Faith Formation Ministry :: FAQ's

Why Parish Family Faith Formation (PFFF)? By being baptized, we have become members of the Church. We no longer belong to ourselves, but to the one who dies and rose for us, Jesus Christ. (CCC 1269) Whether we are young, old, single, married, divorced, widowed, parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, son, daughter, or clergy – we all play a vital role in the life of our Parish Family. Through months of prayer, we believe the Holy Spirit is guiding our parish to deepen the Faith Formation of all members of our parish family.

How will the Family Faith Days work? On a monthly basis, we will gather as a community in the Church for prayer and announcements. Adults will remain in the Church for Faith Enrichment, while children will move over to Our Lady's Hall. Over at the Hall, the children will break up into leveled groups – Gr. 1-3, Gr. 4-6, Gr. 7-9, where volunteers will do Faith Enrichment activities with them.
Will there be someplace for my pre-schooler(s) to go? Yes! We will have volunteers upstairs in Our Lady's Hall to take care of our little ones. Little ones can be dropped off before meeting in the Church.

Will I have a choice as to what day I participate in monthly Family Faith Days? Yes, you will choose which session works best with your family's schedule. Session choices are:

Sunday Afternoon: 2-4:30 p.m. or 4-5:30 p.m.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Evening: 6-7:30 p.m.

How will I know what to do with my family during the month? Each family will go home with all the materials needed (aside from basic art supplies) to continue the faith enrichment process at home. These materials will include outlines of the Family Faith Enrichment subject of the week, age appropriate activities for the children in the family, a Family Scripture Book to prepare for Sunday Mass, a Family Prayer Book, and more.

What is the weekly time commitment expected for this program? While Mom and/or Dad may need to set aside some time to preview the material each week, the weekly Family Enrichment sessions are designed to be done in an hour.

I don't have children at home, can my family still participate? Yes! PFFF invites all members of our parish family to participate – regardless of family status! This program can only benefit from the involvement of all of our parish family!

Will there be a fee for participation in PFFF? Yes, there is a $175 per family fee for participation. This fee will cover expenses incurred for the running of this program.

What if I don't feel I know enough about my Faith to share with others? PFFF is designed to aid us, as the primary educators of our children, in the passing on of the Catholic Faith. Through Adult Enrichment Sessions, we will be given the tools, confidence, and knowledge needed to work through the subjects that will be covered at home each month. In addition, the Parish Family Faith Formation Office is here to help our families in any struggles we may face as we all become accustomed to this new approach.

How does the program work for sacramental prep years? For grade 2, there will be additional material for the parents to work on with their child at home that will focus on preparing for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. These additional lessons will require approximately 15 minutes of one-on-one with the child.

Confirmation Prep will be done slightly differently – after the completion of Family Faith Formation, those preparing for Confirmation will enter into a Program of Discipleship. More information on that piece of the program will be mailed separately to families with children that age.
Can families that are not members of our parish participate? Currently, PFFF will be offered to registered members of our parish only.

What if my family can't make it to our monthly Family Faith Day? By accepting the invitation to participate in PFFF, each family agrees to attend each of the 1 ½ hour monthly Family Faith Days. Our PFFF Office will follow-up with each family that finds it necessary to miss their monthly session, in an effort to keep every family involved.

I am Catholic, but my husband/wife is not – is this open to all of us? During the Marriage Ceremony and Baptism Ceremony, we vow to "…accept the responsibility of training our child in the practice of the faith…" Therefore, we absolutely invite and welcome our non-Catholic spouses to participate in our Family Faith Days. This will assist in the understanding of and the handing on of the Catholic Faith to all of our children.

How can I volunteer to help out with the program? We have needs for lots of volunteers! Please notice the volunteer sign-up sheet at Participation Sign-up Days.