Wonder in God’s presence should be central to our experience of worship, said Diocese of Dallas Office of Worship Director Jeanne Marie Miles ahead of the Oct. 26 Contours of Wonder formation workshop.
Catechetical Sunday is a special occasion for the national Church to recognize and bless the invaluable work of catechists who dedicate themselves to teaching and nurturing the faith within our communities.
The Office of Evangelization, Catechesis and Family Life this fall offered two formation opportunities to train catechists, coordinators, and directors who are helping youth candidates for the sacrament of confirmation.
The third Sunday in September is designated as “Catechetical Sunday” by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, or USCCB. It is a day to celebrate the ministry of catechesis, the passing on the faith. This year’s theme, “Come to me all who labor and are burdened,” (Matthew 11:28) reminds us of the invitation we receive from the Lord Jesus to follow Him and the promise that He doesn’t want to add to our burdens; he wants to lighten them. Observing Catechetical Sunday is a great way show appreciation to our catechists for the hard work that they do accompanying the many people of all ages throughout the year. It is in their dedication, efforts, and true servant’s heart that they continually give of themselves by helping so many families in their faith journey.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently hosted a significant dialogue on catechesis and evangelization, welcoming Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella and his team from the Dicastery for Evangelization for discussions with diocesan representatives during the 2023 Spring Plenary Assembly on June 13 in Orlando. Among those in attendance was Diocese of Dallas Senior Director of Ministries Peter J. Ductrám, who was invited by USCCB as a regional diocesan representative.