go and teach

GO AND TEACH

A Pastoral Letter on

Handing on the Faith

Most Rev. Ricardo Ramírez, C.S.B.Bishop of Las Cruces, New Mexico

October 18, 2007

GO AND TEACH A Pastoral Letter on Handing on the Faith�

GO AND TEACHA Pastoral Letter on Handing on the Faith

IntroductionFaith in the person of Jesus is a most precious gift – a gift we receive through

baptism. It is not a ”thing” that we possess but, rather, an integral part of who

we are and what we do, and it is given to us to hand on to others. It breathes

within us when we sleep and when we are awake. Indeed, like a plant, our faith

needs to be nourished constantly by the environment in which we live, by the

Word of God, and by the grace of the sacraments. As with St. Paul, we plant and

water, but “God causes the growth” (1 Cor 3:6).

The title for this pastoral letter, Go and Teach, comes from the last verses

in the Gospel of St. Matthew: “All power in heaven and on earth has been given

to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the 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. And behold, I am with you always, until

the end of the age!” (28:18-20).

To appreciate the phrase, “go and teach,” it is helpful to understand what

and how Jesus taught. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is presented as the new

Moses of a new Israel. He proclaims a new code of conduct, the Beatitudes, from

a mountain, just as Moses had done with the Ten Commandments. Much of his

message is summarized by the commandment of love and in the proclamation

of the Reign of God. In taking up the challenge of handing on God’s message we

need to start where our faith starts, with a firm belief in the risen Lord

Jesus entrusted the Church with the precious gift of faith and commis-

sioned the disciples to transmit it to every generation. Today this commission

continues to be guided by the Holy Father and the bishops in communion with

him. The task of handing on the faith is shared by all the baptized who are called

to give witness of their faith in accordance with their particular vocation and

GO AND TEACH A Pastoral Letter on Handing on the Faith2

gifts. This is especially true of parents, who are the primary teachers of their

children. No one can excuse him/herself from this responsibility. We, the people

of God, are the Church entrusted with handing on the faith of our Lord Jesus

Christ.

For this reason, I am writing to you about handing on the faith. This is a

wonderful privilege and an awesome responsibility. My hope in writing this pas-

toral letter is to offer encouragement and guidance to my fellow Christians who

share with me the baptismal vocation to nurture and hand on the faith.

Getting to Know the SoilWe are deeply immersed in a rapidly changing world. Today, technology makes

possible what would have been called “miraculous” just 50 years ago. The small-

est isolated village can now be a part of our global awareness. Advancements

in the fi elds of medicine, science, communication, and other disciplines, have

greatly enriched us. With the explosion of technology, information is easily

accessible. This information needs to be evaluated criti-

cally to discern truth.

Our Catholic faith is lived out in the midst of this

changing world. By God’s grace we humans, redeemed

by Christ, have become partners with God in the

ongoing efforts to create a better world. We look to the

Church for guidance. The Second Vatican Council has

reaffi rmed our rich Catholic teachings, clarifi ed them

and applied them to our time and age.

In the United States, nearly every race, ethnic and

cultural group on earth is represented in our popula-

tion and in our Church. “Each group brings its own

language, history, customs, rituals and traditions

‘for building up the Body of Christ.’” (National Directory for Catechesis) The

Church in the United States has a particular challenge of evangelization in this

multicultural reality. Indeed, faith is like a seed that needs to be planted. But

planting the seed in our day is no easy task, for the soil, the society in which we

live, is not always fertile and ready to receive the seed of faith.

In the area that makes up the Diocese of Las Cruces, faith runs deep.

Because the Church has existed in New Mexico for hundreds of years, the state

is uniquely Catholic. Together with families who have lived here for centuries,

newcomers arrive bringing with them gifts and expressions of faith that enrich

our local Church.

Immersed within the world, the country and the local church, the family

becomes the focus for handing on the faith.

greatly enriched us. With the explosion of technology, information is easily

accessible. This information needs to be evaluated criti-

cally to discern truth.

changing world. By God’s grace we humans, redeemed

by Christ, have become partners with God in the

ongoing efforts to create a better world. We look to the

Church for guidance. The Second Vatican Council has

reaffi rmed our rich Catholic teachings, clarifi ed them

and applied them to our time and age.

cultural group on earth is represented in our popula-

tion and in our Church. “Each group brings its own

language, history, customs, rituals and traditions


The Family as Instrument of FaithIt has been the constant teaching of the Church that the whole Christian

community has the responsibility for educating its children. And within that

community, parents are the fi rst and most effective teachers of their children.

