"The Virtuous Catechist: Who and How?"

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As I promised in a recent post, here is a rough outline of the talk that I gave for my parish's catechist formation day.

  • Keep in mind the analogy of the sailboat

  • Sailboat needs two things to work: raised sails and wind

  • Without one or the other, boat doesn't go anywhere

  • Who?  You are the sailboat

  • You, the person (universal call to holiness; definition of virtuous life by St. Gregory of Nyssa)

  • You, the catechist (virtuous person desires to share such a gift; Evangelii Nuntiandi 41; virtuous catechist sows seeds of virtue in his/her learners)

  • Specific examples of how this looks in a catechetical setting (e.g., PRE class or adult faith formation seminar)

  • How?  You must work to raise the sails

  • Create an awareness in prayer (gain deeper understanding of virtue; read and pray passages of Scripture, Catechism; Consciousness Examen; etc.)

  • Directed/focused prayer

  • Sacraments

  • Action based on God's revelation

  • Repeat the cycle (create habits that are strong, i.e., "vir" in Latin); end up like those on King's right in Matthew 25


Again, I would love to have the opportunity to share this with more people.  If your parish or diocese could use something like this, please email me to schedule a seminar.  Pass along the word to others, too.

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