Dear Clergy, Pastoral Administrators, and Parish Secretaries,
          As we begin a new ministry season, it is time once again to bless and pray for the catechists in our parishes. This year you will notice that we have moved Catechetical Sunday to the third week of September to be in line with many dioceses in North America.  The Compassionate Healers Mass will be celebrated in our Diocese on the fourth Sunday.

          The theme for Catechetical Sunday is a phrase familiar to us from our Eucharistic celebration: Say the Word and My Soul Shall Be Healed. This phrase we pray each Sunday is drawn from Matthew 8.8, where a centurion asks Jesus to heal his servant. After hearing the request, Jesus says he will go and heal the man.  The centurion responds, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed.” In these words, we are given a model of entrusting those we care for to God. When we pray these words before coming forward to receive Holy Communion, we, too, entrust ourselves to God’s healing through our prayer. May we live and be witnesses through our catechetical efforts to this depth of faith modelled for us by the centurion entrusting ourselves and those we care for to God’s healing mercy.

This fall you will notice that the presentation offerings by the the Office of Evangelization & Catechesis are focused on the sacraments. TeamRCIA will provide an opportunity to reinvigorate and strength the RCIA journeys offered in our parishes. Already the clergy of our Diocese have had an opportunity to attend a day with TeamRCIA, which by all accounts was well received.  A day for everyone in the parish to attend a virtual workshop with TeamRCIA is being scheduled for later this year.

This year I would like to highlight the resources for catechists offered by Loyola Press. The first link to the left will lead you to one of the three-minute retreats that is particularly prepared for catechists. The second link will lead you to the 3-minute retreat archives. The third link will lead you to the page inviting you to sign-up to receive the 3-minute retreat daily in your inbox.

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The next three links to the left offer practical support through videos and articles for catechists.  The first link offers a clip to catechists of children and youth on 'Tips to Teaching Catechesis Remotely' by Joe Paprocki. The  second link for catechists of children and youth leads to Joe's Pop-Up Catechesis videos which offer practical advice and ideas for leading catechetical sessions. The third link offers a page of resource links of tips and ideas for making your adult faith formation ministry, from RCIA to Bible Study, a success.

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