General Information

"Catechesis for adults, since it deals with persons who are capable of an adherence that is fully responsible, must be considered the chief form of catechesis. All the other forms, which are indeed always necessary, are in some way oriented to it."
General Directory for Catechesis, n. 59


Diocesan Mission Statement for Adult Faith Formation
Parish communities of the Lansing Diocese will provide opportunities for the ongoing faith formation of all their adults. This effort will:

promote ongoing conversion
the furtherance of the mission of Jesus
and the development of Catholic leaders in the world

Moreover, it will be attentive to how every Catholic can transform today's world according to the mind of Christ.

The Office of Catechesis responds to requests for resources and program models through consultation with parish adult education leaders.

In addition, parishes can request a Training Program for Parish Adult Education Committees. It can be scheduled as weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly sessions. Topics covered include:

1) various learning styles
2) nine principles of adult learning and how each might impact the way adult education is done in a parish
3) how to analyze a parish's adult population with a view to noticing the groups and subgroups within it
4) assessing adult interests and adult religious education needs in a parish – tools and approaches
5) three approaches to adult education programming in a parish
6) motivation/marketing/publicity
7) alternative models of adult education programming
8) developing a parish pastoral plan for adult education/faith formation
9) organizing the parish adult education committee

Parish Directors of Adult Education and other adult education leaders and their committee members are welcome to visit a large and growing collection of adult faith formation resources at the diocesan catechetical resource library located at the Diocesan Center, 228 North Walnut Street, Lansing. It is open Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm (or evenings and weekends by appointment). The library includes multiple shelves for:

general adult faith formation
evangelization
Christian Initiation
small faith communities
baptismal preparation
marriage preparation
family/parenting

REGIONAL ADULT EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVES are another valuable resource for parishes. They convene parish adult education leaders in their regions for resource sharing, networking, and mutual advertising of programs. They represent their region and report on its adult education activities at Diocesan Adult Education Advisory Committee meetings.