Matthew 25:37
Our theme for 2024 reflects our call to missionary discipleship. As St John Paul II reminded us: The universal call to holiness is closely linked to the universal call to mission. Every member of the faithful is called to holiness and to mission. We are called to be eucharist by word and action to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our times cry out for this kind of holiness, one inflamed by the ardent determination to bring as many of our brothers and sisters as possible to Christ.
What is Catechetical Sunday?
The Church established Catechetical Sunday, which is always celebrated on the third Sunday in September, to recognize and celebrate the gift that catechists give to their parish community by volunteering their time for the faith formation of children. We come together as a church community to acknowledge the dedication of those who serve as catechists in our parish family. The day also reminds all Catholics to consider ways we are witnesses for Jesus Christ. All Catholics have the opportunity to rededicate themselves to the mission of passing on the faith, and being a witness to the Gospel as a community of faith.
Who are Catechists?
The word catechesis is from a Greek word meaning “to echo.” All those who teach the Catholic faith and share the Church’s teachings, by word and by the way they live their lives, are catechists. The catechist’s goal is always to set hearts aflame for Christ. We celebrate and pray for all who come forward for this ministry. They are people who are willing to share their own faith and have the courage to listen to the faith stories of others, without judgment but with a sense of wonder and awe.
In May 2021, Pope Francis established the lay ministry of catechist in the Catholic Church, officially declaring that catechists are to be recognized as lay ministers in the Catholic Church and are due the training and support they need to be successful in their ministry. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to discover their vocation as children of God. (CCC 2226) Therefore, moms, dads, stepparents, grandparents, foster parents, godparents, and all who form the faith of children at home, in the domestic church, are the first and most important catechists of their children.
