Everyone is called to catechize faith

“Do this in memory of me,” sets the tone for the 2011-12 catechetical year.
 
What an appropriate theme to supplement the implementation of the Roman Missal, third edition.  “Do this is memory of me” comes from the Gospel of Luke when Jesus tells his disciples, “This is my body, which is given for you.  Do this in memory of me.”  In the same way, he gave them the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is God’s new covenant sealed with my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Catechesis, with its Greek root, means to “echo, or resound.”  In baptism, we are baptized priest, prophet and king.  Our role as prophet is to echo, or resound, the good news of the Lord and the teachings of the church.  

Blessed John Paul II wrote in Catechesi Tradendae, “the name catechesis was given to the totality of the church’s efforts to make disciples, to help men believe that Jesus is the Son of God so that believing they might have life in his name, and to educate and instruct them in this life, thus building up the body of Christ.”
 
Catechetical Sunday, which is celebrated Sept. 18 this year, is always the third Sunday in September, as deemed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. On that day, catechists gather and rejoice in their mission and, according to the General Directory for Catechesis, promote “knowledge of the faith, liturgical education, moral formation, teaching others to pray, the education for community life and missionary initiation.”

Even though the task of catechesis is the primary responsibility of parents, catechists in religious education programs supplement this teaching, as they are “an outstanding and indispensable contribution to the spread of the faith and of the church.”

Each year, the Diocese of Corpus Christi gathers parish catechetical leaders, Catholic school principals and teachers along with catechists of religious education to teach them more on the catechetical theme. This year, the diocese brought Leland Nagal, Executive Director for the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership, to be the keynote speaker at two seminars presented on Aug. 27, in Corpus Christi and Sept. 10 in Alice.

With a mixture of sincerity, humor and seriousness, Leland elaborated on the theme of this year’s seminars. He explained that, “while everyone is called to catechize, and we do this by the way we live the Mass out each week, and while parents are the primary educators of their children, catechists have the esteemed role of sharing the doctrine, traditions and systematic catechesis that helps children and youth become disciples of Jesus.”

He said formation is critical. Catechists need to learn the latest methods and techniques to share this information. It is also important for catechists to reflect on their own faith so that “they are sharing the good news in the best ways possible.”  
Leland told participants that the catechetical theme, “Do this in remembrance of me,” comes right out of our liturgy. It is the words of consecration and the liturgy is the source and summit of our faith. It is a primary tool of catechesis and thus conversion of the mind and heart.
 
“Liturgy is the work of the people and this theme can assist us in celebrating the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ and a reminder that at every moment of the day, somewhere in this world, someone is celebrating the Mass and we are being prayed for,” Leland said. “What a gift. The commissioning at the end of the Mass sends us forth and we can use this theme to better understand what we are being sent forth to proclaim.”

For more information about Catechetical Sunday, visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at www.usccb.org or the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership at www.nccl.org.