"Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction."
~ Pope Benedict XVI, "Deus Caritas Est"
Faith Formation
for the Whole Family
Every family grows in faith in their own way, and we’re here to support you on that journey. Whether you're just getting started or looking to go deeper, we want to walk alongside you. We use warm, easy-to-use resources from Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries' program "Pathways" to help guide the way.
This year, each family will begin the program exploring the joy of our redemption in Christ through a program called Seek, followed by a journey through the Creed we recite each week at Mass, called Root.
The purpose of Faith Formation is to help the whole Family grow together in their walk with the Lord. Pathways offers resources and tools for parents and children to grow in faith together at home while sharing the love and joy of Christ as a community at Church. The activities are designed to help families grow closer to God and to discover His loving presence in their daily lives. Through this journey, we hope each family feels inspired to live out their faith and share God’s love with others.
The journey begins by scrolling down the page to read more details on Seek and Root!
Seek for Children is a Vacation Bible School-style experience designed for early-elementary-school aged children to encounter the Gospel. Through songs, activities, and video teachings, children will get to know the God who is love and will be given a shared vocabulary to engage in conversations of faith with their parents.
Seek for Teens is a youth-group experience designed for adolescents to encounter the Gospel. Through activities, discussions, faith-sharing, and teachings, teens will come to know the God who is love and will be given a shared vocabulary with which to engage in conversations of faith with their parents.
Seek for Parents is a small-group experience designed for parents to encounter the Gospel. Much like for teens, but tailored in a way appropriate for parents, the participants will get to know the God who is love through discussions, activities, reflections, faith-sharing, and teachings; and will be given a shared vocabulary to enter into conversations of faith with their children.
Root for Families is a fun and engaging faith experience designed for kids ages 6–13. Six at-home Family Meetings will follow up on topics covered in seven gatherings at church. Participants will learn about God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and about the core beliefs of our Catholic faith as expressed in the Creed. It’s a great way to help young hearts grow in understanding and love for their faith. This journey is meant to be shared with Root for Parents, so families can grow in faith together.
Root for Parents is made for today’s busy families, offering flexible faith formation that fits into everyday life. It includes six easy-to-follow mini-series, six at-home family meetings, and seven in-person sessions at church. Parents will learn about the Trinity and the key teachings of our faith found in the Creed. The program helps build confidence and gives parents the tools to talk about faith with their children.
Sacrament Preparations
Mass Attendance
The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. As such, weekly attendance at the Sunday Mass is the single most important thing we do as Catholics. At Mass we are reminded of our identity, through the sacred scriptures, and as we receive Christ’s very Self in the mystery of the sacrament of the Eucharist. With this in mind, we’ve incorporated Mass attendance as a fundamental component of our Faith Formation program.
Participation in weekly Mass is a vital part of sacramental preparation. All families of First Eucharist/Reconciliation and confirmation students are asked to commit to attending Sunday Mass. Our Faith Formation classes are designed to coordinate with the morning Mass times.
First Holy Communion
The sacrament of Reconciliation, or Confession, prepares us to encounter the Lord with holy joy. We’re all works-in-progress, and each of us sins; confession keeps us accountable to God and to the community of Faith, while restoring us to God’s good graces by receiving His healing forgiveness. Before receiving Holy Communion, each child celebrates the sacrament of Reconciliation as (s)he grows in personal responsibility for his/her behavior and to experience to mercy of the God of love.
The Eucharist is the most special sacrament, in which Christ himself is contained, offered and received, and by which the Church constantly lives and grows. The Eucharistic sacrifice, the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated over the centuries, is the summit and source of all Christian life and worship; it signifies and effects the unity of the people of God and achieves the building up of the Body of Christ.
Children, typically in Grades 1 and 2, are invited to participate, along with their parents, in a two-year program that prepares them for the reception of both the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist. The program consists of home learning, church sessions, weekly Mass, and participation in special gatherings and parent/child retreats. See calendar for class schedule.
To learn more about our 2-year sacrament preparation, click here to schedule a chat with Debora Robertson. Or click here to email her.
Confirmation
The sacrament of Confirmation seals the gifts first given to us in baptism. When we’re baptized, we’re drawn into God’s family as sharers of Christ’s own life; Confirmation equips us to go forth and bear witness to the Good News of the Risen Christ. The Christian is more than just a believer; (s)he is a disciple of the Lord Jesus who lives the Faith in worship, service to others in the Name of Christ, and by living according to the virtues. In Confirmation, we’re given the gifts of the Holy Spirit needed to make Christ present in our world today through our own lives, shaped according to the example He left us, going forth from worship to glorify God by our lives.
At Good Shepherd, the Confirmation Preparation Process is a two-year process for all young people (in public, private, or Catholic schools, or homeschool) and is open to those starting in grade 7. See calendar for class schedule.
To learn more about our 2-year sacrament preparation, click here to schedule a chat with Deacon Colm. Or click here to email him.
More Questions?
Schedule a visit to learn more about the program.
Who to schedule a visit with?
- Grades K-4 families: Schedule a visit with Debora Robertson, click here.
- Grades 5-9 families: Schedule a visit with Deacon Colm, click here.