Organizing for the Faith Formation of Adults

To make adult faith formation most effective, certain roles of leadership and corresponding pastoral structures are critical. These roles constitute a ministerial infrastructure that we believe is necessary to sustain a healthy parish practice of adult faith formation. [Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, #124]

Leadership

Each parish should have a designated catechetical leader and an adult faith formation team responsible for the faith formation needs of adults. [Archdiocese of Cincinnati policy # 2201.01]

Each parish will designate an adult formation leader—authorized by the pastor and personally involved in ongoing formation—to assume primary responsibility for implementing the ministry of adult faith formation. [Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, #135]

Models

See Chapter 4 of Nurturing Adult Faith: A Manual for Parish Leaders available from the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, 2002 or National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL) for more details.

• Adult Faith Formation Leader/Coordinator
  • One person is responsible for implementing adult faith formation
• Adult Faith Formation Team
  • Standing core group of leaders commissioned by the parish to implement adult faith formation [a sample role description for a team]
• Parish Staff
  • Parish staff is responsible for implementing adult faith formation
• Existing Parish Groups
  • Existing parish groups implement adult faith formation initiatives
• Ad Hoc Committee
  • Members of the parish come together to address a specific need for adult faith formation

Resources

Nurturing Adult Faith: A Manual for Parish Leaders, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, 2002. [Also published by the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership, Washington, DC]

For more information and guidance in planning, contact the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis. Cincinnati: Tanya Monsour Stager, Dayton: David Riley, Sidney: Denise Warnecke