Institute for Research in Orthodox Christian Catechism - IROCC

The Institute for Research in Orthodox Christian Catechism (IROCC) struggles to improve the condition of catechetical pastoral care in the Orthodox Church found in the English-speaking world. The Lord, as told in the Gospel, gives parables regarding the spiritual life, which have hidden within them a recognition of the need for catechesis. To build the house of the soul (John 14:23), a foundation

needs laid (Abba Dorotheos of Gaza, Instruction XIV, §149–152). To grow a seed of faith into the spiritual fruit of virtue (Matthew 13: 3–9, 18–23), the ground must be made good (Philokalia: Ilias the Presbyter, “A Gnomic Anthology,” Part I, §69, et al.). To have an investiture of Christ (Gal. 3:27, Matthew 22:11–13), one must have a divestiture of the former self (Saint Macarius the Great, Homily V, ¶19). Over time, a library shall develop here of patristic resources, collected in multiple catechetical frameworks to offer, both Western converts and the cradle Orthodox found in the West, a one-stop solution for catechists to create their own catechism lessons.