Fourteen years ago, leadership expert Simon Sinek delivered a TED Talk that has since inspired millions. He stressed the importance of understanding an organisation’s “Why”—its core purpose. Those who begin with why inspire others and achieve greater impact. The same principle applies to the Church’s mission of faith formation.
If we focus only on what programmes we offer or how we deliver them—but fail to grasp why—we risk losing sight of our true mission: forming intentional disciples who understand and live their personal vocation within the Church and the world.
Faith Formation and the Vocation of the Laity
Faith formation is more than religious education or sacramental preparation. At its heart, it is a response to God’s invitation to holiness and mission. The Catechism reminds us that faith is both a gift and a personal act (CCC 166). That gift must be opened, nurtured, and lived out in the ordinary circumstances of daily life—the very place where lay Catholics are called to serve.
The Second Vatican Council taught that the laity share in Christ’s priestly, prophetic, and kingly mission. This means that every baptised person is called to bring the light of Christ into the home, workplace, parish, and wider society. Faith formation, therefore, is not only about learning what we believe—it is about equipping the faithful to discern who they are called to be and what God asks of them in the world.
Discipleship: The Heart of Formation
Jesus’ command to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19) is not a task reserved for a few. It is a call addressed to every Catholic. Formation is how we respond to that call. It helps us grow in understanding, deepen our relationship with Christ, and live as authentic witnesses to the Gospel.
Pope Benedict XVI expressed this beautifully in Deus Caritas Est (2005):
“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”
Faith formation must lead people beyond a merely cultural or inherited faith and into a conscious, personal encounter with Christ. As Sherry Weddell reminds us in Forming Intentional Disciples, “God has no grandchildren.” Without ongoing formation, faith remains fragile and easily shaped by secular pressures.
Formed for Witness
A well-formed Catholic does not simply believe—they live and witness their faith. In an age of misinformation and relativism, this witness is essential. St Peter’s counsel still applies: “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope” (1 Peter 3:15).
Formation equips lay people to be confident in their faith—able to speak it, defend it, and embody it with charity. This applies not only within Church settings but in the very places where most of life unfolds: families, classrooms, hospitals, offices, and communities.
A Lifelong Journey
Faith formation is not a one-time event; it is a lifelong journey. Too often associated only with children’s sacramental preparation, formation must continue into adulthood. Pope St John Paul II and the Second Vatican Council both emphasised that the laity are called to evangelise through both word and witness. To fulfil that mission, they must be equipped through continuous formation—spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral.
Pope Francis speaks often of a “Church that goes out,” calling every baptised person to be a missionary disciple (Evangelii Gaudium). But we cannot give what we do not have. Without formation, we risk spreading confusion rather than truth.
Formed to Accompany and Transform
Faith formation also prepares us to accompany others—to walk beside them on their journey of faith. Catechists, clergy, educators, parents, and lay leaders all need a solid foundation to guide others. Without it, Catholic life can become compartmentalised—confined to Sunday worship, with little impact on everyday life.
Frank Duff, founder of the Legion of Mary, wrote in 1929:
“Every person that is born is called to be a saint… no matter how unfitted your life may seem for holiness.”
This is the ultimate purpose of faith formation: not simply knowledge, but transformation. As St Paul urges, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
Conclusion: Formation for Life and Mission
The “Why” of faith formation is the same as the “Why” of the Christian life: to know, love, and serve God—and to lead others to do the same. Formation enables every lay Catholic to recognise their personal vocation and to live it fruitfully in the world.
Whether through parish groups, personal study, prayer, or acts of service, every Catholic is called to lifelong growth. A formed and discerning layperson is a light to others, fulfilling Christ’s call to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matt 5:13–14).
Faith formation, then, is not simply preparation for sacraments—it is preparation for mission. It is how the Church equips her lay members to live their vocation fully, to sanctify the world from within, and to help others encounter Christ.
Faith formation is not only for life.
It is for mission—and for vocation.
