St. Catherine’s Confraternity of Christian Doctrine High School of Religion held its official Canonical Establishment of the CCD program recently at St. Catherine of Siena Church.
Presiding over the ceremony was His Excellency Bishop Jeremiah F. Minihan, Rev. Russell P. Novello, Archdiocesan Director of the CCD; Rev. J. Peter Regan, Assistant Director of the CCD; Rev. Joseph J. Ruocco, St. Catherine’s Director of the CCD; Rev. Francis Hardiman, and Rev. Gilbert S. Phinn.
The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine is the church’s official parish society devoted solely to the religious education of all children and youth not enrolled In Catholic schools. The CCD also conducts classes in doctrine and teaching methods for adults.
The first and essential condition for organization of the parish CCD is the Canonical, or legal, Establishment of the Confraternity by decree of the Ordinary of the diocese, either directly, to each parish in particular, or generally, ordering CCD establishment throughout the diocese. Once this is done, the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in the parish is aggregated ipso jure with the Archconfraternity in Rome and its members are eligible to gain the indulgences granted by the Holy See to all who carry on the CCD work.
Taking part in the Establishment were St. Catherine’s Sisters of St. Joseph, the CCD Executive Board, Teachers, Fishers and Helpers; also approximately 600 boys and girls in the CCD High School and the parishioners.