Catechists affirmed, honored during Catechetical Sunday Masses
September 21, 2023 at 11:51 a.m.
Catechists serving in the Diocese of Trenton, like their counterparts throughout the nation, stood up before their parish communities during Masses Sept. 17 to receive appreciation and encouragement for their vital work of passing down the faith to the next generation.
The annual observance of Catechetical Sunday unfolded in St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, when the community’s volunteer catechists were recognized and celebrated during Mass and the light reception that followed. Father Leandro Dela Cruz, pastor, commissioned the catechists and blessed them for their pivotal role in teaching the Catholic faith to youngsters.
“Catechesis is always very important for our little ones, so we really need to pass on the faith,” he emphasized. “We try to encourage our catechists and our parishioners to take up the mission to bring the word of God to them, because that’s the best gift we could offer our children. Understanding our own faith and really loving God – especially as we are now celebrating the Eucharistic Revival – [we want them to understand] that they should all the more love the Eucharist.”
Catechetical Sunday allows the faith community to “recognize catechists not only formally in a group but also [at Mass] as a reminder to all listening that ‘it takes a village,’” said Gary Maccaroni, St. Ann’s director of religious education and pastoral associate. “All of us need to take some role in passing on the faith, and we do that in many different ways.”
The parish’s religious education curriculum, “Generations of Faith,” includes a monthly family participation option that includes faith formation for parents. “I love it because it affirms parents in their role as the first presenters of the faith to their children,” Maccaroni explained. “We try to help parents do that with resources and encouragement.”
In St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., celebrated Mass to mark the parish’s namesake feast day, and blessed the catechists as well.
“What catechists provide in their ministry is often invisible to the wider parish community; parishioners know religious education goes on but may not think of the work being done if they do not have children in the program,” noted Mark Russoniello, St. Robert’s director of religious education. “After parents and family, catechists provide the most personal witness of faith to children in the parish. We cannot thank them or recognize them enough for the important work they do. They are a gift and a blessing.”
Russoniello emphasized the importance of recognizing catechists for their charity, generosity and dedication, calling it “a powerful way of reminding everyone in the parish that we all share responsibility for evangelizing and passing on the faith to others by the example of our lives.”
Sacred Heart Parish, Mount Holly, held a brunch to celebrate its catechists following the commissioning during Mass. Parishioners were invited to thank a catechist by putting a note in a bulletin board mailbox, and to view first and seventh grade collaborations on the Ten Commandments.
“I am inspired with our catechists’ creativity and their innovative ideas, which help the children have an encounter with Jesus,” said Barbara Kane, Sacred Heart’s religious education coordinator.
Denise Contino, director of the diocesan Department of Catechesis, pointed out that “Commissioning catechists and celebrating them on this day shows the entire community that being a catechist is part of the mission of the Church. Their ‘yes’ to passing on the faith is celebrated by the entire parish community.”
“It reaffirms my commitment to teach children about God, and to reach out to the community so they are aware of the mission, which is building the faith,” St. Ann catechist Pat Staltari said of Catechetical Sunday. Her background has included working for more than 50 years with young children with special needs.
“I’ve seen the growth they have, and the need for them to really learn about God,” she continued, “and a big piece of that is support for the parents – they need to learn how to communicate about God to them.”
Pat’s husband, Anthony Staltari, has been a catechist in St. Ann Parish for 10 years, beginning with first grade then settling into the upper grades preparing middle-schoolers for Confirmation. He brings insight from teaching correctional officers and juvenile detention officers of Hudson County, noting the importance of seeing teens as “in a transition stage of life.”
Being commissioned in front of the parish gave Anthony Staltari hope because “you know there’s somebody out there, applauding and cheering you on – their spirit helps.”
St. Ann parishioner Tina Cobb, another 10-year veteran of teaching parish religious education, works with first graders and has a teaching background. The commissioning provided on Catechetical Sunday “renews the feeling of bringing the life of Jesus in to starting off a good year with the kids,” she said. The most important thing about her mission as a catechist, she believes, is “getting kids to smile and be joyful as they learn to pray.”
Lorena Patti, longtime first grade catechist in St. Robert’s and craft coordinator for its summer religious education program, said she felt honored to participate in the Catechetical Sunday Mass.
“The blessing I received from Bishop O'Connell re-affirmed my saying ‘yes’ to the call to serve,” Patti said. “It reinforced the importance of sharing our faith and the love of Christ with others, especially with children and their families. This blessing and recognition gave me peace and renewed strength to continue my journey as a catechist and to follow Christ more closely, and to teach others about Christ so they can do the same.”
