Catechist Formation

As we firm up our ideas for Vacation Bible School, we might look forward to the new year of faith formation that will begin in the fall and ask ourselves how we can continue the summer-time enthusiasm that our parish shares in anticipation of Vacation Bible School, parish festivals, and parish picnics. Can we recreate any of that excitement, anticipation, and sense of community in our parish religious education programs and classrooms?

By James Blankenship A DRE shares the impact of Sherry Weddell’s 'Forming Intentional Disciples' on his approach to catechist formation “Go, therefore, and make disciples of...

Sometimes a new thought, face, object, sound, or experience will call those ideas back. But there is one Gift we can always count on to call them back when we really need them—the Gift of the Holy Spirit that descended on the Church at Pentecost.

By Joe Paprocki How Catholics rely on sacramentality to transcend words What is your native tongue? If you’re Catholic, your true “native tongue” is a language...

Tips for those in catechetical ministries MARY LOU ROSIEN Those of us in catechetical ministry are all aware of the pressures that exist in working for...

KEVIN M. DOWD, PH.D. One of the final gifts that Pope Francis left the Church was a beautiful encyclical letter of October 2024 called Dilexit...

The learning area needs to inspire and engage your students. Here is an idea for how to decorate and arrange your learning space and prayer table using a theme that reflects Jesus’ teaching about our being the light of the world.

DREs are often viewed as “master catechists.” Their role is to oversee the curriculum that is being taught in a parish. Many times they are called upon to “fill in the blanks” when educational needs are presented in the parish. Often they are asked to research projects, give presentations, or teach topics that are varied and often complex. People in the community come to depend on them as excellent resource people for the plethora of interests that evolve in a learning environment. Most DREs love that facet of their jobs!

We can help students grieve in healthy ways by offering them faith-based activities that help them draw strength and healing from their Catholic faith and the faith community.

An app that helps parents and catechists stay in touch SARA JONCKHEERE In 2017 the Archbishop of Detroit, Most Reverend Allen H. Vigneron, issued his pastoral...