pope, diocesan bishop, Vatican congregations, and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

2. Liturgical Life

(See the Catechism, nos. 1066-1690; General Directory for Catechesis, nos. 84-85, 87)

Understand, live, and bear witness to the paschal mystery, celebrated and communicated through the sacramental life of the Church.
Learn and embrace in one's life church doctrine on the eucharist and the other sacraments.
Acquire the spirituality, skills, and habits of full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy, especially the eucharistic liturgy.
Value the dignity of the baptismal priesthood and of the ordained priesthood and their respective roles in liturgical celebration and Christian mission.
Appreciate and appropriately participate in the Church's daily prayer, the Liturgy of the Hours, and learn to pray the psalms, "an essential and permanent element of the prayer of the Church."(69)

3. Moral Formation

(See the Catechism, nos. 1691-2557; General Directory for Catechesis, nos. 84-85, 87)

Understand how the "entire Law of the Gospel is contained in the 'new commandment' of Jesus, to love one another as he has loved us,"(70) and promote each disciple's formation in the life of the risen Christ.
Study the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the moral catechesis of the apostolic teachings, and live in accord with them.
Appreciate the dignity, destiny, freedom, and responsibility of the human person, together with the reality of sin and the power of God's grace to overcome it.
Learn how to acquire and follow a well-formed conscience in personal and social life, clarifying current religious and moral questions in the light of faith, and cultivating a Christian discernment of the ethical implications of developments in the socio-cultural order.
Recognize, defend, and live by the truth of objective moral norms as taught by the Church's magisterium in its moral and social teaching.
Promote a thorough catechesis on the Gospel of life so that respect for life from conception until natural death is honored in personal behavior, in public policy, and in the expressed values and attitudes of our society.
Live a lifestyle reflecting scriptural values of holiness, simplicity, and compassion.

4. Prayer

(See the Catechism, nos. 2558-2865; General Directory for Catechesis, nos. 84-85, 87)

Become familiar with the diverse forms and expressions of Christian prayer, with special attention to "the Our Father, the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples and which is the model of all Christian prayer."(71)
Experience and appreciate the richness of the Catholic ascetical-mystical tradition as it has taken form across the centuries in diverse historical and cultural settings.
Develop a regular pattern of personal prayer and spiritual reflection, recognizing vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplative prayer as basic and fruitful practices in the life of a disciple of Jesus.
Engage in shared prayer with others, especially family prayer, as well as at parish meetings and in small communities of faith.
Recognize and encourage practices of popular piety and devotion that help believers express and strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ.

5. Communal Life

(See the General Directory for Catechesis, nos. 84, 86-87)

Pursue personal and spiritual growth in human and Christian maturity.
Cultivate the human values and Christian virtues that foster growth in interpersonal relationships and in civic responsibility.
Nurture marriage and family life to build up the Church of the home.
Share actively in the life and work of the parish, and foster the potential of small communities to deepen the faith and relationships of members, to strengthen the bonds of communion with the parish, and to serve the Church's mission in society.
Learn the Church's teaching on the nature and mission of the Church, including an understanding of the Church's authority and structures and of the rights and responsibilities of the Christian faithful.
Support the ecumenical movement and promote the unity of God's people as a constitutive dimension of fidelity to the Gospel.

6. Missionary Spirit

(See the General Directory for Catechesis, nos. 84, 86-87)

Cultivate an evangelizing spirit among all the faithful as an integral element of their baptismal calling, of the Church's nature and mission, and of a Catholic way of life.
Respond to God's call whether as lay, ordained, or religious, and develop a personal apostolate in family, Church, and society.
Motivate and equip the faithful to speak to others about the Scriptures, the tradition and teachings of the Church, and one's own experience of faith.
Explore and promote the applications of the Church's moral and social teaching in personal, family, professional, cultural, and social life.
Understand the importance of serving those in need, promoting the common good, and working for the transformation of society through personal and social action.
Appreciate the value of interreligious dialogue and contacts, and promote the Church's mission ad gentes in the local and universal Church.

Concrete Approaches

The scope of catechetical content is cognitive, experiential, and behavioral(72) and it requires development in "the threefold dimension of word, memory, and witness (doctrine, celebration, and commitment in life)."(73) This balanced method fosters growth in both the faith by which we believe and the faith in which we believe. As the General Directory for Catechesis says, "this 'Yes' to Jesus Christ, who is the fullness of revelation of the Father, is twofold: a trustful abandonment to God and a loving assent to all that he has revealed to us."(74) It takes place "through formation in doctrine and the experience of Christian living"(75)-both together foster each disciple's growth into the full faith and life of the Gospel. This approach also promotes a natural linkage between the faith we profess and celebrate and the life we live, thus meeting one of the principal challenges of our day.

