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UpinAK
Member
| Joined: | Mon Dec 17th, 2007 |
| Location: | SE, Alaska USA |
| Posts: | 13 |
| First Name: | Robert | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | LDS in youth, Pagan, Converted Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Dec 25th, 2007 04:54 pm |
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Would anyone be able to assist in locating accurate information on obtaining Catechist Certification? From my limited inquiry, I see there are different levels of certification as well as what appear to be different core teaching requirements for different locations. It appears Level I consists of 12 hours of group instruction while Level II and Level III constist of 20 more hours each. However, the core teachings appear to differ in each location. A casual inquiry to our RCIA Director was answered with a "not available here" response. I remember reading a thread here on the forum regarding this, but am unable to locate it. Any resources as well as information would be greatly appreciated.
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"Ab adversario mota quaestio discendi existit occasio" Cf. St. Augustine, De civ. Dei 2,I
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5345 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Tue Dec 25th, 2007 05:49 pm |
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UpinAK wrote: Would anyone be able to assist in locating accurate information on obtaining Catechist Certification?
Catechist certification is offered by each diocese individually. In my diocese, I obtained Master Catechist certification after 180 hours of instruction, half of my Master's degree-level certification in Pastoral Studies. (I don't have an undergraduate degree, so it's not called a Master's Degree; otherwise, it would be.)
Various education programs are available online, but you would have to discuss with the director of the Office of Religious Education for your diocese which programs would be recognized by your diocese.
Online courses are available from Catholic Distance University, Franciscan University, Loyola University of New Orleans, and most other Catholic universities. You'll find a list of accredited Catholic colleges and universities that offer distance learning at the USCCB web site.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Tina in Ashburn
Member
| Joined: | Mon May 21st, 2007 |
| Location: | Ashburn, Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 281 |
| First Name: | Tina | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Cradle Roman Catholic, Ukranian Catholic, presently practicing as Roman Latin ... |
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Posted: Wed Dec 26th, 2007 09:53 am |
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Hey Robert, I'll add a recommendation for near-to-me Catholic Distance U - made for someone in your location, as the Institute was created for "distance" - students geographically separated from the teacher.
I know some of these folks personally - the lady who started it, Marianne, is stellar. Fr. Guest is a knowledgeable scripture scholar, and my pastor. Fr. Scalia is of course, Justice Scalia's son and a wonderful, educated writer and engaging speaker. Fr. Wooten is another excellent priest - very kindhearted too. Other names are familiar to me in reputation.
The staff and faculty are solid, faithful Catholics.
Hopefully, this is useful information for you - but, like Rick says, probably subject to your Diocesan requirements.
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Tina
Arlington Diocese
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UpinAK
Member
| Joined: | Mon Dec 17th, 2007 |
| Location: | SE, Alaska USA |
| Posts: | 13 |
| First Name: | Robert | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | LDS in youth, Pagan, Converted Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Dec 26th, 2007 02:02 pm |
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Rick and Tina,
Thank you for the direction. CDU does offer The Advanced Catechist Certificate Curriculum; a nine course distance learning process “designed to exceed the clock hours most diocesan catechist certification programs require.”
I drove most of my RCIA catechist to distraction with questions and requests for clarification on theology, scripture and dogma; most questions in the direction of differentiation of the three. In their defense, most of the class consisted of soon to be spouses of Catholics who wished to be married in the Church and were just going through the motions to make the Bishop happy. As my faith and understanding grow, the differences are not as important as they were two years ago, but my very intense natural desire for understanding remains. I feel then, and now, I’m receiving watered down infant formula while my soul craves “meat”! I continue to pray, read and look for resources such as this (and now other) forums of discussion.
I knew it was going to be an uphill struggle in RCIA when in the third week the discussions turned to social justice and one young catechist led the group to believe it was the Church’s position the terrorists being held in Gitmo were political prisoners being held without trail, similar to the great martyrs of history. I got him off to the side after the meeting and reminded him these men were taken off of the battlefield with weapons in their hands and suggested he may wish to do a bit more inquiry into official Vatican positions before expressing his own political views in front of a group of Catechumens who don’t know any better.
