When I looked around the rooms at École Marie-Clarac on September 26 and October 3, what struck me most was not simply the number of people gathered.

More than 250 catechists, representing over 80 parishes, missions and pastoral realities, came together for the Basic Certification for Catechists, offered in English, French and Spanish.

What moved me most was seeing so many people who have said yes to walking with others in faith. Catechists are often among those closest to children and families as they discover Jesus, ask questions, prepare for the sacraments and grow as disciples. That is why their formation matters so much.

If we want strong communities of faith, we need to invest in the people who accompany them. We need to form those who form others.

It Began With A Pastoral Need

This initiative began in 2025, when a parish approached Mission Jeunesse asking for formation for catechists and youth ministry leaders.

Our team responded with a pilot formation at Missione Maria Ausiliatrice. The experience confirmed something we were already seeing: people wanted formation that was practical, pastoral, hands-on and connected to the realities they face every week.

That pilot became the starting point for this year’s diocesan Basic Certification. Building on a variety of catechetical resources, Church documents, existing formation tools, and our own pastoral experience. Working with Kevin Reda we brought the different elements together into a practical formation adapted to our diocesan reality. The material was then further developed and adapted for our English, French and Spanish ministry realties.

Formation That Is Practical And Rooted In Christ

From the beginning, I did not want the certification to be simply about transmitting more information. We wanted catechists to reflect on deeper questions:

Who am I as a catechist? Who has God entrusted to me? How do I help someone encounter Christ?

Participants explored the vocation and mission of the catechist, Scripture, Catholic faith, prayer, pedagogy, learning styles, discipline, collaboration with families and practical approaches to accompaniment. There was teaching, but also prayer, conversation, movement, laughter and hands-on activities.

One of the most beautiful fruits was seeing catechists rediscover the importance of their vocation. They accompany children. They support families. They welcome questions. They help create spaces where faith can grow. That is no small mission.

One Mission, Many Gifts

Offering the formation in three languages required much more than translation. The content had to be adapted to different pastoral and cultural realities, and animation teams had to be prepared for each language.

I am deeply grateful to those who helped lead the formation: Kevin Reda; Karin Perea; Eliana Jaramillo; Antoine Chabarekh; Barbara Séguin; and the EVC and Mission Jeunesse teams.

Each brought different experience and pastoral sensitivity, while serving the same mission.
For me, that was one of the strongest images of the two weekends: different languages, different communities, different gifts — one Body in Christ.

A Sign Of The New ECL( EVC) Reality

These sessions also gave us a glimpse of what the renewed Evangelization and Christian Life Services — ECL(EVC) can make possible. Mission Jeunesse, catechesis and Faith Formation, and the Catechumenate are now working in closer relationship. That matters because people do not live their faith in separate pastoral compartments.

The child in catechesis becomes the teenager in youth ministry. Parents accompanying their children may rediscover their own faith. Young adults continue discerning their place in the Church. Adults come forward seeking Baptism, Confirmation or a deeper relationship with Christ. It is one journey of evangelization and discipleship. Our formation needs to reflect that reality.

Gratitude

None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary support of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Mary and the entire community of École Marie-Clarac. Their generosity, hospitality, flexibility and practical support made it possible to welcome hundreds of participants in three simultaneous formations. Quite simply, we could not have done this without them.

I am also profoundly grateful to the Mission Jeunesse Volunteer Service Team under the coordination of Holly Eugenio. Their quiet, joyful service — welcoming participants, preparing spaces, organizing materials, supporting logistics and taking care of countless details — allowed the formation teams to focus on accompaniment. Their service was part of the formation too.

This is only the beginning

Basic Certification is exactly that: a beginning. Two Saturdays cannot provide every tool a catechist will ever need. Formation must continue.

But seeing more than 250 people from over 80 realities give their time because they want to serve better gives me great hope.

There is generosity in our Church. There is a desire to learn.

There are leaders willing to grow.

And there are people ready to accompany the next generation in faith.

Different communities. Different languages. Different gifts. One Body in Christ. One mission.

Photo gallerie

Isabel Correa
Director, Evangelization and Christian Life and
Mission Jeunesse Youth Ministry
Archdiocese of Montreal