Parish Grants
Catechetical Leadership Personnel (Directors or Coordinators of Religious Education) of our diocese assist parents in their role as the primary educators of their children. DREs and CREs do this by coordinating and directing various religious education programs in the parishes of the diocese. These programs assist parents and all adult parishioners in their own faith development as well as the faith development of youth. Also, these DREs/CREs are responsible for the training of the catechists – those who actually teach and share their faith with the participants of parish catechetical programs – by providing catechists formation opportunities.
It is essential that our parishes have qualified personnel to achieve all the responsibilities of the administrative position of Director or Coordinator of Religious Education. It is also equally essential that the catechists of our parishes be qualified to share their faith and the teachings of the Catholic Church with conviction and accuracy.
To assist in the formation of catechetical leaders and catechists for their respective roles, an endowment for Catechist Formation and Religious Education was created through the Harvest of Thanks, Springtime of Hope capital campaign. Money from this endowment is available to:
- Assist in the professional training of the Catechetical Leadership Personnel of the diocese;
- Support catechists in attaining or advancing their certification in the Diocesan Catechist Formation Process;
- Supply media and catechetical/adult enrichment materials; and
- Enrich programs for adult faith formation
The intention of this grant is to help fund professional development for program administrators (e.g. Director or Coordinator of Religious Education) of parish catechetical programs as part of the larger catechetical mission of the parish and diocese. Grant money could be used for tuition and materials reimbursement for approved academic or continuing education programs where the administrator’s progress and overall understanding of the course content can be measured. Grants will not be awarded for salaries, travel, lodging, meals, previously purchased coursework, personal items used to assist with training (e.g. laptops or computers) or expenses that are non-catechetical in nature.
- Catechetical Leadership Grant [no deadline]
- Request for Reimbursement