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2015 National Parish Religious Education Week

The beginning of November also marks the beginning of the 2015 National Parish Religious Education Week, which runs Nov. 1-7. This year’s theme is “Encountering Christ Every Day ~ Encuentro con Cristo cada día.”

The event, according to the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), is meant to help parishes in the United States see themselves as “catechizing communities.”

Specifically, the NCEA outlined in its preparatory materials that the week’s goals are to honor those serving in parish religious education, share the contributions parish communities are making to sound education in the Catholic Faith, and to help build bridges between the parish and school educational programs, as well as other faith formation programs.

To celebrate, the NCEA recommends seven activities: worship; inform your community about religious education in your parish; pray; recognize catechists for their work; share the good news about parish religious education; offer parish-wide study on the importance of catechesis; and serve the community.

This year marks the third National Parish Religious Education Week — the first was celebrated in 2013 as a result of the Year of Faith — and, according to the NCEA, “focuses on the value of parish-based efforts to form people of all ages in the Catholic Faith and way of life.”

To find out more about National Parish Religious Education Week, go to ncea.org.