I may never be asked to be a catechist being known as a “bit” orthodox in a VERY liberal parish, but at least I will “hopefully” come to a better understanding of true Church doctrine. I have a very dear friend who is VERY orthodox, with a degree in theology, who has been given the cold shoulder from our Religious Education leaders after repeated requests to assist teaching RCIA. Recently he presented me with a copy of Scribner’s five volume set “Dictionary Of The Bible”, copyright 1898, and said “Here Robert, your going to need these; they were written by real Catholics”.
As I mentioned in another post, I may never be blessed with understanding. However, Grace already given far surpasses any understanding that may or may not be received.
Robert
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"Ab adversario mota quaestio discendi existit occasio" Cf. St. Augustine, De civ. Dei 2,I
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Tina in Ashburn
Member
| Joined: | Mon May 21st, 2007 |
| Location: | Ashburn, Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 281 |
| First Name: | Tina | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Cradle Roman Catholic, Ukranian Catholic, presently practicing as Roman Latin ... |
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Posted: Wed Dec 26th, 2007 04:32 pm |
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hahaha Robert, its easy to be a trouble-maker when the tenets of the Faith are at stake, huh?
Thanks for the RCIA story. What an uphill battle! I admire your restraint at RCIA - taking the politically-confused aside and speaking to them is so much better than raising a ruckus in front of everybody. I learned long ago that even when you speak the truth, that if it is stated in a overly argumentative fashion, nobody listens. I like what you told that person. Very accurate!
I learned in the business world that people respond to emotion before they hear the message so I trained myself to "take the emotion out of it" in work discussions when I felt strongly about something. The same rules apply in the Faith. If I'm mad or speak with raised voice, people hear "mad" and not what I'm saying, ever. Know whutahmean?
Your orthodox friend sounds like a gem - what a wonderful gift! A degree in theology sometimes can mean nothing. Haven't some of our most virulent modern-day heretics been "theology" majors? A well-meaning catechism teacher who, a few months ago, was teaching her little children the most awful "theology", basing it on a book that her theology-major sister gave her - some kooky story about Mr and Mrs God. Fortunately the DRE was alerted and kindly explained to this teacher that sometimes "theology" is exploratory and pushes the envelope. "That's not what we teach here, we stick to proclaimed dogmas and doctrines."
I hope your friend finds a place to effectively share the Faith in some venue. What a shame.
UpinAK wrote:
my soul craves “meat”!
When I was in high school I borrowed a volume from a huge ancient out-of-print set on apologetics. That was really good reading - maybe dry for some but I found it exceedingly satisfying. For what kind of "meat" are you searching? Found anything good yet?
"Grace already given far surpasses any understanding that may or may not be received." Beautiful statement!
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Tina
Arlington Diocese
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UpinAK
Member
| Joined: | Mon Dec 17th, 2007 |
| Location: | SE, Alaska USA |
| Posts: | 13 |
| First Name: | Robert | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | LDS in youth, Pagan, Converted Catholic |
| Status: |
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Posted: Wed Dec 26th, 2007 06:53 pm |
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I just spent some time with my parish Priest after noon Mass today. I asked him to sign my enrollment application character reference section for the CDU Advanced Catechist Certificate. He was VERY supportive. I explained I need the structure that the CDU process will provide. Hopefully it will open doors and paths to greater understanding.
“Meaty” means different things to different folks Tina. It’s probably unwise to pick one issue out of many and use it to frame my point… but never being very “PC” I’ll give it a go. One question I have asked many Folks the past few years in the Church goes like this:
“Do you believe evil walks the face of the earth? If your answer is yes, do we as Christians have a moral obligation to confront it? If yes… to what extent and by what means? Most clergy will always answer “through prayer”. Is that where our obligation ends? Presently, I tend to think not.
Very slippery ground. I AM NOT looking for an answer here or wish to start a discussion on the matter. I use the phrase ONLY in the context of answering the type of questions my search for understanding of Church doctrine and dogma follows. Another example…a person can spend a lifetime trying to get their head around the concept of suffering. These are not your typical Sunday homily subject matters.
I know taking a Catechist certification course will not answer these questions. But hopefully they will teach me how to frame the pursuit of these and other answers. I get the feeling the answers are not as important as the process by which they are sought.
With Grace For Us All,
Robert
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"Ab adversario mota quaestio discendi existit occasio" Cf. St. Augustine, De civ. Dei 2,I
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