Catechetical Sunday

In 1935, the Church set aside the third Sunday in September as Catechetical Sunday, recognizing on this day the gift that catechists give to their parish community by volunteering their time to teach the faith to children. In the 90 years since, understanding of models of catechesis and the role of catechist has changed and grown. In a real sense, all of us as baptized Catholic Christians serve as catechists, echoing the faith with our words, and teaching others about Jesus by the way we live.

In the Rite of Baptism, parents hear a number of times how important their catechetical responsibility to their children is: “training them in the practice of the faith,” making it their “constant care,” and that they are not only “the first teachers of their children in the ways of faith,” but should strive to be the “best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do.”

As a community witnessing the baptisms of children in our parish, we welcome each child and pledge our support to their parents to share in the responsibility of developing the gift of faith given to their children at Baptism. So this day in the Church year is an opportunity for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the mission of handing on the faith, and to our collective effort as a parish to bear witness to the Gospel.

We whole-heartedly welcome all parish parents, grandparents, caregivers, and elders to join with us in, Parents and Families at the Center of Faith Formation Project, a three-year journey to enrich parish faith formation at Saint Noel. Please use this link to let us know of your interest in this endeavor and to be added to our contact list: https://stnoel.breezechms.com/form/ecc143.

Michele Baetzold
Coordinator of Faith Formation