Every year, on the third Sunday of September, the Church celebrates Catechetical Sunday, an opportunity to highlight the ministry of catechesis and to call forth and affirm the many people called to serve in this ministry. This year, Catechetical Sunday takes place on September 19, 2021, with the theme of “Say the Word and My Soul Shall Be Healed”—words drawn from the prayer we say just before coming forward to receive the Eucharist that are, in turn, inspired by Matthew 8:8, when the centurion replies to Jesus’ offer to heal his servant by saying, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.”
We live in a world in desperate need of healing. Every one of us is wounded in some way and in need of healing that can only come from divine intervention—the amazing grace of God that comes to us in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. As catechists, we proclaim the Good News that Jesus is with us to heal our brokenness. This means that we should see the ministry of catechesis as a ministry of healing! Through our catechesis, we aim to invite others to receive the healing grace of Jesus in their lives and to bring that healing to the world.
I encourage you to prepare for each session of faith formation by asking the following question of yourself and your lesson: How will this session of faith formation bring healing to those I teach and encourage them to bring healing to the world?
To help you and your parish celebrate Catechetical Sunday 2021, Loyola Press has assembled a number of great Catechetical Sunday resources here. Be sure to check them out!
May this year be a year of healing for you, for those you teach, and for the world!
Thank very much, dear Joe Paprocki for this preparatory message for the forthcoming Catechetical Sunday, 2021. Indeed, being fragile today, we need healing today more than ever before by sharing our believe in the Son of God, Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. May your message restore hope to the hopeless readers who have been broken down by the weight of war, hatred, Covid-19 pandemic, sin and shame. By saying a “word” to Jesus, we pray to be healed.
Thank you.
Fr. Samuel Okiria,
Parochial Administrator,
St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Acumet, Soroti Catholic Diocese, Uganda, East Africa.
You are so very welcome, Fr. Samuel and thank you for sharing your thoughts! Blessings to all of your fellow catechetical ministers in Uganda!