September 4th | December 4th | March 12th |
October 9th | January 8th | April 9th |
November 6th | February 5th | May 7th |
All Sacred Heart families are warmly welcomed to join Family Faith Formation this fall! This Family-based Program is an innovative approach for the whole family to grow in the Catholic faith together. By equipping and empowering parents to be the primary formators of their children (grades K-5) in the ways of faith, Family Formation aims to build a strong family of families who together pass on our rich Catholic faith to the next generation.
Components of Family Formation
1. Monthly Parish Formation Nights include a time for families to gather together for a provided dinner, family activity, and split sessions for parents and children to explore the topic for the coming month.
2. In between parish formation night parents lead their own children in the home with clearly designed and easy to use lessons and activities about the monthly topic,
3. Recurring parish formation nights enable the catechesis to be done in community as the parish becomes a family of families that pass on the faith together and support one another. Additional gatherings for special feast days, seasonal events, and other activities orient us and build community between families.
There is a receptivity and vulnerability to good formation which only happens in the early years of children’s development, and only in the family. A family catechesis program helps families to embrace this time and use it to form their children well.
A careful reading through the documents of the Catholic Church quickly reveals the Church's great expectations for the family. “The right and duty of parents to give education is essential ... original and primary ... and it is irreplaceable and incapable of being entirely delegated to others” [Familiaris Consortio, 36]. Christ and His Church call parents to be “the first and foremost educators of their children” [Gravissimum Educationis, 3]. Family catechesis aids families in becoming the domestic churches they are called to be. [Lumen Gentium].
For a brief summary of a study done on passing on the faith by sociologist Christian Smith: Click Here
All Christian parents have the responsibility to pass on the faith to their children as the primary educators in the ways of Faith. For this reason Family Formation is a program that is open to all families, regardless of where you choose to send your kids to school.
Public School Families --- Catholic School Families --- Homeschool Families
Our curriculum, A Family of Faith, from Sophia Institute, follows a four-year cycle: one pillar of the Catechism is covered per year from September through May. Parents are given a detailed picture of authentic and vibrant Catholic family life, the tools to implement this life in their home, and age-appropriate readings, games, crafts, and other activities to help them deepen among their children a love for Christ and His Church.
Each year is self-contained, and so families may join at any time in the cycle. After four years, families will have been guided through the entirety of the Catechism and will have developed a broad understanding of the Church's teachings. Families then cycle through the program again in order to deepen their knowledge and develop the habits needed for life-long spiritual growth.
For more information about A Family of Faith Click Here
Parents of 2nd graders should plan to attend our First Reconciliation / First Holy Communion sacrament preparation information meeting on Wednesday, September 25th, 2024 at 6pm in St. Mary's parish hall.
Please see the Reconciliation and Eucharist pages for sacramental preparation for our 2nd graders.
Family Formation is a part of the formation programming of Sacred Heart Parish, and is funded by the generous tithing of its parishioners. In lieu of a registration fee we encourage you to consider your tithing to the parish and ask that you prayerfully discern how you can contribute according to your state in life. If you would like to make an additional donation to the family formation program you can do so either by check (write 'FF' in the memo line) or through our online giving website: Online Giving Site
We are grateful for your generosity - thank you!
Any cancellations due to bad weather will be sent via the primary email provided on your registration form. As a general rule, we cancel Faith Formation classes if school or after school activities have been canceled.