CATECHETICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BISHOP

The Church, through the power of the Holy Spirit, calls all to salvation. During the Vigil with the young people at World Youth Day, 2008 (Sydney, Australia), His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI stated, “The Spirit sustains the Church in union with the Lord and in fidelity to the Apostolic Tradition. He inspired the Sacred Scriptures and he guides God’s People into the fullness of truth. In all these ways the Spirit is the ‘giver of life’, leading us into the very heart of God.”

The proclamation and transmission of the Gospel is central to the Bishop’s ministry.  The Second Vatican Council teaches that by virtue of his Episcopal Ordination, three munera or offices are conferred upon a Bishop. These offices of sanctifying, teaching, and governing are essential to the way a Bishop carries out his responsibilities. Lumen Gentium teaches, “… by means of the imposition of hands and the words of consecration, the grace of the Holy Spirit is so conferred, and the sacred character so impressed, that bishops in an eminent and visible way sustain the roles of Christ Himself as Teacher, Shepherd and High Priest, and that they act in His person.”

Consequently, the Bishop holds the primary responsibility for catechesis in his diocese and accepts the role of chief catechist there while being responsible for the nature of its catechetical mission.

In the Gospel of Saint John we are told that after washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus describes to them their role as true and authentic teachers, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” (John 13:20) The Bishop, with the collaboration and support of priests, deacons and properly formed lay leaders, is commissioned to teach, preach and fill the role as a true and authentic teacher by articulating the faith to the local Church entrusted to his care in the name of Christ.

In his role as pastor of a community and under the authority of the Bishop, the priest likewise holds the primary responsibility in the parish to proclaim the Gospel through homilies and catechetical instruction. As stated in Canon 528 §1, the pastor is “… to have particular care for the Catholic education of children and youth. He is to make every effort, even with the collaboration of the Christian faithful, so that the message of the gospel comes also to those who have ceased the practice of their religion or do not profess the true faith.”

In light of this important role held by the pastor, I direct that all pastors evaluate the current parish faith formation programs. This evaluation should include the assessment of both content and methodology. Lay and religious faith formation staff should be included in this process. When the Office for Evangelization and Faith Formation publishes the revised diocesan norms, each pastor and his catechetical staff will be expected to bring their current faith formation programs and catechetical methodologies into compliance with diocesan norms. The Office for Evangelization and Faith Formation will assist pastors and their staffs in establishing an ongoing evaluation or outcomes assessment process to guarantee consistency across the Diocese in the transmission of the faith and to evaluate its results.