by Paola Di Blasi
At the Seminary of Catania, and in the presence of Archbishop Luigi Renna, the verification meeting was held at the end of the first year of the school for aspirants to the established ministries of acolyte, reader and catechist.
The Italian Episcopal Conference, in June 2022, presented a Note ad experimentum to orient the concrete practice of the Italian Churches on the aforementioned figures.
The Note finds its origins in two significant interventions by Pope Francis: the Motu proprio Spiritus Domini, of 10 January 2021 which states that every baptized-confirmed person, man or woman, can assume the established ministries of acolyte and reader; and the Motu proprio Antiquum Ministerium of 10 May 2021 with which the ministry of the Catechist for the universal Church is established, permanent, stable, like the other two, and also open to women.
Our Diocese, considering it of significant importance to recognize and enhance the aforementioned ministries and, as a pioneer in this extraordinary project, accepted these requests and established the Diocesan Office for the Established Ministries.
The training course lasts two years. During the first year, which has just ended, topics that unite readers, acolytes and catechists were discussed. The second year, however, includes specific lessons for the three ministries.
The Diocesan Office for Established Ministries, for the purpose of a more concise and orderly verification and comparison, put in place a questionnaire, administered a week before the last meeting, which included a series of questions aimed at focusing on some points highlights of the route.
Based on the responses, 70% of the students considered the educational quality of the study areas (Liturgy, Sacred Scripture and Theology) to be excellent. 95% rated the weekly meetings as up to their expectations and the same percentage expressed their opinion regarding the improvement of their skills.
The retreats organized during the year in conjunction with the strong periods of the liturgical year have also gathered support. 43.1% described them as opportunities to meditate on one’s calling, for 25.9% they were opportunities for sharing, fraternity and communion and 31% considered them enriching.
Divided into groups, the 58 students then had the opportunity to share proposals for the coming year at both parish and diocesan level. In summary, the need emerged for training that can continue to refine and deepen the topics covered through periodic meetings at diocesan level, as well as the availability to be promoters of liturgical life where one is called to service, taking care to support the priest in the animation and promotion of pastoral activity, so that the ministries do not become an individual and isolated issue but are an expression of the entire ecclesial community. At diocesan level, it was proposed to create working groups which, in harmony with the Bishop, the director of the Instituted Ministries Office and the parish priest of the parish to which they belong, can be of support to the communities of our Diocese which most need a pastoral support.
The archbishop finally concluded the meeting with the reading of the passage from the first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians, underlining how fundamental it is to valorise and welcome the different charisms, all without distinction precious, for an authentic path of growth that sees us as witnesses of the Christian message in which God works everything in everyone.
