Faith Formation Program
"Let the little children come to me." In Christ's own words we are beckoned to draw closer to Him. It is in this spirit that the Faith Formation Program strives to find each “little one” where he/she is and encourage them to take steps closer to God.
ST MARY BY THE LAKE FAITH FORMATION PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
- We promote knowledge of our faith
- We catechize Church teachings
- We catechize facts about Jesus, Scripture, and Liturgy
- We promote Christian moral formation
- We encourage discipleship
- We stimulate Christian attitudes and behaviors
- We promote prayer and worship
- We emphasize the importance of the Mass and the Sacraments
- We invite students to have a deeper relationship with Jesus
St. Mary by the Lake is working with the St. Louis, St. Paul the Apostle and St. Rita Child and Youth Ministries to offer many opportunities for faith formation for children from age 3 through young adults preparing for confirmation. We recognize that the parents are the first and most important teachers of their children, therefore what we offer is a supplement to the faith that is lived in the home.
For more information on Religious Formation held at St. Louis or St. Paul the Apostle, please contact Mary Beth Clowney at 262-886-0530 or mbclowney@stpaulracine.org.
For more inforamtion on Religious Formation held at St. Rita, please contact Rachel Kroes at 262-639-6280 or kroesr@stritaracine.org
Role of the Parents
Parents are the primary educators in the faith. Together with them… all members of the family play an active part in the education of the younger members…The family is defined as the “domestic Church”… General Directory for Catechesis, #255
We believe that formation in Catholic Christianity employs a partnership between parents and the parish. While the parish can provide formal formation in faith, we encourage, and provide support for, parents to take an active role in their children’s ongoing faith development. Our Catholic tradition sees weekly participation in the Mass to be an essential practice for this to take place.
Role of the Catechist
Catechists in our Faith Formation Program are Catholic persons of faith who volunteer their time and talent to share that gift of faith with the youth of the parish. Catechists strive to build up a community spirit among the youth which will strengthen and nourish them, and which will call them to discover, internalize, proclaim, and live the Gospel message, and to grow in faith.