Lasallian Catechetical Center director and Department of Theology and Religious Education OIC Chair Dr. Lysander P. Rivera has been appointed to the Vatican's International Council for Catechesis.
The appointment was recently approved by Pope Francis and Dr. Rivera is the first Filipino and the only current lay member from Asia. The International Council for Catechesis (COINCAT) was established during the pontificate of Saint Paul VI in 1973 whose aim is to promote the exchange of experiences, study the most important catechetical topics at the service of the Holy See and the Episcopal Conferences all over the world. COINCAT is under the auspices of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.
The Council’s renewal under Pope Francis comes in the wake of the publication of both the new Directory for Catechesis (June 25, 2020) and the recent Motu Proprio “Antiquum Ministerium” (May 11, 2021) instituting the lay ministry of the Catechist. These documents demonstrate Pope Francis’ attention to the vital function of catechesis in the life of the Church, as well as for its development along the lines of mission and New Evangelization. (Lasallian Mission at DLSU Facebook Page)
