Directors/Coordinators of Religious Education must make it a priority to equip their catechists with the training to effectively teach and share the faith with their learners. Catechist formation and certification training will nurture the faith of the catechist and teach them to impart this faith to their students effectively. With a solid foundation in Church teaching, catechists may teach beyond the classroom materials and more confidently engage students.
A Director/Coordinator of Religious Education Program should meet semi-regularly with his or her parish catechists and encourage and guide them through the certification process each year. While it is understood that most catechists are volunteers, they are often eager to learn more about the Catholic faith and classroom management, as well as grow in their relationship with Christ. Therefore, parish catechists should be made aware of all that Franciscan University’s Catechetical Institute has to offer and invited and welcomed to any diocesan faith formation events. It is primarily the responsibility of the DRE/CRE to ensure that catechists are aware of and encouraged to avail themselves of these opportunities.
Catechist Requirements
All Catechists Should Be:
- Practicing Catholics in good standing with the Catholic Church,
- 18 years or older,
- In full compliance with the Safe Environment Policies,
- Committed to present and witness to the authentic teachings of the Catholic Church,
- Willing to continue their ministry training, and work towards Certification.
A parish catechist must strive to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to communicate faith effectively. They must have a solid understanding of Catholic Doctrine, Scripture and Tradition, and Church History. They must have the necessary communication skills and ability to use various methodologies with their students; they must understand how people grow and mature, and how people of different ages and circumstances learn.
Three Levels of Catechist Certification
The three levels of Catechist Certification are Foundational, Intermediate, and Master. Catechists who teach religion or theology in Catholic schools must take a minimum of 2 workshops per year until the Master Catechist Certification is complete. The courses taken will count towards the professional development hours required of all teachers and should be submitted to the school principal at the conclusion of each school year. These courses may be taken virtually by the individual teacher, in small groups, or at the summer in-person training hosted by the Office of Catechesis and Evangelization.
Parish catechists are strongly encouraged to take a minimum of 2 workshops per year until they reach Master Catechist Certification.
Catechist Certification
Catechists must complete the workshops below to earn the Diocese of Covington’s Catechetical Certification. The workshops may be completed in any order but must be successfully completed and documented to be valid for the purpose of certification. They must be taken through Franciscan University’s Catechetical Institute.
Upon completion of all workshops in a certification track, a certificate will be issued automatically by the Franciscan University’s Catechetical Institute and emailed to the individual’s current email address.
Foundational Certification
Core Workshops (6 Workshops Required for Foundational Certification)
- Jesus – Jesus: The Christocentricity of Catechetics
- Basic Beliefs – Deposit of Faith: An Introduction to the Catechism
- Introduction to Old and New Testaments – Choose one elective
- Introduction to Old Testament
- Introduction to New Testament
- Scripture: The Heart of Catechesis
- The Vocation of the Catechist
- Introduction to Catholic Spirituality – Choose one elective
- Prayer: Introduction to the Spiritual Life of the Catechist
- Praying with Scripture
- Catechetical Process – Choose one elective
- The Ecclesial Method
- The Evangelizing Classroom
- Preventive System of St. John Bosco
- Child Catechetical Methodologies and Learning Styles
- Adult Catechetical Methodologies and Learning Styles
Intermediate Certification
Core Workshops (5 Workshops Required for Intermediate Certification)
- Old and New Testaments – Choose one elective
- Scripture: The Heart of Catechesis
- Sacred Scripture: The Big Picture
- Scripture: The Driving Force of Doctrine
- Christian Morality – Choose two electives
- Our Life in Christ: The Basics of Catholic Morality
- Ten Commandments and Beatitudes
- Teaching Your Children about God’s Plan for Sexuality
- A Foundational Vision: Theology of the Body
- Faith and Moral Development: Ages 3 – 6
- Faith and Moral Development: Ages 6 – 12
- Faith and Moral Development: Ages 12 – 18
- Sacraments – Choose one elective
- The Sacramental Economy
- The Sacrament of Baptism
- The Sacrament of Reconciliation
- The Sacrament of Eucharist
- First Penance and First Eucharist Preparations
- The Sacrament of Confirmation
- Confirmation Preparation
- Liturgy and Rites – Choose one elective
- Introducing Liturgy to Children
- Liturgy and Catechetical Methodology
- Essential Link between Liturgy and Catechesis
- The Purpose of Sacred Liturgy
Master Certification
Core Workshops (4 Workshops Required for Advanced Certification)
- Doctrine of God – Choose one elective
- The Trinity
- The Father: Origin and Desire of All Souls
- Christ: His Person and Works
- Holy Spirit: Converter of Hearts
- Ecclesiology (Church: Vision Mission, Ministry) – Choose one elective
- The Church: Dispenser of the Mysteries and Guardian of the Deposit of Faith
- Magisterial, Conciliar, and Catechetical Documents I
- Magisterial, Conciliar, and Catechetical Documents II
- Family: Domestic Church and School of Holiness
- Church History – No CI Equivalency for this Module (must be taken in-person)
- Justice and Peace – Catholic Social Teaching
Ongoing Faith Formation
Catechists who teach religion/theology and have earned Master Catechist Level of Certification must continue growing in their relationship with Jesus and in their knowledge of the faith. They will participate in a minimum of 10 hours of Ongoing Faith Formation programming annually. Ongoing faith formation can include workshops from the Catechetical Institute, retreats, seminars or other faith formation workshops. Catholic schoolteachers of religion/theology must submit these hours to their principal at the conclusion of each school year. The faith formation hours will be counted toward professional development requirements.
Recommended workshops for ongoing faith formation can be found on the Office of Catechesis and Evangelization’s website or by contacting the office directly.