From Our Director of Faith Formation - Erika Tate

This weekend the Church celebrates Catechetical Sunday. On this day the catechists of our parish are formally commissioned and blessed as they start a new year of passing on the faith to others. This year the USCCB has declared 2021’s catechetical theme as “Say the Word and My Soul Shall be Healed.” We will recall these words from the Mass as we say them directly before walking up to receive the Eucharist. But we should also realize that these words mean more. It is through God’s word that our soul is healed. It is when we know God intimately and personally that God can begin to heal our soul. A major role of a catechist is to help others know and love God. After a trying 18 months, what could be more healing for the soul than passing on and learning about the love of Christ? I must say, thank goodness for our catechists and all they do for our parishioners. Their love of the faith is a true gift and example for all of us. 

In the past 18 months our catechists have gone above and beyond. Our QAS school teachers taught in person with masks, plexiglass, hand sanitizer, and an attention to social distancing. Through all of the difficulties of the pandemic they were still able to bring the beauty of the Catholic faith to our children. I was able to witness this directly with our second grade teachers, Mrs. Adamczyk & Miss Harris, and their students as they prepared for First Communion in the spring.

While the school was able to do in-person learning, many of our other ministries had to move to online platforms. The religious education program served our parish by offering classes via zoom. They were able to bring the children the faith into their homes. The creativity and enthusiasm led by our Coordinator of Religious Education, Jenna Kaszycki, and her religious education team of catechists allowed for our parish children to grow stronger in their faith in a fun and dynamic way. This year we are happy to state that religious education classes will be held in person. While following all safety requirements we are excited to be back in the physical classroom and the basilica with the walking rosary, All Saints Day activities, Christmas pageant and Christmas crafts, Bible searches, Stations of the Cross, and have special guests such as Fr. Simon and Fr. Jesudas. 

SPRED, Youth Ministry, and RCIA primarily met online last year. Under the wonderful direction of Sandy Dilla-Hammer, SPRED was able to do an ice cream social online with their SPRED friends. Youth Ministry held an online retreat, offered in-person teen Masses, and was able to do social-distance-friendly service opportunities and Masses. Our youth minister, Morgan O’Leary deserves extra praise for putting together all the youth ministry opportunities with her new baby, Avery, in tow. Lastly, RCIA welcomed 5 amazing women into the Church at Easter. One of the RCIA team members stated “this felt like one of the best years for candidate engagement! And I can’t believe it was all online.” I am grateful for all of these ministries for being able to make connections through the screen. I am overjoyed to state that SPRED, Youth Ministry, and RCIA will be meeting in-person this year. 

I know all of our catechists from QASRE, QAS School, SPRED, RCIA, & Youth Ministry are excited to be masked and in person to share the faith. As a new catechetical year begins let us lift up our prayers for them as they do as Jesus asked - to spread the Gospel to all.