As Catholics, we seem to shy away from evangelizing. We tend not to use the word evangelize in our vocabulary. This is bewildering because evangelization is actually a beautiful part of our faith and our mission as followers of Jesus. Simply put, evangelization is sharing the Good News. We are called to share the Word with everyone we meet.

Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). This is a very clear statement and a considerable responsibility. When we reflect on the words of Jesus, he is asking us to bring the Good News—what we have learned about Jesus—and share it with others. We can invite friends, family, and neighbors—those who are Catholic and those who are not—to take small steps and join us on our faith journey in the hope that they will strengthen or begin their own relationships with Jesus.

There they were, practically paralyzed with fear. Over the past three years, they talked and traveled with the greatest of teachers. They witnessed miracles, learned life’s deepest truths from him, and grew spiritually sharper and more formidable. Yet their current circumstances reduced them to cowering in the upper room, unable to move and barely able to believe.

The other day my stepmother visited and brought with her two boxes that had belonged to my deceased mother. One contained her college yearbooks, the other held a variety of sports trophies she had won.

The theme for the new catechetical year is “Safeguarding the Dignity of the Human Person.” In its simplest form, this means living a virtuous life. On a practical basis, what does this mean for us as catechists and catechetical leaders working with children, youth, and families?

At this time of year, catechetical leaders communicate many details about the upcoming year to their community of catechists, such as grade assignments, class lists, and program procedures. This type of information is important to share with catechists and teachers. There is, however, a major event that should be highlighted within our entire faith community: Catechetical Sunday, which is celebrated on the third Sunday in September.

As we begin the new academic year, it is worth our while to know what issues parents think are most problematic. According to Elisabeth Wilkins, editor of Empowering Parents, the top five concerns of parents as the school year approaches are: (1) Unmotivated children; (2) Paying attention and behaving in class; (3) How to get kids out of bed in the morning; (4) Homework problems - teaching kids to bring it home, do it, hand it in on time, and not hate it; (5) Bullying behavior - from both sides of the fence - as victim or bully.

Discipleship is at the heart of the Gospel. As catechists, we seek not only to form others in the foundations of the faith, but also to model for them what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ in today’s world. In the gospel reading for the Feast of the Holy Trinity, Jesus instructs