CATECHIST. - He is the one who teaches Christian doctrine. According to the CIC (can. 1329) the catechist par excellence is the parish priest, who, when necessary, can and must make use of auxiliaries and collaborators, who may be "the clerics of the parochial territory" (understanding by "clerics" first of all secular and regular priests) and also "pious laypersons" (religious of lay congregations, religious women, secular persons), especially those who belong to the "Confraternity of Christian Doctrine or another similar one" (can. 1333). The mission, in fact, of teaching Christian doctrine belongs by right to the Church and to its ministers; but the scarcity of these, the ever more pressing needs, the vastness of the task, have always required and will ever more require an extensive collaboration. And this must come first of all from parents with respect to their children; from others in their place or in completion of what they do, such as godparents, guardians, teachers, educators; from still others out of a spirit of charity and dedication.
I. THE QUALITIES OF THE CATECHIST
They are the same as those required of every teacher who is conscious of his own mandate, but animated by a higher and supernatural spirit, as befits an office that is a mission and a ministry to the salvation of souls.
Therefore: 1) Intellectual qualities: a) sound doctrine, in order to avoid errors and confusions; b) knowledge proportioned both to the importance of the subject to be treated and to the culture of the hearers. This may entail, besides a strictly theological knowledge, the need for sufficient competence also in other, more or less related subjects, in order to be able to combat and confute sophisms and errors. 2) Didactic qualities, that is: a) knowledge of the developmental psychology of the child and the young person, in order better to adapt to their character and to meet their aspirations; b) mastery of the art of keeping the audience attentive and engrossed. 3) Moral qualities: a) deep religious conviction, which makes an impression on the minds of the hearers, awakens enthusiasm for the truth, persuades them that one is fully conscious of what one says and inculcates; b) love, not only of God, but of the hearers, whoever they may be, bearing in mind that all have a soul to save and can be useful instruments for the good of others; c) exemplary conduct, because deeds persuade more than words; d) love of sound progress, which leads one to embrace all the means that pedagogical didactics can offer.
II. THE CATECHIST IN THE MISSIONS
In the missions catechists take on a quite special importance, to the point of becoming indispensable to the missionary, exercising all those activities and functions for which the priestly ministry is not strictly required: they prepare and instruct the catechumens and the neophytes, they preside over the Sunday religious gatherings, they baptize in urgent cases, they visit the sick, they prepare the dying, they keep watch over Christian burials, they strive to uproot superstitions, they have the material supervision of the mission's property, they direct schools, workshops, dispensaries, farms, etc. European catechists are generally lay religious of both sexes; more effective, because better versed in the language and customs of the place, are the native catechists.
For this reason schools of serious preparation have been established, not only cultural but also moral and spiritual, because the effectiveness of their action will depend greatly on their example of Christian life. Therefore they are often called back to the center, for supervision or to make their spiritual exercises, and they are visited in their residence. Very often religious instruction is combined with that necessary for exercising the office of elementary school teachers, of agricultural workers, of nurses for the most common illnesses and needs.
III. INDULGENCES GRANTED TO CATECHISTS
To all those who for half an hour or for a period of not less than twenty minutes apply themselves to teaching or studying Christian doctrine, the following indulgences are granted: a) partial, of 100 days, each time; b) plenary, twice a month, under the usual conditions, if they have applied themselves to it at least twice during the month (decree of 12 March 1930, in Pius preces et opera, Rome 1928, no. 644, p. 513).
Bibliography
Celestino Testore