Vocation, Spirituality and Discipleship of Catechists

Course Summary

Catechists are called to bring the Word of God to the Christian community as they animate and give witness to Jesus, educate to faith and teach the truths of faith. The course on Vocation, Spirituality and Discipleship of the Catechists guides the participants to look into the beginning, trace the unfolding of their vocation to the ministry of catechesis and reflect its implications in actual catechetical praxis. Mary is presented as the exemplar catechist who shows the way to respond to their call "to be and to live" as divine images, children of God, and followers of Jesus, members of God's Family the Church. The course will also bring the thoughts of Catholic writers on spirituality as guide for their personal reflection on Christian spirituality and the spirituality of catechists and their discipleship.

Successful completion of this course earns 2.5 CEU's.

General Course Objectives

• Understand the meaning of vocation, spirituality and discipleship in the light of the ministry of catechesis.
• Link vocation, spirituality and discipleship and discover their relationship in the human and christian formation of catechists.
• Foster gratitude and a sense of appreciation for being part of the Church's ministry of evangelization and catechesis.
• Help the catechists become e-catechists (increasingly enthusiastic, engaging and enterprising) in the Church and in the world today.

Course Materials

• Required Book: No books required. All readings are online.

Course Structure and Highlights

• Week 1: Catechists: Called by God “to Be and to Live”
  • Become aware how from the vocation of catecheists arises from the Sacrament of Baptism.
  • Trace the beginning of vocation of the catechist to the fundamental call of God to all humanity and its development in God's call to the Church through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.
  • Identify the core truths and values inherent in the various callings of God to humanity and to the Church.
  • Relate the elements of the various calls of God to the catechist’s actual vocation.
• Week 2: Catechists: Called to Bring God’s Word, like Mary
  • Relate with Mary in recognizing one's call as a catechist and in responding to it.
  • Grow in appreciation of and gratitude to God for calling you them to be a catechist.
  • Relate your actual catechetical praxis with the students with the essential features of your vocation as catechists according to GDC and NDC.
  • Foster in yourself the values necessary to respond to your vocation as a catechist in a free and responsible way.
• Week 3: Called in and for the Church & Formed by the Church
  • Become aware of the ecclesial dimension of the catechists’ vocation.
  • Be grateful for being called in the Church and for the Church as catechists.
  • Evaluateone's relationship with the local Church as one exercises the ministry of catechesis.
  • Suggest ways to improve the relationship of catechists with their parish community.
• Week 4: Called by the Spirit “to wholeness and holiness”
  • Distinguish between the notions of spirituality in general, Christian spirituality and spirituality for lay catechists.
  • Foster a desire to live spiritually, marked with love for the Triune God, the Church and the world.
  • Apply in daily life the elements of the spirituality of lay catechists.
  • Take Mary as the exemplar in deepening one's relationship with the Holy Spirit.
• Week 5: Called to Follow Jesus and, With the Spirit, to Lead Others to the Father's Home
  • Become aware of the characteristics of Mary's discipleship based on the evangelists' portrayals of Mary.
  • Relate one's experience as a catechist and disciple with Mary.
  • Assess one's quality of discipleship at the personal level.
  • Suggest steps for raising the quality of discipleship among fellow catechists in the parish community.

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