A Multi-Faceted Approach

Given the broad scope of content, the diverse range of adult interests and responsibilities, and the availability of learning resources, no single approach can meet everyone's needs. Consequently, a comprehensive, multi-faceted, and coordinated approach to adult faith formation is necessary. Parish leaders need to provide a variety of learning activities and resources to meet the diverse needs of parishioners. Inter-parish cooperation is a developing and important dynamic that can increase learning opportunities for parishioners, especially (but not only) for smaller parishes.

Ongoing faith formation can be "accomplished through a great variety of forms: 'systematic and occasional, individual and community, organized and spontaneous.'"(76) Learn to see and take advantage of every opportunity to help adults appreciate and grow in their faith. The following five approaches can be used in some way in any Catholic community, and are to be adapted as appropriate to parish size and need.

1. Liturgy

Each Sunday, the majority of our Catholic adults gather as a community of faith to celebrate the Eucharist in praise of God, in joyful faith, and in a deepening discipleship with the Lord Jesus. Sunday eucharist remains the center of the Church's life.(77) Indeed, active participation in the liturgy "is the primary and indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive the true Christian spirit"(78) and deepen their conversion to God.

Liturgy fosters this ongoing conversion, uniting us in Christ and with one another, uplifting our spirits in thankful, joyful praise, and renewing our hearts in love for God, turning us to love of neighbor. Each aspect of worship-the homily, the physical environment, hospitality, liturgical ministries, congregational participation, appropriate music, the Sunday bulletin with inclusions-has the potential to foster adult faith, bringing people into a more intimate relationship with Christ and with one another.(79) Daily Mass and other communal prayer experiences provide additional formative opportunities.

2. Family- or Home-Centered Activities

There may be no place more significant for catechesis than the family. "Family catechesis precedes . . . accompanies and enriches all forms of catechesis"(80)-and this applies in any structure or stage of family life.

Catechetical opportunities situated in family settings foster both adult and family faith growth, while also addressing one of the major reasons adults give for not participating in adult education: time away from their families. Maximize opportunities for adult faith formation to fit into the rhythms of family life and not to pull families apart.

Diocesan newspapers (frequently overlooked for their potential), Catholic magazines, seasonal booklets, monthly calendars, newsletters, periodic mailings, pastoral visits, family prayer and scripture sharing, home blessings, family-to-family ministry, videos that promote family faith sharing, Catholic websites, and a home-based component in programs of catechesis for children and youth can all provide adults and their families with meaningful faith formation experiences. "The means of social communication are used to complement the established ways of teaching. They also give opportunities for further education to adolescents and adults."(81)

3. Small Groups

Many Catholic adults already meet regularly in a variety of small groups for encouragement to better live their faith in the world and to build community. In their various forms these groups provide genuine support to people in living their faith in daily life. "As basic units of the parish, they serve to increase the corporate life and mission of the parish by sharing in its life generously with their talents and support."(82)

Small communities are powerful vehicles for adult faith formation, providing opportunities for learning, prayer, mutual support, and the shared experience of Christian living and service to Church and society. Ecclesial movements and associations that are part of the vibrant life of the Church make great contributions here. We welcome this phenomenon as "a sign of the 'Church's vitality,'"(83) and have offered guidelines for authentic small faith community development in Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium and in Communion and Mission.

4. Large Groups

Some adults prefer to learn in large group settings. It can be effective and efficient to take advantage of times when adults are already present, as when their children's catechetical sessions are scheduled. Other settings may include lectures, panel presentations and discussions, group service projects, social events (e.g., Lenten suppers) with a prayer or learning component, ecumenical activities during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, participation in the March for Life on January 22, and working together to provide housing for low-income families or to build or repair parish facilities. We encourage parishes to provide a variety of regular larger group opportunities for adult faith formation.

5. Individual Activities

Adults also spend time alone-commuting or traveling, doing yardwork or household chores, keeping a "holy hour," or finding a few minutes in the morning or at night for reflection and prayer. Some adults, especially the sick or homebound, spend much time alone. With the right resources and assistance, this time alone can lead to a growing relationship with Jesus.

