SAN DIEGO — “What inspired you to take time away from family and daily life to guide and teach children and adults the faith?”
Bishop Michael Pham asked around 320 catechists that question at the diocese’s Commissioning Mass, which was held on Sept. 11 at St. Catherine Labouré Church in San Diego.
It was the second of two such Commissioning Masses the diocese holds annually. Around 100 catechists turned out for the one celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Felipe Pulido on Sept. 8 at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in the city of Imperial.
At the Mass, the bishop invoked God’s blessing on the catechists and formally entrusted them with the ministry of catechesis. In all, the diocese has around 2,000 catechists in active ministry, said Leticia Trent, director of the diocesan Office for Evangelization and Catechetical Ministry.
In his homily, Bishop Pham explored what had moved individuals to share so much of their time to forming believers and building the Kingdom of God.
“Perhaps you were touched by God through the Holy Spirit,” he said. “Perhaps you knew that God was present with you, that he answered your prayers.”
Or the catechists were curious about who God was and began to study him, he continued.
“And, through those studies, you realized that he was true, that we all needed to follow him. And that you needed to share your knowledge with your family, with those around you and with your community.”
The catechists, predominantly Hispanic, filled most of the seats in the church and were women and men of all ages. The Mass was celebrated in English and Spanish, and included prayers in Vietnamese.
At the conclusion, Bishop Pham expressed his gratitude.
“I’m very grateful for every single one of you,” he said. “You are sent forth to proclaim the Good News and share the love of Jesus Christ.”
“Every one of us, by virtue of our baptism, has been empowered to go out in the world to share the love of Jesus to our society today,” the bishop continued.
“We live in a world that needs our witness – witness to love, witness to forgiveness, and witness to peace.”
