If you are not redirected within 5 seconds, please click here
Parish Catechist Formation
(The goal is to complete one trimester per school year.)
Who should take part in Parish Catechist Formation?
•
Parish catechists who are new to the ministry.
•
Parish catechists who have more experience but want or need an update.
•
Members of the catechumenate team.
•
Youth ministers and their volunteer core group.
•
Those who are working in adult catechesis.
•
Others in the parish who are interested.
Options for Parish Catechist Formation
•
Saturday morning
•
9 AM to noon , with a light breakfast
•
once a month
•
ten months of the year (skip July and August)
•
One evening during the week
•
from 6 PM to 9 PM , with a light supper
•
once per month
•
ten months of the year
•
August institute
•
for those who can be present during the day
•
5 days to complete one trimester
Getting started with parish catechist formation
•
Much of the work for organizing catechist formation falls to the parish director
along with the pastor
•
At first, it seems as though more work will be on your desk, but in the end, with better prepared catechists, your work will be reduced significantly
•
They will feel more confident
•
Retention from year to year will increase
•
You can count on trained catechists for more help
•
They become a key part of your team
•
They encourage others to obtain more formation
•
The overall quality of your program increases
•
Step one: make the commitment!
•
Step two: call on us at 23rd to help you!
•
Step three: schedule formation in your calendar
•
Choose the meeting schedule which works best in your parish. Most parish leaders will invite catechists to one three-hour meeting per month, ten months in the year (skipping July and August).
•
We tend to ask for too little.
•
Many catechists dearly want training.
•
You won't have everyone involved, but if you wait until everyone is ready, you'll never accomplish this.
•
Invite youth ministers, catechumenate team members, marriage prep folks, baptism preparation folks, and others working in catechetical ministries to take part, too.
•
Work closely with the school in your parish if you have one. Why not include all the teachers and catechists in one formation process?
•
Keep your pastor informed as you go!
•
Step four: recruit your catechists one by one for this formation
•
In fact, one three-hour training session per month is not asking very much.
•
Budget to pay for the materials as a parish.
•
But ask the catechists or others to pay for the CEUs from Loyola
University New Orleans. For more on this, click here.
•
Remember, that YOU must be the first one to believe in this!
