Meant to be an evening of encouragement and spiritual inspiration
for volunteer catechists to come away with a better understanding of their
mission in the church, 50 catechists representing 10 parishes attended “On the
Road to Emmaus” at St. James Church in Falls Church Sept. 19.
Led by Soren Johnson, associate director of the St. Thomas More
Institute of the diocesan Office of Catechetics, and John Knutsen, assistant
director, the event for Deanery I began with a welcome from Father Patrick L. Posey,
pastor of St. James and dean of Deanery I. He told the catechists they are
planting the seeds. Sometimes it seems like they are not growing, he said, especially
when the students are hungry or tired or don’t look like they are paying
attention.
“They are listening. I do believe the best way to teach is by
your own example. If we come in with a sense of joy and peacefulness, and that
comes from an encounter with the Lord,” he said. “They have to know the Lord
and have a deep relationship with him that they are growing into every day.”
Catechists watched a video message from Bishop Michael F.
Burbidge, who invited the catechists to consider prayer, teaching and
evangelization.
Knutsen said catechists have to be formed themselves to be able
to form others. He encouraged them to attend daily Mass, read the scriptures
daily and make time for silence.
Johnson spoke about the mission of the catechists. “I encourage
you to draw near to your students,” he said. “Live and breathe the issues they
are dealing with, and find unique ways to be present.”
A Q&A period followed and the evening ended with a reception
to give catechists time to meet each other.
Mark Flores, a catechist at St. James, said it was helpful to
hear from experienced catechists. “It’s good to hear their personal experience
and their focus mainly on being an overflowing fountain where we can fill
ourselves with the Lord and that will flow to our students,” said Flores. “We
can focus on the material in the curriculum but it’s so wonderful to connect with
them in a way that we can be an example to them and guide them to Our Lord.”
Amy Pedagno, a catechist at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in
Arlington, learned she needs to challenge herself in her own prayer life. “It’s
very easy to become complacent in our own routines. If I’m asking a lot of my
students, I need to be asking a lot of myself, the same way God is constantly
asking a lot of me.”
The theme of the evening reflected the opportunities catechists
have “to walk with their students and help with the Holy Spirit to open the
eyes of their students to Jesus,” said Johnson.
The event was planned with Father Paul F. deLadurantaye, former
executive director of the St. Thomas More Institute and diocesan secretary for
catechetics and sacred liturgy, who was appointed to the English section of the
Vatican Secretariat of State for five years beginning Sept. 1.
“We have more than 4,000 volunteer catechists serving 35,000
youths on a weekly basis,” said Johnson. “Parishes are actively forming these
volunteer catechists through their own offerings and we wanted to offer this as
something that augments the parish’s own formation efforts.”
The presentation will be given in each deanery.
“By offering it on a deanery level it will allow catechists from
the same region of the diocese to have some social time together and meet one
another,” said Knutsen.
If you go
Each meeting is 7-9 p.m. RSVP to [email protected]
Deanery II
Sept. 26
St. Ambrose Church, 3901 Woodburn Rd., Annandale
Deanery III
Oct. 4
Our Lady of Hope Church, 46639 Algonkian Pkwy., Potomac Falls
Deanery VI
Oct. 10
St. Mary of Sorrows Church, 5222 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax
Deanery V
Oct. 18
All Saints Church, 9300 Stonewall Rd., Manassas
Deanery IV
Oct. 23
Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 130 Keating Dr., Winchester
Deanery VII
Oct. 30
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church, 1009 Stafford Ave., Fredericksburg
