Catechist Formation

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!

Sometimes the sacredness of the work we do as catechists gets lost in the rush of fitting weekly lesson-planning and teaching into the rest of our busy lives. It is good to take time to remember that this work is rooted in a larger call to help build up the Body of Christ on earth.

That does not mean we need to live in a world of religious animosity. Part of our catechetical task is to put our lessons on the Catholic faith into a real-world context. A major part of the context is the simple fact that our neighbors may not believe what we believe or understand the world the way we do.

I have often reflected on the story of the young Jesus teaching in the Temple. "And all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers" (Luke 2:47). The wisdom of the youthful Jesus comes to mind when I consider the controversy over what age one should be before he or she can take on the full responsibility of being a catechist.

by staff Click here for a Thanksgiving litany. Copyright 2011, Bayard, Inc. All rights reserved. This article is protected by United States copyright and other...

As catechists, we are conscientious about daily prayer—“conscientious” in that we want a discipline of daily prayer. We know our special gifts have been called to serve this ministry, we take our mission seriously, and so we are people of prayer.

For me, one of the highlights of the Church year was not liturgical.

The end of the school year is filled with reviews of what you've learned in each subject. This game is a fun way to review what you know about the Catholic Church.

Two anniversaries of importance to the Catholic Church were marked on October 11, 2012. On that date, the Church celebrated both the fiftieth anniversary of the opening session of the Second Vatican Council and the twentieth anniversary of the publication, in French, of the original, provisional edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. To celebrate this anniversary, this article will provide a brief introduction to the Catechism (henceforth CCC), including its history, an overview of the CCC, and finally, suggestions on how it can be used most effectively within ministry.

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 for Advent.