Bishop O'Connell poses with the catechists during the Mass he celebrated in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold. Hal Brown photo
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Catechists serving in the Diocese of Trenton, like their counterparts throughout the nation, stood up before their parish communities during Masses Sept. 17 to receive appreciation and encouragement for their vital work of passing down the faith to the next generation.
The annual observance of Catechetical Sunday unfolded in St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, when the community’s volunteer catechists were recognized and celebrated during Mass and the light reception that followed. Father Leandro Dela Cruz, pastor, commissioned the catechists and blessed them for their pivotal role in teaching the Catholic faith to youngsters.
“Catechesis is always very important for our little ones, so we really need to pass on the faith,” he emphasized. “We try to encourage our catechists and our parishioners to take up the mission to bring the word of God to them, because that’s the best gift we could offer our children. Understanding our own faith and really loving God – especially as we are now celebrating the Eucharistic Revival – [we want them to understand] that they should all the more love the Eucharist.”
Catechetical Sunday allows the faith community to “recognize catechists not only formally in a group but also [at Mass] as a reminder to all listening that ‘it takes a village,’” said Gary Maccaroni, St. Ann’s director of religious education and pastoral associate. “All of us need to take some role in passing on the faith, and we do that in many different ways.”
The parish’s religious education curriculum, “Generations of Faith,” includes a monthly family participation option that includes faith formation for parents. “I love it because it affirms parents in their role as the first presenters of the faith to their children,” Maccaroni explained. “We try to help parents do that with resources and encouragement.”
In St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., celebrated Mass to mark the parish’s namesake feast day, and blessed the catechists as well.
“What catechists provide in their ministry is often invisible to the wider parish community; parishioners know religious education goes on but may not think of the work being done if they do not have children in the program,” noted Mark Russoniello, St. Robert’s director of religious education. “After parents and family, catechists provide the most personal witness of faith to children in the parish. We cannot thank them or recognize them enough for the important work they do. They are a gift and a blessing.”
Russoniello emphasized the importance of recognizing catechists for their charity, generosity and dedication, calling it “a powerful way of reminding everyone in the parish that we all share responsibility for evangelizing and passing on the faith to others by the example of our lives.”
Sacred Heart Parish, Mount Holly, held a brunch to celebrate its catechists following the commissioning during Mass. Parishioners were invited to thank a catechist by putting a note in a bulletin board mailbox, and to view first and seventh grade collaborations on the Ten Commandments.
“I am inspired with our catechists’ creativity and their innovative ideas, which help the children have an encounter with Jesus,” said Barbara Kane, Sacred Heart’s religious education coordinator.
Denise Contino, director of the diocesan Department of Catechesis, pointed out that “Commissioning catechists and celebrating them on this day shows the entire community that being a catechist is part of the mission of the Church. Their ‘yes’ to passing on the faith is celebrated by the entire parish community.”
“It reaffirms my commitment to teach children about God, and to reach out to the community so they are aware of the mission, which is building the faith,” St. Ann catechist Pat Staltari said of Catechetical Sunday. Her background has included working for more than 50 years with young children with special needs.
“I’ve seen the growth they have, and the need for them to really learn about God,” she continued, “and a big piece of that is support for the parents – they need to learn how to communicate about God to them.”
Pat’s husband, Anthony Staltari, has been a catechist in St. Ann Parish for 10 years, beginning with first grade then settling into the upper grades preparing middle-schoolers for Confirmation. He brings insight from teaching correctional officers and juvenile detention officers of Hudson County, noting the importance of seeing teens as “in a transition stage of life.”
Being commissioned in front of the parish gave Anthony Staltari hope because “you know there’s somebody out there, applauding and cheering you on – their spirit helps.”
St. Ann parishioner Tina Cobb, another 10-year veteran of teaching parish religious education, works with first graders and has a teaching background. The commissioning provided on Catechetical Sunday “renews the feeling of bringing the life of Jesus in to starting off a good year with the kids,” she said. The most important thing about her mission as a catechist, she believes, is “getting kids to smile and be joyful as they learn to pray.”
Lorena Patti, longtime first grade catechist in St. Robert’s and craft coordinator for its summer religious education program, said she felt honored to participate in the Catechetical Sunday Mass.
“The blessing I received from Bishop O'Connell re-affirmed my saying ‘yes’ to the call to serve,” Patti said. “It reinforced the importance of sharing our faith and the love of Christ with others, especially with children and their families. This blessing and recognition gave me peace and renewed strength to continue my journey as a catechist and to follow Christ more closely, and to teach others about Christ so they can do the same.”
Bishop O'Connell poses with the catechists during the Mass he celebrated in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold. Hal Brown photo