Evangelizing is bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human situation and seeking to convert individuals and society by the power of the Gospel.

Catechesis is the act of handing on the Word of God intended to inform the faith community and candidates for initiation into the Church about the teachings of Christ, transmitted by the Apostles to the Church.

Catechesis also involves the lifelong effort of forming people into witnesses to Christ and opening their hearts to the spiritual transformation given by the Holy Spirit. 

We cannot talk about catechesis without talking about evangelization. “In his apostolic exhortation, On Evangelization in the Modern World, Pope Paul VI articulated an important principle for the renewal of catechesis when he described catechesis as a work of evangelization in the context of the mission of the Church.

Catechists therefore need to embrace a larger role as evangelizing agents who are skilled in the process of evangelization and carefully equipped to discern the opportune moments when a person’s initial faith is ready to be deepened with catechesis.

Excerpts from LIVING as MISSIONARY DISCIPLES, NATIONAL DIRECTORY FOR CATECHESIS WORKSHEETS

In the Plenary Assembly of 1970, the “Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples” described a catechist as: “a lay person specially appointed by the Church, in accordance with local needs, to make Christ known, loved and followed by those who do not yet know Him and by the faithful themselves”.

Catechists, who are the Church’s witnesses to God’s existence, message, and loving presence, enable people to meet the living God and to form a relationship that can continue to grow through a lifetime.

These baptized members of Christ’s Body, the Church, who accept a special calling from the Holy Spirit, are affirmed and commissioned by the bishop and his delegates to serve the Church through the ministry of catechist.

In confirming their call, the Church commits itself to an ongoing covenant with catechists to support and train them as disciples called to catechize.

Excerpts from LIVING as MISSIONARY DISCIPLES, NATIONAL DIRECTORY FOR CATECHESIS WORKSHEETS