The Confident Catechist Strategies for the New and Not-So-New Volunteer 

Lee Danesco's The Confident Catechist is filled with simple, inspiring techniques to assist beginning and returning catechists. Her guidance is practical and her care for the catechist and young disciples is apparent. This book would make a wonderful gift from the catechetical leader as a means for improving the quality of instruction and faith sharing in parish faith formation and/or youth ministry gatherings. While echoing techniques that are introduced in beginning pedagogy courses, I believe the book also would be of benefit to classroom teachers in Catholic schools, as it combines practical tools and techniques with the vision of the catechist as one whose life and ministry are filled with and driven by faith in Jesus Christ.

The Confident Catechist does not presume prior experience in the catechist. It approaches its topic with compassion for the first-timer who is fearful or anxious and for anyone who wishes to do all preparation possible to lead catechesis and faith-sharing among children and youth. One enduring quality of this book is that the techniques offered could be applied to the instruction of young people of a variety of ages. The tools applied to primary and middle school situations could be used with pre-adolescents or teens with equal ease and success. The Confident Catechist is a quick read, but it will be an invaluable tool on the reference shelf of catechists and ministry leaders.