Catechist Information

Thank you for prayerfully considering becoming a Catechist! 

And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God,
to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13

Catechists are vital to the church community,
and teaching our children the faith is so important, it is our charge from Jesus:

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. 
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20

Requirements to Teach Catechesis
According to the National Directory of Catechesis, written by the USCCB,

"The call to the ministry of catechist is a vocation, and interior call, the voice of the Holy Spirit.  Catechists need to be practicing Catholics who participate fully in the communal worship and life of the Church and who have been prepared for their apostolate by appropriate catechetical training.  Their commissioning by the Church is a participation in the divine calling to teach as Jesus did.  Their personal relationship with Jesus Christ energizes their service to the Church and provides the continuing motivation, vitality, and force of their catechetical activity.  Christ invites all catechists to follow him as a teacher of the faith and a witness to the truth of the faith.

Like all the faithful, catechists are called to holiness.  Because of their ministry and mission, however, the call to holiness has a particular urgency.  The spiritual life of a catechist should be characterized by

• A love of God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--and of Christ's Church, our Holy Father, and God's holy people
• A coherence and authenticity of life that is characterized by their faithful practice of the faith in a spirit of faith, charity, hope, courage, and joy
• Personal prayer and dedication to he evangelizing mission of the Church
• A missionary zeal by which they are fully convinced of the truth of the Catholic faith and enthusiastically proclaim it
• Active participation in their local parish community, especially by attendance at Sunday Eucharist
• A devotion to Mary, the first disciple and the model of catechists, and to the Most Holy Eucharist, the source of nourishment for catechists

Lay catechists have a special solidarity with those whom they catechize and a particular sensitivity to their needs.  They live in the same world as those they catechize, and they share the same demands of living in the word as do those they teach.  Their proclamation of the Gospel, their personal testimony, and their living witness to the transcendent values of the Christian life can be particularly effective because they know the ordinary experiences of everyday life so well and are able to incarnate the Gospel in those ordinary circumstances. (National Directory for Catechesis, Ch. 8)

Safe Environment Program
Each year, everyone in our parish and/or school that works with children, youth or vulnerable adults must complete the following Safe Environment Certification forms that are required by the Diocese of Crookston:

ONLINE CERTIFICATION/CONSENT FORM

If you have any questions about the Safe Environment requirements, please contact Shawn Erickson at serickson@stjoesmhd.com  or 284-6222.

Catechist Information Form
Catechist Commitment Form
Substitute Request Form