The General Directory for Catechesis is a document written by the Congregation for the Clergy

Congregation for the Clergy

The Sacred Congregation for the Clergy is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to religious orders...

 of the Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

, based in Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

.

Following publication of the General Catechetical Directory in 1971, the Holy See

Holy See

The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...

 realised importance of a wealth of new developments in the life of the Church and of the world, and so in 1997 the first edition of the General Directory for Catechesis was produced.

The document largely discusses practical and theoretical aspects of linking catechesis

Catechism

A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...

 to evangelization

Evangelization

Evangelization is that process in the Christian religion which seeks to spread the Gospel and the knowledge of the Gospel throughout the world. It can be defined as so:-The birth of Christian evangelization:...

. It is addressed both to the clergy and lay catechists. It points to the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the official text of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 — "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" — with his apostolic...

 as a primary reference source for the teaching of faith, religious instruction and the new evangelization.

The document is extensively referred to by the Statuta of the Neocatechumenal Way

Neocatechumenal Way

The Neocatechumenal Way, also known as the Neocatechumenate, NC Way or, colloquially, The Way or The Neocats is an itinerary within the Catholic Church dedicated to the Christian formation of adults...

, regarding basic aspects of the catechesis in the Church:

• Christian initiation
  Catechumen
  In ecclesiology, a catechumen , “‘down’” + ἠχή , “‘sound’”) is one receiving instruction from a catechist in the principles of the Christian religion with a view to baptism...
  
   as basic and fundamental for a parish:

Initiatory catechesis is thus the necessary link between missionary activity, which calls to faith, and pastoral activity, which continually nourishes the Christian community. This is not, therefore, an optional activity, but basic and fundamental... Without it, missionary activity lacks continuity and is sterile, while pastoral activity lacks roots and becomes superficial and confused: any misfortune could cause collapse of the entire building. No 64 cf also 91 (Statuta, Art. 6 §2)

• role of a parish priest, no 225 (Statuta, Art. 6 §2), and of teams of catechists - no 268 (Statuta, Art. 17 §3)
• community dimension:

Catechesis prepares the Christian to live in community and to participate actively in the life and mission of the Church - no 86 (Statuta, Art. 17 §1).

Ongoing formation in the faith is directed not only to Christians individually, to accompany them on their journey towards holiness, but also to the Christian community as such so that it may mature also in its interior life of love of God and of the brethren, as well as in its openness to the world as missionary community The desire of Jesus and his prayer to the Father are an unceasing appeal: 'May they all be one; even as You, Father, are in me, and I in You, that they may also be in us, so that the world may believe that You have sent me' (Jn 17:21). Approaching this ideal, little by little, demands of the community a great fidelity to the action of the Holy Spirit, constant nourishment with the Body and Blood of the Lord and ongoing education in faith, in listening to the Word. - no 70 (Statuta, Art. 22 §1)

• fostering vocations - no 86 (Statuta, Art. 18 §1)
• transmitting faith by parents to their children - nos 226-225 and 255, cf. CIC
  1983 Code of Canon Law
  The 1983 Code of Canon Law is the codification of canonical legislation for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church...
  
   c.774 §2; CCEO
  Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
  The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches is the title of the 1990 codification of the common portions of the Canon Law for the 22 of the 23 sui iuris Churches in the Catholic Church. The Roman or Latin rite Church is guided by its own particular Canons...
  
  c. 618.