Today, Cebu Archbishop Alberto “Abet” Uy presided over the Closing Mass of the Archdiocesan Catechetical Month at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.
He was joined by Fr. Joseph Yntig (Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry Director) and other visiting priests.
In his homily, the good Archbishop challenged the catechists on three points regarding their mission in this contemporary world, where children are deeply engrossed in their gadgets.
First, he challenged them to “talk less, connect more. Our young people receive hundreds of messages every day. Videos. Notifications. Games. Posts. Reels. So perhaps instead of asking, How much did I teach them? Let us ask: What is the one thing I want them to remember from today’s class? … It does not have to be a lot. What matters is that it reaches their hearts. Catechesis is not about how much we say. It is about whether what we say leads someone closer to Jesus.”
Second, “before we teach, let us listen. Sometimes we complain, these children are so noisy. They simply do not listen! But perhaps we should also ask ourselves: Do we listen to them? Before saying, listen to me, perhaps we should first say, how are you? Is something bothering you? Are you worried about something? Would you like to talk to me? Because behind the child who cannot concentrate may be a family problem.”
Third, “do not be afraid of your age. Our young people do not simply need catechists who know technology. They need catechists who know Jesus. They know the apps. They know the gadgets. When it comes to these things, they may even be better than we are. But there are things that an app cannot teach.”
During the Eucharistic Celebration, the catechists also renewed their commitment to the ministry and their mission of teaching the faith to the people of the Archdiocese.