Catechetical Sunday
September 18, 2016


Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

As the chief catechist of the Diocese of Rockville Centre I am delighted to join you in the celebration of Catechetical Sunday 2016! How appropriate it is for us to focus on this year’s theme: “Prayer: The Faith Prayed” as we continue our celebration of the Year of Mercy.

This year’s theme reminds me of the adage used so frequently by liturgists for many centuries: lex orandi lex credendi. This Latin phrase states so succinctly the intimate relationship between the law of prayer and the law of belief. What a timely meditation for all of the baptized who are called by Pope Francis to be missionary disciples in the world today. We cannot spread the Gospel if we don’t first pray. We can’t know the Gospel if we do not hear the Word of God proclaimed in our Sunday assemblies.

On this Catechetical Sunday we give thanks to all those in our parishes who give their time and talent to bringing the Word to life in our various catechetical programs. We give thanks too for all who strive to make our Sunday liturgies opportunities for our families to gather and pray as one, holy, catholic and universal church here in the Diocese of Rockville Centre as they pray together at Sunday Mass in the parish.

As we continue to pray during this Year of Mercy let us reach out to all those who participate in our catechetical programs. Let us provide opportunities for them to come to Sunday Mass to experience the joy of being one with us as we come together each week as the Merciful Body of Christ.

With my prayers and best wishes, I am
William F. Murphy 

Faithfully yours in Christ,
Bishop of Rockville Centre