Seven young men from Holy Spirit Seminary in the Diocese of Parramatta will soon be heading back to school, but this time they will be standing at the front of the classroom, teaching students in public schools about the Catholic faith. Source: Catholic Outlook.
And for these seven men, who are studying far from home, receiving their first Australian qualification was a proud milestone on their journey to the priesthood.
The seminarians, who come from Timor-Leste, the Philippines and Vietnam, recently completed their initial accreditation as Special Religious Education (SRE) Catechists, enabling them to begin sharing their faith with students in public schools across the Diocese of Parramatta.
Cassandro, Cipriano, Flavio, Francisco and Leopoldino from Timor-Leste, Joey from the Philippines, and Tan from Vietnam were presented with their certificates on May 29 after successfully completing a six-week Initial Training course delivered by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) Parramatta.
This introductory course provides SRE Catechists with skills in classroom management, lesson planning and knowledge of the approved curriculum and the Bible. It forms the accreditation required within the first year of becoming an SRE Catechist or helper.
While it may be a new experience for this group, seminarians have been undertaking CCD training as part of their formation for about 15 years. The initiative was the vision of former CCD Parramatta director Paul Worthington, who recognised the value of equipping future priests with practical teaching skills and opportunities to engage with the wider community.
The Rector of the Holy Spirit Seminary, Fr Paul Marshall, said teaching was an important skill for priests and the SRE training “gives our seminarians a good grounding in the methods of catechising, especially infants and primary school children”.
“By giving them classroom skills and familiarity with classroom protocols, we are preparing them for the evangelising mission of the Church,” Fr Paul said.
For the CCD Parramatta team, the benefits extend beyond the classroom. Over many years of working alongside seminarians, staff have seen firsthand how teaching SRE helps future priests develop confidence, communication skills and a stronger connection with the communities they serve.
“The feedback we receive is consistently positive. It gives seminarians an opportunity to integrate into the local community and build a presence among both the parish and school communities,” Fiona Clarke, Manager of CCD, said.
FULL STORY
Seminarians set to go back to school – this time as teachers (By Carmel Fenton, Catholic Outlook)
