New Catechist Training and Formation Pathways

The Diocese of Nottingham will be launching new training and formation courses for catechists in the New Year. The idea of the course is that they reflect our diocesan priorities of Encounter, Discipleship and Missionary Discipleship and focus on developing Catechists for their role in parishes. The courses feed into one another so a catechist can sign up for one, two or all three (if you do sign up for all three there is an overall discount. Joe Hopkins the Diocese’s Director of Adult Formation for Mission said: ‘We want to offer the right course for what you and your parish need. I know previously the Bishop’s Certificate covered a large range of topics over most of a year. We wanted to adapt to a post-lockdown Church and society. To offer courses that were shorter, and focused on particular areas of catechesis. My hope is to get new catechists equipped and confident to get involved in their parish, and for ready established catechists to provide them with the support and guidance they need to go to the next step.’

Encountering Catechesis is the first course to be launched and looks at a foundational question in each of its four sessions. Beginning in what is meant by the Kerygma or the Gospel, why is Pope Francis and Bishop Patrick emphasising that we start with this. The course then moves on to explore what catechesis is, how to use different courses and resources in an engaging way, and then finally what you need to know about safeguarding and running a group. ‘Often it is a fear of getting wrong that paralyses us from getting going. If we can get rid of that then we are half way there’ Joe explained, that is why this first course is four consecutive weeks aimed at building confidence to those new to catechesis or who want to revisit the foundations.

Discipleship Catechesis is much more of a theological course spread across six weeks. ‘The discipleship phase of our faith journey is about absorbing knowledge, head and heart, growing and coming to an understanding of who God is and how he wants us to live.’ Therefore these 6 sessions explore core teachings of the Catholic Church that shape and underscore catechesis for lots of occasions. Topics will include. The Trinity, the Person of Jesus, Scripture, Liturgy, Prayer, Catholic Social and Moral Teaching, the Sacraments and the Church. ‘Often you hear people saying I couldn’t be a catechist I don’t know enough, the truth is if we waited until we knew enough about God we’d have to wait to we get to heaven! These six sessions are looking at the core teachings of the Church from which everything else flows, with these cornerstones of knowledge in place, it is our hope catechists (or potential catechists) will feel more confident.’

Finally Missionary Catechesis is focused on taking your parish catechesis beyond sacramental preparation. Catechesis shouldn’t be just about preparing someone to receive a sacrament but helping people of all ages understand the beauty of the Catholic Faith which is been given to us to help us grow in love of Christ, to love like the Father and be filled with the Holy Spirit. These four sessions will look at particular focuses – leading a team and creating your own resources or programmes, adapting what we do so that it is accessible to children and adults with special and additional needs, making catechesis focused on families growing together in faith, and finally how to build a culture of ongoing formation.

Pope St Paul VI said that the modern world listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if they do listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses first. These courses aim to equip witnesses, people in our parishes who love Jesus, who love His Church and want others to know His love; to be able to witness with even more confidence, to pass on what they have received and accompany people to grow in faith and truth.

The courses are being offered in Lincoln, Derby and Leicester and each one can be joined online too. To find out more about the formation programmes or to sign up you can visit: https://www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/departments/formation-for-mission; email adult.formation@dioceseofnottingham.uk or call 01159539806.

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