Catechetical Congress

Archbishop Aymond

Today I attended a catechetical congress with several catechists of my parish.  In fact, there were 13 people from our little church.  I attend the conference every year.  Every single time I come home with a new sense of purpose, and a new goal in mind.  This year my goal is to give the children the best I can give.  They deserve the best.  Many don't have anyone at home to nurture them or to listen to them.  Some don't get much attention.  Many come from broken homes.  Even though we catechists only see them for about an hour on Sunday, we must make it clear that we are open to them and that we care.  We must be their source of hope, and they must see God's love in us.

This is the message I brought away from hearing our keynote speaker Archbishop Greg Aymond of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.  He gave us renewed energy about our ministry as catechists.  It is a ministry he said, attested to by the church's choosing us.  He pleaded with us to continue our education as catechists, then chuckled that he is probably "preaching to the choir" since over 200 of us were there on a Saturday morning listening to him.  He gave us good advice on understanding our students' world, and adjusting our teaching style, approach, and vocabulary accordingly.  We have a lot riding on what we say and what we model for those children.  It is up to us to build up our relationship with God, so that we can be a good example for the children's relationship with Him. 

If you are a catechist, and your diocese offers such conferences, I encourage you to go.  Don't miss this wonderful opportunity for spiritual growth and networking with other catechists.  I also enjoy seeing what the vendors have to offer.  I always come away with some gems for my class.  I must finish up my preparation for class...