“Go, therefore, and make disciples.” Christ’s words to his apostles continue to shape the mission of the Church. At the McGrath Institute for Church Life, that mission includes walking alongside Notre Dame undergraduates as they discover how their faith can shape the way they live, lead, and serve.
Through the Catechist Academy, students from the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College step beyond the classroom and into parish life across South Bend and Mishawaka. There, they serve as catechists, youth ministers, and companions in faith, teaching in settings that range from traditional weekly religious education and family catechesis to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. In recent years, new placements in youth ministry and adaptive catechesis for children with intellectual disabilities have expanded the program’s reach, opening doors for students to serve the diverse needs of the Church.
At its core, the Catechist Academy is about alignment, helping students discover where their gifts meet the needs of the Church. As program coordinator Brittany Tull reflects, these placements invite students “to answer the call to serve” in ways that are both meaningful and transformative. The growth of the program, from 30 catechists in 2023 to nearly 80 today, speaks to a quiet but powerful hunger among young people: the desire not only to know the faith, but to live it.
Formation remains central to this mission. Monthly gatherings on campus provide space for reflection, encouragement, and theological grounding, guiding participants from youthful enthusiasm toward a mature sense of responsibility for the Gospel. The recent introduction of the Guerin Fellows deepens this formation even further. These experienced catechists take on leadership roles, mentoring peers and helping to shape the life of the program. Their journey will include a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Theodora Guérin in southern Indiana, a fitting tribute to a woman whose life embodied a tireless commitment to Catholic education.
In many ways, the Catechist Academy complements other initiatives of the Institute, such as Take a Second Look, to form the mind along with the habits of the heart. Together, they respond to a pressing question: how do we accompany young adults so that faith endures beyond graduation? The Catechist Academy’s answer is simple and profound, by forming not only what students think, but how they live.
This outward movement, from campus to parish, reflects a broader vision. Rather than waiting for others to come to us, the Institute sends students out, meeting communities where they are. Parishes, in turn, receive not just volunteers, but passionate young adults eager to share the Gospel. One might ask, what would it mean for every parish to be enlivened by such a presence?
The Catechist Academy ultimately invites students into a lifelong posture of service. No prior experience is required. Only a willingness to grow, to give, and to trust that God works through even the smallest acts of faithfulness. In teaching others, participants find their own faith deepened. In serving the Church, they begin to see their place within her more clearly.
To make God known and loved is the mission, and the Catechist Academy forms students to live that mission long after they leave campus.