TEACHER-CATECHISTS IN GULU ARCHDIOCESE UNDERGO FORMATION TRAINING COURSE

School teacher-catechists during  formation training session at Comboni Missionary Animation Centre Gulu:Photo by Proscovia Achomo
 
By Achomo Proscovia

Gulu city
 
More than 22 Teacher-Catechists selected from nursery, primary and secondary schools across Gulu and Kitgum vicariates in the archdiocese of Gulu are undergoing a 3-week formation training course at Comboni Missionary animation centre at Joseph`s Gulu Cathedral parish in Gulu city.

The training that started on September 2, 2024 will end on September 21, 2024 is organized to provide the teacher-catechists with theological understanding, spiritual formation and catechetical knowledge to foster the growth of faith among the learners and Christians.

Peace Scovia Sentamu, the programs coordinator at Comboni Missionary animation centre said that they decided to especially train the school teachers because they realized that so many learners are missing out on the catechism and the sacraments.

“In our daily meetings that we have with learners, in their various schools, we ask if they received the sacrament of baptism, and they will tell us that they haven’t received and this was when we realized that there was need to start the training of catechists’ teachers,” she said.

Scovia continued that in 2011, the Comboni Missionaries through CYMG (Christian Youth Missionary Group) wrote letters to the parish priests and headteachers to request for any willing teacher who can accept to be trained as catechist of their schools.

She said this is now the eighth group that are being trained since the program was introduced in 2011 and that even school headteachers and other professions have expressed interest in joining this training because the archdiocese has about 37 schools and thus there is still need for more teachers to be trained as catechists.

Jacob Canopwonya, a teacher at St Jude Primary School in Gulu Cathedral Parish said he chose to attend this training because of the gaps they sometimes experience at school and the neighboring community because there are few catechists and that in other circumstances, the few they have do not handle learners who don’t speak the local language fluently.

“As a primary teacher, we have very many categories of learners in our school and it is important that somebody who knows English and can pass the religion of Christ to learners who do not speak the local language,” he noted.

Stella Akello, another participant from St Daniel Comboni Nursery School in Opit Parish said the work of God has no boundary and that being a Catechist is a lifelong vocation.

Quoting from the book of Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” She said “When you comprehend, accept and treasure the kind of vocation God has given you, you will surely not go wrong in life and God will provide all your needs in your ministry”.

Emmanuel Oloya, a participant from Atanga Parish who is a farmer said he realized that God had other calling for him and that is to be a catechist, mentioning that being a catechist gives him a sense of purpose in life. “God has called me to a special calling, many are called but few are chosen, I am honored to be called and chosen by God to this special ministry of lay catechist,”.

Catechists are defined in canon law as “lay members of the Christians faithful, duly instructed and outstanding in Christian life, who devote themselves to setting forth the teachings of the Gospel and organizing liturgies and works of charity under the direction of a missionary.”

The catechists provide formation in the faith, lead liturgies, perform baptisms, and even witness marriages, for the months between visits by priests.

Archbishop Raphael P’momy Wokorach of Gulu Archdiocese while addressing the catechists at Comboni Missionary Animation Center said a catechist is a spiritual cook who should help the faith of Christians of Gulu Archdiocese to be cooked well.

Looking back from 1964 to 1997 in Congo Kisangati, His Grace said there were literally no priests because of the war which stained the faith of people and for this reason, it was the catechists who held the faith of people together because the faith remained when priests returned in 1998.

He continued that when Fr Lourdel Mapeera and his companions were sent away from Buganda by the Kabaka to Tangayika, the people who sustained the faith of people were the catechists especially the Uganda Martyrs “It was the catechists whom they left, because Fr Mapeera returned later to Buganda and found when faith had not died”.

Archbishop Raphael said that Catechists are closer to people in the small Christian communities and that they are like the LC1’s in the church “Our LC1’s in the church are catechists and also spiritually or biblically, a catechist is “John the Baptists” who prepares the way for the Lord,” he reasons.

In terms of material gains, Rapheal said there is little but spiritually a catechist gains a lot. “We must be catechists who are Holy like Blessed Daudi Okelo and Blessed Jildo Irwa, from time to time, we should visit the Blessed catechists at paimol,” Archbishop emphasized.

The course outlines include: Catechism of the catholic church, canon law, the bible, the history of the catholic church, methods of teachings, the creed, the sacraments and sacramentals, vocation, the rites and prayers, Vatican II council, the methods of prayers, the ten commandments among others.