If you are interested in serving as a catechist for your parish please contact the pastor or the Director of Faith Formation for your parish.
All volunteers must register at https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/ to sign up for the Protecting God’s Children Training.
Franciscan at Home Catechetical Institute
Overview: Catechist Formation through Franciscan at Home
o New Partner: We have formed a partnership with Franciscan University’s Catechetical Institute to offer all parishes and schools their resource/program, Franciscan at Home (FAH), for FREE. (paid for by the diocese)
o We are Listening: This resource provides precisely the type of formation our leaders and catechists/teachers have been requesting: something that is free, online, at one’s own pace/schedule, accessible, and not burdensome or overly detailed/complicated. In English and Spanish.
o We released this information first to leaders at parishes and schools so that they can create a free account and begin to explore the formation system online. We would like Parish Catechetical Leaders and School Catechetical Leaders to serve as mentors at their institution for their catechists/teachers (more on this below – see “Mentoring” bullet). If a pastor or school leader would like to designate someone else or additional individuals as mentors, that is great.
o How to Get Started:
o Go to https://franciscanathome.com/diocese-shreveport and click on the blue box that states: “My parish or school is already registered, and I would like to set up my individual free account under that institution.” On the next page where it states: “Please login below or create a new account,” you will click “create a new account” and then do so.
o User Dashboard: You will have your own dashboard which will include first, “Institution Tracks…Diocese of Shreveport. This is where leaders and catechists/teachers will go to begin or continue their formation. Here you will see the various catechist formation tracks. Some tracks are still being added, but eventually you will see: Initial Formation, Mentor Formation, PCL/DRE Formation, RCIA/OCIA Formation, etc.
* These are the tracks set up by our diocese, NOT the Franciscan Tracks.
o Workshop Format: Each Franciscan at Home (FAH) workshop consists of introductory information online, a handout, and typically 6-8 video segments that are anywhere between 5-10 minutes in length with the total video content in any workshop not exceeding 60 minutes. Each video segment is followed by a “task” for the participant to complete. This asks the participant to stop, reflect, and apply the video segment directly to their own spiritual life and the ministry in which they serve. Their submission will then go to their assigned mentor. We believe that folks will find these workshops to be a personal gift to them even beyond the importance of better equipping them for ministry.
o How Long Do the Workshops Take to Complete: The length it will take one to complete a workshop varies based on how long one wishes to spend on the “tasks,” though obviously one does not want to rush them. So, between the total of 60 minutes for the video segments and the completion of tasks, it could take perhaps as short as 2 hours or as long as 4.
o Engaging in diocesan Catechist Formation through FAH: As indicated in the “User Dashboard” bullet, one can navigate to the Diocese of Shreveport “Initial Formation Track” There are two workshops on Scripture. This would be a great place for all of us to begin. When you click on the track you will choose “Start this track without a mentor”. At this time we have not formed our mentors. As we move forward we will recruiting leaders in ministry to become mentors for the process.
o Please note that workshops can be started and stopped at the user’s discretion, allowing him/her to pick back up where they left off whenever they choose to resume the workshop.
o Ongoing Formation Expectations and FAH: Upon completion of Initial Formation, you may begin the workshop or certification that applies to your ministry. Look first to those listed under the Institution Tracks for the Diocese of Shreveport. You are also most welcome to begin the Franciscan tracks below.
o Piloting (and Adapting) FAH at Your Parish/School: We hope to have a number of our parishes and schools (representing the full diversity of our diocese) volunteer to pilot this formation program. Please note: this program can be adapted in a variety of ways, including meeting as a group of catechists or faculty to engage in one or more video segments of a workshop and then discussing the task in small groups. The workshop might then be completed over a month or so. Be creative and share!
o Mentoring: Just as Jesus sent his disciples out two-by-two, discipleship today requires support and accompaniment – something Pope Francis speaks of often. A mentor is there to encourage, guide, and support the participant, rather than to evaluate or critique their submission. As leaders, you each bring valued experience to this and already are in a current role of mentoring others. We will be looking to leaders in our communities to do the Mentor Training Track in order to add mentors to our Franciscan at Home process.
All are welcome: Please feel free to share this information with everyone in your ministry, parish, school etc. Anyone in the diocese is welcome to create and account and continue their ongoing formation. There are beautiful for tracks for parents and families.
Other Questions: No doubt, there are other questions that you may have. Please reach out via phone (318-219-7302) or email dbarr@dioshpt.org.
Additional Resources for New Catechists
For those who are beginning their ministry as catechists, take advantage of the recorded webinars available from Joe Paprocki—writer of the Catechist’s Toolbox & a National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press.
There are 4 sixty-minute recorded Webinars tailor-made to your needs:
Getting Started as a Catechist of Primary Age Children
Getting Started as a Catechist of Intermediate Age Children
Getting Started as a Catechist of Junior High and High School Students
Getting Started as a Catechist of Adults
And, if you are thinking of becoming a catechist or you are recruiting catechists,
don’t forget to visit Becoming a Catechist page with lots of helpful resources!