Enriching catechetical sessions in the Diocese of Penang

Mar 14, 2025

By Jennifer Duarte
The Penang Diocesan Catechetical Commission (PDCC) recently invited Fr Dr Gilbert Choondal SDB, a priest from the Salesian Order of Don Bosco in Bangalore, India, to lead formation sessions for the evangelising catechists (ECs) in the Diocese of Penang.

Fr Gilbert has over 30 years of experience in catechetical ministry in India. He earned his Doctorate in Catechetics from the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome in 2001. Throughout his career, he has taught seminarians, priests, religious groups, and catechists. His extensive contributions to the field include publishing articles, books, catechetical kits, and pioneering Bible newspapers.

Two of his notable works are Readings in Catechetics and Manual for the First Holy Communion. The former, published in 2024, is the culmination of three decades of work and addresses fundamental catechetical questions. The latter is a comprehensive guide designed for both catechists and parents of First Holy Communicants.

During his two-week stay in Malaysia, Fr Gilbert conducted an intensive series of 28 catechetical sessions across the Diocese of Penang. He led 24 sessions for parents, reaching approximately 600 individuals, and engaged with about 300 ECs. Additionally, he held three one-hour sessions for the clergy during the Clergy Monthly Recollection at Stella Maris. By special request, he also delivered a two-hour session on Liturgical Catechesis for the clergy at the Minor Basilica of St Anne.

Fr. Gilbert’s formation sessions for the ECs and parents were organised at the deanery level - the Island, Perak, and Northern deaneries. In each deanery, he conducted an hourlong session for parents of catechism children, followed by a one-hour session for ECs. Additionally, he offered a three-hour session for approximately 100 ECs teaching First Holy Communion classes. To reach as many ECs, priests, and parents of young Catholics attending catechism classes as possible, his presentations were held at over 10 different locations across the diocese.

The hour-long sessions for parents focused on Family Catechesis.

Fr Gilbert highlighted that many Catholics are losing their Catholic identity and emphasised the critical role parents play in helping to reclaim it, as they are the primary catechists in passing on the faith to their children. He noted that family prayer is often more evangelising than sermons at Mass or catechism classes. Drawing from Pope Francis’ 2016 exhortation Amoris Laetitia, Fr Gilbert offered parents practical tips for reviving their Catholic identity. These included fostering family prayer, teaching moral formation, and becoming more actively involved in community charity.

In his sessions for ECs, Fr Gilbert focused on the essential tasks and responsibilities of catechists, providing valuable insights for those eager to deepen their understanding and skills in evangelisation. He emphasised that ECs should teach the Four Pillars of Faith - the Creed, the Sacraments, the Commandments, and Prayer. To effectively teach these pillars, he stressed the importance of catechists being well-versed in these areas and familiar with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, its Compendium, or YOUCAT. He also shared insightful teaching methodologies to enhance the effectiveness of catechism classes.

The three-hour sessions for ECs teaching First Holy Communion focused on enhancing catechetical methods and sharing best practices for preparing candidates for their First Holy Communion. As with his other sessions, the Four Pillars of Faith were emphasised. For each Pillar, Fr Gilbert suggested engaging activities to make classroom sessions more interactive and meaningful for children. For example, in teaching Prayer, he explained how prayers can be categorised into Blessing and Adoration, Petition, Intercession, Thanksgiving, and Praise. ECs could then encourage children to identify the type of prayer used in different parts of the Mass. He also recommended assigning Bible verses for the children to classify according to the type of prayer. For more practical activity ideas, Fr Gilbert directed ECs to his book Manual for the First Holy Communion.

The feedback from the ECs and parents who attended the sessions was overwhelmingly positive. Participants found the sessions to be highly enriching, offering valuable insights and practical tools to enhance their ministry. The sessions also provided an opportunity for parents and catechists to engage with one another, share insights, and deepen their understanding of the Church’s mission.

In gratitude, the PDCC extends its heartfelt thanks to Fr Gilbert for generously sharing his catechetical expertise with the Diocese of Penang. His guidance has equipped both ECs and parents to be more effective evangelisers and to form missionary disciples among the children. The next step is for everyone to put into practice what they have learned!