Religious Education, CCD or Faith Formation – lots of names for the same task, teaching the content of our faith to our children. This weekend at all Masses we will be are signing up our children for religious education. The pandemic has led to a drop in RE enrollment, which is unfortunate! Now, more than ever, we need to share the faith with our future generations. We must use our best talents and energies to hand on that which is most important. I recently saw this quote in the Forward to YouCat (the youth catechism):

Study the Catechism!
This is my heartfelt desire.
Study the catechism
with passion and perseverance.
Study it in the quiet of your room;
read it with a friend;
form study groups and networks;
share with each other on the Internet….
You need to be more deeply rooted in the faith than the generation of your parents…

The line that most caught my eye was the last, about being “more deeply rooted in the faith than the generation of your parents.” This made me think, “Wow, strong words from Pope Benedict XVI! But it also evoked the sentiment that I often hear, “I just want to give my kids better than I had growing up.” Really, it ends up being very revelatory of what the new parents value. Unfortunately, when I ask for some specifics the list usually ends up being financial, emotional, and educational, but almost never spiritual. We all have limited time, talent, energy, and resources. Are we handing on a fuller expression of the faith so that our children will be even more deeply rooted than we are? That should be our goal!

I want to especially thank those who teach and are aides to the Religious Education department, I know that they are pouring out thier time, talents, and energy into this task. Thank you for your willingness to teach profess, live, and teach our faith!

pax,

Father John Mosimann