By Fr Nathaneal George, BIS Correspondent, St Anne’s Church

July 6, 2025, Ahilyanagar – The Salesian Catechetical Centre at St Anne’s Parish, Ahilyanagar, organised a joint meeting of priests and lay coordinators for catechism in the Nagar region. The initiative reflected a shared commitment to strengthening faith formation among young people.

Participants represented the three Salesian parishes in the region: St Anne’s Church, St John the Baptist Church, Bhingar, and Don Bosco Parish, Savedi.

The Salesian Catechetical Centre, recently established at St Anne’s Parish, aims to develop and disseminate resources to support faith formation—particularly for school-going children attending catechism classes. Fr McEnroe, Director of the Centre, stressed the urgent need for a more systematic and effective approach to catechesis. In alignment with the thrust of General Chapter 29 (GC 29), the region seeks to collaborate as a team to offer meaningful catechetical instruction to children attending Sunday catechism in parish settings.

During the meeting, catechists discussed strategies to make catechism more relevant and engaging, particularly considering that the Nagar region is predominantly Marathi-speaking. The group agreed to conduct follow-up meetings for evaluation and future planning. A training and orientation programme for all catechists of the three Salesian parishes is scheduled to follow this session.

The gathering also addressed practical approaches for catechising youth in rural areas. Emphasis was placed on designing methodologies tailored to the village context, ensuring that faith formation remains both accessible and relevant.

Through such initiatives, the Salesian Catechetical Centre continues its mission to empower catechists and nurture the faith of the young in the spirit of St John Bosco.