Parish catechetical leaders, catechists receive training

The Diocesan Office of Religious Education charged with training parish catechetical leaders—more commonly referred to as directors of religious education or DREs—sponsored two training workshops in the month of October. The first was an in-service for parish catechetical leaders and the second was training on “Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” for catechists, or teachers of religious education.

Loyola Press, a publisher whose focus is faith formation, provided the in-service training to more than 25 parish catechetical leaders on Sept. 28.  Martin Lopez, national consultant for Loyola Press, spoke on the effective DRE. 

It is the task of all parish catechetical leaders to embrace, as part of their responsibility and ministry, the formation of their catechists, Lopez said. Echoing St. Ignatius of Loyola, he stressed that an effective DRE is called to “go in their door and bring them out ours.”

The parish catechetical leader is required to meet catechists from the beginning of their catechetical ministry as adults looking for continual formation.  Even though the primary ministry of the catechist is catechesis, a parallel result of their desire to become a catechist is continuing their own adult formation. 

While some religious education programs focus on the students or candidates and catechumens, others take into account the formation of their catechists. 

“Catechists are called to continual conversion and growth in their faith and, for this reason, are called to ongoing spiritual formation,” the National Directory of Catechesis says.  “The catechists should continue his or her own spiritual formation through frequent reception of the sacraments, especially the sacrament of Holy Eucharist and penance and reconciliation, through spiritual direction, and through continued study of the faith.” 

Catechists themselves received training on the “Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” at St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Corpus Christi on Sept. 30-Oct. 2.  Marilee Quinn, who obtained her Montessori certificate from Avila College and currently services on the board for the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, led the three day training along with Cathy Harrel and Amy Nash, both from St. Philip’s Parish.

“In each of these independent lessons, you recognize your relationship with Christ,” Nash said.  “The shepherd and the sheep and you as the drop of water in the chalice are completely embraced by God.  These affirmations made me want to learn this method of catechesis and share it in our Catholic schools and parish and parishes.”

Through a mixture of singing, presentation and the visiting of atriums, catechists from around the diocese embraced the catechesis originally founded on Maria Montessori’s experiential approach to spiritual formation.

“This has been a time of formation.  I have experienced such a shared cherishing of the beauty of our faith, our liturgy and salvation history.  And just to think that it is the children who have drawn us here is truly inspiring.  Indeed, a little child will lead them,” Mary Ellen Galvan, currently a Montessori teacher at Incarnate Word Academy, said.  

For more information on religious education within the Diocese of Corpus Christi, call (361) 882-6191, ext. 627.