PASTORAL LETTER 02 OF 2020

Dear Parents and Children,

Catechetical Sunday – “Seek, Know, Share Christ” (Help Is On the Way)

“I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Is 49: 6

At the Baptism of the Lord, a voice spoke from heaven, “This is my Son, the Beloved, my favour rests on him.” Mt 3: 17 So the Father’s favour resounds from heaven, and his favour is transmitted to his Son. The root word, “catechesis,” is from a Greek word meaning “to echo, or resound.” Catechesis is the act of resounding or bringing the Church’s teachings to the world.

The first and most important teachers of the young are parents, reinforced by the parish and by the educational institutions attended by the children. Parents know this.

Parents are the primary catechists of their children. They prepare the soil and plant the first seeds of faith. On Catechetical Sunday, we not only highlight the work of catechists in parishes and schools, but we also commend parents and guardians and encourage them to take seriously their role of making their Catholic households a place where faith is passed on to the next generation.

Today, as the catechists in our Sunday School are being commissioned, we also remind ourselves that parents of our students too need formation. As last week’s pastoral letter highlighted a concern, that children and parents have to send their children to Sunday School AND celebrate the Eucharist as well. And my concern for parents and children coming for Sunday School but not for Mass is not insignificant.

While children receive catechesis, I note with concern that some parents are themselves imperfectly catechized, or have fallen out of touch with the faith.

If you wish to reconnect with the faith, I would like to introduce you to Landings, a programme run in Assumption Church, to enable disconnected Catholics to reconnect with your faith.

If you would like to update yourself on sacred scripture, the Assumption Bible Group runs yearlong formation on bible studies.

If you would like to attend Adult Faith Formation, we are introducing Symbolon, the Catholic Faith Explained, helping participants apply what they learn about their faith to their daily lives.

Yours faithfully,

Fr. Gregory Chan

Parish Priest

Church of the Assumption

Sunday, 19.01.2020 Catechetical Sunday