I am very pleased to share with you the good news from our parish: this week, we welcomed our new Sacraments and Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) Coordinator, Katarina Steele.
Katarina is a person of deep faith, who has lived and served in our parish for more than fifteen years through various ministries, including being a member of St Vincent de Paul, RCIA, a Lector and a Eucharistic Minister. She also has extensive experience with instructing catechism and sharing the faith with many generations of children for more than twenty-five years, both in South Africa and in NSW.
Pope Francis, in Antiquum Ministerium, the Apostolic Letter for the institution of the Ministry of Catechist, states: “The role played by catechists is one specific form of service among others within the Christian community. Catechists are called first to be experts in the pastoral service of transmitting the faith… Catechists must be witnesses to the faith… Through prayer, study, and direct participation in the life of the community, they can grow in this identity and the integrity and responsibility that it entails.” (no. 6)
We wish Katarina the best in her new role and hope that, through her engagement in instructing and sharing the faith with our children, she may experience a sense of joy and fulfilment in this special ministry.
Apart from running programs to prepare children and adults for the sacraments, Katarina will also work with our school leaders to strengthen the connection among our three school communities. Furthermore, she will collaborate with other parish staff members to share the administrative load, ensuring the best outcomes for the life of our parish.
On this First Sunday of Lent, as an important tradition in our Catholic faith, our seven catechumens and candidates – Paul, Mieke, Evelyn, Anastasia, Hannah, Alistair and Farid – will be accompanied by our RCIA team to visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral for the Rite of Election. At this gathering celebrated by Archbishop Comensoli, they will be presented to him, as our local church leader, and their names will be inscribed in the Book of the Elect. Of course, the term “Election” here has nothing to do with politics but rather expresses a sense of discernment that God is present in the lives of the catechumens and is inviting them into a fuller life of the sacraments.
We pray for our catechumens and candidates. May their lives be enriched with many blessings through their personal encounter with the Lord during this period leading up to their reception of the sacraments in our Catholic faith.
This event of the Election for our catechumens and candidates is also an opportunity for all of us to renew our commitment to helping our brothers and sisters who are seeking to be part of our faith community. The Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, Lumen Gentium, guides us: “All the baptized share a true equality with regard to the dignity and the activity common to all the faithful for the building up of the Body of Christ… All, without exception, are called upon by the Lord to expend all their energy for the growth of the Church and its continuous sanctification.” (nos. 32, 33)
May we be reminded, at the beginning of this Lenten season, of the privilege and responsibility we have to prepare and accompany new members of the Church.
19 Brenbeal Street, Balwyn VIC 3103
Telephone: 03 9816 9291
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours:
Tue - Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm
Mary Bendeich says:
Dear Fr. Sang,
Is it possible to have darker type in the parish newsletter. It is a pity if we cannot read it.