A new document from Pope Francis instituting the “ministry of catechist,” recognizes a crucial role that has existed since the beginning days of the Church, beginning with the apostles, according to Sara Blauvelt, director of catechesis for the Archdiocese of Washington.
In “Antiquum Ministerium” (Ancient Ministry) released by the Vatican May 11, Pope Francis instituted the ministry of catechist in recognition of “those lay men and women who feel called by virtue of their baptism to cooperate in the work of catechesis.”
Blauvelt has herself been a catechist. She said the pope’s recognition was a welcome affirmation of the value of those who teach about the faith and who often work out of the limelight. She said the “motu propio,” which means it was not formally requested, but rather was something Pope Francis “just felt inspired to do,” will energize catechists around the world. Typically, parish catechists are unpaid volunteers who teach children and adults on weekends and evenings.
“As catechists, we are people who do well on a ‘low affirmation diet,’” she joked. The recognition “doesn’t mean we’ll be paid or that the work will be any easier, but it does give the job some dignity.” That in turn will invigorate catechists to want to do the job better, meaning the ministry will be strengthened, she said.
The timing of “Antiquum Ministerium” is especially welcome, Blauvelt said, as directors of religious education begin to look beyond the restrictions of the pandemic and plan to reopen in full force in the fall.
In the Archdiocese of Washington, a handful of parishes dropped their religious education programs altogether because of the COVID-19 limits on in-person gatherings and the complications on shifting to on-line education, Blauvelt said. But all the others managed to continue their programming in one form or another. “Everybody tried,” she added.
A series of webinars in the Archdiocese of Washington are underway to help religious educators rethink how classes might work in the post-pandemic world while also focusing on inviting people back to catechism programs, Blauvelt said.
The second half of the year will also bring the archdiocese’s biannual catechetical day, which she said she hopes will include some focus on the document or a new rite for the ministry. As part of the Vatican announcement, Pope Francis said the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments "will soon publish the Rite of Institution of the lay ministry of catechist." The congregation already was working on revised rites for the ministries of lector and acolyte, which Pope Francis opened to women in January.
