New diocesan division emphasizes evangelization in Catholic education

By Rebecca Saunders
The Catholic Sun

Evangelization is a central concept in Catholic catechesis that needs to be emphasized and taught, according to Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted and MaryBeth Mueller, the newly appointed executive director of the recently formed Division of Education and Evangelization of the Phoenix Diocese.

Through the formation of the new division, formerly the Division of Formation and Education, Bishop Olmsted hopes to increase awareness of the call Catholics have to evangelize, a concept that was not focused on until the Second Vatican Council.

“We are not creating a new division, but building on what has already been in place,” Bishop Olmsted explained. “What has been in place has been of the highest quality. A few key notions are being emphasized at the present time, especially evangelization and family.”

Under the reorganized division, the Catholic Schools Office, the Kino Institute and library, and Safe Environment Training will all report directly to Mueller. The offices of adult catechesis, preschool and elementary catechesis, youth and young adult evangelization, evangelization with persons with disabilities and the marriage and respect life office will report to a director of family catechesis, who will in turn report to Mueller.

“We are all called to preach the Gospel message and if we look at the whole aspect of evangelization, if we are not all out there preaching the Gospel, then we are failing to do what we are called to,” Mueller said. “It kind of goes back to the whole mission of Catholic education in that we are really here for people to experience Jesus Christ.”

Beyond the evangelization focus, the new division will give special attention to catechesis of the entire family, not just children.

“We’re all about family catechesis,” Mueller said. “I think as a Church it’s really important that our parents understand that we really are paying attention to families.” Mueller calls it a “womb to tomb” vision of lifelong catechesis and journeying with God.

“We agree with the words of Pope John Paul II, spoken in St. Louis in 1999,” Bishop Olmsted said. “The new evangelization must bring a fuller appreciation of the family as the primary and most vital foundation of society, the first school of social virtue and solidarity.”

Mueller thinks the departments now included in the education and evangelization division have been disjointed at times in the past. The formation of the education and evangelization division will support the development of a comprehensive picture of lifelong ministry. “We are on a faith journey and as the Catholic Church we really need to be calling folks to what that means,” she said.

One of Mueller’s main goals is to publicize all the events occurring within the departments in the division through a public and centralized calendar that includes everything from Kino classes to catechetical ministry opportunities.

“My hope is that this division will continue the high quality work that has already been taking place,” Bishop Olmsted said, “but with new vigor and even greater desire to make Christ known and loved.”