Through word and example parents and other adult relatives greatly infl uence

the faith journey of their children.

The Church calls the family to build a genuine spirituality within the home.

Everyone is called to holiness. Spirituality cannot be separated from anything

that is truly human. For this reason, a genuine spirituality will touch and trans-

form every aspect of human life: mental, emotional, physical and social. Togeth-

er, a family that takes time to pray together also learns to forgive and to love in

a respectful way. Praying the rosary, reading the Bible, and going on pilgrimages

together create an environment of peace and harmony where persons can grow

and develop into mature adults.

Central to a family’s spirituality is involvement in the life of the Church.

Participation in Sunday Mass sets the tone for the entire week. It encourages

family prayer, connects the family to the larger faith community and carries

over into the school, the workplace and civic community.

In addition, retreats for adults and for adolescents, Cursillos, Marriage

Encounter, Marriage Enrichment, small groups of shared prayer and refl ection

offer excellent opportunities to strengthen our faith. In our diocese, pilgrimages

to Tortugas Mountain on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, to Mt. Cristo Rey,

and to San Lorenzo in the Mimbres Valley are occasions for our families to give

testimony to their faith.

Obstacles to Handing on the FaithToday’s culture presents us with many obstacles to the growth of our faith.

While tension between faith and reason has existed for centuries, in today’s

world, subjective feeling and individualism has become the norm for both belief

and action. This means there is no universal norm or objective truth. Individu-

alism, for example, treats religion “as a private matter to be settled by each

individual in the intimacy of his or her own conscience” (Cardinal Avery Dulles,

S.J.). We experience challenges to our morality and our value systems never

before encountered.

Living in today’s society with its choices and abundance, we become vulner-

able to the slick images presented by television and the press. The media are

fi lled with protests about “my rights” but no word about our obligations to love

our neighbor as mandated by a life of faith. The modern media tend to dictate

not only our lifestyle but also our conversation and public debates. Ours is a

visual world. We buy what we see. The implication is that the unseen does not

exist.

a respectful way. Praying the rosary, reading the Bible, and going on pilgrimages


In this society, families have less and less time to spend together as a fam-

ily. Most parents, both father and mother, now work full-time. Children’s after

school activities, such as sports and homework, not to mention family errands

and overtime, mean that many families can rarely take time for a leisurely dis-

cussion or sharing a meal together.

Yet in spite of these obstacles, the witness of faith prevails. Paul VI says that

personal witness is the fi rst form of evangelization, but even that is not enough.

There has to be the explicit, clear and unequivocal proclamation of the Lord

Jesus in the ministry of the Word, i.e. “catechesis.” (Evangelii Nuntiandi no.22)

The Role of CatechesisIn the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “catechesis” is “handing on the faith.

From its very beginning our church has supported witness and teaching as the

main ways to introduce the living and life-giving person of Jesus Christ.” Among

those who play an indispensable role in handing on the faith are catechists. Par-

ents are the fi rst and foremost catechists of their children. The home is the fi rst

school of faith and the privileged place for its transmission.

In the process of catechesis, there are three entities: God, the catechist,

and the one being catechized. The catechist introduces

or presents God to the one being catechized. Therefore,

the catechist must know both God and the person being

catechized. To know God, the catechist must develop a

strong relationship with the Holy Trinity – Father, Son

and Holy Spirit – and with the Church community.

Prayer, meditation, study and active participation in the

life of the Church are essential elements to develop these

relationships.

In recent years, religious educators have realized the

need to refocus the process of catechesis. Catechesis is

evolving from the rote character of “teaching catechism”

to an emphasis on family-centered faith formation. We,

as the faithful, must no longer have the mentality that

“CCD will teach my children what they need to know about the faith.” We must

challenge those who say, “My child has fi nished catechism; he/she has made

First Communion.” Rather, the faith formation process is a life-long journey

that should continue to inform, form and transform individuals and families

into active disciples of Christ. This process is a partnership between the family

and their parish community.

