The ministry of Catechists is a calling by the Lord to carry on His ministry of evangelization in the world among His people, Bishop Cleophas Oseso Tuka Catholic Bishop of Kenya’s Nakuru Diocese has said.
Addressing Catechists and Health Workers serving in his Episcopal See on the occasion of the Catechists’ Thanksgiving Day and in anticipation, the 2024 World Day for the Sick, Bishop Tuka emphasized the need to rely on God’s grace and cautioned against despair.
“Christ is the one who sent you; put your strength and hope in Him, and He will continue to give you strength and courage to do that work,” Bishop Tuka told Catechists during the Tuesday, February 6 celebration at the Christ the King Cathedral of his parish.
He lauded the ministry of Catechists in the mission of the Church, saying, “I have also said you are an agent of grace, you are also an agent of mercy, and you are an ambassador of Christ.”
“Priests can’t do without catechists,” the Bishop further said, emphasizing the important role of Catechists in the evangelization mission of the Church.
Referring to Pope Francis’ May 10, 2021, Apostolic Letter, Antiquum ministerium (“Ancient ministry”) in which he instituted the Ministry of Catechist, Bishop Tuka urged Catechists in his Episcopal See to regard their ministry as a vocation.
“As the Holy Father says, (to be) ‘a Catechist is a calling,’” he said, and cautioned the Catechists against taking their ministry “for granted”.
“Its work you do with or without money; so, that’s what a calling is all about; you don’t mind what you will get; your focus is on Christ who called you to this ministry,” added the Bishop, who has been at the helm of Nakuru Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in May 2023.
In instituting the new lay ministry of catechist, the Holy Father said that the ministry would “emphasize even more the missionary commitment proper to every baptized person, a commitment that must however be carried out in a fully ‘secular’ manner, avoiding any form of clericalization.”
This ministry is for lay people who have a particular vocation to serve the Church as teachers of the Catholic faith.
In his February 6 address, Bishop Tuka drew the attention of Catechists to the 2024 pastoral theme of Nakuru Diocese, “Proclamation of the Word of God”, and emphasized the need for them to “know the Word of God”.
“As catechists, spreading the Gospel is at the center of the work you do. Therefore, we must know the Word of God and we should read it,” he added.
The Bishop continued, “You know you can be a Catechist and you are not reading the word of God. People come to church to listen to the Word of God, so teachers, let us be the spreaders of the Word of God; read it, meditate on it so that we can deliver God’s message to our people.”
He went on to highlight the need for Catechists to take their role of preparing Catechumens seriously, lamenting, “I have been to other places where Christians are saying children are not being taught religion. Sometimes we baptize them through the back door. In such cases you are doing great damage to that child.”
“There are things we cannot compromise about; let us teach religion well and if we teach well, the blessings and rewards that God will give you will be plentiful,” Bishop Tuka said.