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Jubilee of Catechists: Giving Thanks for Collaborators in the SVD Mission
GMD
This Jubilee invites catechists everywhere to renew their commitment to Christ, remembering their baptismal vocation and receiving the Church’s blessing as “true cooperators and ministers of the word”. It is a moment of thanksgiving for the hidden yet essential service they render in parishes, villages, schools, and families around the world.
Collaboration with the SVD
For the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), catechists have always been indispensable partners in mission. Present in over 80 countries, SVD missionaries rely on the dedication of catechists who ensure that the Gospel takes root in local communities. In many places, catechists sustain parish life where priests cannot always be present, leading prayer, preparing the faithful for the sacraments, and transmitting the faith with creativity and love.
In Africa and Asia, catechists keep Christian communities vibrant, often serving as the first evangelizers and the daily presence of the Church in villages.
In Latin America, they animate basic ecclesial communities, where faith is woven into daily life and culture.
In Europe and North America, catechists collaborate in multicultural and intercultural parishes, working alongside SVD missionaries to welcome migrants and refugees, and to proclaim the Gospel across cultures.
Through this collaboration, the SVD and catechists embody the Church’s missionary spirit: united in diversity, rooted in the Word, and guided by the Holy Spirit.
A Shared Mission of Hope
The Jubilee motto, “Pilgrims of Hope”, reminds us that catechists and missionaries together carry the light of Christ into a world often marked by uncertainty. The Jubilee Prayer asks that God may transform us into “tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel”. This is precisely what catechists do — planting, watering, and nurturing the seed of faith so that it may grow and bear fruit in every culture and language.
Gratitude and Blessing
On this Jubilee, the Society of the Divine Word extends heartfelt thanks to all catechists who collaborate in our common mission. Your witness, often quiet and unseen, is the very heartbeat of evangelization. You are co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord, builders of community, and sowers of hope.
May Christ, the first and greatest Teacher, bless you abundantly. May Mary, Mother of Hope, accompany you in your service. And may the Holy Spirit continue to inspire you to guide others ever closer to Him.
Proclaim the Gospel of hope to all.
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