Confraternities and archconfraternities
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
CCD · Society of Christian Doctrine · Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (Sydney)
St Pius V founded it in 1562
Originally a Roman confraternity approved by St Pius V. Today it exists as diocesan organisations, most substantially in Australia, where CCD Sydney is an autonomous not-for-profit under the authority of the Archbishop of Sydney.CCD Sydney alone has about 1,900 volunteer catechists plus over 400 high school student catechists, teaching about 28,000 children a week in some 400 schools.
A letter or two
Through a local group. Free. Volunteers are not charged and training is provided.
How to find or start oneAsk your parish office or your diocesan CCD or religious education office about becoming a catechist, because recruitment, screening and training all happen at diocesan and parish level.
Members have a portal to sign in to.
This is the old confraternity for lay catechists: ordinary parishioners who teach the faith to children and adults. In Australia it is a live, organised body with training courses and its own curriculum, and its volunteers go into government schools each week to give religious instruction to Catholic children whose families chose the state system. In the United States the initials CCD survived as the everyday name for parish religious education classes for children, which is not something you join as a member but a programme you volunteer for or enroll a child in. So the honest answer about joining depends entirely on where you live.
Where it comes from
Founded in 1536 in Milan, Italy, as the Society of Christian Doctrine, to let lay people catechise other lay people. First called the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in Rome in 1562, and in 1571 the Pope recommended that it be set up in every parish. CCD Sydney was established on 26 October 1957 by Cardinal Gilroy, with CCD then established in Catholic dioceses around Australia.
What you promise
A regular weekly teaching commitment during the school term, completion of the diocesan catechist training levels, and compliance with child-protection and government legislative requirements. Catechists are supported with curriculum and sacramental programme resources.
What the Church attaches
The historic Roman confraternity carried indulgences, and a related Archconfraternity of Voluntary Catechists (Oeuvre des Catechismes) was founded to help parish priests give religious instruction. No current indulgence list was found published by any live CCD body, so none should be claimed today.
Enrollment checked 2026-10-22. Details change without notice and parish practice varies. Confirm before relying on this sheet.