As part of fulfilling its Strategic Pastoral Plan, the Catholic Diocese of Shendam, central Nigeria, has officially begun stepping down what it termed “a Christian Living Correspondence Course for all Diocesan Catechists, youths, and children.”
Making this disclosure, the Director of the Catechetical Training Centre (CTI), Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Paul Miapkwap, told Advocatus Africa that “the faith formation programme is aimed at equipping catechists, young people and children with the requisite knowledge of the teachings of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic and Christian living.”
CTI is a vital educational and pastoral establishment operating under the leadership of Bishop Philip Dung, which serves as a foundational pillar for the theological foundation, lay ministry training and regional diocesan development of Jos, Bauchi, Lafia, Wukari, Abuja and Kafanchan.
According to him, the training session, which was held at the CTI campus, Shendam, from Thursday 12th June, 2026, “is designed to be replicated and implemented in various parishes across the diocese.”
The Director of CTI, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Paul Miapkwap, unveils the programme booklet.
Fr. Miapkwap expressed optimism that the programme would “ensure that Catechists, youths and children across the Diocese would benefit from the programme.”
The director, who holds a doctorate in Missiology from the Pontifical Urbanian University, Rome, further spoke about the importance of the programme as a tool for effective evangelisation at the grassroots level, stressing that it fulfils Bishop Philip Dung’s pastoral vision for the diocese.
CTI Set 2026 with Bishop Philip Dung and some priests of Shendam diocese.
“The initiative seeks to strengthen catechesis at the grassroots, deepen the faith of young people, and sustain the Diocese’s commitment to systematic faith formation through structured correspondence materials”
“The stepping down of the Christian Living Correspondence Course marks a significant step in the Diocese’s pastoral plan to reach and form the younger generation through well-trained catechists in every parish,” he stressed.
Carved out of the Archdiocese of Jos in 2007 with Sacred Heart Cathedral as the first Roman Catholic Mission foundation of the rivers Nigeria and Benue, Shendam Diocese covers about 132,000 square kilometres and has a Catholic Population of 228,000, 39 parishes, and 63 diocesan and religious priests.
