PORTRAIT
OF A CATECHIST: FOOT SOLDIERS OF CHRIST- Father John
Chakos
| Catechist heading home |
The
newly emergent Guatemalan Orthodox Church under the omophorion of
Metropolitan Athenagoras faces many challenges, not the least of
which is the low number of canonically ordained priests--eight to be
exact--who serve the spiritual needs of its nearly 300 communities.
| Catechist speaking to clergy |
They travel over great distances into remote mountainous areas, often
along dangerous and at times impassible muddy roads, going from
village to village in an attempt to reach people that the world has
seemingly forgotten. Because of this glaring shortage, one of the top
priorities of Father Andres Giron, Vicar of the Guatemalan Orthodox
Church, is the recruitment and training of qualified candidates for
the holy priesthood. In the meantime, and certainly well into the
future, the pressing spiritual needs of such a vibrant, dynamic and
growing church
movement require an empowered laity, not only willing to fill the
pastoral void, but to promote the church's greater mission to expand
its outreach. Among those who stand in the forefront of this great
challenge are the church's catechists. It is about these men and
women of faith that I wish to speak.
Who
are the catechists and what role do they play? They are most
certainly teachers as the name implies, but also the respected
leaders of the church communities. They possess a moral authority
that goes well beyond the mere teaching of the faith. They are the
voice of Christ to the people and organizers of the spiritual,
educational and worship life of the community. They are indeed the
backbone of the Orthodox Church in Guatemala and in every sense the
foot soldiers of Christ. Without them the church would not have been
able to advance as it has over the past twenty-five years.
I
have gained a greater appreciation of their unique role in the church
by attending the bi-monthly seminars that are held at the Centro
Apostólico in Huehuetenango. They often travel from great distances
at great expense to themselves to attend the two day seminars. They
carry their own bedding and even children with them and sleep on the
cement floor of the large lecture hall where the classes are held.
They love and live by the Holy Scriptures and speak of Christ and the
Church with great conviction. Likewise they lead late night vigils of
prayer in their villages and call upon the faithful to fast for
specific intentions. In short, they fulfill the calling of the royal
priesthood of the believers through prophetic teaching and preaching,
self-donating service and virtuous leadership. I greatly admire their
commitment and am inspired by their faith. It is amazing what an
empowered laity can do to set the church on fire. If Orthodoxy is to
grow in Latin America it will need catechists like these to lead the
way.
| The Mission Center in Huehuetenango |
CENTRO
APOSTÓLICO
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