Mystagogy as a Pedagogical Approach in Catholic Catechist Formation: A Phenomenologically Grounded Qualitative Study
Catholic higher education is increasingly shaped by digital culture, technological mediation, and shifting patterns of religious engagement, raising critical questions about how catechists are formed to accompany faith meaningfully. While existing formation models continue to privilege instructional competence, doctrinal transmission, and standardized pedagogical outcomes, such approaches often prove insufficient for nurturing holistic, lived, and transformative Christian discipleship. Drawing on mystagogy as an experiential and relational pedagogical paradigm, this study examines the transformation of catechist identity from instructor to mystagogue within Catholic higher education institutions in Indonesia. Employing a qualitative, phenomenologically oriented design, data were generated through in-depth interviews, reflective narratives, and focus group discussions with lecturers involved in catechetical formation. Thematic analysis reveals four interrelated findings: catechist formation remains predominantly instructional and institutionally driven; educators increasingly recognize the need for mystagogical accompaniment; persistent tensions exist between academic demands and spiritual formation; and digital culture simultaneously fragments attention while opening new spaces for engagement and meaning-making. The study argues that mystagogy provides a coherent theological and pedagogical framework for reimagining catechist formation as a process of identity transformation grounded in relational accompaniment, experiential interpretation, and communal discernment. In the Indonesian context, this approach is particularly significant for negotiating the intersection of Catholic identity, higher education, cultural plurality, and digitally mediated religious experience. By situating formation within digitally mediated and pluralistic contexts, this research contributes to contemporary debates on religious education, synodal pedagogy, and digital spirituality, proposing a shift toward a more holistic, relational, and transformative model of catechetical formation in higher education.
Keywords: Education, Digital culture, Mystagogy; Synodality
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