ST. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church

14908 Main Street

Upper Marlboro, Maryland  20772

email:  rectory@stmarysum.org

Business Hours for the Rectory 10am - 5pm Monday through Friday

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

It must be acknowledged that today Catholics may be among the best educated of the American population. Nevertheless, we often find lawyers, doctors, physicists, educators, and a host of other well-informed Catholics who stumble around with only a grade school appreciation of their rich faith. Further, it must be said that the catechetical experimentation of the 60's and 70's has impoverished even this small dose of exposure to things Catholic. For this reason, we have a responsibility today, not only to reach out to those outside our faith and the Christian community, but to re-catechize and evangelize our own, too. The late Paulist priest, Fr. Illig, thought that this would be one of the greatest challenges to face the Church of our time. Appreciating this situation, and recognizing the limited resources in any parochial environment, we have invited any and all to our instruction program for adults. In the past these sessions have included lectures and most recently a whole series of wonderful video tapes produced by Dr. Scott Hahn, an anti-Catholic Presbyterian who researched his way, by the grace of God, into becoming a devout Roman Catholic. His clear reasoning and honest appraisal of Scriptural and historical truth is refreshing, possibly a good antidote to the ignorance and deception which bleeds away our membership. The new universal catechism has proved an invaluable tool in this work. It may be as C. S. Lewis once said, that most people do not come to Christianity through the intellectual route; however, it might be the thing that keeps them committed after their conversion. People looking for meaning in their life; spouses wanting to share the faith of their beloved; searchers brought to our door by Providence; Catholics curious about things they have forgotten or never received the first time around; all these we graciously invite to "come and see" the wondrous gift of faith that Jesus has given us. One touching sign of hope is emerging from our children and teenagers. Many of them are taking their religion seriously, even when the adults around them have not. I know several small children in the primary grades who have actually brought their parents back to church. One little girl even invited a neighbor’s child to go to Mass with her family. Our parish teenagers have done all sorts of spiritual and corporal works of mercy, even embracing penance. Several of them recently spent an entire weekend adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. This witness has moved many adults to reclaim their faith inheritance. Our instructions are to assist in this process. If people come to a true knowledge of the Church, then they will be faithful to her and love her. If our people are truly to love and follow God, then they must know him and his will for them. We preach Christ— we teach Christ— we pray Christ— we offer Christ— we live Christ.

This year, like last, sessions will be held on Sundays at 7:00 PM in Rectory. Previous years they were heard on other days of the week and at the school. Catechumens and candidates are also accepted on an appointment basis when there are extenuating circumstances like advanced faith knowledge and schedule difficulties.

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