The origin and significance of Catechetical Sunday

Jan 19, 2024

Echoing the Faith - Dr Steven Selvaraju

Catechetical Sunday is celebrated by the Church every year. This year, the Church in Malaysia observes Catechetical Sunday on January 28. In this article, I will examine the origin and significance of Catechetical Sunday.

Origin of Catechetical Sunday
The first Church document that directs parishes to set aside a special day to highlight the importance of the catechetical ministry is Provido Sane Consilio (Better Care for Catechetical Teaching). It was issued on January 12, 1935 by the Catechetical Office of the Holy See, with the approval of Pope Pius XI.

The introduction to Provido Sane Concilio, states, “…the Catholic Church, the guardian and teacher of divinely revealed truth… has always held that the imparting of heavenly knowledge necessary for salvation through catechetical instruction must be placed among the most serious obligations…” (no.1).

The document goes on to emphasise that all the baptised, including bishops, clergy, religious and laity, are responsible for transmitting the faith. It points out that, “… effective help and loyal support in this matter is both expected and demanded from parents and guardians” (no. 22).

Then, several “Specific Commands for the Catechetical Apostolate” (nos. 24-31) are issued. Basically, these are directives by the Catechetical Office on the aspects that should be improved in the task of catechesis at the national, diocesan and parish level. This is followed by a list of “Practical Means to be Adopted” (nos. 32-43). One of the “practical means” is that: “

… in order that the mind of the Christian people may be directed from time to time toward religious education, let a Catechetical day be established in each parish, if this has not already been done” (no. 38).

The Catechetical Office also presents a “what-to-do” list on the ‘Catechetical day’. It includes the following: 

-- The faithful should be “called together” in the parish, and after having received the Holy Eucharist, they should pray to obtain “greater fruit from divine teaching” (catechesis). 

-- A special sermon should be preached to the people on the necessity of Catholic instruction. Parents are to be told about their duty “to instruct their children in Christian doctrine and to send them to the parochial catechism classes…”. 

-- Books, pamphlets, leaflets and other materials suitable for the purpose should be distributed to the people. 

-- A collection should be taken for the promotion of catechetical works.

Since the publication of the document, the proposal to establish a “Catechetical day” has been taken up enthusiastically by churches throughout the world. Over the years, it has gradually led to the establishment of Catechetical Sunday.

Over time, it was the common practice for churches, especially in Europe, to observe Catechetical Sunday on the third Sunday of September. It is largely based on that fact that the new school term (and, therefore, the new catechetical year) in Europe, often starts around mid-September or early October. Later, the practice of celebrating Catechetical Sunday during these months was adopted by churches in other parts of the world.

Catechetical Sunday in Malaysia
In Malaysia too, it was normal in the past to observe Catechetical Sunday in early October. In recent years, however, the Malaysian Catechetical Commission (MCC) proposed that it be observed in January instead. It is to ensure that the start of the new catechetical year coincides with the new school term which begins in January (this was before the COVID- 19 pandemic). With the approval of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, it was, therefore, established that Catechetical Sunday falls on the fourth Sunday of January each year.

As mentioned, in 2024, Catechetical Sunday will be celebrated in all the dioceses in Malaysia on January 28. The objectives of celebrating this occasion include: 

-- to highlight the importance of the catechetical ministry in the Church. 

-- to emphasise that all members of the Church, especially parents and guardians, are responsible for the ministry of catechesis. 

-- to serve as an opportune time for all Catholics to re-commit themselves to be responsible for the ministry. 

-- to show appreciation to those serving as catechists in the parishes, whether they are transmitting the faith to children, teenagers or adults. Normally, a commissioning or recommitment service is held for catechists.

Every year, the MCC also prepares materials for distribution to the parishes. These include the Catechetical Sunday message, which is available in English, Tamil and Mandarin, as well as, in Bahasa Malaysia and Iban. The Catechetical Sunday Kit is prepared in these languages too. In addition, an e-poster with the Catechetical Sunday theme and the liturgical text for the commissioning / re-commitment service are also distributed. The materials are sent to the parishes accompanied by a formal letter from the Episcopal President for Catechetics (presently, Bishop Joseph Hii from the Diocese of Sibu).

For 2024, the MCC selected We are Stewards of God’s Creation as the Catechetical Sunday theme for the Church in Malaysia, with the related Scripture passage: “Each one of you has received a special grace, so, like good stewards responsible for all these varied graces of God, put it at the service of others” (1 Peter 4:10). The theme was selected with an emphasis on the focus areas of Church and Ecology. This is in light of the journey of the Church in Malaysia towards 2026, when the Malaysia Pastoral Convention will be held.

Conclusion
Catechetical Sunday is an occasion that involves all the baptised. It reminds us of the importance of being responsible for the ministry of transmitting the faith. This responsibility was given to each of us at our baptism, where we are called to share in the prophetic (teaching) ministry of Jesus. On this special day, may we re-commit ourselves to the mandate that Jesus gave to the Apostles, and which is now shared with the whole Church, that is: “Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations…and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you” (Mat. 28: 19-20).
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The key ideas of the article are presented in a simple illustrated format below. The illustrations are my own. The e-poster for Catechetical Sunday was prepared by the Malaysian Catechetical Commission.



(Dr Steven Selvaraju, STD, STL, holds a Doctorate in Theology with Specialisation in Catechetics and Youth Ministry from Pontifical Salesian University, Rome. He serves as Director of the Archdiocesan Catechetical Centre, Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.)