By Thea Jarvis

At Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Atlanta, catechesis is the affair of the entire parish family.

This past Sunday, parishioners catechists, staff and students gathered at the 10 a.m. Mass for a proper beginning to the catechetical year, initiating religious education for the IHM community on the elementary, high school and adult levels.

Teachers of religion--catechists--were commissioned by IHM pastor Msgr. Donald Kiernan with the congregation taking an active prayerful part in the ceremony. Lectors took time to explain the meaning of Catechetical Sunday and youth and adult representatives spoke briefly during the Mass explaining the upcoming year’s programs. The parish board of education carried the offertory gifts, representing the efforts and intentions of the whole community.

Following the Mass, the parish’s focal point for the inauguration of catechetical activities, a brunch was held in the IHM school cafeteria, where catechists, IHM elementary school teachers, board of education members and adult advisors met for fellowship and discussion.

On Sunday evening, parents and teens joined assistant coordinators Pam and Al Buckmaster to gain a deeper insight into youth and peer ministry.

One of the chief goals of IHM’s catechetical commissioning and attendant ceremonies and meetings was a “better understanding of what religious education is and more involvement on the part of parents,” said Carol Homrich, director of elementary religious education. “If our parents can learn and are willing to educate themselves, they will be better educators of their children.”

Mirroring the IHM experience, parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Atlanta will be holding commissioning ceremonies Sunday, Sept. 20, designated Catechetical Sunday by the bishops of the United States.

Such ceremonies give recognition and encouragement to catechists and enlist support from the entire parish, recognizing that sharing the Good News is an effort in which the community joins hands in a cooperative faith experience.

“Catechetical Sunday is a reminder that you and I are called to share the work of the Lord, to make all things new,” according to the Board of Education of the United States Catholic Conference.

“Each of us, parents, children, young adults, priests, Religious, teachers, adults--in short, all of us are ‘called to share the work of the Lord.’”

The commissioning ceremonies that will be occurring during Sunday Masses Sept. 20 recognize in a special way the role of the catechist in carrying out the Church’s promise “to support, to pray for, and instruct the baptized and foster their growth in faith,” in the words of the USCC.

Such events reflect the vitality and diversity of the Church throughout the United States. The USCC notes that in the Diocese of Pittsburgh the suggestion has been made to include public school teachers in the Catechetical Sunday celebrations.

“It is true they are not teachers of religion, but they are called to share in the work of the Lord by being Christian witnesses within the public school community.”

Further USCC guidelines observe that “Many parishes across the country make a deliberate attempt to strengthen the role of the parents as catechists and witnesses to their children” and encourage creative planning to involve parents in Catechetical Sunday.

Inclusion of youth, young adult, liturgical, evangelization and music evangelization and music ministers is likewise advised in communities with large staffs so that the “parish can give visible evidence of its commitment to total parish catechesis.”

The distinct flavor of Catechetical Sunday is as unique and personal as the many parishes in which it is celebrated. But the focus of the day is indeed the belief that the entire church community moves ahead in faith-filled catechesis toward renewal in Christ.