Called, Formed, & Sent April 2020 From the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis Bryan Reising Director, Evangelization and Catechesis [email protected]409-924-4323 Preparing for the 2020-2021 Catechetical Year: A Check List Please know that we are praying for you - our PCLs, our catechists, children, youth, and their parents, and all the adults you serve during this time. It is a time that we need to spend in prayer. It is a time to connect virtually. In addition, it can be a time for planning for next catechetical year as well. The following can be helpful as you plan. o Catechetical Textbook Evaluation Check to see if your current textbook is on the USCCB Catechism Conformity website: http://www.usccb.org/about/evangelization-and- catechesis/subcommittee-on- catechism/upload/Current-Conformity-List.pdf. This website will help in choosing new catechetical textbook as well. Stop by the Diocesan Pastoral Center in Beaumont to review several publications for catechetical formation in our library. As you review texts, the following questions can help: § Is the catechist manual user friendly? § Is there a component for catechist formation: in print, online, or a recommended catechist formation? § Does it include a parent catechetical resource or an at-home activity for both the parent(s) and the child? Is there a family catechesis option? § Do you have Hispanic families in your parish community? Is your catechetical text bilingual? Are your parent materials bilingual? Are any of your catechists bilingual? § Does the approach or method of learning help the child with both encountering Christ and learning about the faith?
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Called, Formed, & Sent
April 2020
From the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis
Bryan Reising Director, Evangelization and Catechesis
o CatecheticalTextbookEvaluationChecktoseeifyourcurrenttextbookisontheUSCCBCatechismConformitywebsite:http://www.usccb.org/about/evangelization-and-catechesis/subcommittee-on-catechism/upload/Current-Conformity-List.pdf.Thiswebsitewillhelpinchoosingnewcatecheticaltextbookaswell.StopbytheDiocesanPastoralCenterinBeaumonttoreviewseveralpublications
o HaveEnoughCatechists?Surveyyourcatechiststoseehowmanywillbereturninginthefall.Hopefully,mostwillwanttoreturn.However,weallexperiencetryingtofindnewcatechistssothatallthegradesarecovered.Startlookingnowforpotentialcatechists.Mostcatechistsareparents.Checkwithparentstoseeifthereisaninterest.Theremaybesomeyoungadultsorgrandparentsinterested.Inaddition,youmayneedtemporaryhelp.Tapthetalentoftheparishcommunity:Whocanprovidemusic?Whoisgoodattellingstories?Whoisgoodwithdrama?Whoisgoodatcrafts?Whoisgoodwithinvolvementwithactsofcharityandjustice?WhocanspeakSpanish?Andremember,allyourvolunteersandcatechistswillneedtogothroughsafeenvironmenttrainingandbackgroundchecks.
o CatechistFormation:WewillbeginLayMissionaryDisciplesinthefall.Ofcourse,wearetargetingparishcatecheticalleaderstoparticipatethis.Youcanalsoinviteyourcatechiststobeapartofthisformation.SomeparisheswanttoencouragecatechiststoearnacertificatethroughtheUniversityofDayton(VirtualLearningCommunityforFaithFormation–VLCFF).WeareapartnerdiocesethroughVLCFF.YoumaywanttoinvestinacatechistformationprocesssuchasTwentyThirdPublications’“IntotheFields”orRCL/NCCL’s“EchoesofFaith3.0.”Thesecatechistformationprocessesofferfaithformation,spirituality,andtoolsforthecatechist.APCLcanoffercatecheticalformationafteraWednesdayeveningclass,anotherevening,oranoccasionalSaturdaymorning.Utilizeourstaffforcatechistin-services.
o SchedulinganAmpleAmountofDatesforClasses:Somanytimes,PCLsandcatechistsfindthattheyrunoutoftimeregardingclassesforcatecheticalformation.Lookatyourtextbooksandyourcalendartoensurethatyouhaveampleclasstime
o ParentalInvolvementandAdultFaithFormation:Manyplacesdohaveparentalinvolvementwiththeirsacramentalpreparationprograms.However,inplanningfornextyear,perhapsparishescangivemoreopportunitiesforparentsaswellasalladults.Thefollowingaresomeideasthatsomeofourparishesalreadyuse:familyactivitiesrelatedtothelessons,intergenerationalcatecheticalassemblies,smallChristiancommunitiesstudyingScriptureandadultlevelCatechesis,retreatopportunities,parishmissions,andlearningopportunitieswithactsofcharityandjustice.Regardingfamilyinvolvement,invitefamiliestospecialliturgiesrelatedtotheliturgicalyearandtheRCIA.Remembertolineupspeakersforyouradultfaithformationandintergenerationalcatecheticalassembliesfortheupcomingyear.
