Joyce Donahue

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Growing as a Catechist

The Spiritual Life of Catechists: Dedication to the Evangelizing Mission of the Church

Joyce Donahue

In the film The Blues Brothers, the main characters, trying to raise money to keep their Catholic school open, proclaim: “We’re on a mission from God!” That’s not a bad motto for any Catholic. Like Jake and Elwood, all of us are on a mission: to evangelize. Go and Make Disciples (USCCB, 1992) cites Pope Paul VI, who wrote that, “The Church exists to evangelize.” The bishops continue, defining evangelization: “At its essence are the […]

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Growing as a Catechist

The Spiritual Life of Catechists: Personal Prayer

Joyce Donahue

Catechists are called to a strong prayer life, having not only a habit of regular personal prayer but a living relationship with God. The Catechism describes prayer as God’s gift, a covenant relationship, and communion of life in Christ. Through it, we discover God, who dwells in each human heart (CCC 2558–2565). A catechist with a well-developed prayer life will naturally be a better teacher and leader of prayer, so it is very important to […]

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Growing as a Catechist

The Spiritual Life of Catechists: Finding and Sharing Love and Joy

Joyce Donahue

One aspect of a catechetical leader’s responsibilities is discerning whom God is calling to the vocation of catechist and planning refreshment (formation) for those whom God continues to call. A catechist is called to holiness with “a particular urgency” (National Directory for Catechesis, 229), and there are, the NDC tells us, important characteristics of the catechist’s spiritual life. The first characteristic is a love of God (Trinity), of the Church, the pope, and God’s holy […]