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Leading a Parish Program

Retain Catechists Through Public Recognition

Bishop Larry Silva stood at the doorway to my office holding a tray stacked high with freshly baked brownies. “Jayne, I’m here to say hello and to thank you for your hard work! Care for a treat?” He served up a brownie, and we chatted amicably for a few moments. I watched him make his way down the hall, stopping at each office to offer a sweet treat, recognizing the efforts of his employees and […]

phone on desk
Leading a Parish Program

Supporting Your Catechists

I was about to meet with a parent who had a reputation for being overly assertive. I was a little nervous, but as a catechetical leader, it was my duty to support my ministry team. This parent had upset a second-grade catechist; she had tried to reason with him to no avail. She pleaded with me to intercede. He sat across the table from me, whipped out his phone and rather ceremoniously set the timer. […]

speakers - text: things every catechist needs to hear
Being a Catechist

10 Things Every Catechist Needs to Hear—My Blog’s 10th Anniversary

It’s hard to believe but today is the 10th anniversary of Catechist’s Journey! We have journeyed long and far together, and it continues to be a great joy to walk the journey of this splendid ministry together with you! I can’t thank you enough for accompanying me. I have learned so much from you and deeply appreciate all of the ways you have shared your wisdom and experience with me and my readers. To celebrate […]

catechists meeting
Catechist Training

Training and Retaining Volunteers

Training and retaining volunteers is a major responsibility of a DRE. In my parish, we have about 200 volunteers assisting in various ways with faith formation, and my staff and I have the responsibility of ensuring that they are equipped to do their ministry. Preliminaries for Volunteers Long before we allow someone to volunteer, he or she fills out a volunteer application, which includes reference checks. In our archdiocese, as in others, we must follow […]