Effort restores catechesis

Parishes in the Albany Diocese are continuing to support Operation Catechesis, a national program to restore ailing catechetical programs in dioceses affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The effort was conceived by Jeanne Schrempf, director of the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, and implemented by catechetical directors from around the country. It has raised $15,000 beyond the original goal of $20,000.

Catechetical programs on the Gulf Coast lost such items as desks, DVD players, Bibles, textbooks, copier supplies, clocks, lectionaries and office furnishings. Some parishes also needed money to fix major damage to buildings and classrooms.

Giving

A sampling of help from parishes in the Albany Diocese includes:

* St. Catherine of Siena in Albany, whose youth sponsored a spaghetti dinner and whose K-6 religious education students saved their pennies, for a combined total of $671;

* Immaculate Heart of Mary in Watervliet, which collected $104;

* Ss. Anthony/Joseph parish in Herkimer, which raised $212 from 85 students;

* Suburban Albany deanery catechetical leaders, who hosted an enrichment evening and donated the proceeds of $325;

* Our Lady of Victory in Troy, whose children made Lenten sacrifices and collected $440; and

* St. Matthew's Church in Voorheesville, whose youth ministry program raised $745.

In addition, attendees at the annual Spring Enrichment program at The College of Saint Rose in Albany contributed over $700 through collections taken up at Masses.

'Outpouring'

Mrs. Schrempf's next move will be to see some of the damage firsthand. After helping to coordinate the program from afar, she is planning to make a trip to the Gulf Coast this fall.

"It was just an unbelievable outpouring," she said of the Albany diocesan involvement. "Our parishes are just incredible. They felt a sense of solidarity. They tied it to the Gospel and catechetical lessons, and tried to teach the principles of Catholic social teaching. When one person suffers, we all suffer; that is what we're about as a Catholic community.

"We're going to continue this for one more year, through June 2007, because some parishes are really just getting started this fall."

(8/31/06) [[In-content Ad]]