MANDATE AND GOALS FOR THE COMMITTEE

The committee assists the bishops, both collectively and individually, in fulfilling their role as evangelizers and chief catechists in their dioceses by addressing all aspects of evangelization and catechesis for adults, youth, and children. This includes fostering the distribution and implementation of foundational documents related to evangelization and catechesis, the development of guidelines for both, and especially the evaluation of catechetical materials for their conformity to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The committee supports initiatives which focus on the Church's world mission mandate and on stewardship.

This mandate includes the following areas of responsibility: Evangelization of all persons including outreach to the unchurched and to inactive Catholics; catechesis for adults, youth, and children; use of the Catechism; world mission awareness education; stewardship awareness education.

KEY MISSION RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Encouraging and supporting efforts of evangelization and catechesis by fostering the distribution and implementation of both universal Church documents on catechesis and evangelization and also related  documents and resources developed by the bishops of the United States
  2. Supporting catechetical efforts in the Church in the United States by developing policies, guidelines, and resources for a bishop to use in his diocese
  3. Overseeing the use of the Catechism of the Catholic Church especially in regard to the development of catechetical materials that present Church teachings authentically and completely
  4. Collaborating, as necessary, with the Committee on Catholic Education
  5. Providing consultation on evangelization and catechetical issues when requested, including advising and representing the bishops
  6. Bringing to evangelization and catechesis the perspectives and concerns of other cultures and people, through collaboration with other committees/offices
  7. Encouraging efforts in stewardship
  8. Encouraging world mission awareness education

KEY MISSION RELATIONSHIPS

  1. With bishops and diocesan offices
  2. With related committees and offices of the USCCB
  3. With evangelization, catechetical, and stewardship organizations and associations
  4. With Catholic publishing houses
  5. With advisory bodies to the committee
  6. With the Holy See and with other episcopal conferences
  7. With Pontifical Mission Societies. . . and with mission-sending societies/organizations