To serve effectively as a catechist in the Church, a person must possess and exhibit qualities or characteristics necessary to give credible witness to the Gospel. Human qualities of compassion and kindness, common sense, a sense of humor, an open and understanding heart, and a sense of one’s own self worth are among the basic requirements for this pastoral ministry.
Beyond these basic human qualities, a catechist must exhibit a real and vital Catholic Christian faith based on a personal relationship with Christ that is nourished in and through the Church. This spirituality includes a commitment to prayer, Scripture reading and reflection, and an openness to the movement of the Holy Spirit in his or here life. A catechist is committed to the Eucharist, communal worship, the living tradition of the Church and its teachings, and have an ecclesial sense lived out through the practice of the theological virtues of faith, hope and love in conformity with Catholic Christian moral standards. (NCD, 205-211.) A “...solid spirituality and transparent witness of life...” are foundational to this ministry (General Directory for Catechesis #156).
A catechist must be willing to accept and fulfill to the best of his or her ability the following responsibilities associated with the catechetical ministry:
- to be a model of Catholic Christian faith and lifestyle;
- to participate in the spiritual, theological and methodological training provided by parish, Catholic school, and diocesan formation and certification programs;
- to know and abide by the parish, Catholic school, and/or diocesan guidelines and policies promoting effective catechesis;
- to contribute to and support, by one’s presence, a spirit of community with other catechists, and the people whom once catechizes.
Catechists in the Diocese of Rockville Centre receive their initial formation through a specially designed, parish-based process entitled Echoing the Word from the Centre. |
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