The Lord commanded the Church to teach. She does so with the humil-

ity and confi dence born from the conviction that she has received the fullness

of truth in the person of Jesus Christ. We do not invent the truth. The truth

has been received through divine revelation which is contained in Holy Scrip-

In the process of catechesis, there are three entities: God, the catechist,

and the one being catechized. The catechist introduces

or presents God to the one being catechized. Therefore,

the catechist must know both God and the person being

catechized. To know God, the catechist must develop a

strong relationship with the Holy Trinity – Father, Son

and Holy Spirit – and with the Church community.

Prayer, meditation, study and active participation in the

life of the Church are essential elements to develop these

relationships.

need to refocus the process of catechesis. Catechesis is

evolving from the rote character of “teaching catechism”

to an emphasis on family-centered faith formation. We,

as the faithful, must no longer have the mentality that


ture, both the New and the Old Testaments, and in the Tradition of the Church

which together make up one deposit of faith. From this deposit, the Church

draws forth the richness of faith which she transmits through her creeds and in

authoritative statements such as the writings of the Pope and Conciliar docu-

ments. In recent years this doctrine has been presented in a clear, systematic

and complete manner in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is a sure

and excellent instrument to teach the faith.

Essential Elements in Handing on the FaithOur baptismal vocation to hand on our faith begins at the parish baptismal font.

From there it goes into our homes. It is never separated from the mission of the

Church. The whole parish community, through baptism, is committed to carry

out this mission or commission. This can be briefl y summarized under four

headings:

1. To proclaim the Good News of salvation. The Bible contains God’s

revealed word to us. Our faith is not a “religion of the book,” however,

but a religion of the “Word” of God, a word, which is “not a written and

mute word, but the Word [the person of Jesus Christ] which is incar-

nate and living” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 108).

The Catholic Catechism affi rms that the study of Scripture should be

the very soul of sacred theology. Quoting the words of St. Jerome, who

translated the Scriptures from Hebrew and Greek into Latin, the popu-

lar language of the people of his day, “To be ignorant of the Scriptures

is to be ignorant of Christ.”

The Catechism goes on to state, “The ministry of the Word, pastoral

preaching, catechetics, and all forms of Christian instruction…is

healthily nourished and thrives in holiness through the Word of Scrip-

ture” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 132).

The preaching of the Word of God is one of the principal ways by which

the faith is handed on. As St. Paul tells us: “I charge you to preach the

word, to stay with this task, whether convenient or inconvenient – cor-

recting, reproving, appealing – constantly teaching and never losing

patience” (2 Tm 4:2).

Ordained persons, priests and deacons, preach through homilies. Other

people may be called to share their faith and thereby share in the minis-

try of the Word. Preaching is always based on the word of God, and the

person and message of Jesus Christ must always be proclaimed. Preach-

ing, to be effective, has to relate to people’s lives and to world events.

The successful preacher is able to make the Word come to life and make

sense to those who hear it.


The proclamation of the gospel introduces Christ to both the believers

and those who have never heard of him and invites them to conver-

sion. “By the action of the Holy Spirit such an encounter engenders

in the hearers a desire to know Christ, his life, and the content of his

message” (General Directory for Catechesis). This implies a complete

change of heart, mind and the way we live our lives.

2. To build Christian community. Community is essential to our Chris-

tian identity. We are created in the image of the Most Holy Trinity:

Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The very nature of God is relational. There-

fore, we who are made in God’s image share this relational, communal

nature. We are called to reach out and to build communities of love,

justice, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Like connected cells in the Body of Christ, we are interdependent while

we nourish and support one another’s faith. We are invited to break the

bread and share the cup with each other in the Eucharist and in so do-

ing, build up our community of faith.

Our multicultural setting offers us opportunities to integrate the many

treasured traditions of the community. Our Catholic community is that

place where people of many backgrounds, ages and walks of life come

together, whether they have lived here for centuries, are newly arrived

immigrants from other countries or transplanted from other parts of

the United States. In the Catholic community all are welcome and fi nd

shelter together under the umbrella of our faith.

The forming and nurturing of small faith sharing groups is one way to

develop in the midst of the larger faith community or parish. Fami-

lies and/or groups of people can come together outside of the Mass to

pray, to break open the weekly Scripture readings, to study about their

faith, to sing the music used in worship, and to support one another as

they reach out to the broader community through prayer and service.

These small communities offer opportunities for people to deepen and

embrace their faith in both a personal and communal way.

