Catechists' Formation Program

          The 4-year plan of basic formation program from the diocesan catechetical formation center was initiated in the diocese of San Jose Nueva Ecija, april of this year. The key concern of this program is to have systemic training and updating of catechists at various levels. One-hundred-forty catechists participated from the 20-parishes of the diocese. In this year of 2007, basic formation program 1 (BFP1) was divided into three courses: Prayer & Spirituality; Creed; and Sacraments.
          The goal is to make the catechists qualified, commited in evangelizing tasks, and to mature in their Christian faith; that will contribute to a renewed catechesis and lay empowerment. The specific objectives of these program are: to bring formation down to the context of the catechists; to pool and maximize human/material resources available in the diocese; to minimize possible expenses that entail in carrying out the program; to provide systemic basic formation program that will cater the needs of all catechists at various levels; to provide on-going formation program suited to the knowledge and experience gained by the old catechists; to standardize training of catechists that will make them professional in terms of training.
          Three vicariates constituted the Diocese of San Jose: St.Joseph vicariate; St. John vicariate; St. Dominic vicariate. St. Joseph vicariate started with the course “Prayer and Spirituality”; St. John vicariate, “Creed”; St. Dominic, “Sacraments”. Resource person of each course move around in three vicariate centers simultaneously to hold classes for the whole duration of the program.
          Given time structure is 6-hours in a week. It can varied from one to three meetings per week, depending on the agreement of speaker and participants; in accordance with their convenience. The total hours to complete per module is 48-hours: Duration of three months.
          Each subject carries 3-units. Participants are to undergo evaluation after each module; that is, to make a lesson plan followed by presentation in the class. Basic formation module 1 and 2 carries 18-units. Participants are expected to perform at least 75% of the assessment, as pre-requisite for the next module. Certificate of attendance will be issued at the end of each course to the participants. Only after the completion of “Basic Formation Program 1 and 2” will they given certificates of Catechists Formation Program. This program will be in consortium with recognized catechetical centers on college(s) with Religious Education.
          On-going formation program will qualify catechists for updating. Old catechists who have undergone catechetical seminars will be given assessment to determine their category. For the new volunteer catechists, they will be given an initial formation: this constitutes 10-major topics in three days seminars.
          Other catechetical activities of the diocese of San Jose is the monthly meeting of catechists parish coordinators- from them formed the Catechetical Coordinating Body, who are to make the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the catechists in all parishes of the diocese. Future Diocesan Formation Team will be formed, this is to provide formation down to the new catechists on every parishes: therefore to maximize the objectives leading to the realization of its goal.

-Blaise Sheryl A. Soriano
Catechist-St. James the Great
Diocese of San Jose, N.E.

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