Documentation of Certification Requirements
Each school should have a Catechist Certification Coordinator. Each school’s Catechist Certification
Coordinator should:
- Explain in detail the Diocesan Catechist Certification guidelines to new teachers as well as remind others of the requirements as needed.
- Distribute the appropriate level personal record form to each new teacher at the beginning of the academic year.
- Make known certification opportunities being offered throughout the diocese and maintain records of completion. Opportunities can be found on the Diocese of Greensburg website or listed on the regularly published electronic newsletter.
- Suggest appropriate in-service topics to the school principal.
Each parish’s Parish Catechetical Leader should:
- Should maintain a record in the parish offices on each of the Catechists.
- Explain the diocesan Catechist Certification guidelines in detail to new Catechists, as well as explain to others the requirements, as needed. While it is the Catechist’s job to fulfill these requirements, the Parish Catechetical Leader should make known certification opportunities being offered throughout the diocese and maintain records of completion. Opportunities can be found on the Diocese of Greensburg website or listed on the regularly published electronic newsletter.
Catechist Certification Documentation Requirements:
- Follow guidelines for completing the Catechist Certification Program Record of Courses for each certification level from the Office of Faith, Family, and Discipleship.
- The Catechist should keep Course Completion/Attendance Forms until a level is completed, turning in the documentation (certificates of attendance with summaries of the courses) to the School Catechist Coordinator or Parish Catechetical Leader.
- When a certification level is completed, the:
- School Catechist Coordinator should complete the appropriate form and review the Catechist’s documentation. The Coordinator submits the completed form to the school principal for final approval or
- The Parish Catechetical Leader should complete the required form and review the Catechist’s documentation.
- Completed forms must include the signature of principal or Parish Catechetical Leader as local representative and are sent with supporting documentation to the Office of Faith, Family, and Discipleship.
- After diocesan approval, a copy of the certificate provided by the diocesan office should remain in the Catechist’s file at the parish or school along with the documentation, now countersigned by the diocesan official. The original certificate should be given to the Catechist.
Course Completion/Attendance Forms for each Catechist Certification Level should include the following details:
- Instructor’s name
- his/her signature (or principal/Parish Catechetical Leader signature)
- date(s) of the course
- number of hours of instruction
- a short summary of the topic provided by the catechist.
The Catechist should keep Course Completion/Attendance Forms until a level is completed. Undergraduate or graduate courses in theology or related religion coursework from a Catholic institution completed within the last fifteen (15) years may satisfy a course area requirement. In these cases, the college transcript will serve as documentation. These can be submitted to the Office of Faith, Family, and Discipleship for evaluation and approval.