Materials for personal prayer, study, and reflection are available in print, on audio or videotape, and on the internet. We need creative ways to make these items more widely known and easily accessible through the use of media. For example, parish bulletins or diocesan newspapers can publicize books or websites, and parish lending libraries or book/tape sales can provide resources to adults. Parishes and dioceses can develop their own WebPages or chat rooms, which people can access at any time to engage in a discussion with other people of faith, or find religious news or information about prayer, the Catholic tradition, or current events.

We encourage all Catholics to spend some time alone with God each day, whether they meditate on Scripture, use printed or memorized prayers, the Liturgy of the Hours, the rosary, meditation and contemplative prayer, or simply dwell in wordless praise in God's loving presence. Even five minutes a day devoted to one's relationship with the Lord can lead to a deepened faith and a more active Christian witness.

Implementing These Approaches

Because of their differences in size and resources, each parish will have to determine its own array of faith formation opportunities from each of the five preceding areas. But the basic principle remains valid in all cases: "the local Church must . . . provide diversified programs of permanent catechesis for Christian adults."(84)

We encourage new and creative initiatives in every Catholic community. But we also encourage making the most of existing parish activities and services. In fact, every aspect and event in parish life can be intentionally fashioned as an occasion for adult faith formation. For example, every parish meeting can begin with a reading of the upcoming Sunday's Gospel, followed by a time of reflection and faith sharing. Being intentional about catechetical opportunities can significantly enhance adult faith formation in every community. Whatever approach is used, each parish needs to consider seriously how it will make the lifelong faith formation of its adult members its chief catechetical concern.

Continue to Part IV

42. Cf. Second Vatican Council, Gravissimum Educationis: Declaration on Christian Education, no. 2. In Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents: New Revised Edition, ed. Austin Flannery (Northport, N.Y.: Costello Publishing Co., 1992); CIC, no. 217; CCEO, no. 20.

43. ACCC, no. 35.

44. CCC, no. 426, citing CT, no. 5; cf. GDC, nos. 36-43.

45. ACCC, no. 36.

46. EN, no. 23.

47. ACCC, no. 37.

48. ACCC, no. 38.

49. ACCC, no. 24.

50. Cf. GS, no. 39.

51. Paul II, Familiaris Consortio: On the Family, Part 3 (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1982); U.S. Catholic Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee on Marriage and Family Life, A Family Perspective in Church and Society: A Manual for All Pastoral Leaders, Chapter 4 (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1988); cf. GDC, nos. 226-227, 255.

52. ACCC, no. 29.

53. Cf. GDC, nos. 59, 275.

54. Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Aetatis Novae: A New Era. Pastoral Instruction on Social Communication (AN), no. 8 (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1992).

55. Cf. GDC, nos. 189-190.

56. Cf. GDC, nos. 59, 68, 88-91.

57. ACCC, no. 66; cf. GDC, no. 68.

58. ACCC, no. 56.

59. ACCC, no. 28.

60. CT, no. 53; GDC, nos. 109, 202.

61. The use of the word "culture" here is broader than ethnicity. There are many types of cultures present in the United States including those of various regions, economic classes, religions, and age groupings.

62. Cf. CT, no. 53.

63. RM, no. 54; GDC, no. 206, cf. no. 109.

64. GDC, no. 127, citing DV, no. 21.

65. GDC, no. 120.

66. Cf. GDC, no. 136.

67. GDC, no. 87, cf. nos. 84-86.

68. ACCC, no. 43.

69. CCC, no. 2597.

70. CCC, no. 1970; cf. Jn 15:12, 13:34.

71. GDC, no. 85.

72. GDC, no. 35; cf. Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: Study Edition (RCIA), no. 78 (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1988).

73. GDC, no. 262a.

74. GDC, no. 54; CCC, no. 177; NCD, no. 56; GCD, no. 36.

75. CIC, no. 773; CCEO, no. 617; GDC, no. 87.

76. GDC, no. 51, citing GCD, no.19d.

77. CCC, no. 1343.

78. Second Vatican Council, Sacrosanctum Concilium: The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, no. 14. In Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents: New Revised Edition, ed. Austin Flannery (Northport, N.Y.: Costello Publishing Co., 1992).

79. GDC, no. 207.

80. GDC, no. 226, citing CT, no. 68; cf. GDC, nos. 226-227; NCD, no. 221a.

81. Pontifical Council for Social Communication, Communio et Progressio: Pastoral Instruction on the Means of Social Communication, no. 48 (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1971).

82. CGTM, p. 11.

83. GDC, no. 263; RM, no. 51; cf. GDC, nos. 258c, 264.

84. GDC, no. 275, cf. no. 56d.