Office of Catechesis

The Office of Catechesis serves the Religious Education Programs in the 65 Catholic parishes and 43 missions of the Rio Grande Valley. This includes 30,000 children and youth, pre-Kinder through 12th grade. The number represents a small percentage of those attending public schools
and in need of education in the faith.

These programs have various names including:

• CCD:
  Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (original meaning)
  Continuing Christian Development
• CCE: Continuing Christian Education
• CCF: Continuing Catholic Formation
• Doctrina: Spanish title
• PSR: Parish School of Religion
• EDR: Escuela de Educación Religiosa

The Director of Religious Education (DRE) or Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE) in each parish directs its catechetical program and organizes the catechist volunteers. The Diocese has more than 3000 catechist volunteers.

Catechetical Program

Mission Statement

• Realizing that "faith lives in the hearts of believers" (GDC#105), the Office of Catechesis encourages and animates the catechetical leaders and catechists in the Diocese of Brownsville to embrace and live their faith in Jesus Christ and in his Gospel, so that they may effectively transmit it to the students enrolled in the parish programs of religious formation and education.

Goal/Primary Responsibility

• To provide formation, programs and resources, advocacy and support to Pastors, Catechetical Leaders and Catechists involved in Parish Schools of Religion for elementary, middle and high school students.
  
• To help them plan, evaluate and update staff and programs by offering workshops, retreats and professional days.

The Office of Catechesis offers to catechetical leaders and catechists:

• Various opportunities for continuing formation,
• Gatherings for mutual support and sharing,
• Assistance with materials, programs and planning necessary for effective religious education of children and young people.

All the efforts of this office aim "to put people in touch and in communion and intimacy with Jesus Christ." (GDC#80)

Our Aim:

“to put people not only in touch, but also in communion and intimacy with Jesus Christ.”
GDC - # 180

Calendar Events for Catechetical Leaders

• Catechetical Convocation – 2nd Sunday in September
• Catechetical Sunday 3rd Sunday in September (nationally observed)
• Professional Days 4 annually
• Retreat Day 1 annually
• Summer Study Days 1st week of June

Groups that Gather Regularly

• Advisory Team
  A group of six representatives, one per deanery, to assist with
  collaboration and communication between the Office of Catechesis
  and the Catechetical Leaders of their deaneries.
• Deanery Area Catechetical leaders
  The leaders of a deanery gather regularly for planning, especially for
  Echoes of Faith Catechist Formation sessions, for communication,
  sharing of ideas, resources, prayer and mutual support.
• New Leaders
  New leaders and those with one to three years experience participate
  monthly in formation sessions centered on a particular topic each year.

Formation Opportunities for Catechetical Leaders

• Professional Days
• Summer Study Days
• Catholic Schools Religion Certification Courses
• SACC – San Antonio Catechetical Convention
• Incarnate Word University Pastoral Program, San Antonio

Catechetical Resources

• Diocesan Guidelines for Religious Education
• Approved Textbooks
• Media Resource Center
• Curriculum Library
• Echoes of Faith Catechist Formation Program

, Director of the Office of Catechesis
, Associate Director
700 N. Virgen de San Juan Blvd. • San Juan, TX 78589 • Phone 956-787-8571 • Fax 956-784-5081

last updated 15-Oct-2008 15:15 sitemap