The Catechist :  
A Sharer of the Gift of Faith

What Is a Catechist?

The word catechist comes from a Greek word meaning "to echo". Catechists echo the Word of God to the children of St. Laurence. Catechists come from all walks of life and all ages: women, men, confirmed teenagers, parents, grandparents, singles, and religious. Catechists are not expert teachers or brilliant theologians. They are ordinary people, just like you, who generously volunteer their time to share our Catholic faith, values, and traditions with our youngest generation of Christians. They are positive role models who help children grow in faith, spirituality and their relationship with God. Their gift  of time and talents has tremendous value... because through their words, actions, and expression of love for their students, the message of Jesus Christ continues to spread throughout the world.

"Catechists are people who keep the memory of God alive; they keep it alive in themselves and are able to revive it in others."  Pope Francis

"Faith formation is more than a subject to be taught - it is an invitation to a way of life." 
Joe Paprocki

Is God Calling You to Be a Catechist?

Do you:

Your "yes" answer to any of the questions above may mean that God is calling you to be a Catechist! The CCE Program is always in need of volunteer catechists/co-catechists,  classroom assistants and Special Needs mentor buddies to help spread the Good News and share the Catholic faith with all of our parish children.

It takes upwards of 125 volunteers EACH WEEK to serve the children of St. Laurence in grades PreK-5.  We are always actively recruiting volunteers for our CCE Program!  Our best source of volunteers comes from parents and grandparents, as well as older youth/teens, who wish to support the program in this special way.  All adults who have completed (or are willing to complete) the Diocesan Safe Environment training (Safe Haven), as well as high school youth, are invited to apply.

For class times and other details about our weekly programs and volunteer needs please see below.  Note that as a bonus, parent volunteers receive a significant discount on the faith formation fees for their own children who receive priority placement in CCE. Babysitting is provided at the AMC, through Play and Pray  (free of charge) for volunteers' children not old enough to attend the program session for which they volunteer.

The Role of the Catechist

The role of a catechist is one who is called to nurture a living, conscious and active faith in the youth and children he/she teaches. A Catechist is one who witnesses to the faith by sharing his/her faith commitment through word, experience, prayer and liturgy.

The Catechist is responsible for planning and leading weekly catechetical sessions using the resources and training provided. The time commitment is for one full school year (i.e. September to May). The sessions are one hour and fifteen minutes each week.

The commitment to serve as a catechist involves ongoing personal faith formation. It is vital that as a sharer of the faith that the catechist continues to grow in his/her own faith. That is why catechist formation is highly encouraged because it provides a teaching context in which the catechist can develop a deeper understanding and love for the Catholic faith which he/she shares.

Qualifications

• To have a desire to share your faith with children and young people
• To be able to relate comfortably with children and young people
• To be committed to quality Catholic education
• To take part in the sacramental life of the Church, including being a Confirmed Catholic
• To begin/continue working towards catechist formation
• To have satisfactorily completed the Safe Environment training (and all updates) required by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and passed a background check.