Teaching the faith called 'greatest gift'

MIAMI GARDENS | It took Braulio Herrera 10 years to be certified as a catechist. But on his birthday, he was the first in line to receive his certificate from Archbishop Thomas Wenski.

�This is the greatest gift, to keep on teaching,� said Herrera, a parishioner at Sacred Heart in Homestead who, along with 23 others from his church, got on a bus at 5 a.m. on a recent Saturday to attend the 2013 Catechetical Conference.

Herrera teaches adults in the RCIA program: People who join the Church as adults after practicing other religions or no religion at all.

�They have the privilege to choose and prepare to receive the sacraments,� said Herrera, adding that he has 30 students this year, most of them migrant farmworkers.

Those he has taught in the past, he added, �Are now serving in the church. I am very happy.�

His joy was shared by about 1,100 of his fellow catechists, nearly all volunteers from throughout the archdiocese who teach the faith to children and adults in their parishes. Wearing blue T-shirts issued by the Office of Catechesis, or T-shirts and polo shirts bearing logos from their own parishes, they converged at Msgr. Edward Pace High School for their annual day-long get together Oct. 19.

They celebrated Mass with Archbishop Thomas Wenski, honored two of their own, listened to presentations by archdiocesan and national catechetical leaders and congratulated 285 fellow catechists who, like Herrera, obtained their certification � most after years of study.

�I just love to take classes. If I could be a professional student, I would be a professional student,� said Maggie Pellegrino of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish in Miami Lakes. She has been a catechist for 18 years at her current parish, and a few years before that at St. Boniface in Pembroke Pines.

She takes the certification courses offered by the Office of Catechesis in the evenings and summers. The classes are hosted by different parishes to make attendance convenient for catechists throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties.

�In the summer it�s a week. For me it�s easy because I love to do it,� said Pellegrino.

As of this year, all teachers in Catholic schools � whether they teach religion or not � are required to begin the process of obtaining their catechist certification.

Among the 285 who received their certificates at the conference were 22 catechists from St. John Bosco Church in Little Havana; and 10 or more teachers from each of three schools: Sts. Peter and Paul in Miami, Holy Rosary-St. Richard in Palmetto Bay and St. Coleman in Pompano Beach.

Peter Ductr�m, director of the Office of Catechesis, said one of the goals of the conference is to help catechists receive �more profound formation� in a particular area.

�The two areas intentionally developed this year (were) liturgy and catechesis,� Ductr�m said.

Keynote presenters were Carole Eipers, vice president and executive director of catechetics for the William H. Sadlier publishing company; and Mar�a �Maruja� Sedano, director of the Office of Catechesis and Youth Ministry in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Those in attendance also heard from renowned Catholic musician and composer Steve Angrisano. He helped lead the singing at the opening Mass and closing prayer service, in addition to giving a presentation on how catechists can keep their own faith strong.

�Definitely my first Miami-style Mass,� Angrisano said after the opening liturgy, which featured prayers and music in English, Spanish and Creole, as well as a group of young girls taking up the offertory in rhythmic Haitian style.

�It was beautiful. The spirit was beautiful. It was very inspiring,� Angrisano said.

That, too, is a goal of the conference, according to Ductr�m: �We need, as catechetical leaders, as DREs, a time to share among ourselves, a time to just talk to each other. That has been in my heart all the time, providing that space. It makes everything make sense.�

Two catechists also received Archdiocesan Catechetical Leadership Awards for their years of dedication to forming others in the faith.

Elisa �Ketty� G�mez, director of religious education at St. John Bosco Church, was honored with the 2013 Lifetime Catechetical Leadership Award. She has dedicated 39 years to catechesis of children and adults.

Freya Perez, who just retired after 25 years as director of religious education at Mother of Our Redeemer Church in northwest Miami-Dade County, received the first-ever Esperanza Ginoris Award, named after an inspiring and devoted archdiocesan catechist who died a few years ago.

�I did not know Esperanza,� said Ductr�m, who joined the archdiocese in 2011. �But the committee, unanimously, said Esperanza� when deciding on the name of the award.

Ginoris� husband, Antonio, daughters Fatima and Josie, and grandchildren were on hand for the presentation.

�It has allowed them to feel the love of the catechetical community,� Ductr�m said.

All the catechists also felt the love of Archbishop Wenski, who in his homily thanked them for their countless hours of service.

�I don�t know how you do it,� he said, referring to balancing work, family and service. �Your involvement is truly a form of stewardship.�

He reminded them that catechesis cannot be done �on the fly� but requires �the seriousness that training, preparation and planning imply.�

�We should give our best,� the archbishop said. �Christ and his people deserve no less.��