This year, the church will celebrate Catechetical Sunday on Sept 16, and will focus on the theme “Catechists and Teachers as Agents of the New Evangelization.” The theme and focus is a reminder that we are agents — because of our baptism — given the power to act on behalf of our God to evangelize. This day affords us a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays in passing on the richness of our faith tradition: our beliefs, our rituals and our symbols. It is also an opportunity for all members of the Church to rededicate themselves to the mission of sharing the Good News of our Catholic story in our communities of faith.Sunday’s Gospel recalls our baptism into the Paschal Mystery of Jesus: his life, death and resurrection. Mindful of our catechetical vocation we reach out to evangelize in a world that struggles with loss, poverty and insecurity. Acknowledging that a measure of pain is at the heart of discipleship, we turn to Jesus who points the way to hope. Within each of us, there are stories of lived faith, courage and perseverance in face of the inevitable trials and challenges encountered on the journey. Our stories are grounded and sustained by hope of which this world is in dire need.But, do we share our personal stories of faith on a regular basis? Do we foster Gospel values in our society, affirm the importance of the family, the common good of Society, so that our nation may be transformed by the saving power of Jesus? Do we understand the power of the new social media and the use of technology to bring about an enthusiasm for living our faith in Jesus and freely sharing it with our brothers and sisters?As parish and diocesan catechetical leaders, we have a responsibility to evangelize our catechists, and in turn we must ensure that every catechist is evangelizing his or her learners. In the spirit of evangelizing catechesis, this calls for ongoing spiritual formation, and commitment to promoting communion and intimacy with Jesus Christ. The New Evangelization beckons us to forge new paths in response to the changing circumstances and conditions facing the Church in her call to proclaim and live the Gospel today. At the center of our ministry, the command of Jesus — “Go, make disciples of all the nations” — resounds in the hearts and lives of several hundred catechists in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles who have said “yes” to this invitation and will be commissioned by Archbishop Jose Gomez on Sept. 23 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. As we enter this Year of Faith, we need, more than ever, women and men committed to serve the catechetical needs of their parishes. And today, we rejoice that Christ’s light continues to burn deep and hope is restored in the witness of lives given away in service of God’s Word. Religious Sister of Charity Edith Prendergast is director of the archdiocesan Office of Religious Education. The Catechist Commissioning will take place Sept. 23, 3 p.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
