Our Faith Formation Program provides consecutive yearly levels of instruction, building on previous levels, to introduce the student to God, to enliven the student’s desire to know God and then foster and sustain the student’s intimate relationship with God. Each level, likewise, leads the student into a fuller appreciation of the Mass by weekly participating in Sunday Mass. Over the course of the years, the student values becoming a lifelong learner of the Catholic faith while being more and more interested in spiritual growth. As the student learns how the Catholic faith is relevant to their lives, preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation, through serious and challenging messages, encourages them to then use their gifts and abilities to mature in their faith.
This year, October 2022 to May 2023, Faith Formation classes are conducted in person and in Google Classroom. For certain grades, in person and online, this requires parent assistance. The Registration Form enables the parent to choose in person classes or online classes. After the registration form is complete and the Faith Formation tuition is paid, the child is placed either in an in person class or an online class. If the requested day for an in person class is full, the Faith Formation Office will inform you.
The Catholic Church teaches that parents are active participants in catechesis. They are the first teachers of the faith in the family. In the sacrament of Marriage and Baptism, parents have been given the mission to educate their children in the Catholic faith. By daily examples in their lives, parents have the most effective capacity to transmit the beauty of the Catholic faith to their children. “The greatest challenge is for couples to overcome the mentality of delegation, according to which the Catholic faith is set aside [to be taught] by catechists in the parish [Faith Formation] program. Catechesis starts from the families themselves… and above all, parents are the first catechists of their own children.” (Directory for Catechesis, 2020, #124)
Along with parents, Godparents “show their Godchildren how to practice their Catholic faith.” (Directory for Catechesis, 2020, #125) Godparents “sustain their Godchildren in moments of hesitancy and anxiety, to bear witness and to guide their progress in the Catholic life.” (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults # 43) “Grandparents are often deeply rooted in the Catholic faith with rich faith experiences.” (Directory for Catechesis, 2020, #126) Many people owe their initiation into the Catholic way of life to their Grandparents.
So enlist the help of your child’s Godparents and Grandparents if at all possible.
In our Faith Formation Program, we use Our Sunday Visitor’s Alive In Christ series, Encounter Christ in Reconciliation, Encounter Christ in the Eucharist, Faith Fusion, and Called to Celebrate Confirmation with Pflaum Press’ Gifted With the Spirit.
For the online option, each student is assigned to a homeroom where the online lesson is posted. Lessons are posted on Mondays and that lesson’s assignments are due by the following Sunday no later than 11:59p.m. The following week, the teacher provides each student feedback about their submitted assignments. Feedback and student posting of assignments are done publicly in the online homeroom, not emailed to the Director.
The former “home instruction” model, where a student read each chapter and answered questions in the book, working in isolation from classmates, at a rate determined by the student and parent, is no longer offered. Our online option, in Google Classroom, is the only “home instruction” model.
These are the new names of the levels of our Faith Formation Program:
First Communion Level 1 (formerly called grade 1)
First Communion Level 2 (formerly called grade 2)
Level 3 …………………………………(formerly called grade 3)
Level 4 …………………………………(formerly called grade 4)
Level 5 …………………………………(formerly called grade 5)
Level 6 …………………………………(formerly called grade 6)
Confirmation Level 1 (formerly called grade 7)
Confirmation Level 2 (formerly called grade 8)
First Communion is usually celebrated in May. First Communion is only celebrated after successful completion of every lesson in both First Communion Level 1 and First Communion Level 2 (using the Encounter Christ in Reconciliation, Encounter Christ in Eucharist, and the Alive in Christ Level 2 text). First Confession (First Reconciliation) is usually celebrated in Lent, always the same year prior to First Communion.
Confirmation is usually celebrated in the early Fall, in the next academic year after the student completes Confirmation Level 2. Confirmation is only celebrated after successful completion of every lesson in both Confirmation Level 1 (using the Faith Fusion and the Alive in Christ Level 7 text) and Confirmation Level 2 (using the Called to Celebrate Confirmation, Gifted With the Spirit, and the Alive in Christ Level 8 text).
SUNDAY MASS ATTENDANCE IS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF OUR PROGRAM
Remember: MASS IS YOUR EXCUSE FOR MISSING EVERYTHING ELSE!
Every lesson builds upon the experience of actively and fully participating in Sunday Mass every week.
As followers of Jesus, parents and children are called to make Sunday Mass a priority in their family life.
In order for a student in our First Communion 1 and First Communion 2 class, to be eligible to receive First Communion, the student is required to attend Sunday Mass.
In order for a Confirmation 1 and Confirmation 2 class student, to be eligible to receive Confirmation, the student is required to attend Sunday Mass.
Because we require First Communion and Confirmation classes to attend Sunday Mass, does not imply that Sunday Mass attendance isn’t required for levels 3,4,5, & 6. It is required for all grades.