proclaim the commandment of love

Dear Church Family,

This Sunday across the globe, is Catechetical Sunday, a day set aside to recognize the vocation and ministry of teaching and sharing the faith with others. Pope Francis said, “Being a catechist is a vocation of service in the Church, that has been received as a gift from the Lord and must in turn be transmitted.”

The vocation of catechist is a special one, it takes many, many wonderful, ordinary joyful people with courage to share their faith, leading in the many activities, always with love. Today, the catechists of our parish, wonderful men and women, who answered YES to the call to be present and walk the faith journey with the adults, youth and children of the parish, will be called forth, receive a blessing and be formally commissioned to continue the beautiful labor of sharing and growing in the faith. 

In the 27 years that I have been a catechist, I have had the opportunity to work with children, teens and adults. Every time I said ‘yes,’ to leading a new center or age group, I admit I was scared. I was afraid I would not be able to have the answers to their questions; I was right, many times I did not. I would then research the answers and at our next encounter, we learned together. The vocation of catechist gives me the opportunity to continue learning and growing in the faith, renewing my spirit. 

“Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each baptized person plays in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. Catechetical Sunday is an opportunity for all to rededicate themselves to this mission as a community of faith” (USCCB) How are you sharing your faith? Whether it be as a learner or a catechist, growing and learning about our Catholic faith is a lifelong journey. Where do you feel called to use your gifts, to grow? 

Our Holy Father teaches and blesses all of us, “And so, dear catechists, dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord give us the grace to be renewed every day by the joy of the first proclamation to us: Jesus died and is risen, Jesus loves us personally! May he give us the strength to live and proclaim the commandment of love, overcoming blindness of appearances, and worldly sadness. May he make us sensitive to the poor, who are not an afterthought in the Gospel but an important page, always open before all.” ­ Pope Francis

To all catechists in our lives, parents and grandparents, priest and deacons, religious sisters, church family, all who have been encounters of Jesus in our lives, we thank you! 

Siempre Adelante,
Tere Delgado
Faith Formation Minister
September 17

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