Queen of Angels SPRED
spred program and
Resource Satellite 
archdiocese of chicago
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Catechist Roles

Each SPRED group has a parish chairperson, leader catechist, activity catechist and helper catechists/sponsors.
Each person in the catechist community assumes a role in order to share the responsibility for the ministry of SPRED.
The SPRED Catechetical Process involves an evening of faith formation for the catechists in preparation for each total community session with the Friends with  intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Each catechist commits him/herself to be present and participate fully in all faith formation sessions.

The following delineates the responsibility for each designated role.

The Parish Chairperson receives SPRED training to:

    Identify children and adults in the parish or local church who would benefit from SPRED 
    
Locate and secure a suitable place in the parish for the community to gather for catechesis
    Recruit adult volunteers to become catechists
    Communicate with the pastor and other church leaders, with parents, family members and other caregivers
    Encourage catechists to participate in training and enrichment opportunities, observation and SPRED family liturgies
    Animate neighboring parishes without SPRED to secure new SPRED chairpersons and eventually host a new group
    Collaborate with other chairpersons in the deanery for SPRED placements
    Participate in the SPRED faith community as a helper catechist

The Leader Catechist receives training to:

    Lead faith formation sessions following the syllabus provided by the SPRED agency
    Prepare the catechetical environment to develop a sense of the sacred, an awareness of God and 
    inspires a feeling of community 
    Participate in the preparation process during the total community session and lead the Agape
    Lead the group in the song for closure
    Communicate with parents and caregivers
    Collaborate with parish/church leaders in view of worship and sacrament

The Activity Catechist receives training to:

    Design the environment of the meeting room to support the preparation process
    Welcome the Friends, accompanies them to greet those gathered and invites them to select an activity
    Guide the total community during the time of preparation, helping all to feel comfortable and 
    discerns the time for closure and cleanup 
    Extend the invitation to each person to the celebration room during the silence activity
    Coordinate the preparation of food and table setting for the Agape
    Participate in the catechesis 
    Guide the clean-up process after Agape      

The Helper Catechist/Sponsor (Maximum of 6 with one being a chairperson)

    Adheres to the faith formation process for the catechists through faithful attendance, participating in feedback, 
    willingness to reflect on the question posed, sharing a personal life experience and welcoming the Word 
    Forms a partnership with one specific Friend with disabilities in the community
    Builds a friendship based on trust with the Friend and their family or caregivers
    Conveys an attitude of welcome
    Models involvement in the activities and invites the Friend to imitate and discover joy in the preparation process. 
    Models a prayerful manner and attentive attitude and encourages full participation in the symbolic unfolding 
    Guides their Friend in the table setting for agape and encourages their participation in sharing food and fellowship
Julia Hess, MA, SPRED Coordinator
SPRED Resource Satellite at Queen of Apostles Parish 
4412 N. Western  Ave.  Chicago,  Illinois 60625 
Ph:  773-539-7510  

jhess@archchicago.org
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