Jesus said to his disciples:
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28:19-20

There are many opportunities at Holy Faith Church to minister with and to our children. The primary mode is teaching our children about their Catholic faith. Those who minister with children at Holy Faith offer their time and talent and treasure to share the teaching of the Catholic Church to children. We call these people “Catechists.” Catechesis comes from the Greek word meaning “to echo the teaching.” Catechesis is the process of nurturing the Catholic faith and creating an environment in which faith can flourish.

Children’s Catechists Build The Whole Community of God By Teaching The Catechism of The Catholic Church to Its Youngest Members.

The Vocation of a Catechist

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
“Whom shall I send?
Who will go for us?”
“Here I am,” I said;
“Send me!”
Isaiah 6:8
Catechists are invited. Sometimes it might seem the invitation comes from a friend, or the pastor, or a child, but it is the Lord calling, inviting you to share his love and teaching with children. This is an invitation to service. Catechesis is seen in the Catholic church in the context of evangelization. In the United States, there are more than one million Catholic people dedicated to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ as catechists for children and adults. Catechists pass on their faith lived in daily life, and present the word of God as taught by the Catholic Church, Holy Scripture, and Traditions of the Church.

Have you heard the voice of the Lord calling you to serve him?
Can you offer your time and talent to be sent by the Lord?
Do you enjoy working with children or adolescents?

You can bring your love of Jesus and the Catholic Church to our children by volunteering to teach in the religious education program at Holy Faith. Answer The Call to Serve By Teaching The Catholic Faith to Our Children & Adolescents.

Qualities of an Effective Catechist

“Christ gave some as apostles,
and some as prophets,
and some as evangelists,
and some as teachers,
for the equipping of the saints for the work of service,
to the building up of the body of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:1

Catechists long to share the truth and beauty of our Catholic faith. Our work is personal and authentic to our own relationship with Jesus Christ. We show our love of Jesus and the Church by a willingness to offer ourselves for the purpose of nurturing the spiritual growth of others. We nurture our own spiritual growth in the process. Authentic catechesis is centered on the person of Jesus Christ.

Catechists have some of these qualities in common:

• A desire to grow in and share our faith,
• An awareness of God’s grace and the desire to respond to that grace,
• A commitment to the Church’s liturgical and sacramental life and moral teachings,
• A strength of character built on patience, responsibility, confidence, and creativity,
• A generosity of spirit, respect for diversity, and a habit of hospitality and inclusion.

Tasks of Catechists

The Congregation of the Clergy published the General Directory for Catechesis (GDC) in 1997. This document indicates that all catechesis has its reference in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Catechesis:

• Promotes knowledge of the faith
• Promotes knowledge of the meaning of liturgy and the sacraments
• Promotes moral formation in Jesus Christ
• Teaches the Christian how to pray with Christ
• Prepares the Christian to live in community, to participate actively in the life and mission of the Church
• Promotes a missionary spirit that prepares the faithful to be present as Christians in society

References

General Directory for Catechesis (GDC). 1997. Congregation of the Clergy

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Knowledge and Skills of a Catechist

As catechists, we yearn and work for the knowledge and skills that will help us gently nurture children to cultivate a lifelong relationship with God.

We ground our efforts as catechists in the following fundamentals:

• A basic understanding of Catholic teaching, Scripture, and Catholic Tradition,
• Honest and caring relationships with children,
• An ability to plan, organize, and work well with others,
• A familiarity with basic teaching skills.

What Can I Do to Serve?

I slept and dreamt that life was Joy
Then I awoke and realized
That life was Service.
And then I went to work – and
Lo and behold I discovered that
Service is Joy.
A poem by the 1913 Nobel Winner for Literature, Rabindranath Tagore
You can serve the children and families at Holy Faith Church in some of the following ways:

• Catechist for Sunday School
• Catechist for Sacramental Preparation
• Catechist for Vacation Bible School
• Assistant to the Catechist
• Christmas Play helper
• Prepare meals for Youth Ministry or other events for children
• Help with Stewardship Projects, such as Christmas and Easter Migrant Ministry Projects
• Will you answer God’s call to foster the faith formation of our children?

Please pray and ask God to give you the strength to answer Him

Diocesan Requirements for Ministry with Children

• Register as a parishioner in Holy Faith Parish
• Individual meeting with the Director of Religious Education
• Complete an application for volunteer work in the Diocese, which includes request for references
• Complete a criminal background check and fingerprinting
• Attend “Protecting God’s Children” class. You may find dates and times, and register for the class at www.virtus.org.
• Received the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist
• Seek certification as a Diocesan religious educator

Parish Commitment

Time:

• Classes on most Sundays from September through April/May, 10:40am – Noon (class follows the 9:30am Sunday mass)
• Sacramental preparation classes, one Saturday each month
• Preparation for class
• Prayer time during the week for your class
• Training workshops & seminars

Talent:

• Compassion
• Patience
• Love of God’s Word & Works
• Love for teaching & working with children
• Commitment to the Catholic Faith
• Desire to deepen faith life for children & adolescents