o BudgetReviews:Makesurethatyoumeetwithyourpastor,pastoraladminister,and/orbusinessmanagertoensureasoundbudgetsothatyoucanaffordthingslikenewtextbooks,catechistformationmaterials,andequipment.
o Space:Reviewandevaluateyourspaceneedsasyoulookatfutureenrollment.Checkwiththepastorand/ortheschoolprincipalaboutyourspaceneeds.Makesureyouhaveamplespaceforlargegatherings.Makesurethatelectricityoutletsareaccessibletoyourelectronicandtechnologyneeds.Andspeakingoftechnologyandifyouhavewifi,makesureyouhavethebandwidththatwillserveyourneeds.Youmayneedtousekitchenspaceforperiodicpotlucksandsnacks.
o RemembertoPrepareforCatecheticalSunday:Veryoften,thisisyourkick-offfortheCatecheticalYear.Makesureyouordermaterialsregardingthis(checkwiththeUSCCBDepartmentofEvangelizationandCatechesisandtheNationalConferenceforCatecheticalLeadership–NCCLforresources.Communicatewithyourpastororpastoraladministratoraboutcommissioningthecatechistsforthecomingyear.HaveaspecialsocialafterMassintheirhonortoshowyourappreciation.ExtendthatappreciationatThanksgivingorChristmastimeandattheendoftheyearaswell.
PreparingforVBS:ACheckList
o SelectingAVBS:Thereisavarietyofpublishedoptions.ManyVacationBibleSchools(VBS)programsareecumenical(andmanyparishesjoinwithotherChristianchurchestoputontheirVBS).CatholicpublishersaremakingavailabletheirownVBSwithopportunitiestolearnorreinforceCatholicteachings.TheremaybeanevangelizingopportunitywithVBSbecauseyoumayreachinactiveCatholicfamiliesaswellasfamilieswithoutachurchhome.IknowofachurchthatsponsoredasoccerVBSwhichcombinedasoccerclinicwithsongsandteachings.Itdrewfamiliesfromtheirchurchandbeyond.FamilieswithoutanychurchaffiliationparticipatedinthisVBS.CompareVBSprograms.Theircontent–willithelpformtheirfaith?Theirsongs–aretheycatchytunes?Theiractivities–isitfun?Isitaffordable?Inlightofthecoronaviruspandemic,youmaywanttoincorporatesomeimmediatepreparationforchildrenwhoarepreparingtheirFirstEucharist.
o NeedforVolunteers:AfterchoosingwhatVBSyouwilluse,youwillneedtodeterminehowmanyvolunteersyouwillneed.Askparentsforhelp?Youthandyoungadultsmaybeavailabletohelpaswell.Youwillneedcatechists,peoplewhoaregoodwithcrafts,peoplewhohavemusicaltalent,peoplewhoaregoodwithoutdooractivities,peoplewhoaregoodwithdrama,andyouwillneedpeoplewhocanofferhospitalityandfood.Youwillneedtomakesurethatallyourvolunteershavethesafeenvironmenttrainingandbackgroundchecks.
o Space:Makesureyoucheckwiththepastor,pastoraladministrator,and/orschoolprincipalregardingthespaceneedsyouwillhaveregardingVBS.Makesurethatthereareelectricaloutletsforyourelectronicneeds.
o Timing:Selectatimethatyoucangetthemaximumamountoffamiliesinvolved.SurveyfamiliesandvolunteersregardingfamilyvacationsandthebesttimeduringthesummerforVBS.
o ElectronicNeeds:MakesureyouhaveequipmenttosupportyourneedsforVBS.YouwillprobablyneedseveralCDplayerssothatthechildrencanlearnmusic.YoumayneedatelevisionmonitorandaDVDandplayer.Youmayneedaccesstoacopymachine.
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES
PCL GatheringThursday, April 23, 2020
Curriculum Day (In light of the Coronavirus Pandemic, this
gathering may have to be canceled or postponed)
PCL Gatherings for This Catechetical Year
2020: May 14 (In light of the Coronavirus Pandemic, this gathering may have to be canceled