This morning the Bishops’ Conference have great pleasure indeed in presenting Share the Good News, the first ever National Directory for Catechesis in Ireland. I thank and congratulate Dr Gareth Byrne, writer and editor of this important text.  We have all been looking forward very much to this day. This is a most significant document. It addresses in a unified, coherent and co-ordinated manner many of the issues that are very pressing for the Church in Ireland today.  One of these is Catechesis – the process by which people are introduced to faith.

This is an ideal moment, amidst all the reflection that is going on in our society at this time, for us to reflect together on the great gift of faith we have been given.  I believe that there are many people who know they have a part to play in handing on that faith to the new generations.  They know that religious education can make a big contribution to help to enrich people’s lives and enable them to see each other as brothers and sisters.  What an achievement that would be in the area of peace alone.  But some people feel ill-prepared and inadequate for such a task.  This directory will help to remedy that situation.

What is really important is that we have confidence in Jesus Christ, in his message and its meaning in our lives. Then and only then we can become authentic witnesses, handing on this gift to others and especially to our young people. My hope is that as many adults as possible will engage with this beautifully produced document and make it their own – so that what we are launching today will really be a decade of renewed evangelisation and catechesis in Ireland.

I would like to call then on Bishop Murphy, who is Chairman of the Episcopal Council for Catechetics, to formally launch Share the Good News. In so doing I would like to thank him personally and sincerely for all his efforts in Catechetics over the years.