ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Bishop Fitzgerald,
Dear brother Priests and Deacons,
Dear Religious, Award Recipients, Catechists and Families,
Dear Lay Faithful,

I speak for all of the faithful in the Archdiocese in expressing deep appreciation for all that you do in the ministry of catechesis. Today we gather to thank God for all that He accomplishes in and through you. You are vital to parish life and share in an essential work of the Church. By proclaiming Jesus Christ and teaching the Catholic faith, you nurture a new generation of believers. I am indeed grateful for you and for all who collaborate in the catechetical mission of the Church in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Today the Church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord. The world into which Jesus was born was fragmented. Conflicting movements, hopes and expectations shaped the religious and political climate. Israel was living once more in the darkness. To the Israelites, God seemed silent. The old lament was heard once more: We no longer have any prophets (cf. 1 Mac 9:27; Zech 13:2).

You can imagine the extraordinary impression that John the Baptist must have made. At last there was a prophet. God’s hand was plainly acting in history again. We read in the Gospel: “People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him” (Mk 1:5).

Jesus wanted to be baptized. John tried to prevent Him. “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus explains to John, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Mt 3:14-15).

To fulfill all righteousness is to accept God’s will. Through His Baptism, Jesus is expressing an unrestricted “yes” to God’s will. His “yes” also expresses solidarity with those who have incurred guilt but yearn for righteousness. His Baptism is an acceptance of death for the sins of humanity. The voice that calls out “This is my beloved Son” anticipates his resurrection.

For the Christian, being baptized means identification with Jesus. It is dying with Him so that we might rise with Him. Immersion in the waters of Baptism is about liberation from the burden of sin. It is also about a beginning, starting life over anew. It is about rebirth.

Christian life begins the day Jesus is born in us and we are reborn in Him, the day of our Baptism. That day is different from ordinary days and it is a day that makes our ordinary days different. On that day we are immersed in Christ. As a result, Christ lives and acts in and through us. We, in turn, act through Him, with Him and in Him. Our lives become different and better. We find ourselves compelled and empowered to proclaim the glorious works of Him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (cf. 1 Pt 2:9).

As catechists, your role is similar to that of John. His whole mission was to point others to Jesus, who gives life a whole new meaning. Like John, you prepare a path for Jesus in the lives of those you catechize. In so many ways, your ministry is to help them recognize the dignity that they have as baptized Catholics. Through catechesis, the priestly, prophetic and kingly seeds that are planted in Baptism, are brought to full flower.

In Baptism, the faithful receive a priestly anointing. We know that there is one priest, Jesus Christ. He shares that priesthood in a unique way with those who are ordained. However, in Baptism, all of the faithful are given some share in the priesthood of Jesus. All are called to holiness, to participate in the fullness of the Christian life.

Today we heard Isaiah speak about coastlands that wait for God’s teaching and the need for someone to open the eyes of the blind. So many young people are searching and yearning for God. Dear catechists, God has grasped you by the hand. You help open the eyes of faith in young people when you explore the Scriptures and explain the Church’s teaching. You help young people grow in understanding and living the Paschal Mystery, which is celebrated in the sacraments. As a result, they are able to participate fully and actively in the Church’s liturgy, especially the Eucharist. You acquaint them with the rich and diverse treasury of Catholic prayers, practices and devotions. As a result, you help them to attain the holiness to which they were called at Baptism as members of God’s priestly people.

In Baptism, the faithful also receive a prophetic call. A prophet is a witness. Though some, like John the Baptist, receive a particular call, all of the baptized are called by God to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. Christian witness helps to lead others beyond secular values to something, someone unseen: God Himself. Isaiah reminds us that witnessing is not accomplished by crying out or shouting (cf. Is 42:1-2). Authentic Christian witness is accomplished by deeds more than words. Pope Paul VI referred to this as “wordless witness” (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 14, 21, 26, 41). The wordless witness that we give stirs up questions in the hearts of others by our manner of life. They begin to ask: “Why do you live this way? What is it that inspires you?” This silent proclamation stirs others to faith.

Young people must be aware that through Baptism they are called to be prophetic. They are to live in a way that stirs up irresistible questions in the hearts of those who see how they live. Through catechesis, you are in a splendid position to promote their moral formation. You provide authentic moral principles and teachings that assist them in developing a prophetic lifestyle—one that bears real witness to Jesus.

Through you, young people understand Jesus’ new commandment of love. You encourage them to study and live in accord with the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and Catholic moral teachings. They come to appreciate the dignity of the human person. Together with the reality of sin they learn the power of God’s mercy and grace. You teach them how to acquire and follow a well-formed conscience. In short, you strengthen the foundation that will enable them to live fully the prophetic call they received in Baptism.

In Baptism, the faithful are anointed with chrism. In ancient times, kings were anointed with chrism at their coronation. How many of our young people would be surprised to learn that they are part of a royal family. The baptized are anointed with chrism and linked to the kingship of Jesus. Thus, every baptized person has a unique dignity that is his or hers by association with Jesus, King of the universe.

While many leaders lord their authority over their subjects, the kingship of Jesus is altogether different. His leadership is that of a servant. Jesus reveals: “...the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve” (Mt 20:28). Jesus is the model for all leaders. Servant leadership entails looking out for the well-being of others. Servant leaders look after the needs of others rather than their own.

We cannot be about merely maintaining the Catholic Church. We must develop a new generation of Catholic leaders, servant leaders. Young people must be encouraged to be faith-filled leaders who offer the world new signs of hope. They must be people of conviction who are certain about the truth and relevance of their beliefs.

Unfortunately, many of our young people are tempted to see religion as a system of doctrines, rules and practices. Religion and the practice of faith are at times considered a burden and an obstacle to fulfillment and happiness. These young people have a limited experience of God and a diminished relationship with Jesus. Many think they have to look elsewhere, outside of the Catholic Church, for fulfillment. They seek solutions in what secular culture or other religious denominations offer.

Young people must come to recognize the truths of faith as something beautiful. After all, the truths of faith point to the one Truth, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Son of Mary, the Savior of the world. I ask you, dear catechists, to help young people come to know “the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that [they] may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph 3:18-19). When young people experience Jesus and are transformed by Him, they become responsible leaders. They actively participate in life at home, in the parish, at school and in the world. Transformed by Jesus Christ, they will proclaim by word and deed the riches and power and glory of God. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they will help to renew the face of the earth. Through your dedicated work, an enthusiastic generation of servant leaders is being formed.

Dear catechists, you are esteemed and loved by the Church. A vibrant parish depends on the generous and caring people who are part of parish religious education programs. Without you a very important part of the parish’s ministry would be diminished. In the words of the National Directory for Catechesis: “The single most critical factor in a parish catechetical program is the catechetical leader” (no. 54-B-5). Thank you, dear friends, for your many sacrifices and the struggles you endure in the name of Jesus. I admire the passion you bring to your ministry and the love you have for those you serve.

May you always draw strength from the Eucharist. After all, communion with Jesus is the goal of all catechesis. God bless all of you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word, help you to share her Son with the world. Amen.