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Creating a Community of Catechists

It was over 25 years ago when my sister and I responded to an ad in our parish bulletin seeking volunteer catechists. We entered the parish hall to find a circle of chairs in the middle of the room, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, and the welcoming smile of Marilyn, the parish Director of Religious Education.

At the end of that initial gathering, Marilyn said to mark the third Thursday of the month in our calendars. She said, not matter what, I'll be here on the third Thursday for catechist formation. If you can make it, great! And so it was, this misfit band of naive young catechists met whenever possible on the third Thursday of the month to share stories, hear the Gospel, delve into Church tradition and wisdom, and make connections between our lives and the life of the Church. We gathered not only to improve skills and knowledge as catechists, but also to grow in our faith. Marilyn was the catalyst for forming not only a community of catechists, but also a community of disciples. We were empowered by the grace of God.

The experience of that community still affects me, sustains me and energizes me to be a catalyst for creating communities of catechists.

How will you engage your catechists this year? How will you create a community of catechists in your parish or school? How will you sustain and enrich the community of catechists in your care?

What are the obstacles that exist in your pastoral setting that keep you from being a catalyst for growing a community of disciples? How can you turn the obstacles around and build on the opportunities that exist?

Here are some tips for creating a community of catechists:

Provide regular, on-going, catechist gatherings that catechists/teachers can plug into.
Provide flexible scheduling for gatherings to accommodate schedules.
Be sure to include a balance of socialization, formation, and enrichment.
Begin gatherings with prayer. Share leadership for opening prayer with the group, but never put anyone on the spot.
Use Echoes of Faith--the video assisted catechist formation program developed by NCCL (National Conference for Catechetical Leadership).