|
This Week
|
|
Faith Formation
|
FAITH FORMATION AND EDUCATION INTRO |
|
As Catholics we are a pilgrim people on a life-long journey of conversion in which we individually and as a community are formed more and more into the image and likeness of God. It is a journey that for many of us begins with our parents’ decision to have us baptized into the faith. The journey then continues on through our youth with the preparation for First Communion and later Confirmation. But our formation in the faith doesn’t end with our youth. There is an old joke that asks the question, “If Jesus played with the children and taught the adults, then why does the Church teach the children and play with the adults?” While there is some truth that in the past the Church has neglected the faith formation of adults, the reality is that the various stages of our adult lives offer us the wonderful opportunity to grow in our understanding of God’s plan for our lives. Adult faith formation takes many forms. For those exploring the possibility of membership in the Church, we have the RCIA program. For those seeking to get married, there is our Pre-Cana program. For those interested in discovering what our faith asks of us in the issues of Peace and Justice, there is the transformative Just FAITH Program. In addition, we have also recently created an Adult Faith Formation Board to develop and offer a series of programs and mini-courses designed to foster a deeper understanding of our call to be mature Catholic Christians. For each of us, faith formation is a journey that lasts a lifetime, a journey in which we are guided along the way by many teachers and mentors, men and women who offer us their life experiences, who offer the insights gained on their journeys, who offer to walk with us on our journey. Faith formation cannot happen without the gifts of these teachers and mentors and here at St. Camillus there are many different ways of sharing those gifts. Through involvement in the RCIA program, you can walk with a person as he or she begins the faith journey. If you enjoy working with youth, Religious Education offers an incredible opportunity to make our faith come alive for our young people, planting seeds that in the years to come will, with God’s grace, bear fruit. And with almost 600 children in our three programs, there is an incredible need. Or if your gifts tend more toward organization, perhaps you would like to be part of the exciting work of getting our new Adult Faith Formation Board off the ground. In the “vineyard” of faith formation, there is much work to be done. Won’t you be one of the workers? |
|
|
CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS EDUCATION |
|
Throughout the school year we have religious education classes, in the St. Camillus School, Sundays before Mass in English, Spanish and French. With over 600 students from ages 3-18, we have an incredible need for catechists and aides who are willing to share their faith and along with the parents, to deepen our youth’s appreciation for their faith, to prepare them for the sacraments, and to help them to discover God's special call in their life. A 32-week commitment requires weekly class preparation, in-service training, and communicating with parents. |
|
|
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (R. C. I. A.) |
|
For adult individuals beginning their faith journey, your willingness to share the importance of God in your life as an ongoing learner familiar with the Catholic tradition can make a profound difference. You’ll receive on-the-job training and coaching from a mentor; workshops are also offered periodically. All that is required is a strong sense of community, desire to witness to the Gospel, and being a good listener. You determine your level of involvement from a few hours several times a year to one hour every Sunday morning. If your gift is working with youth, there is a parallel program of initiation for teenagers (15-18) (R.C.I.Y.) |
|
|
MARRIAGE PREPARATION (PRE-CANA) WORKSHOP |
|
One of the greatest gifts that a couple can share with a couple preparing for marriage is the wisdom gained through the lessons life has taught them. Whether your gift is coordinating, facilitating, organizational or hospitality, if you are willing to be open, honest and prayerful on the how to of living a sacramental married life, you can play a vital role in helping a couple to better prepare for the challenges of married life. Workshops are held twice a year in both English and Spanish. |
|
|
INFANT BAPTISM PREPARATION |
|
Once a month you can help parents and godparents to prepare well for their roles as the guardians of their children's spiritual well being by facilitating a discussion about what it means to be baptized into the Catholic faith by deepening their appreciation for the symbols and the rite of Christian initiation. |
|
|
One of the key components in the strengthening of our Adult Faith Formation program is the establishment of a team to coordinate and advertise programs, mini-courses, retreats, dealing with topics such as Family Spirituality, different spiritual traditions, Catholic faith tradition, lay leadership, etc. The work of the committee is to determine areas of need and interest, to seek qualified speakers and/or facilitators, and to ensure that all programs maximize the opportunity for multi-cultural interchange. |
|
|
|
May 11 - Pentecost