Issue 20: Summer 2022

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The word ‘CATECHIST’ comes from the Greek word meaning ‘to echo’. As Catechists or teachers of RE we do not proclaim our own word. We echo the message of Jesus Christ our Lord. This newsletter aims at providing parish catechists and teachers of RE in schools some support in terms of reflections, ideas, useful resources they can use and so on. Feel free to share with other colleagues and friends. There is also a pdf version which you can download by clicking on the thumbnail below.

In this issue

Catechesis: An Ancient Ministry

The Role of the Catechist

A rolemodel catechist: Eugene Borg

Church News websites

Catechesis: an Ancient Ministry

‘Antiquum ministerium’ (Ancient ministry) is the title of a recent offical letter by Pope Francis to the whole church through which he officially formalised the ministry of being a catechist in the Church. The publication of this Apostolic letter outlines the purpose of this vital ministry, that as the letter title suggests has been part of church life and work since its foundation but which is now given a more formal recognition as a key ministry within every diocese and parish.

This is a moment when the Church is recognising that Catechesis is such a crucial ministry that it should not just be something an individual does within one parish when asked to help out but rather an important and specific activity which is central in the ministry of the transmission of faith.

This ministry of being a catechist is open to both lay or ordained people within the Church. In the words of ‘Antiquum ministerium’ those who are called to embrace the ministry of catechist should be ‘men and women of deep faith and human maturity, active participants in the life of the Christian community, capable of welcoming others, being generous and living a life of fraternal communion (Antiquum Ministermum para. 8)

All ministries within the church are intended for the service of the whole community. This ‘new’ ministry is no exception. It is a vocation to which those who are called, commit to be of service to their bishop and the whole church by receiving sound formation in order to be able to minister in transmitting our Catholic faith to other groups of people and help them on their journey to encounter Jesus the Lord.

The Role of the Catechist

In our days, when there are so few clerics to evangelize such great multitudes and to carry out the pastoral ministry, the role of the catechists is of the highest importance.

From Ad Gentes (Second Vatican Council)

A Role Model Catechist

Eugene Borg

Eugene Borg, one of the young people who originally met St George Preca right at the beginning of the 20th century was the one later chosen to become the first Superior General of SDC.

A dockyard worker by day, Eugene was a model of a committed Christian whose heart was full of burning fervour to spread the word of God anywhere he went. The following are extracts from his reflections on the early years when he met founder Fr George Preca and the setting up of SDC centres to teach catechism.

These are some of his quotes:

Oh what fervour we used to have! I am amazed. I wonder where that fervour of old came from! I only tell you, we could not sleep during the night! Who can tell how often we stayed up till midnight without being able to sleep! There was nothing physically wrong with us!

Fr Preca had given us the name of apostles. Oh, that joy! Oh that fervour we used to have! It is incredible how intense it was. I cannot tell where that fervour, that love, was coming from. Nothing, we had absolutely nothing else in mind except one thing - to love God and to spread his teaching to everyone.

Eugene Borg and the Founder

Looking at the blue sky through the window of my bedroom, those stars, that moonlight - I couldn’t sleep with the feeling I used to have. How could you sleep? I couldn’t stop thinking of all that instruction and catechesis we were giving to others. Our Blessed Lord was building the Society. If you only looked at the sky, you would weep with joy. That was the joy of the spirit! Nothing would scare us! We felt that the whole world belonged to us!

Online Resources

Have a look at these Church News websites

VATICAN NEWS (vaticannews.va)

News from the Catholic world including the Vatican itself and dioceses and Christians around the world. Also includes a direct link to the Vatican Radio.

THE VATICAN WEBSITE (vatican.ca)

The website of the Holy See - Vatican news, information, special events, pope's speeches, links to church publications, biographies of popes and more.

L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO (osservatoreromano.va)

The website of the official Vatican newspaper. News and reports about events in the Church itself and in the world.

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