THE TABLET SEPTEMBER 9, 2006
Faith Formation

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

A few months ago I announced an important pastoral initiative regarding the ongoing faith formation of all the members of our Diocesan Church. Last March, I created the Office of Faith Formation through the merger of the already existing Diocesan Offices of Religious Education, Family Life/Respect Life and the Diocesan Library. The purpose of this merger was to create the organizational structure needed to coordinate our diocesan efforts to assist all parishes and schools in their work of helping children, teenagers and adults to understand their faith in an age-appropriate manner and assist them to live it as Christian witnesses in the world.

At the same time that the Office was created, I approved a new Diocesan Vision Statement that seeks to describe what we hope to achieve together in faith formation. It reads as follows:

We, the lay faithful, religious, deacons, priests and bishops of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, seek to recognize, celebrate and share the loving, sacramental presence of Jesus in our faith communities, homes and daily lives and to respond by embracing the need for continual lifelong faith formation. We live this formation through learning and sharing the Sacred Scriptures and Catholic Tradition, creating new partnerships within and among our parishes, clusters and ministries and being inclusive of peoples of every age, ethnic group, race, culture and language in order to foster the Kingdom of God in justice and peace.

This vision statement recognizes the fact that faith formation is more than just knowledge of the faith. Formation also involves a personal response on the part of each of us to the Lord’s invitation to fall in love with Him ever more deeply as we mature through life and to nurture a burning desire within us to learn everything we can about Him and imitate His example wherever we go. Many times, especially for our children and those adults who need to learn more about the Catholic faith and the Scriptures, faith formation must involve classroom instruction.  We must also rediscover, however, a passion and desire to seek conversion, to worship each Sunday, to practice what we believe, to become clear witnesses to our faith and to seek holiness throughout our lives.

This search to ignite a burning passion and love for the Lord is the work of the New Evangelization. The desire to continue to learn about Jesus throughout our lives and to live what we believe is the work of catechesis. Thus, faith formation involves two inseparable moments in the life of every Catholic: to be evangelized and fall in love with Jesus and to seize every opportunity to be catechized and learn about the Lord whom we love and wish to imitate.

The work of faith formation is a task of immense importance, especially in this critical time in the life of our Church. For this reason, I ask that you cooperate with the new Office of Faith Formation as it seeks to assist our pastors, principals, directors of religious education, teachers, catechists, children, teenagers, adults, families, Pre-Cana couples and those who advocate for a greater respect for human life, justice and peace to work together to help all believers to love, know and imitate the Lord throughout their lives.

Over the summer, a number of search committees have worked to identify competent candidates to staff this important new office. The structure of the office envisions one Director whose principal job will be to oversee the work of faith formation in all its aspects, including the evangelization, education and ongoing training of all the faithful. He will be assisted by eight coordinators who specialize in various aspects of catechesis and instruction.  The Director and coordinators will also be available to assist parishes and schools that wish to renew or expand their current efforts to evangelize and catechize their parishioners and children.

I am pleased to announce that I have accepted the recommendation of the search committee that interviewed a number of candidates for the position of Director and have appointed Father Bryan Patterson as the new Diocesan Director of Faith Formation effective immediately.  Father Bryan comes to this new position with a wealth of theological knowledge and pastoral experience. His previous work as a supervisor in a number of secular companies prior to his entrance into the seminary will also serve him well as he begins to supervise his new staff. 

Father Bryan will be joined by the newest additions to the office staff:  Dr. Philip Franco, Coordinator of Childhood Faith Formation; Ms. Marilyn Santos, Coordinator of Adolescent Faith Formation, and Ms. Elizabeth Matthews, Coordinator of Respect Life Education. The remaining staff members who continue to provide dedicated service to our Diocese are Sister Alice Michael, Coordinator of the RCIA; Mr. Richard Pipchinski, Coordinator of Adult Catechesis; Mrs. Ana Puente, Coordinator of Marriage Ministry, and Mrs. Nancy Azzaro, Coordinator of Catholic School Curriculum and Catechist Formation. The position of Coordinator of the Diocesan Resource Center is yet to be filled.

The challenge of fostering faith formation for all believers will test our personal resolve and require that we join together on the parish, cluster and diocesan levels to assist each other to bring a new vitality to our Church, as we put out into the deep. Let us commend our efforts into the hand of Mary, our Blessed Mother, as we ask for her intercession on our behalf in this essential work of faith.

                                                     # # # # #