Called to Witness Hope: The Ministry of Catechist

Brings the theological and catechetical principles of the third catechetical directory into the heart of everyday parish life by establishing a formal ritual institution of the age-old lay ministry of catechist.

This is a meditation about the vocation of the catechist. Whether you are a seasoned catechist or considering the invitation to become one, Called to Witness Hope reflects on the joy as well as the responsibilities of being someone who echoes the faith to others. A catechist is, first and foremost, a person living the grace of Baptism in the everyday, a joyful missionary disciple, a passionate witness of God's love in history. Starting with some thoughts on the calling to be a catechist, the book invites readers to contemplate four images meant to inspire deeper appreciation for this ministry: evangelizer, bridge, companion, and prophet of hope.

Called to Witness Hope builds upon the impetus generated by Pope Francis's institution of the ministry of catechist in his apostolic letter Antiquum Ministerium (2021), the text of which is part of the book. This book is neither a commentary on the apostolic letter nor an analysis of the specialized ministry of the instituted catechist. This is a work about all catechists and for all catechists--a meditation on the beauty and power of this vocation.

Hosffman Ospino is a professor of theology at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, where he chairs the Department of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry.