By John Rohlf
The Message assistant editor
Catechists from around the Diocese of Evansville gathered at the Catholic Center Aug. 24 for the annual Catechist Formation Day.
The theme of this year’s event was “Moving Forward in Faith.” The event featured multiple speakers and Mass with Bishop Joseph M. Siegel.
Diocesan Office of Catechesis Director Joel Padgett said although the Office of Catechesis has a number of regularly scheduled activities in order to work closely with and offer ongoing formation to faith formation leaders throughout the diocese, they have fewer opportunities to gather the broader audience of catechists together. Catechist Formation Day offers the possibility for all types of catechists to come together to grow in their formation, both personally and as it relates to those whom they serve.
“However, it is not merely a day of intellectual formation,” Padgett said. “In addition, it is a moment to come together in prayer and to grow spiritually in our relationship with Christ, the greatest gift of our Catholic faith, and in our relationships with one another.”
Padgett said unlike most years, they did not invite a speaker to come in from outside the Diocese of Evansville. He said they felt there has been a lot happening in the area of catechesis the past few years, both within the universal Church and within the diocese.
“We wanted to take a moment to take stock of where we’ve been, where we’re at and where we believe that the Holy Spirit is inviting us to move forward within the area of catechesis.”
There were several presentations throughout the day with speakers within the diocese. Padgett gave the welcome and first group presentation, which was focused on Making Catechesis Transformational. During the breakout sessions, scheduled speakers were Mary Grady, Emily Hamilton and Office of Catechesis Program Manager Nicholas Soellner. The topic of Soellner’s presentation was The Theology of Confirmation.
“There’s often a misunderstanding in the church, especially for those preparing for Confirmation, that this is largely a symbolic action,” Soellner said. “And I think this had kind of lended itself to maybe the misunderstanding that Confirmation is kind of a Catholic graduation. But at the heart of it, the church is insisting we are really receiving a difference within ourselves. Something real is occurring within us when we receive this sacrament of Confirmation.”
The other topics for the breakout sessions were Lesson Planning for Catechists and The Theology of the Body.
Diocesan Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry Jeremy Goebel gave a presentation for the second group session. The topic of his presentation was Looking to the Future with Hope.
Goebel focused a portion of his presentation on the interior life. He said it is “absolutely vital and necessary to be connected to our Lord with an interior prayer life.”
In his homily at the 11 a.m. Mass Aug. 24 at the Catholic Center, Bishop Joseph M. Siegel said while we are all called to be evangelizing missionary disciples, we fulfill that role in different vocations, with various talents, gifts, abilities and opportunities bestowed by the Holy Spirit. He said through our work, words and example of our lives, we are to help form other disciples.
The closing session of Catechist Formation Day was on the topic of Cultivating Life-Long Faith Formation. The presentation was given by Padgett and Soellner.
Padgett said he hopes those who attended the Catechist Formation Day were spiritually revitalized and able to return to their places of ministry with renewed hope and energy for the year to come.
“Catechesis is such an important and necessary ministry within our church,” Padgett said. “Yet, as with all things of great import, it can be quite challenging. For catechesis to be done well, catechists must be firmly rooted in Christ, attentive to the Holy Spirit and have a great love for the Church and all the souls they encounter. I pray that the attendees left the day strengthened in each of these areas.”