Spiritual Life of Catechists series Archives

The Spiritual Life of Catechists: Devotion to Mary and the Eucharist

Did you know that the Virgin Mary is known as “mother and model of catechists?” Catechists are called to a special devotion to her because “[t]hrough her own special vocation, Mary saw the Son of God ‛grow in wisdom, in age and in grace’ (Lk 2:52). She was the teacher who ‛trained Him in human knowledge of the Scriptures and of God’s loving plan for his people, and in adoration of the Father.’ She was […]

The Spiritual Life of Catechists: Participation in the Community

Joyce Donahue

Catechists and catechetical leaders generally don’t sit in ivory towers reading theology in their spare time (thankfully!). Theirs is a lived faith, and nothing indicates that more than active involvement in the parish community. Their reputation and appearance as a regular part of parish life is proportional to the amount of trust and confidence placed in them by parish leaders and parents. While participating in committees or serving in other ministries is admirable, busyness is […]

The Spiritual Life of Catechists - text over image of person praying with Bible - manusapon kasosod/Moment/Getty Images

The Spiritual Life of Catechists: Missionary Zeal

Joyce Donahue

Have you ever met someone who was “on fire” for God? When you encounter someone who speaks about faith with contagious enthusiasm, that’s missionary zeal. It’s memorable—and contagious. Zeal is not a word we use much today. The dictionary defines zeal as “great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective,” but in Scripture it has a deeper meaning. It can describe a fierceness against those who oppose God (see 1 Kings […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Spiritual Life of Catechists: Authenticity of Life

Joyce Donahue

Have you ever encountered truly genuine people, those about whom you can say, “With (name), what you see is what you get”? That’s essential for catechists. The National Directory for Catechesis calls this, “a coherence and authenticity of life.” It is “characterized by [the catechist’s] faithful practice of the faith in a spirit of faith, charity, hope, courage, and joy.” (229) Coherence and authenticity mean there is no disconnect between a person’s public actions and his […]

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 […]