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San Jose (Agenzia Fides) – The Costa Rican Bishops’ Conference has noted the importance of making catechesis a priority in Diocesan Pastoral Ministry and thus, in July 2008 it has opened the National Catechetical Center (CENACAT), described by Bishop Jose Francisco Ulloa of Cartago, President of the Bishops’ Conference, as “a new site at the service of the Word.” The center was inaugurated in a Mass presided by Archbishop Pierre Nguyên, the country’s Apostolic Nuncio, and was concelebrated by several Bishops.
“We are living in changing times that cannot remain distant from us and in which secularism and religious indifference become increasingly more pressing matters and present us with the dilemma of how to effectively incorporate all the Baptized into Christ and the Church.” With this statement, Bishop Guillermo Loria, the Bishops’ Director of Catechesis, explained the reason behind the establishment of an organization that would allow Catholics to grow in their faith, offering them guidelines and services in the area of catechesis, in all Costa Rican dioceses.
According to Father Alfredo Madrigal, Director of CENACAT, this initiative is an effort to strengthen the areas of reflection and coordination that were already being addressed by the National Catechetical Committee, and promote the training of catechists and the publishing of textbooks that support the use of a Bible-based pastoral ministry. CENACAT hopes to contribute to the establishment of a permanent missionary state that is needed in today’s pastoral ministry, he said. In 1967, the Costa Rican Bishops’ Conference designed the National Catechetical Union. Thus, under the leadership of Bishop Antonio Troyo and a group of priests, a group of children in catechesis used a shortened version of the Catechism of Christian Doctrine and began a coordinated effort in the area of religious education programs for school-age children. In July 1982, with the First National Catechetical Encounter, the Secretariat of Catechesis was founded and what until then had been the “National Catechetical Union” became the “National Catechetical Committee” (CONEC). Last year, on the 40th anniversary of CONEC, the Bishops’ Conference approved the establishment of CENACAT, with the purpose of widening its services and strengthening the diocesan services in this field.
The National Catechetical Center will be dedicated to strengthening evangelization services in the country’s eight dioceses. Each one of the Diocesan Committees will receive the necessary textbooks for the catechetical process, guides, etc., each according to its needs. It also offers a “Catechetical Library” that will be available to collaborator, members of the Diocesan Committees, and Diocesan Training Teams. The Center is planning to add on more services in an organized manner, so as to serve more people. The progressive development of the institution will allow them to offer training courses, on-location and long-distance learning. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 21/7/2008)
