Filipino Catechetical Expert Reappointed to Vatican Council

Pope Leo XIV has reappointed Filipino catechetical expert Dr. Lysander Rivera to the Vatican’s International Council for Catechesis, giving him another five-year term on the body that advises the Holy See on catechesis and evangelization.

Rivera, director of the Lasallian Institute for Evangelization and Catechesis at De La Salle University in Manila, was first appointed to the council, known as Co.In.Cat., by Pope Francis in 2021.

CBCP News reported that Rivera’s first appointment made him the first Filipino to serve on the International Council for Catechesis.

The council operates under the Dicastery for Evangelization and brings together bishops, priests, religious and lay experts from different parts of the world to study major questions concerning catechesis and to facilitate the exchange of pastoral experiences.

Rivera’s renewed mandate allows him to continue contributing to the Church’s international reflection on evangelization and catechesis, including the formation of young people.

As head of the Lasallian institute, Rivera oversees initiatives focused on evangelization, catechetical leadership formation and research. He has also participated in catechetical programs in the Philippines and other countries, working with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and other Church institutions.

The International Council for Catechesis was established by Pope Paul VI in 1973 to examine major issues in catechesis and support the Church’s mission of transmitting the faith.

Rivera’s continued appointment also highlights the contribution of Filipino and Asian pastoral experts to the Church’s global conversations on faith formation and evangelization.