A formation center for human, spiritual, and life formation. It was established more than 35 years ago. It emerged from the vision of the Latin Patriarchate to bring about spiritual formation to the Children of the Church.
The center is located within the offices of the Patriarchal Vicariate in Amman, Sweifieh (Jordan). It is called the Catholic Catechism Center
This center cares for all Catholic Christians of different ages and groups, such as teachers, students, youth, scouts, as well as families. In collaboration with the Latin Patriarchate parishes in Jordan, and other Catholic churches, it seeks to hold different religious and educational courses. In addition, the office offers pilgrim trips inside and outside of Jordan. The trips help embody our faith, hence the words of our Savior become more real.
The center works hand in hand with the General Secretariat of Schools, the Jesuit Center, Bethlehem University, as well as private schools that teach Christian religion. Thus, conveying the spiritual, humanitarian, and academic dimensions to the largest possible number of people of different ages.
For many years, the center has been helping raise young adults, and Christian religion teachers through a project titled “Mar Kyillos”, in cooperation with Bethlehem University.
Also, nearly ten years have passed since the establishment of a new nucleus for teaching religious education in an academic manner, in which the students can obtain a religious qualification certificate from the University.
In cooperation with several donors, To make the educational process more successful and easier to deliver, the center cooperated with several donors to better equip the rooms were school rooms for Christian education.
In continuation with the vision of the Latin Patriarchate of Jordan, the Center was given the following responsibilities:
- Provide educational courses for all age groups.
- Encourage the faithful to follow and attend a consistent program of spiritual retreats.
- Follow up on Christian faith educators in schools and the conduct of religion classes in the classroom.
- Strengthening the ecclesiastical thought of each parish while training the faithful to be open to what is ecumenical.
- Organizing workshops for Christian religion educators and others after studying the need.
- Preparing books related to the Holy Sacraments of Communion, Confirmation, as well as other spiritual books.
- Activating a website for the center to spread the message of salvation.
- Prepare short videos, which convey the Divine teacher’s message in a simplified way to the Christian believer.
- Maintaining and updating the database; Those that belong to Christian educators in schools. In addition, providing auxiliary materials for pastoral and church work, whether within the classroom or in parishes.
During the past two years, Mgr. Jamal Khader Daibes, established a Committee for the Christian Education Center, which will serve for three years; This body included many spiritual and secular figures, acting on behalf of their institutions or in their own capacity. They meet twice a year, or more often (as needed), to consider a plan for the center and seek each other’s opinions on important topics.
Members of the General Authority:
- Mgr Jamal Khader Daibes
- Fr. Rachid Mustarih, Principal of Terra Sancta School
- Sr. Lilia Al-Nimri, a representative of the Rosary Sisters Schools.
- Sr. Sanaa Samawi, a representative of the rest of the religious orders.
- Mr. Raed Al-Bahou, Director of the Papal Mission.
- Deacon Muhannad Sahawneh, Director of Roman Catholic Schools in Jordan.
- Mr. Maher Qandah, from the Christian Education Office.
- Mr. Issa Khalif, from the Christian Education Office.
A volunteering committee was also established, which will serve for three years. Its role, after distributing tasks, is to accelerate their achievement, and to provide support for the office’s work, to deliver the message of Jesus Christ to the largest number of believers in Jordan.
Christian Education Committee
- Director of the Office of Christian Education, Mgr Jamal Khader.
- Fr. Majdi Nazmi, Director of the Jesuit Center in Jordan.
- Sr. Sanaa Samawi is a Franciscan nun.
- Sr. Rosemary Nimri of the Rosary Sisters.
- Mr. Maher Qandah is a committed layman in the church and former Secretary General of the Youth in Jordan.
- Mr. Issa Khalif, is a committed layman in the church and a former Secretary General of the Youth in Jordan.
- Deacon Imad Dimitri Haddad, of the Roman Catholic Church.
- Mrs. Rita Mansour, the office secretary
A vision of hope for the future
- The office’s work continues to expand beyond the circle of teachers and students to include other segments of society.
- Introducing new working hands, whether volunteers or employees, to help distribute the tasks more efficiently and better achieve the center’s mission.
- Hold various one-time and fixed courses at the parishes and schools.
- Allocating permanent specialized lecturers.
- Publish beneficial magazines, brochures, and small books for everyone and continue developing the center’s horizons.
- Continue organizing pilgrimage trips to the Holy Land, as well as religious and archaeological tourist sites in Jordan and abroad.
- Continuing to host spiritual retreats per liturgical times throughout the year.
- Establishing an independent formation center focused on helping young people allocate their priestly and monastic vocations, as well as late vocations.
- Enabling several of our children’s parish to study in universities (Lebanon or Rome), specializing in church service, for the good of the Church in Jordan.
- We seek to provide a diploma from Bethlehem University, for those pursuing religious studies, rather than just a religious qualification certificate in Christian education; This will increase the number of years of study to fulfill the required hours.
Father Tariq Abu Hanna,
Director of the Christian Education Office / Jordan
