Empowering the Heralds of Faith: Eparchy of Emdibir Hosts adults; formation for Catechism Program Coordinators

Habtamu Abrdew Beture

With the intent to renew the spirit of evangelization, the department of Pastoral and Liturgy, of the Catholic Eparchy of Emdibir recently conducted a specialized training session for Distance Education and Catechism Program Coordinators on February 16, 2026.

The gathering served as a spiritual workshop designed to equip those on the front lines of faith formation with the tools to ignite a New Evangelization within their communities.

The program opened with a grace filled exhortation by Rev. Fr. Amare Gebre, Parish Priest of Wolkite St. Michael. His teaching focused on the true essence and purpose of the Gospel, specifically tailoring his message to the vital role of young people in the Church.

Fr. Amare emphasized that evangelization is not merely a task but a joyful encounter with Christ that must be shared. He challenged the coordinators to become beacons of hope for the youth, helping them find their identity and purpose through the transformative power of the Word of God.

Following this, Rev. Fr. Fikreyesus Tesfaye, Coordinator for Evangelization and Liturgy, delivered a reflection titled: "The Role of the Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church."

His teaching guided participants through three pillars of Catholic life:

● The Living Word: Not just a text, but a living dialogue with the Creator. He provided

practical guidance on how to read and meditate on Scripture fruitfully.

● The Sacramental Life: He connected the Word of God to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass,

explaining that the Liturgy is the heartbeat of the Church’s existence.

● The Apostolic Mandate: Reminding the coordinators of the Church’s ultimate mission to teach, to baptize, and to make disciples of all nations.

The session concluded with an interactive forum where participants shared heart-warming testimonies regarding the progress of the ongoing New Evangelization and Catechetical programs within their respective parishes. While acknowledging the challenges and obstacles faced in modern ministry, the coordinators spoke of the profound spiritual fruits they are seeing at the grassroots level. The dialogue allowed for a shared sense of solidarity, as catechists exchanged questions and solutions on how to better serve their flocks.

The program ended with a prayer of sending forth, commissioning the coordinators to return to their parishes as renewed witnesses of hope and dedicated teachers of the Catholic faith.