Children's Faith Formation Program
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Contact Us
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Kellie De LeoKDeLeola-archdiocese.orgFaith Formation Director
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Faith Formation is an opportunity to encounter the Living Christ. We, at
St. Bartholomew, strive to provide the knowledge our children need to walk closer with Jesus. With this knowledge, a personal relationship with Jesus is the reward. He is the strength and the light needed for our lifelong spiritual journey.St. Bartholomew’s Faith Formation Program for Children does this through a diverse faith environment, using the six tasks of catechesis that is dedicated to helping each and every child recognize their individual faith potential.
We are committed to maintaining a Catholic community of companions on the journey in their faith development and towards global service, and life-long learning.
We live this out by showing respect to all people, by being responsible for our actions, by showing reverence and by making right choices.
Faith Formation for children and families in the parish takes several forms including such approaches as:
- Traditional classroom – style settings
- In-formal Intergenerational Oriented Events such as – Trunk ‘N’ Treat, Blessing of Pets, Advent Event, Lenten Events, etc.
- Parent/Candidate Work Session for first communion preparation
- Retreats
- Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults – Adapted for Children
- Parent Talks – we have introduced Parent Talks to help encourage, motivate and provide tools to parents to bring the faith into their home.
- We also include parents in the first communion preparation process and are empowering them with the ability to be able to discuss and explain the concepts of our faith to their children.
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Why do we call it Faith Formation?
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Faith Formation is significantly different from Religious Education. Religious Education is focused on teaching doctrine, precepts, etc., while Faith Formation supports a relationship with Jesus and the Church. It is found that through building a relationship with Jesus, one learns the doctrine of the Church. It is much easier to move from the heart to the head but not as easy to move from the head to the heart. We want our children to KNOW JESUS in their hearts…not just know things about Jesus and about the Church in their heads.
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A Lifelong Process
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Learning about and living the principles of our Catholic faith is a lifelong process and not one intended to cover just those “Special” events (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, etc.) in the lives of Catholics.
You as parents dedicated your child at his/her Baptism and made the commitment to educate him/her in the teachings of the Catholic Church. It is precisely for this reason that ALL baptized Catholic children and youth from first grade through tenth grade not in a parochial school are EXPECTED to attend formal faith formation sessions every year. We, at St. Bartholomew extend this opportunity to children in Pre-K and Kindergarten.
The faith formation responsibility not only entails enrolling the children in a formal Faith Formation program but also ensuring they attend each week and worship at Mass takes place each weekend as a family.
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