The object of catechesis is communion with Jesus Christ. Catechesis leads people to enter the mystery of Christ, to encounter him, and to discover themselves and the meaning of their lives in him. (General Directory for Catechesis, nr 80)

Each year, the importance of catechetical ministry within the midst of the community, both the diocese and the parish, is celebrated in a particular way on Catechetical Sunday.

This year Catechetical Sunday will be celebrated tomorrow with the theme “Catechesis: encountering the living Christ”. Those who have been delegated by the community to serve as catechists will be called forth during the Sunday Liturgy or at another celebration to be commissioned for their ministry.

Although Catechetical Sunday focuses heavily on the role of catechists, it is also an opportunity to reflect upon the role that each Christian plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel as well as to rededicating himself or herself to this mission as a community of faith. The Catechetical Sunday theme provides a rich context for such reflection.

Encountering Christ

One way to experience an encounter is to prepare and long for such a meeting; another way is by coming upon another person in an unexpected or surprising way.

Spiritual encounters open us to views of ourselves and the world around us that go beneath the surface concerns of life and into the depths of God’s mysterious and wondrous love. In Scripture, various people encounter Jesus, even unexpectedly, and are left in far different places than where they were when they started. The stories of three such figures provide a glimpse into this catechetical process, which moves us from initial conversion to a more mature faith in Jesus Christ, and then into an active discipleship.

The Conversion of Saul (Acts 9: 1-19) is a startling encounter with Jesus that literally knocks Saul to the ground. While lying in the dust, Saul hears a voice asking, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (v. 4). Jesus’ question is both a challenge and an invitation to a new way of life, one that will lead Saul to a new name – Paul – and a new mission as apostle to the Gentiles.

Although our own conversions are usually not so dramatic, we, like Paul, are also challenged to abandon our old ways of life and to open ourselves to faith. Conversion changes our hearts, allowing us not only to encounter Christ but to embrace with passion the life that he offers.

One of the tasks of the catechist is to help us identify and reflect upon the conversion moments in our lives. Through such means as communal witness and story-telling, faith-sharing, and the asking of thought-provoking questions, catechists help us to recognize how Christ is present to us and how we, in turn, might respond to his invitation to know him more fully.

In his post-resurrection appearance to the disciples(Jn 21: 15-19), Jesus poses a searing question to Peter, repeating it three times: Do you love me? (vv. 15-17). After each affirmative response, Jesus tells Peter to care for his flock. Peter is then warned that discipleship will lead him to places he would rather not go. It is a sobering reminder of the cost of mature faith.

Following Christ may require us to make decisions or to reach out to others in ways that can be uncomfortable and demanding. The formation in faith that we receive through an ongoing commitment to catechesis helps us to answer as a mature believer with a resounding “yes”.

Catechesis is a multi-faceted process. “The maturation of the Christian life requires that it be cultivated in all its dimensions: knowledge of the faith, liturgical life, moral formation, prayer, belonging to community, missionary spirit” (General Directory for Catechesis, n. 87). Catechists carry out the full scope of their ministry when they share information and provide resources about Catholic beliefs and practices, when they teach about and create opportunities to reflect on liturgical ritual, when they integrate moral principles into the life experiences of those they catechise, when they encourage the development of a rich spirituality, when they establish an environment of caring and fellowship among those they serve, and when they emphasise the central importance of bearing witness to Christ through attitudes and actions that are grounded in charity and justice.

The encounter between the Samaritan woman and Jesus at the well (Jn 4: 4-42) is both startling and unanticipated. She is accustomed to being ignored by Jewish men because she is a Samaritan and a woman. The fact that Jesus talks to her at all is unusual enough; that he should choose to reveal to her that he is the Messiah, “the one called the Anointed” (v. 25), is even more unsettling.

At the end of the story, the woman leaves behind her water jar and runs off to tell others of her strange and wonderful encounter with Jesus. The Samaritan woman has now become an evangeliser. The essential mission of the Church is to share the gospel message – the Good News of Jesus Christ – with others. The process of catechesis that begins with conversion and extends to mature faith culminates with active discipleship. By emphasising the challenge to make our faith living and active, catechists remind us of the call to follow the example of the saints. They do this not only by what they say but also by how they provide witness to their faith, making them both mentors and models of active discipleship.

Catechetical Sunday is a once-a-year event that celebrates the ongoing witness and dedication of catechists and the support and participation of the entire Christian community. Catechesis is ministry for a lifetime, one that opens our hearts to Christ’s love, draws us into deeper relationship with him, and invites us to assume our part in being his faithful disciples.

Fr Joe M. Meli is the coordinator for

catechesis of children in parishes