3. To worship the living God through the Eucharist. The sacramental

life of the Church is the beating heart of every parish. We receive our

calling to hand on the faith through our baptism and confi rmation.

This call is strengthened and renewed through the celebration of the

Eucharist. Here we rediscover our faith. Here we receive the strength

and nourishment to carry the light of Christ into our homes and into

the marketplace. Here we receive direction for handing on that faith.

Here we are, once again, sent to proclaim the Good News.

Celebrated within the context of church and family, the sacraments

become the touchstones for family life. Celebration and study of the


liturgical year unfolds the whole mystery of Christ. By entering into the

cycle of the seasonal celebrations of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter

and Ordinary Time families can deepen their appreciation of God’s

ongoing presence.

Great care is to be given to the process of faith formation and the

way children and adults are prepared for receiving the sacraments.

Critical to the process is the gradual conversion of heart that leads a

person to take on the mind of Christ, to participate actively in the life

of the Church and to be involved in the missionary life of the Church.

The process of inquiry, formation and transformation, introduces the

learner to a way of living that continues for life. Deeply rooted in the

liturgy and community life, the faith is nurtured by the ongoing read-

ing of Scripture, in active participation in Sunday Mass, and apostolic

works of mercy and charity. Personal prayer and discernment become

key to this ongoing process of conversion

4. To serve as Jesus served. Ever since Jesus washed the feet of his

apostles during the last supper we recognize ourselves as a minister-

ing community. Jesus said: “I have given you a model to follow, so that

as I have done for you, you should also do.” (Jn 13:15). As the Lord’s

disciples, we are to be servants in our time and place. Our service is an

indispensable part of handing on the faith. To serve as Jesus served is

the basis for Catholic social teaching, a constitutive (essential) element

in the evangelizing mission of the Church. For this reason the Church

has always reached out to feed the hungry, heal the sick, clothe the na-

ked, receive the stranger, and visit the imprisoned. It is this preferential

option for the poor of whom our Lord spoke when he stated, “Whatever

you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt.

25:40).

In summarizing John Paul II’s encyclical on social justice, Cardinal

Dulles says the following: “Social Teaching is a means of evangelization.

Evangelization in its full amplitude includes the doctrine of human

rights, the promotion of the common good and everything that can

help to build a civilization of love… It goes far beyond the limits of the

sanctuary and the cloister. Lay persons have a special responsibility

to evangelize secular society, including the workplace and the public

square. The values of the gospel can vivify and transform human rela-

tions in law, politics, business and all the professions.”


The Practice of Our Catholic Faith We hand on our faith in the context of all that is truly human. In our human

woundedness we need the spiritual strength which only the grace of God can

provide. We experience our faith in and through our daily human activity, which

is grace in action.

We spoke earlier of the crucial role parents play in handing on the faith to

their children. Handing on our faith to our children is following Our Savior’s

example. Our grandparents cautioned us, using the age-old axiom that ac-

tions speak louder than words. Telling our children to pray the rosary, or read

Scripture verses, or attend Sunday Mass is not nearly as effective as doing these

things together as a family. The reverent way we receive the Holy Eucharist, the

respectful way we hold our rosaries when we pray, and our bibles when reading

from them, leaves an indelible impression on our children and grandchildren.

Our Catholic faith is as steeped in symbolism as it is rich in tradition. The

religious symbols in our home, holy water, crucifi xes, rosaries, statues and

sacred art, strengthen our Catholic identity. Advent wreathes, nativity cribs,

Lenten rice bowls, and blessed palms carry the liturgies celebrated in our

churches into our homes. A depiction of the Last Supper can be an inspirational

reminder to a family to enjoy a meal together.

The Church celebrates the lives of the saints who, by their witness, give us

loving examples of handing on our faith. St. Francis of Assisi and St. Vincent

de Paul are honored for their witness in sharing their few possessions with

the poor. St. Peter Claver is best known for his witness in bringing food and

medicine to poor slaves. St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, known as Mother Cabrini,

welcomed and assisted immigrants coming to our country. The mother of Jesus,

Mary of Nazareth, when she cared for her infant son, “kept all these things in

her heart” (Lk. 2:19). In the Gospel of John, she instructs the servants at the

wedding feast of Cana, “Do everything he tells you” (Jn. 2:5). The Blessed Virgin

Mary is the greatest model for listening to the word of God and handing on the

faith.

