For Catechists

Hello catechists and aides!

We have an exciting year planned for 2024-2025!  Below you will find general information, our schedule, calendar, and other upcoming dates for fellowship and formation.   Our Patroness once said, “Act and God will act, work and He will work” – your generous act of aiding our families in the faith formation of their children and your loving work for our parish ministry are essential to bringing Christ to others, and we are so very grateful!

**Our main page can be found here. This is where we post general information and updates. We also communicate via Flocknotes, our email/text platform.

Calendar for 2024-2025: Please click here.

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures for 2024-2025: Please click here

2024-2025 Handbook: Please click here

Teaching Guides, 2024-2025:
– 1st Grade Guide
– 2nd Grade Guide
– 3rd Grade Guide
– 4th Grade Guide
– 5th Grade Guide
– 6th Grade Guide
– 7th Grade Guide
– 8th grade Guide

CATChats (short webinars for catechists): Click here for additional info!

Diocese of Trenton’s Bilingual Faith Formation and Parish Ministry Conference – March

Catechist Certification Classes:

Catechist certification consists of a methodology course called ‘The Art of Catechesis,’ and a theology course, either through Notre Dame or Franciscan University.  Our Diocese asks that all catechists pursue certification; aides are invited and welcomed to do so too!  The courses that lead to certification benefit catechists by helping them to grow in their knowledge of the faith and  in their own spiritual life, both of which enhance their ministry as catechists.  You can read more about catechist certification opportunities this year at this link.

Art of Catechesis at St. Joan of Arc: The Art of Catechesis course is scheduled for February 15th, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm. This is an intensive version of rhe course that allows attendees to complete the methodology requirement for catechist certification in one day. *Registration in advance is required – please click here to sign up by February 10th.*

Safe Environment:

The Diocese of Trenton requires that all staff and volunteers (18 and over) working with children attend a Virtus workshop on the subject of child protection and are fingerprinted;  both must be done every four years. All individuals 18 and older who work with youth in our Diocese are required to attend Virtus training and go through background check. Please click here for information and registration links.

Dates for our Catechist Appreciation Dinner and Spiritual Refreshment – Dates to come, stay tuned!

Helpful Resources:

Here are some links to good catechist resources:

Parish Catechist Page on the Diocesan Website – Information on catechist formation, resources and events can be found here.

Sadlier Connect – We Believe Catholic Identity (Parish) Resources – This page will allow you to access resources related to our textbooks for grades 1s through 8th, as well as other catechist resources. (When you go to the link, just scroll down a little to access the text resources for each individual grade.)

Decision Point – This is the site for our text for 7th and 8th grades; it includes the web site and PDF versions of the books

Catholic Icing – A LOT of craft and project ideas, plus printables

Catholic Toolbox – Printables for almost every Catholic topic

Look to Him and Be Radiant – Another great site, a lot of really great free content

Real Life at Home – This has Catholic content and general educational content – activities, printables, etc.

Mission Statement:

Our mission is to accompany and support families as they raise their children in our beautiful Catholic faith.  We seek to provide the children of St. Joan of Arc with a faith formation experience which communicates to them how very loved they are by God, to help instill in them the riches of Scripture and Tradition which form the basis of our faith, and to prepare them to be “Christ for others,” bringing His love to the world.  We strive to pass on to our children the great faith of our Patroness, who said, “I place trust in God, my Creator, in all things; I love Him with all my heart.”