The Diocesan Catechetical Institute

1. Welcome! The Diocesan Catechetical Institute

2. What is the Diocesan Catechetical Institute? • The Diocesan Catechetical Institute is not a building or a place. It is an initiative of the Division of Evangelization and Catechesis to promote adult faith formation and to implement the vision of the National Directory for Catechesis for individuals involved in the ministries of evangelization and catechesis in parish communities in the Diocese of Raleigh. • It is your invitation to become an evangelizing Catholic and a certified catechetical leader.

3. The National Directory for Catechesis states: • “Institutes, workshops, and seminars for those with responsibility for catechesis in parishes, schools, clusters of parishes, deaneries, or vicariates should be provided at the diocesan or interdiocesan level. • Dioceses are well advised to develop comprehensive catechist formation programs that lead to a more formal certification. • These opportunities for further professional development ordinarily offer more than basic catechetical formation and engage parish catechetical leaders in the study and research of specialized topics important to those who exercise leadership in catechesis. • Especially in dioceses without a Catholic college or university in close proximity, certification programs often make productive use of distance learning models. Such programs have the advantage of offering systematic and organic formation over a period of several years.” - Chapter 8, #55, Section F

4. What’s the purpose of the Catechetical Institute? • The Catechetical Institute, in collaboration with the pastoral offices of the diocese and a variety of resource organizations, aims to meet the expectations of the Bishop of Raleigh to form and certify adults involved in the ministries of evangelization and catechesis. • The blend of onsite and online formation offered by the Institute addresses the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers for competency in the areas of personal and spiritual maturity, lay ecclesial ministry identity, Catholic theology, pastoral praxis and professional practice. It strives to help adults deepen their communion with Jesus Christ, increase their understanding of the faith, and develop responsible and effective skills to communicate the faith in their communities and in society. • It assists the laity in their role as disciples to be sacramental signs of Christ’s presence among all people. • It will help YOU develop your gifts, and guide you forward in faith along the steps and stages of becoming an evangelizing Catholic and a certified catechetical leader.

5. Who’s invited to participate? • The Diocesan Catechetical Institute is inclusive of all adults– whether you are a newcomer or a long time resident of North Carolina; whether you speak Spanish, English or any other language; whether your ethnic origin is African, European, Middle Eastern, Asian, Central or South American or native North American; whether you are a young, middle or senior adult. • The formation opportunities of the Institute are for men and women like you -- ordinary and diverse people moved by their encounter with Christ with an extraordinary passion to bring others to know Christ, his message, and his way of life in parishes, schools, deaneries and diocesan offices, in homes, workplaces and in society. • If you think you have a vocation to evangelize and catechetize in a more formal way, or would just like to learn more about the faith to live it better, the Catechetical Institute is for YOU! • We invite you to move forward in faith.

6. Why participate? How will I benefit? • Participants will gain: - a greater sense of being called and gifted - a deepened faith - a better theological understanding of the faith - effective skills - a support network - confidence and competence in your ministry

7. What will it cost? Are there scholarships? • Both onsite and online formation opportunities offered within the Institute vary in time and financial commitment. Every effort will be made to financially assist those with an inability to pay. • Contact the pastoral offices of the diocese to see if scholarship money is available or applicable.

8. How do I get involved? • Let’s start at the beginning: your desire to be an evangelizing Catholic, a catechist or a catechetical leader. This is good. • Today, more than ever, YOU are needed. • Let’s get moving…step by step.

9. Step 1 • Contact your parish director of religious education (DRE), Hispanic coordinator of religious education or diocesan staff and tell us of your interest to begin discerning your call. • Read and become familiar with the Catechist Formation Guidelines. • The diocese has three levels of Catechist Certification: • Initial Certification • Ongoing Certification • Master Catechist Certification

10. Step 2 • Review and evaluate any previous formation with your parish director of religious education (DRE), Hispanic coordinator of religious education or diocesan staff to determine your present level of certification. • You may discover how much you already have going for you!

11. Step 3 a)Complete the Assessment for Catechists to know your strengths and weaknesses and to identify possible areas for growth and development. b) Review the Initial and Ongoing Catechist Formation List and the monthly Continuing Formation and Learning Opportunities for Adults poster to see what’s available.

12. Step 4 • Write out your personal Formation Development Plan. • The diocesan website has a calendar of formation opportunity events, both onsite and online, that will help you meet your objectives.

13. Step 5 • Participate in the Initial certification process and keep going on your journey! • You CAN move forward in faith. • Select your options and meet the requirements for each level of certification. • Be sure to record and keep paperwork documenting your participation in all formation opportunities.

14. Step 6 • Renew your personal plan and commitment to ongoing formation by completing the Formation DevelopmentPlan for growth and in-service annually and meeting the renewal requirements. • Be sure to include the Emmaus Conference, our annual gathering of catechists across the diocese in October, as well as our Annual Evangelization and Catechesis Retreat in January.

15. Step 7 • When you have completed the certification requirements, notify your parish director of religious education (DRE) or diocesan staff that you are applying for Master Catechist Certification. • Send your Master Catechist Vita Form and Certificate of Attendance to the Office for Lay Ministry.

16. We support you! • The Division of Evangelization and Catechesis, and the other pastoral offices of the Diocese of Raleigh, walks with you in your journey of faith and will do everything possible to assist you in achieving your formation goals and help you move forward in faith on the path to become a more effective evangelizing Catholic and a certified catechetical leader. • YOU CAN do it. • GO, take that step that will change your life!

17. How the Institute began • The Diocesan Catechetical Institute was inspired by the General Directory for Catechesis (1997) and reaffirmed by the National Directory for Catechesis (2005); extensive research of distance learning models (1998); the diocesan Survey of Adults (1999). • The General Directory stated “...to prepare those who have responsibility for catechesis, in parishes and vicariates as well as full time catechists, it is useful to provide catechetical institutes either at the diocesan or interdiocesan level.” (#250) • Distance learning models helped us address the obstacles of time, distance and availability. • The Survey of Adults affirmed the need and desire people have for carefully planned faith formation opportunities. • In 2000, the Catechetical Institute was funded by the diocesan Capital Campaign “God’s Work, Our Challenge.” In 2001, this fund was named the Mary Dowling Endowment Fund for Catechist Training, in memory of her service as Director of Faith Development from 1996-2001.

18. Organizations that help resourcethe Institute • Our ministry collaborators affiliate in a variety of organizations that bring their expertise to the formation we offer. Some of these resource organizations include: The National Conference of Catechetical Leadership (NCCL), The National Catholic Education Association (NCEA), The National Association for Lay Ministry (NALM), The Center for Ministry Development, The Institute for Pastoral Initiatives of the University of Dayton, The University of Loyola- New Orleans and the Loyal Pastoral Life Center, The University of Notre Dame Satellite Theological Education Program (STEP), The Southeastern Pastoral Institute (SEPI), Instituto de Missionarios Laicos, The Dominican Friars of St. Martin de Porres Province, The Paulist Fathers (Landings), The North American Forum on the Catechumenate, The Couple to Couple League, Family Honor, JustFaith, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, and Catholic home schooling associations.

19. How do I get more information? • For more information about the Diocesan Catechetical Institute, contact: • Terry Jackson, Director of the Division of Evangelization and Catechesis. Email: terry.jackson@raldioc.org Telephone: (919) 821-9746. • Robert Jones, Director of Adult Faith Formation. Email: Rob.Jones@raldioc.org Telephone: (919) 821-9740. • For those who speak Spanish only, please contact: Veronica Alvarado, Director of Hispanic Ministry. Email: alvarado@raldioc.org. Telephone: (919) 821-9738.