Catechists can offer Christ’s healing touch

The Caribbean, like many regions, faces unique challenges in the modern era. Rapid societal changes, economic pressures, and the allure of secularism can strain traditional values and faith practices. In this context, catechists are called to be more than mere instructors of the faith; they must embody Christ’s healing presence and servant leadership.

Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, emphasises the importance of this approach: “An evangelizing community gets involved by word and deed in people’s daily lives; it bridges distances, it is willing to abase itself if necessary, and it embraces human life, touching the suffering flesh of Christ in others” (EG 24).

This vision aligns perfectly with the call by the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) of bishops for catechists to become “agents of healing” and facilitators of restoration for those they catechise.

They play a vital role as Missionaries of Healing and Service. As the AEC highlights in its 2024 Catechetical Month message, this theme emerges from the Synodal listening sessions, revealing a profound need for healing across our communities.

The Church’s teaching on catechesis, as outlined in the Directory for Catechesis (2020), underscores the holistic nature of this ministry. It states that catechesis “puts people not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ” (DC 75). This intimacy with Christ is the wellspring from which healing and service flow.

In the Caribbean context, where many carry wounds from various sources—family dynamics, societal pressures, or even experiences within the Church—catechists are uniquely positioned to offer Christ’s healing touch.

As the AEC message notes, “It is difficult for hurting people to grow if they do not encounter the healing touch of Jesus in their lives.” This healing ministry requires catechists to be attentive to the “four dimensions of the person: intellectual/mental, emotional/psychological, physical and spiritual.”

The challenges of modern Caribbean society demand a catechesis that is both rooted in tradition and responsive to contemporary needs. Pope Francis, addressing catechists, spoke to this balance: “Catechesis is not an abstract communication of theoretical knowledge to be memorized as mathematical or chemical formulas. It is rather the mystagogical experience of those who learn to encounter their brothers and sisters where they live and work, because they themselves have encountered Christ” (Address to participants at a meeting promoted by the National Catechetical Office of the Italian Episcopal Conference, January 30, 2021).

This “mystagogical experience” takes on special significance in our region, where faith often intertwines with cultural expressions and daily life. Catechists must help the faithful navigate the complexities of living out their Catholic identity in a pluralistic society, while also addressing pressing social issues like poverty, inequality, crime, education, health and environmental concerns.

The call to service, as highlighted in both the AEC and the Archdiocesan Catechetical Office’s message, is central to the catechist’s mission. Drawing inspiration from Matthew 25:40, catechists are urged to “help our people to be a people of service, ministering and seeking the face of Christ in the least, the little and the lost.”

This service-oriented catechesis aligns with Pope Francis’ vision of a “Church which goes forth” (EG 24), actively engaging with the world and its needs.

As we celebrate Catechetical Month this September, we must recognise the invaluable contribution of catechists not only in this Archdiocese but across the Caribbean. Their ministry of healing and service is essential for nurturing a vibrant, synodal Church that can effectively proclaim the Gospel in today’s world.

And by embracing their role as “missionaries of healing and service,” catechists become living witnesses to Christ’s love, helping to form disciples who can transform their communities and build God’s kingdom in the beautiful, complex reality of Caribbean life.

Photo by Giovanni Ribeiro on Unsplash