Generations of Faith

For More Information... Children’s Liturgy of the Word Register for Sacramental Preparation Youth Retreats

Generations of Faith is not just for children; it is for everyone! Each member of the parish (adults, youth and children) is invited to know and love the Church, to walk with Christ in daily life, and to gather together on Sunday for the parish Mass. Generations of Faith places great emphasis on developing households of faith, all types of households. No matter how effective our experience of faith might be at the parish level, what really counts is how we live that faith in our everyday lives at home.

Generations of Faith, in sum, is a format in which we can provide religious education at the parish level. It begins with a renewed way of thinking. The Sunday mass is the focal point from which the whole community draws the faith-sharing and self-understanding as the Body of Christ and the People of God. The entire parish is involved in sharing and learning about the faith with a focus on developing Catholic households. The household is where the stuff we teach in religious education class becomes the stuff of real, everyday living. As a center for pastoral care, justice and peace, and personal spiritual growth, the parish becomes a more important resource center for the household.

The parish programs are not eliminated. The parish provides mass and catechetical meetings of various kinds, sometimes in classroom settings but more in gatherings and meetings. Whole community catechesis is based on the principle that lifelong faith formation is an essential part of being Catholic. The adults will share their faith with the youth and the youth will share their faith with the adults in small group meetings. This allows us to grow as believers while we learn about sacraments, doctrine, scriptures, etc. It is a movement not a program. The resources we are using for our faith formation are Whole Community Catechesis: in plain English, by Bill Huebsch, and Generations of Faith, published by Harcourt and Center for Ministry Development. If you would like more information about this movement, come to the parish Resource Room to check-out a copy of Whole Community Catechesis: in plain English.

During the 8:30 mass Father Mooney will invite the young children to attend Children’s Liturgy of the Word. The children will work with the Seeds program and will return to the worship space for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.