On Sept. 20, more than 200 Catholics gathered at St. John Paul II Church, 3539 Goldsmith Lane, to discuss parish catechetical ministry at a day-long event titled “Catechetical Encuentro — Communion and Mission.”
The bilingual event presented catechesis as “foundational” to parish communities and the ministries they offer, said Eva Gonzalez, director of the Archdiocese of Louisville’s Office of Hispanic Ministry, in a recent interview.
“At the parishes, you may lack some ministries. You may not have a group of youth and young adults. Or, you might have youth, but you may not have young adults. Or maybe there’s a parish where you don’t have a ministry in regard to family life, or just something for the parents. But the one thing that will never be missing is catechetical ministry.”
— Eva Gonzalez, director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry
Every parish has a catechetical ministry, and every Catholic encounters the parish’s catechetical ministry to receive the sacraments, Gonzalez noted. But the same cannot be said for a parish’s other ministries, such as youth ministry or marriage ministry, she said.
“At the parishes, you may lack some ministries. You may not have a group of youth and young adults. Or, you might have youth, but you may not have young adults. Or maybe there’s a parish where you don’t have a ministry in regard to family life, or just something for the parents. But the one thing that will never be missing is catechetical ministry,” she said.
Thus, the catechetical ministry of a parish should be viewed as the “hub” for all other ministries, she said.
“Everything starts or departs from catechesis — faith, what we believe. Everything starts there, from that ministry,” she said.
She and several speakers shared this message with those who attended the event last weekend, including catechists, high school juniors and seniors and those involved with family life.
After an opening Mass celebrated by Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, participants separated into four groups — catechists, young people, parents, and parish staff — for presentations and small-group discussions.
Each of those groups has an important catechetical duty, Gonzalez said, so their presentations and small groups had different objectives.
- Catechists are called to recognize the “impact of catechetical ministry on other ministries of the parish,” she said. Their small groups reflected on the question, “How are we impacting other ministries?” and “What is missing?”
- Young people — high school juniors, seniors and young adults — are called to “make a positive impact on their church community” and to seek ongoing formation after confirmation, she said. Their group reflected on the question, “What impact can I make in my church community and beyond?”
- Parents are “the first ones who are responsible for infusing the faith in their children,” she said. They are called “to embrace the role of the family as a vocation that can transform the church community and society,” she said. This group reflected on the question, “What are the barriers to spirituality in my home?” and “What support do I need to learn and pass on the faith to my children?”
- Parish staff are called to provide a vision for communion in their parish communities and to support those involved in the parish’s ministries, she said. Their small group pondered, “How are we to support them (the ministries)?”
The small groups aimed to invite the participants to “look to the reality” of their ministries and vocations and to ask themselves, “What support do I need to grow?” The groups also spent time reflecting on their spiritual lives and how they intersect with their ministries and vocations.
Then, participants had the opportunity to meet with others from their parish to discuss how their group could promote communion with the other groups represented. When ministries are “in communion,” they can minister to their parish more effectively, Gonzalez added.
For example, the catechists may suggest inviting parents to visit their child’s class to lead the group in prayer. Or, a young adult group may suggest inviting a catechist to give their group a 10-minute presentation on a topic they’re interested in, Gonzalez said.
The parish groups also discussed ways their efforts might be better supported by their parish, she added. Those ideas were gathered and would be distributed to the parish’s leadership, she said.
