By Matters India Reporter
Kochi, Sept 13, 2023: The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) has published the Directory for Lay Catechists that contains directives and norms regarding the identity, formation, and role of lay catechists.
The directory was released September 12 by Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil of Verapoly, by handing over its first copy to Salesian Bishop George Palliparambil of Miao, chairman, CCBI Commission for Catechetics.
The function took place during the national catechetical conference held at Ashirbhavan in Ernakulam, twin city of Kochi, Kerala’s commercial capital.
The directory is a set of guidelines on the vocation and mission of lay catechists. It has details about school catechists, teachers of catechesis in regular schools, and full-time catechists in the mission areas.
A CCBI press statement points out that Pope Francis has made the ministry of catechists relevant in the 21st century with his Apostolic Letter, Antiquum Ministerium (ministry of catechist), published on May 10, 2021. The lay catechists should be installed as ministers through the official rite, included in the directory.
The directory aims to provide directives for bishops, catechetical directors, and lay catechists to know and understand the identity and mission. It helps the parish priests to initiate a proper selection of lay catechists, their adequate formation, and their specific roles in the parishes. This directory gives a roadmap towards the ministry of lay catechists in India.
Present on the occasion were Vincentian Bishop Aplinar Senapati of Rayagada; Fathers Stephen Alathara, CCBI deputy secretary general, Duming Gonsalves, executive secretary, CCBI Commission for Catechetics, Salesian Gilbert Choondal, Mathew Puthiyath, secretary, of Kerala Latin bishops’ Commission for Catechetics and Vincent Naduvilaprambil, secretary, Verapoly Archdiocesan Commission for Catechetics.
I have done a detailed study on Choondal’s book on the shabby way tat we treat our catechists, our frontline warriors.
Also this meeting was silent on adult catechesis which is the need of the hour.