The Second Vatican Council declared the family as “the domestic church”. This means that it is at home with our families that we first learn who God is and how to prayerfully seek His will for us. We want to help you do that the best you can! We lovingly encourage and guide our families how to:
- Pray as a family, using Scripture, conversation, and the beautiful prayers that are part of our Catholic faith, including the Rosary.
- Make the Sacraments a regular celebration
- Begin family traditions based on the seasons celebrated in the liturgical calendar
- Demonstrate love for our families and each other by reminding them of God’s infinite love for each and every one of us.
- Make worshiping God a priority!
How do we do this?
Our Religious Education program involves formation of the entire family. In our Family Formation program, families meet once a month at church. Parents attend a presentation, while the children attend class with their own grade level. Each month there is a new topic for the parents and the children. The parents spend their time listening to the presentation, in large group discussion, small group discussion, and prayer. The children learn the topic for the month with stories, activities, and discussion. The families then go home with home lessons that elaborate on the topic that was learned for the month.
Tuition is just $100 for the whole year, which includes unlimited kids (if you are unable to pay some or all, please don’t let that stop you from participating – register anyway!)
Here’s how Family Faith Formation works:
- Come to St. Raymond’s once a month:
- 8:30am | Weekend Mass
- 9:45am | Class Time
- 10:45am | Dismiss!
- Go to Class. The kids enjoy their own grade-level classrooms while you, as parents, attend an adult-level class on the same topic:
- September: Kickoff
- October: Liturgical Cycle
- November: The Saints
- December: Nativity & Incarnation
- January: Jesus in the Eucharist
- February Evangelization
- March: Stations of the Cross
- April: God, the Father
- April #2: The Holy Spirit
- Pick up your Home Activity Packet. Use the teaching notes, games, crafts and conversation prompts during your weekly family lessons in between monthly gatherings.
I get to learn, re-learn and reinforce the Catholic teachings for myself. (Seriously, I get as much out of it as my kids do). Doing the weekly lessons at home is a great way for our family to bond through learning together.
That’s it! The entire family learns about the same topic, each month, at their own, age-appropriate level. Enjoy connecting as a family with God and each other. Watch the video below to learn a little bit more.
What if I have a child who wants to be confirmed? Click here to learn more about the Confirmation prep process, usually for 9th and 10th graders.
Contact Marianne Callaghan for more information at 715-877-3400 x 122 or MCallaghan@SMSRCatholic.com