catechetical sunday

Catechetical Sunday

By Bishop Paul S. Loverde
Special to the Herald
(From the issue of 9/16/04)

Sept. 19, 2004

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

When the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, He left his apostles the instruction to go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News. Ever since that moment, the Church, faithful to the Lord’s command, has sought to share the Gospel message with people of every time, place, language and culture. The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms, "Catechesis is intimately bound up with the whole of the Church’s life. … her inner growth and correspondence with God’s plan depend essentially on catechesis" (CCC #7).

On Sunday, Sept. 19, the Church in the United States celebrates Catechetical Sunday, an opportunity to recognize, thank and commission those who have committed themselves to hand on the treasure of our Catholic faith to others. Parents who teach the faith in their homes, along with the priests, deacons, religious and lay women and men who teach the faith in parish religious education programs all do so in the name of the Church and with a spirit of great generosity and love. In our diocesan Church, nearly 4,000 catechists teach the faith to more than 35,000 children and youth. Truly, we are blessed by the talent and willing service of so many dedicated members of God’s people.

The theme for this year’s Catechetical Sunday is "Stewards of God’s Gifts." This theme challenges us to consider our gifts from God and to use them in service to His people. Being a steward means that we have been entrusted with a gift, and certainly one of the most precious of our gifts is our faith, with all that it entails – a life of discipleship, a life of striving daily to know, love and serve the Lord to the best of our ability. Those who are catechists seek to help our children and young people do just that – to grow in the knowledge and love of God so as to share more fully in His salvation and life.

Dear sisters and brothers, I want to express my gratitude for the many hours of time and effort which you, as catechists, have spent aiding others to encounter the Lord Jesus in His Church and so be drawn into a vital and intimate relationship with Him. I pray that you, and all of us, will continue to be faithful and joyful stewards of God’s gifts, ready always to fulfill the Lord’s words, "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Mt. 28:19). May the Lord Jesus, our Divine Teacher, bless you all!

Faithfully in Christ,

Most Reverend Paul S. Loverde

Bishop of Arlington

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