Handbook for Today’s Catechist, by Ginger Infantino. Liguori Press, 2009
This short, readable guide is a wonderful tool for beginning catechists, and is a nice refresher course for those catechists with a few more years of experience.
The first half of the book focuses on the tasks of catechesis while sharing some helpful tips for successful lesson planning and classroom management. There is also some attention given to meeting the needs of students’ different learning styles, which is information that will be invaluable for reaching all students in the way they learn best. While much of the information in this section is general in nature, it has value nonetheless in that it will guide a new catechist in the early stages of her journeys.
The second half of the book offers a succinct review of some of the most basic precepts of the Catholic Church. Realistically, it is fair to say that most catechists come to their position having had no real religious formation since their high school days, if not earlier. This refresher course is the perfect fill-in-the-gaps tool for that person. Infantino pulls together very simple yet important reviews on topics ranging from Scripture and Tradition to Prayers and Liturgy, to Jesus as True God and True Man. She presents the information in a straightforward way that does not require any theological background to truly understand.
In the hectic lives that many of our catechetical volunteers lead, there is often not much time for outside “training” in catechesis. Handbook for Today’s Catechist offers a quick-read, valuable tool for solid faith formation; it’s a great resource for helping to “teach the teacher.”
Reviewed by Jenifer Truitt, Coordinator of Religious Education, St. Oliver Plunkett Catholic Church and creator of St. Olivers PSR
