Passing on the faith is not just the role of priests or bishops”, Bishop of Ossory Niall Coll said in a recent pastoral letter. Catechists are people who help others to grow in their faith, the bishop said, and he urged “the people of Ossory” to come forward and begin a time of discernment and preparation to become catechists.
The period of reflection and discernment in the diocese will begin in Advent, this December and be followed by a part-time two-year formation course starting in September 2026. The bishop said this is not a matter of “creating ‘mini-priests’ or expecting a few people to do it all”, it is about recognising that each person, through baptism, “has been given gifts to build up the Church.”
Looking to the future of Ossory Diocese, the bishop acknowledges there are real challenges. Especially with the dropping in vocation, resulting in fewer priests, and an “increasing secularism and possible changes in how faith is supported in schools.” For the bishop, all this “means we need to find new ways to keep the light alive in our parishes” in the future and that “catechists will be a key part of that future”, that they are people who teach “not only with words but with their example”.
Bishop Coll asked each pastoral area in the diocese to encourage “at least two or three” candidates to step forward. For him, this is about nurturing the gift received at baptism, “supporting one another and giving people” the tools and formation they need to respond to the call.
“In the years ahead, trained catechists will play a vital part in building up the Church in Ossory”, he said. And the bishop hopes, “with the help of these new catechists”, to continue to announce the Gospel in homes, schools, workplaces and communities in Ossory.
