Discern faith, leadership with Forum for Young Catechetical Leaders

^{Letter to the Editor}

^{By: Kitty MacLean – Graduate Assistant at the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives}

^“And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” – Romans 10:15

The Forum for Young Catechetical Leaders, a two-year Catechist Training program sponsored by the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives, the Center for Catholic Education and the Religious Studies Department kicked off the academic year on Sept. 6.

The “FORUM” aims to provide the Archdiocese of Cincinnati (as well as in the students’ home dioceses throughout the United States) with competent and spirit-filled teachers of the Catholic faith.

During the course of the daylong class session, FORUM participants discussed subjects such as “The Vocation of the Catechist,” “Pope Francis’ Call for Missionary Discipleship,” in addition to learning skills for constructing age-appropriate lesson plans for instructing students in parish faith formation.

Throughout the fall semester, seven of the FORUM participants will go out into the field for a Praxis experience, where they will spend the semester teaching Catechesis at Holy Angels Parish, being mentored by faith formation instructors.

These students were commissioned in a special ceremony during the afternoon liturgy, each receiving a blessing from celebrant Fr. Bertrand Buby, and were given a mission cross to serve as a reminder of their call to Christian discipleship, in the footsteps of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Students interested in participating in future semesters of the Forum for Young Catechetical Leaders can contact: Sister Angela Ann Zukowski at azukowski1@udayton.edu, Susan Ferguson sferguson1@udayton.edu or Sandra Yocum at syocum1@udayton.edu.