Catechetical Certification
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I. Introduction
Welcome to the catechist formation pages for the Diocese of Santa Rosa. Here you will find information pertaining to catechist formation, including training, resources and other related events and opportunities for learning designed to support the ministry of the catechist at both the basic and master level.
II. What is a catechist?
A catechist is a person of faith who is called by the parish or school community to hand on the tradition and teaching of the Catholic Church to others. This call demands that the catechist understand Church doctrine and demonstrate appropriate teaching skills. More than that, a catechist realizes God’s voice in this call to serve and recognizes the need for continuing personal growth and faith formation.
A catechist ...
- has a strong awareness of God’s grace in his/her own life
- realizes the importance of building Christian community
- participates regularly in the liturgy and desires to deepen her/his own prayer life
- is open to change, yet is deeply rooted in Christian convictions, while respecting individual growth, differences and cultures
- communicates effectively with others
- is committed to ongoing personal religious education and formation
- has a dedication to service and commitment to teaching within the Roman Catholic tradition.
III. Guidelines & Forms
Sufficient support to enable adults to become a catechist should be provided by the parish in the form of consultation and the encouragement of active involvement.
The preparation to become a catechist is through formal classes provided by the diocese. The locations of these classes vary each year.
The Dept. of Catholic Schools and the Dept. of Religious Education collaborate to provide certificate for Catholic school personnel. Catholic school personnel in the Diocese of Santa Rosa should contact the Dept. of Catholic Schools first for more information before contacting the Dept. of Religious Education.
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A. FORMS IN ENGLISH (TO OBTAIN BASIC CERTIFICATION)
Form 2: Application For Certification
Form 3: Certification Record of Attendance (contact office after registering)
Form 4a: Teaching Observation (to be completed by Master Catechist)
Form 5: Reference Letter (from pastor, priest, Master Catechist or DRE/CRE authorized and pre-approved by Dept. of Religious Education)
Complete Live Scan Fingerprinting (click HERE to go to the Safe Environment Office page for in-person fingerprinting requirements)
Complete Diocesan Safe Environment Online Training (click HERE to go to the Safe Environment Office page for online training)B. FORMS IN ENGLISH (TO RENEW CERTIFICATION)
Form 10: Application For Re-Certification
Fingerprinting should be on file.
Complete any Diocesan Safe Environment Online Training.
C. DOCUMENTOS EN ESPAÑOL (PARA OBTENER LA CERTIFICACIÓN)
Form 3: Certificado de asistencia
Huella digital completa a través de la oficina de medio ambiente seguro
D. DOCUMENTOS EN ESPAÑOL (PARA RENOVAR CERTIFICACIÓN)
Form 10b: Solicitud de re-certificación
La huella digital debe estar en el archivo.
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YEAR-ROUND: (Santa Rosa / Rohnert Park)
See Flyer (English & Spanish) for 2023-2024.
Offered 2x per month in the evening
In-Person
YEAR-ROUND: (Napa / American Canyon)
Approved by Diocese: Maris Stella Institute
Every 2nd Saturday of the month
In-Person and/or Online
YEAR-ROUND: Other Online
Limited online resources available HERE to partially fulfill Basic Certification requirements.
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YEAR-ROUND: (Santa Rosa / Rohnert Park)
Contact Dept. of Religious Education directly for mentoring. Process requires 2-3 years of intense formation beyond Basic Certification.
YEAR-ROUND: (Napa / American Canyon)
Approved by Diocese: Maris Stella Institute
Every 2nd Saturday of the month
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Circle of Grace Program
Circle of Grace is a safe environment program developed in response to Article 12 of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. It serves the dual purpose of educating and forming youth about the value of positive relationships with God and others.Through the Circle of Grace program, adults assist children and youth to recognize that each of us lives within a Circle of Grace that holds our very essence in body, mind, heart, soul and sexuality. Through the Circle of Grace program, children and youth are taught to identify and maintain appropriate physical, emotional, spiritual and sexual boundaries; recognize when boundary violations are about to occur; and demonstrate how to take action when boundaries are threatened or violated.
Circle of Grace is clinically sound and grounded in the Catholic tradition. Its strong parent component means parents can actively participate in their children’s education and formation.
The Diocese of Santa Rose has adopted the Circle of Grace Program to be used throughout the diocese.
Safe Environment Training
The Diocese of Santa Rosa requires every employee complete our Safe Environment Training every two years. The training is available online, in English and Spanish, at https://santarosa.cmgconnect.org/.
If you have previously completed this training online,
use the user name and password that you used in the past. If you have never done this training on line before, click "Register here" and complete the necessary registration information, as well as the training. It takes approximately 60-90 minutes to complete. Don’t forget to print your certificate.
For additional information contact: Safe Environment Office 707.566.3308
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