18. Criteria for selection. In choosing candidates, some criteria should be considered essential while others might be optional. It is useful to have a list of criteria for the whole Church, which could be referred to by those with the charge of choosing candidates. These criteria, which should be sufficient, precise, realistic and controllable, could be adapted to local conditions by the local authorities, who are the ones best able to judge the needs and possibilities of the community.

The following general considerations should be kept in mind, so that there may be a common policy in all mission areas, while respecting inevitable differences.

- Some criteria concern the catechist's person. A basic rule is that no one should be accepted as a candidate unless he or she is positively motivated and is not seeking the post simply because another suitable job is not available. Positive qualities in candidates should be: faith that manifests itself in their piety and daily life; love for the Church and communion with its Pastors; apostolic spirit and missionary zeal; love for their brothers and sisters and a willingness to give generous service; sufficient education; the respect of the community; the human, moral and technical qualities necessary for the work of a catechist, such as dynamism, good relations with others, etc.

- Other criteria concern the actual process of selection. As it is a question of ecclesial service, the decision belongs to the Pastor, which in this case usually means the parish priest, but the community should be involved in the proposal of candidates and their evaluation. At a later stage, the parish priest should present the candidates chosen to the Bishop or his representative, to confirm the choice and eventually give them their official mandate.

- There should also be special criteria for the acceptance of candidates in catechetical centres. Apart from the general criteria, each centre, in keeping with its character, will have its own requirements concerning the level of scholastic achievement needed for entry, its conditions for participation, its formation program, etc.

These general guidelines will have to be made more specific for local conditions and applied to the particular circumstances in each area.