Official Website of the
Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
Catechetical Sunday to focus on dignity
Published: September 7, 2015
Catechetical Sunday will be celebrated Sept. 20 in Catholic parishes across the United States. On this day, parish religion and Catholic school teachers are commissioned to share their ministry for the 2015-2016 school year.
In addition, a special collection will be taken up to support catechetical ministry. Half of the collection remains in the parish, while the other half donated in Arkansas parishes, goes to support catechetical ministry across the Diocese of Little Rock.
This year's theme is: "Safeguarding the Dignity of Every Human Person." It is based on Genesis 1:26-27, which tells us that every person is created in God's image and likeness.
"It also reminds us that we the baptized may need to actively support and protect others from all sorts of harm, cherishing human life from the moment of conception to a natural death," said Archbishop Leonard Blair, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis in a letter about Catechetical Sunday. "Let us use the coming year to reflect on how the Bible, and in particular the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, provide the spiritual and moral foundations for our Christian life. And let us eagerly join with the whole Church in thanksgiving and personal witness to the joy of living the Gospel day by day."
The word, "catechetical" is derived from the root "catechesis," which comes from the Greek word meaning "to echo or resound." Therefore, catechesis is the act of echoing the Catholic faith. A catechist is one who teaches in the name of the Church. Yet all Catholics, by virtue of their baptism, are called to echo the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Catechetical Sunday is a time for everyone to reflect on how we can share the faith.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops offers materials to assist catechists, school teachers and families to better understand and rededicate ourselves to this mission as a community of faith. For more information, contact Dianne Brady, director of stewardship and development, at (501) 664-0340.
