Bishop Robert Brennan visited Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Queens this week to celebrate Catechetical Sunday. The Mass focused on faith-formation studies that allow children in public schools to learn about the Church and its teachings. 

The religious education of young people is essential. In fact, it is one of the three purposes of Christian Marriage (unity between the spouses, the procreation of children, and the Christian education of children). 

The diocese is blessed with our Catholic primary academies, parochial schools, and Catholic high schools. Throughout the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn, the Catholic faith is being taught to students. But the Catholic faith is also being transmitted well in our parishes through faith formation programs. 

Catechists play a very important role in the ministry of children. They bring the word of God and His Church to families that are not being ministered to daily in schools and academies. 

Catechists must teach not only academically but also by the way in which they live their Catholic lives in the world. 

They must receive training not only in basic pedagogy but also in the teachings of the Catholic Faith: her moral precepts, her dogmatic principles, and her scriptural and historical facts. 

Our catechists give not only lessons in the classrooms, but in and through their generous service, they do so with their very lives. 

There are an estimated 3,000 catechists in the Diocese of Brooklyn teaching across all 177 parishes as the school year opens. 

Catechetical classes will soon begin in Catholic schools and academies across the diocese. 

In a global movement, the theme of this year’s celebration is taken from Jesus’ words to the Apostles at the Last Supper, “This is my body given for you.” 

We would suggest that any strong faith-based Catholics with time join their parish’s catechist team. 

It would be an excellent opportunity to grow their connection to the Church as well as spread the good news and works that are found in the Bible. 

The chief catechist in the diocese is the bishop, and the chief catechist in the parish is the pastor. But they can’t do it alone. 

The catechetical program at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish in Mill Basin has a strong program because of the many parishioners who contribute to the program. 

Do you feel the call to become involved in your parish’s faith formation program? 

No doubt, each parochial program needs happy, healthy, holy people who want to give their time and talent to fulfill the direct command of the Lord Jesus — “Go and teach all nations!” (Matthew 28:19).