Catechetical formation is vital for future priests and deacons. Church documents from Vatican II to the 2020 Directory for Catechesis emphasize the need to study the kerygma, Catechism, RCIA, pedagogy, and Church teaching. Priests must be prepared to lead catechesis in the parish effectively and faithfully.

The parish priest, as catechetical leader, ensures the catechetical formation of adults, young people, and children. He must be fully involved, committed, and work with catechists to form the parish community. The parish is the primary place for catechesis, linking liturgy, charity, and teaching. As St. John Paul II urged, let it not be said the faithful are left without catechesis.

Through Holy Orders, priests play a vital role in catechesis. As parish leaders, they teach the faith, guide formation, and ensure that catechesis is rooted in sound doctrine and nourished by the sacraments. Sharing in Christ’s mission as priest, prophet, and king, they are called to be faithful educators and shepherds, helping the baptised grow in their understanding and living out of the Catholic faith.

The importance of collegiality in catechesis, by giving, as an example, the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.