Bishops Laud Franciscan University’s Innovative Approach to Catechist Formation

STEUBENVILLE, OHIO-Since launching FranciscanAtHome.com in 2017, Franciscan University of Steubenville's Catechetical Institute (CI) has clearly cracked the code on a unique, 21st-century challenge in catechist formation: how to bring affordable, online formation and accompaniment in ministry to tens of thousands of catechists and still keep it personal.

The Catechetical Institute has achieved this by creating hundreds of online ministry tracks and workshops, webinars, local events, small group circles in its "Guild" program, discussion forums, and an expanding library of resources for catechists, schoolteachers, parents, priests, deacons, religious, and other faithful disciples around the world.

But perhaps the most effective and successful aspect of the Catechetical Institute's formation model is how it always keeps personal relationships at the center. The institute accomplishes this by focusing on the local development of small groups, helping ministries adopt a mentoring approach, and designing formation exclusively for relational learning within mentoring relationships and small groups.

The Catechetical Institute has partnered with 134 dioceses globally, including 60 percent of U.S. dioceses. More than 47,000 people in ministry roles at 6,000 parishes, schools, and apostolates in over 130 countries and territories now receive formation. The number of those in formation continues to grow rapidly, averaging over 500 new users every month.

The Catechetical Institute has now become the largest ministry formation field apostolate in the world. Many participants also join the institute's International Guild for Catechists and Leaders to access resources in English, Spanish, Latvian, and Slovak, with Chinese, Indonesian, Tagalog, German, and Portuguese in the works.

"With such incredible growth, more bishops across the U.S. and around the world are taking notice," said Dr. Bill Keimig, deputy director of the Catechetical Institute, who has received dozens of letters of endorsement. "Bishops appreciate the quality of the formation resources we provide on topics ranging from evangelizing in the classroom to reaching families effectively to training in pastoral accompaniment for ministry."

Archbishop Allen Vigneron of Detroit, whose archdiocese began using the Catechetical Institute's content in 2018, wrote, "The Franciscan University Catechetical Institute is on the front line of offering resources to respond to the call of making missionary disciples. As we set out to unleash the Gospel in the Archdiocese, we realize there are many needs to serve our priests, religious, lay ecclesial ministers, catechists, and parishioners. [The CI] is recognized as a gift to the Church, which will extend to people around the Archdiocese of Detroit through online formation, group reflection, and discussion using local mentors."

Cardinal José Advincula, archbishop of Manila, Philippines, one of the most Catholic countries in the world, wrote, "One of our strategic objectives in our roadmap is to strengthen the formation of our clergy and lay leaders, envisioning that all leaders will be trained as missionary disciples. We believe that such collaboration with you would yield significant benefits to us, specifically the Franciscan at Home online platform."

One reason for the popularity of the Catechetical Institute's formation resources is Franciscan University's commitment to keep costs affordable.

"As an outreach of Franciscan University's world-renowned catechetics undergraduate and graduate degree programs, the Catechetical Institute operates in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, patron of Franciscan University, to ensure cost is never a barrier to receiving catechetical formation," Keimig said. "All we design, offer, and share is to be good news for the poor, aimed at cultivating personal spiritual growth and generous witness of life, in dioceses large and small."

The Catechetical Institute's offerings go beyond its online presence. The institute hosts an annual conference on Franciscan's campus, which draws hundreds of catechists and leaders each summer. Conference attendees experience powerful encounters with Jesus Christ and the community of the Church, along with training in areas such as excellence in youth and young adult ministry, Hispanic leadership, and Catholic school formation. The next annual St. John Bosco Conference will be held in July 2025.

Additionally, the Catechetical Institute publishes the oldest English-language catechetical journal in the world. This year marks the 105th year of The Catechetical Review, formerly named The Sower, serving catechists in their ministries.

To learn more about the Catechetical Institute, visit FranciscanAtHome.com or email [email protected].

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