In our journey of faith, we can all single out signifi cant persons, such as

parents, grandparents, friends, and others who, by their witness, have helped

in maintaining and deepening our faith. Thus, the choosing of sponsors for our

children at the time of baptism and confi rmation must be done with care and

foresight as these persons take on a shared responsibility in handing on the faith

to their godchild. The patron saint given to each child at baptism can become

their friend and intercessor throughout their lives.

Every day we are called to serve as Jesus served. When we invite guests

into our homes, we invite Christ. We give to the poor through the Society of St.

Vincent de Paul. We volunteer our time in a shelter or soup kitchen or serve in

prison ministry. We volunteer to sing in the funeral choir or to prepare food for

example. Our grandparents cautioned us, using the age-old axiom

tions speak louder than words.

Scripture verses, or attend Sunday Mass is not nearly as effective as doing these

things together as a family. The reverent way we receive the Holy Eucharist, the

respectful way we hold our rosaries when we pray, and our bibles when reading

from them, leaves an indelible impression on our children and grandchildren.

religious symbols in our home, holy water, crucifi xes, rosaries, statues and

sacred art, strengthen our Catholic identity. Advent wreathes, nativity cribs,

Lenten rice bowls, and blessed palms carry the liturgies celebrated in our

churches into our homes. A depiction of the Last Supper can be an inspirational

reminder to a family to enjoy a meal together.

loving examples of handing on our faith. St. Francis of Assisi and St. Vincent

de Paul are honored for their witness in sharing their few possessions with

the poor. St. Peter Claver is best known for his witness in bringing food and

medicine to poor slaves. St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, known as Mother Cabrini,


those who are grieving. We speak up for those who are vulnerable, affl icted or

have no voice. Witnessing in these ways to the Word of God is the best way to

evangelize. It is by what we say and do, how we go about behaving in our world

and how we do our work as well as the decisions we make, that will have an

impact on the lives of others.

As a follow up to this pastoral letter, there will be plans and programs for

its implementation in our parishes and homes. We wish to assist all who accept

the responsibility and challenge to hand on the faith, especially parents and

grandparents. We will make a special effort at the diocesan level to continue to

improve the skills of all our catechists, the preaching of our priests and deacons

and to provide materials for youth and adult faith formation.

Going ForthOur Catholic faith is alive and well today, but there are obstacles in today’s

world, as we said before, which challenge our faith and handing it on to others.

We must have a deep yearning that our Catholic faith will be present and vibrant

in the lives of our children, grandchildren, and future generations. For this

we must plant the seed of faith now, and make every effort to ensure that the

seed will take root and bear the fruit of strong and authentic followers of Jesus

Christ.

We must grow in our understanding of what that faith means. It is not only

an intellectual assent to a body of truths, but also a way of life, a personal and

communal spiritual relationship to Christ and a commitment to carry out the

implications of that faith in justice, compassion and love. The Church made up

of people of faith can make a difference in today’s society n areas such as respect

for life, immigration, and respect for the earth and all creation.

John Paul II encouraged us to live in the faith and to hand it on to our chil-

dren. His words, “Launch out into the deep,” and “Do not be afraid,” Are sources

of encouragement to us in this task.

Faith is the most important gift you can give to your children, your grand-

children, your nieces and nephews, your spouse, your students, or anyone in

your life. It is never too late to share your gift of faith with others. Begin with

your own faith – deepen it through attending Sunday Mass, reading the bible,

taking time for prayer, studying your faith, and living the mandates of your

Catholic faith. Stay connected to your Catholic community. By your example,

those around you will learn to turn to God in good times and in diffi cult times If

they see the love of God in your eyes, if they see you turn to God, both when you

are happy and when you are sad, they, too, will look to God. They will come to

know that they will never be alone, “behold, I am with you always, until the end

of the age.” Matt 28:20, cf. Matt 28: 19-20.

GO AND TEACHA Pastoral Letter on Handing on the Faith

October 18, 2007© 2007 Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces

My prayer for you is that God will guide and encourage you, as in the name

of Jesus Christ you hand on your faith to your family, your co-workers, and your

community. Let us all carry out the last command and wish that Jesus expressed

before he left this world: “Go and teach.”

Most Rev. Ricardo Ramírez, C.S.B.Bishop of Las Cruces, New Mexico

October 18, 2007

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go and teach

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