By Angela E. Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 11/25/04)

"As we approach Thanksgiving, I offer this Mass in thanksgiving for you as you share in the Church’s mission to proclaim clearly Christ, crucified," said Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde.

Nearly 500 catechists and religious educators attended the annual Diocesan Religious Education Institute last Saturday at the Sheraton in Reston.

Bishop Loverde opened the day by celebrating Mass along with Fathers Paul deLadurantaye, Mark Mealey and Msgr. Daniel J. Kutys of the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Department of Education. The conference continued with workshops ranging in topic from cracking the DaVinci Code to catechist as priest, prophet and king. Exhibits of local ministries and materials for catechists were available, and the day counted toward the catechist certification program.

Bishop Loverde expressed his joy at spending the morning with the catechists, adding that he looks forward to this day each year.

"As catechists, you have a participation in the role of the diocese, and I want to thank you," he said. During the homily, Bishop Loverde touched upon the conference’s theme, Stewards of God’s Gifts.

"We must treasure, develop and deepen all gifts God has given, especially the faith," Bishop Loverde said. "We are called to live the faith from childhood to death, which implies an ever-deepening relationship with Christ. We never stop growing in love with the Lord of our hearts." In order to be faith-filled catechists, Bishop Loverde encouraged attendants to spend time before Christ in the Eucharist.

"It is there the advocate, the Holy Spirit, will teach us everything," he said. "It is there that we acquire the mind of Christ. During the year of the Eucharist, become evermore stewards of God’s gifts."

During the keynote address, Msgr. Kutys explained the history of modern catechesis that began after Vatican II.

Referring to the day’s theme, he explained that in old times, the steward was the most trustworthy of all the servants of a household. That while the steward did not own any of the estate, he worked and cared for it as if he did. That is how catechists should be with the faith, Msgr. Kutys said.

"The faith was not given to us simply for our own sake. The mission of every baptized person is to spread the word," he said, adding that catechists are especially part of this call from God.

According to Msgr. Kutys, before Vatican II catechesis stressed the actual book-learning of the faith and its precepts but lacked instruction on how to put that faith into action. To combat this, a directory was published in Rome, and then in each diocese, to instruct catechists on how to better teach the faith.

But balance is hard to maintain, Msgr. Kutys said, comparing the Church to a pendulum swinging from one extreme to the other, with very little time in the center. To fight this defect, catechesis efforts began to focus on helping others create an experience to know God and faith and began to stray away from actual knowledge.

Msgr. Kutys believes this was done in good faith, but the Church is still suffering the consequences of this swing on the pendulum. When the Catechism of the Catholic Church came out in 1992, the USCCB established a committee to oversee its use, of which Msgr. Kutys is a member. This committee began a review process to look at how catechists were using the new tool. What the review board found was that the materials being used for catechesis had 10 teachings of the faith that were either being taught incorrectly or not being addressed.

According to Msgr. Kutys, the concept of Jesus’ incarnation was ignored, focusing more on his humanity than his divinity. The teaching on the Church lacked information about the hierarchical structure and its teaching authority. Nothing was said about the human person as being made in the image and likeness of God. Grace, the sacraments and original sin were not discussed efficiently. Moral studies focused on social justice issues over life and sexuality morals. With no time spent discussing heaven and hell, the students were taught to live only for this life, he said.

The review committee continued to pick away at the weaknesses that had arisen since Vatican II. Once they were identified, the bishops then confronted publishers to make changes to the texts, Msgr. Kutys said.

"This is the most significant development of catechesis in this country in the past 40 years," Msgr. Kutys said, adding that these changes are only now beginning to be implemented.

Another directory is due to be published that offers a methodology on how to teach the faith. Within that document, there is an emphasis on the idea that the truths of the faith are not the result of personal insight, but are handed down as revealed by God.

It was also recognized that the needs of children and youth are being met, but adults in the RCIA program were highly overlooked. There will be books in the near future focusing on teaching the faith to RCIA students, and the U.S. bishops recently approaved publication of a new adult catechism.

"There will never be a point in our lives when catechesis is complete," said Msgr. Kutys.

While catechists sow the seeds, there is another who will reap the harvest. Although catechists do not see the fruits of their labors, they must trust that they are involved with God’s work.

"I encourage you as stewards to strive to teach the faith clearly and unequivocally," he said. "A lot of the seed you sow won’t take root. But some of it will, and it will produce results beyond anyone’s imagination."