The Catechetical Leader Certification Program, sponsored by the Catholic Education Office and the Ministry Formation Office, fosters the development and training of catechetical leaders to serve in parish faith formation programs as Directors of Religious Education (DRE) and Directors of Youth Ministry (DYM).

Sessions will be held on Saturdays at the Diocesan Administration Building in Rockford from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM. The sessions also include assigned readings from catechetical documents, occasional research, and active participation. Catechetical Leader Certification sessions take place on Saturdays once a month beginning in September and ending in April.

The classes are facilitated by a Core Team of highly qualified catechetical leaders from the diocese and are based on competency standards of the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers.

“…The quality of any form of pastoral activity is placed at risk if it does not rely on truly competent and trained personnel.” -General Directory for Catechesis, 234 

Requirements for Admission

  • Involvement in a parish program such as Youth Ministry, Religious Education, RCIA, Evangelization, or Adult Faith Formation.
  • Endorsement of your pastor.

Interested? Please submit the “Application” and have your pastor submit the “Pastor’s Endorsement” located on the top right of this page.

What the Bishops are saying… “The single most critical factor in an effective parish catechetical program is the leadership of a professionally trained catechetical leader”

This powerful statement comes from the U.S. Bishops in the National Directory for Catechesis.

We are here to help fulfill this ideal. Beginning this October 2023, the Ministry Formation Office will once again be offering the Catechetical Leader Certification Program comprised of 7 Saturday sessions to foster the development and training of prospective Catechetical Leaders. The classes meet from 9:00am to 1:30pm once a month at Diocesan Administration Building in Rockford. 

The program is only offered every other year, so, the time for you or someone you know to act is now.

Our tentative program schedule is as follows:

October 21, 2023 November 18, 2023 December 16, 2023 January 20, 2024 February 17, 2024 March 16, 2024 April 20, 2024