By Christina Leslie | Correspondent

To celebrate those thousands of men and women who have recognized the baptismal call to act as missionaries to the faith, the Catholic Church designates the third Sunday in September as Catechetical Sunday.

Sponsored by the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, this year’s Catechetical Sunday, scheduled for Sept. 15 in parishes nationwide, will have as its theme “Open the Door of Faith” (Acts 14:27).

Those whom the parish community has designated to serve as catechists, handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel, will be called forth to be commissioned for their ministry.

This catechetical call to focus on the themes from Porta Fidei, the apostolic letter of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and the Year of Faith, tasks Catholics of all ages to reaffirm their own belief in Christ’s loving redemptive power.

“May this new year of faith be a time for renewal of a relationship with Jesus, faithful participation in the sacramental life of the Church, and for reopening the “door of faith” which was first opened at one’s Baptism,” urged Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay, Wisc., chairman of the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis.

The day is also an opportunity to commend parents and guardians, the primary catechists of children, and encourage them to take seriously their role of making their Catholic households a place where faith is passed on to the next generation.

Bishop Ricken noted the USCCB offers a wealth of materials to aid parishes in its preparation for Catechetical Sunday on its website http://usccb.org/ beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/ catechesis/catechetical-sunday/index. cfm. Numerous resources in both English and Spanish offer theological reflections, catechist in-service instruction, prayer cards and other resources for both parish and family that are filled with faith and practical suggestions on spreading the Good News.

To aid in evangelization on the parish level, the site offers sample pastor notes, outreach projects and bulletin inserts on topics such as a re-examination of the principles of Vatican II, the importance of Catholic schools, evangelization, interchurch and interfaith documents, and renewing the dialogue between faith and reason.

The importance of evangelization in family life also is recognized by the bishops. Literature on Catholic schools, prayer, and an Advent/Christmas retreat assures faith development on a multi-generational level. Theological examinations of faith, and documents offering a young adult slant, are also available.

The history of Catechetical Sunday goes back to 1935, when the Vatican published “On the Better Care and Promotion of Catechetical Education,” a document that asks every country to acknowledge the importance of the Church’s teaching ministry and to honor those who serve the Christian community as catechists. The U.S. bishops formalized Catechetical Sunday in the 1970s to recognize and affirm the work of catechists and teachers; resources were offered online beginning in 2009.

The theme for Catechetical Sunday 2014 will be “Teaching about God’s Gift of Forgiveness.”