Archbishop Chaput congratulates Evelyne D. Belneau from Incarnation of Our Lord Parish, Philadelphia, with the St. Charles Borromeo award recognizing her 25 years as a religious educator. Father John J. Ames, deputy secretary for catechetical formation in the Archdiocese, is at center.

Some of the more than 5,000 catechists who teach religious instruction to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s 50,000 children enrolled in Parish Religious Education Programs (PREP) were honored by Archbishop Charles Chaput during a liturgy Jan. 6 at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

The Archbishop presented awards to 220 catechists marking their anniversaries – ranging from five to 30 years — of teaching the Catholic faith to PREP students. Another 200 catechists also are celebrating their anniversaries but could not attend the liturgy.

In addition, seven directors of religious education were honored for their anniversaries of 10, 20 and 25 years of leading PREP programs in parishes of the Archdiocese.