The Church's catechetical mission aims to help the faithful of all ages to grow in both human and Christian maturity, enriching the whole of life with the leaven of the Gospel. Consequently, appropriate goals and content will embrace all the faith dimensions of an adult life—for example, understanding and communicating the faith, skills needed for personal growth, the experience of family life, relationships, public service, and concern for the common good.
Catholic faith formation is a sanctioned process by which we learn and grow in the Catholic tradition. It is a life-long journey that helps to expand our knowledge of the Church’s doctrines. It also prepares us for the sacramental rituals, and full participation in the liturgical celebrations, all geared towards a deeper relationship with God, in and through Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit.
Because the sacraments are the faith pillars of the Church through which one can become a full member of the Catholic community, the sacramental formation environment has a nature of its own, different to the other ministries of formation, and takes place at each sacramental stage with relevant instructions specific to that sacrament.
In the Roman Catholic Church, formal catechesis takes place through the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist (First Communion), Confirmation, and the Order of Christian Initiation (OCIA for adults; OCIC for children).