Catechesis

a basic, elementary form of religious education. There is a standard set of questions and a standard set of answers, there is coming to awareness and understanding, a format, formula, a thing to pursue for the sake of a friend who also goes to "Sunday" school that really happens at night. Here name was Valerie. She had long straight brown hair and big from teeth. Being a year younger than Valerie, the other girl was set in a different class where she was already too far behind in the doctrine being espoused. She knew something of the father son and holy spirit, that was the line repeated in church so much, along with the Blessed Virgin and Amen. She didn't know what any of it meant. It was the repetition that drove the memory and association, the down on her knees chanting that was said and done because it was said and done and done is the action of the body like walking, one foot in front of the other. Or like breathing breathing, better yet, the rote repetition of the breath rising and falling and even in the sleep. It was something. This re-peating, this re-viving, this movement.