Green Bay Diocesan staff to begin catechism studies

ALLOUEZ — Beginning in October, diocesan employees will spend one hour each month studying the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults (USCCA). During a meeting Sept. 22 at St. Francis Xavier Conference Room, Bishop David Ricken and three other speakers introduced the initiative to about 100 employees.

According to Dr. Joe Bound, director of the Department of Education, 12 staff members have volunteered to serve as facilitators of the USCCA course. Employees will be asked to study one chapter of the catechism each month and then gather for one-hour sessions to discuss the chapter. The Catechism for Adults consists of 36 chapters.

Bishop Ricken told employees that understanding the Catholic faith is essential to the diocesan staff. "Be open to the process of learning so you can understand the mission and the culture" of the church, he said.

Referring to a pastoral letter he issued in November 2009, Bishop Ricken said one of his goals as bishop is to have diocesan and parish leaders be proficient in three areas: knowing the faith, explaining the faith and defending the faith.

"It requires studying, but it will pay off by understanding who we are and what we are about," said the bishop. "I ask you to be open to learning and understanding."

The Compass

One would hope that all diocesan staff would already have a firm grasp of the Catechism, but it's great to see Bishop Ricken taking the bull by the horns on this.  And there's definitely some people who really want to believe what the church teaches, but they have been taught by dissenters and denied the truth.