Speakers

• Dr. John Cavadini, Chair of the Theology Department at Notre Dame spoke about The Catechist in the History of the Church, a profound, moving, and sometimes humorous look at the role of a catechist largely through the writings St. Augustine had with a self-critical and doubting catechist
• Rev. Alan Figueroa Deck, SJ, Ph.D. STD, President / Executive Director of the Loyola Institute of Spirituality, examined Models of Hispanic Ministry and Catechesis, discussing the changes that have been taking place in religious education and faith formation, such as the centrality of evangelization as the over-arching framework for whatever we mean by catechesis
• Dr. Adele Gonzalez, Professor of Theology at Barry University, spoke of Jesús el Catequista, using gospel passages to examine qualities that Jesus showed during his ministry—qualities that all evangelizing catechists must possess
• Most. Rev. Ricardo Ramírez, CSB, Bishop of Las Cruces, in his address entitled My Vocation as a Catechist, spoke of his 25 years’ experience as a bishop and as such, the first catechist in his diocese. He also talked about his experiences as a missionary priest in Mexico where he helped develop a family catechetical program that is still in use.
• A young married couple, Dr. Michael E. Lee, Assistant Professor in Department of Theology at Fordham University, and Natalia Imperatori-Lee, Instructor in the Department of Religious Studies at Manhattan College, who spoke about Theology and Catechesis, Passing on the Faith.
• Rev. Virgilio Elizondo, STD, Ph.D., Professor, Theology at Notre Dame who offered an insightful summary of the entire proceedings.